On Father's day

My father visits my hostel at Navodaya school where I am studying in class 6. He meets my friend and starts talking to him. He was way more comfortable talking to other kids than his own kids. There was always some hesitation or you may call it protocol we followed, whatever it was, its hard to explain.

Anyway.. while I am away, he simply asks my friend, does he eat dinner at night or sleeps before that? My friend confirms him that indeed his son sleeps before dinner. In fact he sleeps before everyone in hostel. He is the one who is caught sleeping during study time everyday. My father is informed that his son can sleep within 2 seconds after lying on bed.. sometimes even bed is not required. He can sleep in any position.

My father listens to him with an expressionless face and says... Jab ye so jaaye to kam se kam kerosene lamp bed se hata dena aur dinner time per isko utha kar apne saath le jaana.. baaki sab theek hai..

He did not ask that I should be woken up if caught sleeping during study time. He just wanted to ensure that I don't miss my meals.. that was the level of expectation from me..

Was that his hopelessness or too much confidence in me.. I don't know.. I will never know. I never asked him and now can never ask either. Even if I meet him in other world that damn protocol will come in force anyway.. so the point is that if you have any question about yourself you want to ask and you have your father with you to answer that, you are lucky.. very very lucky.. So me wishing you happy father's day hardly matters.. Happy father's day everyone..