Happiness is..

Lazy weekend afternoon. It's 45°C outside. I cant do anything but to sit tight inside my room and waste some hours. Just when I realize I should pick on my dead blog this summer as no adventure is waiting for me in this steamy hot weather. Umm.. so here I go.

---------------------------------x-------------------------------x----------------------------

Few days ago I was in a nearby restaurant having my dinner. A family of four took their entrance. The couple in their mid-30s and two daughters. They seem very subtle to me in first glance. Nobody was wearing nothing fancy. And they all were happy. They weren't smiling but you could tell by reading their face or the composure that they were one happy family.

Manager's cabin was a few steps away from my table. After ordering from menu (each member went through with the list and ordered the cuisin of their choice), the husband, or let just continue with the word father, got up and marched towards the manager's cabin. Soon after, I was listening to their conversation. Not intentionally but something forced me to do so.

The conversation is almost as it went.

Father : Good evening sir. May I have a minutes of yours, or two?
Manager : Oh sure. Is it something about our services? Sorry for the inconvenience but we are short on staff today.
Father : No no. Not that. It's just I'm new to this city. And looking for an accommodation for my family.
Manager : Ah! I see. Sit down please. Where are you from again?
Father : Myself Manoj. I'm from Kashipur.
Manager : So you got tranferred here, right? In which deptt. do you work?
Father : Yes sir, I just got transferred here. And im no public servant. I'm a supervisor in a metal export company. The firm I was working for was shut down due to some reason. Luckily my employer asked me to join their other firm, the one in this city.

(May be it was his good character, behaviour or reputation that earned him the reward to remain employed)

Manager : Well, you must be aware how hard it is to get an accommodation for someone who is from private sector in our city.

(Well, I'm an govt. employee. Even I had to search nooks and crannies to hide my face in this city. -.-)

Father : Yes sir, I did the background check. That's why I'm asking you for the favour. My family is well behaved. We won't do anything that would disturb the owner or neighbours in any way. Any help would be appreciated.

(Watching those lil kiddies tapping the table and singing, I surely would have assured anybody on my behalf that he is a good man)

Manager (in a lower voice) : Appreciation won't do here, dear friend. Better we talk about the commission.
Father (after a short pause) : I thought....

(the voice was lost in the clattering of serving plates at adjacent table)

Manager : Your wish. If you want the help.
Father : Umm.. Alright. So what will be the commission here?
Manager : 50% of your monthly rent.
Father : Each month? (there was a surprise in his voice)
Manager : Hahahaha. Noooo. It's one time payment only.
Father : Oh. Ok.
Manager : But wait. You didn't tell me in what range should I get you the roof?
Father : Well we are on budget. This city is new to us. We have to arrange things.....
Manager : I know. I know. Tell me what can you afford?
Father : 3K to 3.5K
Manager : What? Well you are not gonna get your stay in that range. What is your salary if I can ask?
Father : 20K (there was a pride in his voice)
(Father continued) I just got a hike of 3K from the owner of the firm himself.

(Didn't I tell you this man was surely at good terms with his employer? ^…^)

Manager : Ah. I see. Well, I can't help you here than. Sorry.
Father : Not a problem, sir. Thanks for you time.
(You could have sensed the gratitude in his voice)

The father returned to his table where his family was enjoying their meal. The younger kiddy,aged between 5-6 years, offered her chow-chow to the father. But the father denied with a smile. Then the elder daughter, between 7-9 years of her life, asked his father to have a bite from her burger, with a much braoder smile. Father was about to say 'no' but just before that, he already had his bite clinging out of his teeth.

Mother was also smiling in her corner of the table.

-------------------------------x-------------------------------x------------------------------

The whole incidence may be nothing to you. But it changed my perspective about happiness, at least for a while. After lot of calculations every other sleepless night, I have always concluded that my salary is not enough. Not enough to be happy. If i ever had a family at this stage (in a parallel universe where I'm all grown up) , I would prove myself worse of a father. But now I just have realized that to have a happy family you never need money, but a 'family'.