It was three thirty in the evening. Despite it being summer, there was a strange coolness inside the house. The ticking of the clock hanging on the wall was making the silence of the room even heavier. Then suddenly the phone rang. Radhika, who was busy with household chores, picked up the phone and said softly, **”Hello, who is speaking?”**
A weak and trembling voice came from the other side, **”Son, I am Mohanlal… your father. Your mother is very ill. The electricity bill has not been paid, there is darkness in the house. Maybe you have forgotten to pay the bill.”**
Radhika remained silent for a few moments. That voice was so weak that she was having difficulty in hearing and understanding it. He said softly, **”Who are you? You seem to have dialled the wrong number.”**
Mohanlal’s voice came again, **”Son, my son used to call me all the time. I don’t remember his number. I picked up a number from the phone directory and called you by mistake.”**
There was something in that voice that shocked Radhika. She thought it might be a joke, but still, she asked, **”Babuji, what is your address? I am calling an ambulance.”**
Mohanlal slowly told his address. Radhika immediately called an ambulance and decided to go there.
Mohanlal and his wife Sushila had been living alone for the past several years. Their only son, Vinit, had a job in the city. Due to his busy schedule, he would not visit his parents for months. Earlier, he used to send money every month, but for some time, that too had stopped.
Sushila’s health was deteriorating. The ration in the house had finished. The house was dark because the electricity bill was not paid. Mohanlal used to wait for his son’s call every day, but now that wait seemed futile.
When Radhika reached the given address, what she saw shocked her. Inside the house were the bodies of Mohanlal and Sushila. Sushila was lying unconscious on the sofa, and Mohanlal was lying on the floor, holding an old phone directory in his hand.
Radhika could not believe it. She had spoken to Mohanlal just a few hours ago.
The doctor and the police reached there. The doctor said that the elderly couple had died four-five hours ago.
Radhika had tears in her eyes. She told the police officer, **”How is this possible? I spoke to them a while ago.”**
- The police officer asked Radhika, **”Do you know them?”**
Radhika said, **”No, but they called me by mistake and asked for help.”**
When the police contacted Vinit, he said, **”I am very busy. I won’t be able to come for the funeral.”**
Radhika was stunned to hear this. She told Vinit, **”I am sending you a picture. This is the last position of your parents. Look at it and remember, this picture can be of your future too.”**
Vineet did not take Radhika’s words seriously and disconnected the call.
Radhika performed the last rites of Mohanlal and Susheela. She built a small memorial in their memory and ensured that they had a respectable end.
She made a resolution in her heart that she will dedicate a part of her life to serving the elderly. She also shared this with people around her so that they never neglect to take care of their parents.
Radhika realized that our parents spend their whole life in our upbringing, and it is our biggest duty to support them. If we ignore them, one day we will have to regret our decision.
This story gives an important message—
It was three thirty in the evening. Despite it being summer, there was a strange coolness inside the house. The ticking of the clock hanging on the wall was making the silence of the room even heavier. Then suddenly the phone rang. Radhika, who was busy with household chores, picked up the phone and said softly, **”Hello, who is speaking?”**
A weak and trembling voice came from the other side, **”Son, I am Mohanlal… your father. Your mother is very ill. The electricity bill has not been paid, there is darkness in the house. Maybe you have forgotten to pay the bill.”**
Radhika remained silent for a few moments. That voice was so weak that she was having difficulty in hearing and understanding it. He said softly, **”Who are you? You seem to have dialled the wrong number.”**
Mohanlal’s voice came again, **”Son, my son used to call me all the time. I don’t remember his number. I picked up a number from the phone directory and called you by mistake.”**
There was something in that voice that shocked Radhika. She thought it might be a joke, but still, she asked, **”Babuji, what is your address? I am calling an ambulance.”**
Mohanlal slowly told his address. Radhika immediately called an ambulance and decided to go there.
Mohanlal and his wife Sushila had been living alone for the past several years. Their only son, Vinit, had a job in the city. Due to his busy schedule, he would not visit his parents for months. Earlier, he used to send money every month, but for some time, that too had stopped.
Sushila’s health was deteriorating. The ration in the house had finished. The house was dark because the electricity bill was not paid. Mohanlal used to wait for his son’s call every day, but now that wait seemed futile.
When Radhika reached the given address, what she saw shocked her. Inside the house were the bodies of Mohanlal and Sushila. Sushila was lying unconscious on the sofa, and Mohanlal was lying on the floor, holding an old phone directory in his hand.
Radhika could not believe it. She had spoken to Mohanlal just a few hours ago.
The doctor and the police reached there. The doctor said that the elderly couple had died four-five hours ago.
Radhika had tears in her eyes. She told the police officer, **”How is this possible? I spoke to them a while ago.”**
The police officer asked Radhika, **”Do you know them?”**
Radhika said, **”No, but they called me by mistake and asked for help.”**
When the police contacted Vinit, he said, **”I am very busy. I won’t be able to come for the funeral.”**
Radhika was stunned to hear this. She told Vinit, **”I am sending you a picture. This is the last position of your parents. Look at it and remember, this picture can be of your future too.”**
Vineet did not take Radhika’s words seriously and disconnected the call.
Radhika performed the last rites of Mohanlal and Susheela. She built a small memorial in their memory and ensured that they had a respectable end.
She made a resolution in her heart that she will dedicate a part of her life to serving the elderly. She also shared this with people around her so that they never neglect to take care of their parents.
Radhika realized that our parents spend their whole life in our upbringing, and it is our biggest duty to support them. If we ignore them, one day we will have to regret our decision.
This story gives an important message— **Make taking care of your parents your priority. Understand their feelings and needs, because no one can replace them.**
