Sam's father passed away in an accident months before his birth. His mother never remarried and devoted her life to raising him. There was no shortage of inherited money and fatherly love from uncles. His paternal and maternal uncles made sure that he never missed a father figure. In many ways, he was more loved in the family than any other kid but somehow there was always something amiss!
He had no idea what made him feel that way but he always felt restless in his life. Maybe it was his own nature or perhaps it was his mother's desire and constant drilling that made him that way. She dotted on him but her constant desire for him to excel in every walk of life instilled a competitive spirit in him. Both sides of his family were businessmen with deep riches but they lacked university education. His mother wanted him to break the family tradition, become a doctor and study abroad.
None of his cousins went beyond graduation and barely passed with grace but he was an exception. He had to bring in the top grades in every class. His room kept filling up with trophy after trophy as time passed. The times when he was unable to be the first were the most torturous as he felt a deep personal shame. He remembered the time when he lost a debate in college. He was unable to sleep for a week and felt like such a loser. His cousins could not stop laughing at his state as they could not comprehend his sentiments. He quit debating after that and focused more on his studies.
He had only one ambition in mind...he had to reach USA! Mom also wanted the same but asked him to go after medical college. Once that was done, there was no stopping him. He took his USMLE and applied for residency in States. With his flying grades, he got accepted in his desired hospital and flew off to USA.
This was the first time he was completely independent. He grew up in the joint family system with dozens of relatives around. Uncles were always keeping a watch in their zest to shower fatherly love. Now, for the first time, there was no one keeping tabs. He was the boss with the opportunities a galore!
He was like a kid in a candy store with a bag full of cash and no one to stop! He went on a spree. Nurses swooned after his charms, fellow residents and doctors competed for his time while patients looked forward to his rounds. He was popular among females, they competed for him and he was fully aware of it.The jars were full of sweets and he grabbed greedily from each one within sight and reach.
Three years flew in a blink, he completed his residency and applied for fellowship. His mother started talking about marriage. She wanted him to marry his cousin. He used to like her before but now she seemed like plain brown sugar compared to fancy desserts. He couldn't tell his mom that who would like to suck on a piece of brown sugar when an endless variety of desserts were being offered. Instead, he made lame excuses.
His colorful activities got more energetic during fellowship. He smelled of success and nothing attracts company more than that! He loved social life and his calendar got even more crammed once he started working as a surgeon. Money was pouring in and he was surrounded by everything that follows. Mother's nagging about marriage was the only mood spoiler. He avoided going back and the gap between his visits kept on increasing.
He breathed a sigh of relief the day his cousin got married. His mother's insistence dwindled down after a few more failed attempts and finally she asked him to find someone in States himself. He promised his mom he would. Every year, his mom would ask him the same question on his visit to his country or over the phone and each time he would promise her the same that she would be a mother in law within a year.
He looked back in the mirror with his hand stopped in mid stroke and tried to remember exactly when did he make that promise the very first time. He could not recall that but he knew that back home, this very day, his cousin's son was getting married. It would be three years since he last made that promise to his mother before she died! He looked back at his reflection. He had difficulty recognizing the aging man whose hand had stopped in the stroke while combing his dyed hair. Standing in that luxurious dressing room of the mini mansion, he looked so forlorn. He shook his head to snap out of this state, he was getting late for his date....Mom's promise could wait!
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