December 31, 2007

Gone are the days when everyone made new resolutions and failed to live by them. I wondered whether this trend ever prevailed till I saw this neighbor of mine, a millionaire according to the reliable sources in my building.

They described him as a God fearing and a simple old man who lived a lonely yet a spartan life.
As the New Year was just around the corner, I asked him what ‘the new year’s resolution meant to him.

He gave me a stern look as if I have pinched him where it pained most while quite many colours appeared on his agile and nimble face.

“Don’t remind me of any thing called ‘New Year Resolution’ he yelled at me. All these years I made resolutions and gave up everything what I had possessed. To the extent that even my own wife and children do not belong to me today”

“Did they give you up or you did?” I demanded to know.

“Look gentleman” he said. “I do not know why so much hue and cry over this issue of New Year resolution. As you know we are no more the members of an erstwhile healthy society. Nowadays the mortal rate has gone up but the life span has drastically diminished. Have you seen anyone living beyond the age of 55 today? But why then one should think of giving up on Alcohol, smoking, and so on?”

“What is exactly on your mind?” I asked him.

“Lets be realistic gentleman” he said “ I can still recall the day I married a beautiful lady who later was called my wife. Immediately after our wedding was solemnized the first question she asked me was whether I smoke cigars. I told her I am not a regular one but does take a puff whenever I am high over a few bouts of whisky. She was stunned and devastated and did not talk to me for the next two weeks”.

“Strange” I reacted as the old man went on narrating his sordid past.

“Forget about the thrill and euphoria of a honeymoon, boy, we never had a night called honeymoon. We spent the nights facing the walls across us. The New Year was soon approaching, and the first thing she succeeded prodding me on giving up my drinking habit”.

“She must be a quite strong lady” I said. The old man was not amused. He continued –

“In the next year I had this good news of my first son coming into this world. Both myself and I were so excited to give him a safe landing into this planet that my wife prepared a full list of things I should give up before she delivered her child.”

“What was it like?” I asked him.

“First thing was getting rid of our expensive carpets in our house which I had imported from Turkey. According to my wife the smell of carpets was too toxic and she feared that her new born child might develop an allergy. Soon I saw myself getting rid of them, No matter my house looked a barren desert off the red sea” 

“I must salute your sense of sacrifice” I said. He wasn’t amused even this time; but continued-
“The next item to go was a big picture of a Tiger on the wall, which I had inherited from our fore fathers. My wife said the picture was too horrifying and felt that the Tiger looked like my grand father. She did not want her new born child to believe that my grandfather hailed from a different dynasty” 

Soon after, every year my wife gave birth to a child and I gave up on my age-old habits and wealthy possessions. I gave up everything - smoking, playing cards, chewing gum, and even watching movies and what not!”

“I am sure she would have been very pleased” I said.

He just gave me a blank look, but continued-

“Just imagine, gentleman” he said. “While I worked hard and lived a fragile life, through my hard work, I earned a lot of reputation and wealth. My simple and faithful wife bore me 8 children, and before the birth of every new child, practically every New Year I made a resolution to give up something that I held closer to my heart”

“You must be a very happy and satisfied father” I said. “It needs a great sense of commitment and love towards your family”

“You are right gentleman” - said the old man.” Today I must say, I am a much accomplished and happy man sitting on my 85 years. I am a happy person for the fact that soon I will be meeting the New Year and I have nothing left in my life to give up”.

I looked at his face and the old man was crying.

“My wife left me alone in this world three years ago and went away to a place no living being has even seen. I am shattered. I have no one to take care of me”.

The tears were rolling down his cheeks. “Today my children have forsaken me, as if I am an old picture of a Tiger. They are leading a life out of my fortune.”

“…and I have a last resolution to make this New Year, gentleman” he said.

“I have decided to get rid of this sinful and skinny skeleton which we call a human body and to follow my wife. Its time for me to find an abode where no one ever makes a New Year resolution”