Father Part 2

Sid sat up with a jolt as he realized he was picturing the homecoming of
his son not his grandson!

'What is wrong with me?' he thought shaking his head vigorously as he
got out of bed.

'It isn't as easy as it used to be,' he screamed out as his joints
cracked with every move. ' But today is a special day' he said and,
pulling himself together, he waddled off to the kitchen.

At first he was surprised to see that it was clean and tidy but then he
remembered that he had done that before going to bed last night. 'nine
thirty five' said the clock in the kitchen, not much time before
Taimoor gets here. It was a good thing that he had requested Shamim,
his next-door neighbour's daughter, to bake a cake for him. He would
have to mow her lawn in return for the favour but that didn't matter as
chocolate cake was Taimoor's favourite. He set about arranging things,
in his only room, for breakfast.

The warmth of yesterday's phone call was still fresh in his heart as he
placed the plates on the table. Taimoor had called him at Shamim's
phone number, he couldn't afford a phone himself, and said that he
wanted to meet him. He still couldn't believe that his grandson wanted
to see him when his father had decided it was impossible to keep him in
the house. The house that he had built with his sweat and blood, the
house that his loving wife had decorated with her savings. They had
been so happy in that house and the arrival of their longed for only
son had made it an even happier place.

Aly's first day at school had been difficult-not for Aly but for his
parents. They couldn't trust the people in that place called school
with their darling.

'Would they understand his feelings? Would they see the potential behind
his quiet nature? Would they let him have his way as they did?' These
were only a few of the worries that plagued the parents of the
resolute young boy who walked into school. His teachers, however, did-
as teachers often do- see the darkness that lurked behind the small,
dark eyes. When Aly was in eighth grade, his teachers summoned the
parents to school to talk about his selfish and disdainful nature. They
told Sid and his wife that Aly showed a total disregard for other's
feelings and his own responsibilities. Sid, who flared up at the
notion, screamed at the teachers and abused them for maligning the
character of his perfect son. So, Aly changed schools. He
changed it again when he was in his final year of high school due to a
similar situation. Being a brilliant young man, Aly was admitted into one
of the best universities of the country where he scored outstanding
grades. He was employed by the most successful multi nationals of the
world and that was when the trouble began.