Happy Fathers Day Papa!

“Should I tell you something?” mom sounded worried over the phone. “Well you called, so might as well tell me, anything serious?”
It was an odd time for my mother to call. It was half past two, on a summer afternoon when everyone at the village usually goes on a slumber, considering I was on my way to Delhi and she was aware of it.
“Papa is firing from the roof top and has injured some people”
There were a million questions in my head, but as anything that I might say or do will affect anything and everything. All I asked her to do was to relax and that I am on my way and everything would be alright.
I tried to speak to my father, who though trying to sound confident and in control, had an air of nervousness around.
I knew I had to be in control.
Rest is history, I found the story.
Papa loves his afternoon siesta, last few years, the tractors passing through next to his house used to blare music from loudspeakers. The road partially belongs to him, and he had been warning those tractor owners for some time now. Bringing this issue over many platforms.
That day, he decided to block the road, and new age kids who hardly care for any understanding of elder’s respect, worded some unusual words. Papa, being not used to this kind of treatment. Picked up one of his three guns. Used the most non lethal bullets, and injured five people.
Being injured by a bullet is like being bitten by a snake. Its more psychological than real.
But then I had no way to know, how serious the injuries were! How would the villagers, police and the aggrieved react?
I spoke to the SP, who was quite surprised by my initiative. I tried to explain papa why he needs to take the legal course now, which he had no choice but to agree.
He was brought to police custody and next day sent to the prison.
We tried our best to take the medical route to avoid prison, but he had to spend one night within the red walled premises.
Things changed for all of us that one night.
Papa lost his dignity. Right to private defense is just a law; prison cannot be a barometer for the civilized.
Next day when papa was being taken to the hospital, he had an epileptic seizure, three in a row.
He lost his memory, his left side was semi paralyzed and he had to be rushed to Patna.
What started as a law and order problem was becoming a nightmare, being grind in a six level stone mill.
Police at all levels, lawyers, courts, prison, doctors, hospitals, relatives and above all money.
I did have a little idea of the life around this Wild West, but this was hands on.
Handling issues, with an emotional mindset, to think rationally when papa was perceived to be breathing his last, was perhaps the most difficult of the task.

I don’t blame my father to have done what he did. In fact, at least this time If not proud, I was glad he did that, considering that injuries were minor.
Someone had to stand to remind people of the deterioration of basic social values and norms. Not that I support shooting erring humans, or supporting everything that my father does to be righteous. He suffered and still is for having crossed that line.
But he will surely be leaving us a better society.
The blaring cacophony has stopped and it is our duty to keep it that way.
There are numerous instances where society has gone wrong, where keeping a blind eye is considered civilized.
We have been made to believe that going to prison is the worst thing that could happen to a civilized people. So, do nothing to the nuances of the ones who break law or make law.
Papa changed all that for me
He has lived in a solitary confinement all his life, where he has minimal interaction with the society. Worked all his life, to attain this peace, a 20 ft wall around his 3 acre campus, self generated power and water, food from his farms, milk from his numerous cows.
He couldn’t let someone spoil his life time’s earnings, by using Marconi’s invention to such bizarre misuse.
He did what he should have done.
He is better now, out on bail, with all the injured denying they every saw my father shooting.
He leaves me a job to do.
I know you would never read this, but this is from me to you, to remind me of what you are and in a way who I am.
Happy Father’s Day Papa!