They Thought I Was Dead

Story 

By: Muhammad Asadulah 

My parents decided my marriage without consulting me. At this I became angry because I was completely against marriage before completing my education. They brushed aside my objections and selected a girl suitable according to their views.
My friends received this news with a storm of laughter as they were aware of my irritation in the matter.One of my friends informed that the lady who was to be my life partner was made in China. Another said ,’No the girls is made with the collaboration of Afro- Chinese agencies .”
These disparaging comments ,provoked me to pronounce my refusal.

 First of all my father and mother tried to change my mind but then left me alone. They knew me as an obedient son who would not go against their wishes To show my anger I kept mum ,and didn’t touch my meal .

Just after this Asif ,a bosom friend of mine, came to me I received him with a smile on my face .because I didn’t want to inform him what was going in my family . Coincidently his sister’s marriage was also on the way of settlement .some members of a highbrow family had visited his parents and after a deep discussion finalized the terms of marriage. Now they were only waiting for a green signal from Asif.

I asked Asif why he was so nervous .Asif told that a close relative of his friend had other day informed him that the bridegroom was a drunkard and a character less person .He had enquired about him from other sources too and found the information correct .Now they wanted to reject the engagement .Asif had come to me to finalize the draft of the telegram After a long discussion pondering on I pulled out my letter pad and wrote down .
“Sorry, Unable to accept marriage proposal “.
Then we went to the post office where we found some friend just ready to start for a picnic spot near the city .I accompanied them .
Asif returned home after sending the telegram. We could not return till next afternoon ,because our car had broken down .Next day when I reached home I saw a crowd around with some women weeping bitterly .When they saw me they suddenly stopped crying. Someone uttered “Oh he is alive. When my mother saw me ,she embraced me shouting” Mera Bachcha”(My child)tears were rolling down on her cheek, I asked “ What happened ?”

My elder brother came near me and said ‘When you were not seen any where till night. We became apprehensive because you had exchanged hot words with us on the issue of marriage. We checked your bed room where we found a message written on the middle of the letter pad “Sorry, Unable to accept marriage proposal “.
And this morning we read in the paper that a young man clad in safari had killed himself in the night by throwing before a running train. Coincidently you also wore blue safari and had left home in anger .So we……” 

He left his sentence incomplete but I understood the whole drama. 

The real advantage I got from this episode was that my parents did not force their choice on me .