The Must List

‘When am I supposed to die?’

Aryan’s mother was shocked to get that question from her 10 year old little boy.

‘Why would you say that sweetie?’ she asked him, stroking his head gently.

‘I couldn’t figure it out. Don’t worry; I know the rest of it.

Dad told me I am supposed to get serious now that I am entering a double figure age. He says I’m no more a kid. My friend’s brother is 18 now, Karan, and apparently he was told the same thing. May be he didn’t get serious when he was 10. May be he still thought he could have fun. You know I saw him hanging out with his schoolmates and couple of them were girls, can you believe that? He stood there for 15 minutes after the school timings! On the top of all that, he said he wanted to be an artist. That was a shocker I know. His parents worked so hard all this time and got him admitted in the best school, got him to attend the best science tuition classes and there he was saying he didn’t want to do it all along. You know his parents were so busy; the three of them hardly had a dinner together. All this sacrifice and he thought he could do what he wanted. That was so selfish of him. You know I saw him cry on the farewell day at school. I didn’t tell anyone though. But at least I know what not to do when I turn 18.

Vineet uncle had to get married when he turned 25. You know how mad grandpa was when uncle asked him to postpone his marriage for a few years? He said he wanted to work some more and travel the world before settling down, huh. How stupid of him. He doesn’t have respect for elders. Grandpa worked so hard to set up this business and there he was asking to work at some firm for someone else. He said he wanted to live on his own terms, start-up fresh and develop his own business someday. ‘Someday’ can you believe that? How disrespectful of him. Did he even know how much time that would take? What would people say? He even cursed grandpa when he was alone on the terrace. I heard him. I didn’t tell anyone though. But at least I know what not to do when I turn 25.

You know mom, I know why aunt Neha got divorced. She refused to be a mother when she was already 28. I heard her talk to her husband when they came here to meet you. I know how annoyed you were that day. Anyone would get annoyed. She was married for 4 years now and she still needed time? What was she thinking? I remember she said something about it being her life and her choice too. How could she choose her life over her husband’s and her in-laws? I mean they bought her from your parents, a long time ago. She was their property now. Like you and I are dad’s and grandpa’s. What would she do now? She is already 30 who would marry her? I know you cried the day they stopped living together. I won’t tell anyone though. But at least I know what not to do when I turn 28.

Mom, I didn’t want to shift here you know. I loved our old house. It was all so familiar. Riya, Disha, Varun all were there and I loved playing with them. Here I don’t have a single friend of my age. I knew it would be tough to make friends in a new place. But then I realised, we had to come, no matter what. Because, dad had to buy a new house. He is almost 40. The day you had that big fight, I know what you were talking about. Investment, you called it. I’m not certain what it means but I’m sure it is important. And he wanted to waste the money, just to go on a foreign trip? How childish of him. I always thought father was very intelligent but now I think even he needs to understand that life is more than just wasting time with your family and wasting money on them. You know I saw him searching for places one day on his laptop. I didn’t tell anyone though. But at least I know what not to do when I turn 40.

Ever since grandpa retired, he has been so loyal to god. You know, he spends 3 hours daily to do his prayers. He also offers God different pakvaans and bows down to him every now and then. God must be so happy with him. You know the other day I entered the pooja room without having a bath. I would have been cursed for it, if grandpa hadn’t done that fast following day. That was a narrow escape. And you know, one day he couldn’t wake up early enough to do the prayers and got sick that very day. That was so careless of him. God does so much for us and he couldn’t even wake up early and do the prayers? He got so sick mom. But he deserved it. He disrespected god. You know I heard him talking to himself, lying on the bed. He was talking about dying in peace. I didn’t tell anyone though. But at least I know what not to do after I retire.

So, so far I know it all. I have to get serious now and stop playing games and cracking jokes. I have to take care I don’t hang out with girls after I turn 18, but I need to get married to one before 25. And not think about those stupid career opportunities that may or may not come. Also, I need to make sure I buy a girl who would get ready to become a mother whenever it is needed and thinks of me and father before her. Then, till 40 I need to work as hard as I can in dad’s business and collect enough money to buy another house and go stay there, away from you. And then, finally whenever I retire I need to serve my god who gave me such a precise life with exact age for a particular job.

But, I couldn’t figure out one thing. When am I supposed to die mom?’

There was no limit to her sheer astonishment. A tear rolled down her eye as she tried to figure out, what pinched her more, the fact that her little son thought of life so catastrophically, or the fact that she couldn’t deny any of it being true.