When Lightening Struck

   It was end of April last year, when the Rajdaan family went for a whole day picnic. The younger members – Pintoo and Munni were very excited and thrilled. They started early in the morning and planned to return by evening, but fate had something else in store. They were caught in the midst of a thunder storm. Somehow they managed to return to their home in Tollygaunge, south of Kolkata.  At four in the evening it became totally dark, the sky was pregnant with deep gray clouds and it was on the brink of busting. Sounds of lightning crackled from every corner of the city. Cold rain drops started pouring. Mummy daddy and the Kids entered home fully soaked.

   Enter home. No lights ! They waited in the darkness with only flickering lights from a few candles. Gradually the sky cleared. The rain stopped. Lights came in the neighboring houses, but their house was still in dark ages. Mr Rajdaan called the electrician, and found that his house was stuck by thunderbolt. Alas! there was more bad news to come. All the electrical items – TV, Laptop and Tape recorder have been damaged.

  How will we live without TV – exclaimed the youngest member – Munni , who just turned six last month.  Mr Rajdaan’s state was same as Munni, without his Laptop he was totally lost. Mrs Rajdaan was also anxious, how will she keep the two musketeers without the cartoons shows and cricket matches. It was an emergency situation for everyone!

 On any normal day, before the ill fated picnic day the TV would sit in a corner table, sapping all the attention and time from the Rajdaan family members. Now the corner table was empty. But it was at peace, a burden so long carried was offloaded from her.  The TV went for repair. It would come back mended in a week’s time – promised the technician. After all there was a India – Pak cricket match scheduled on next Sunday.

   It was their first dinner without TV, today they ALL were actually sitting down in the dinning table instead of the sofa and having their meals together. Munni and Pintoo shared unheard of stories from their day to day life, they soon engaged in animated conversation, the corner table watched them from the far end and smiled.

  At bedtime, after a little persuasion from Munni, Daddy told her bedtime stories from his own mischievous childhood days. Mr Rajdaan watched his daughter sleeping; her innocent and peaceful face filled his heart with warmth and love. Pangs of guilt crossed his mind, he recalled the numerous nights when he would sink himself in the internet world. Weekend’s spent surfing on the web when he should have surfed on the shores with the kids. He made up his mind to keep this ritual every night.

     Three days passed. An old ludo was rescued from a dusty books almirah. Munni selected the red square and Pintoo selected the blue square. Incidentally two red tokens were missing. Munni found her red school sweater and tore off two buttons from it. She wore a triumphant smile while opening her palm. Two shinning red buttons glittered from the tiny hand. They played many rounds of Ludo. Pintoo played proxy to his mother, while she went in between to prepare some snacks.

 Seven wonderful days passed, playing indoor games, chatting and telling and listening to bedtime stories. Finally the TV arrived on the seventh day. The corner table woke up after a long sleep. The technician tested the TV. It worked fine, as good as new. The match has already started. Pintoo Literally toppled the Half finished Ludo board to reach for the remote. All the coloured token and the dice scattered over the floor, the red shiny buttons went rolling somewhere.  Seeing this Munni’s eye filled with tears, she cried out “When will the lightning strike again”.