"You will never understand my feelings appa, never ever!" - I do not know what had got into my mind that day, I, for the first time was screaming at my father.
It all started when my Mom had got an opportunity to get transferred from the small town where I had born and brought up to the my current dwelling place, Bengaluru.
I never had felt alone in Bengaluru. There were many friends to hangout with.But, I was so craving for home food and so bored by my stay in a PG, I made my mother agree to take up Bangalore job when she told me about her transfer.
"But, what will your father do?" Mom asked as Father worked in a private firm which had no division in Bengaluru.
"Amma, he is almost 60 now, let him take rest in home", I said.
"But Preeta, you know him, he will be so bored in big city. He is a free spirit dear, he will never adjust to the traffic, neighbors not talking to their neighbors kind of things", Amma said.
"Amma, let him try! I am also from same old town but see how I am a perfect Bengalurian now! He will get used to it" and our phone conversation finished.
I proposed this idea over phone to Dad. Dad told upfront, "I am not coming to that city"
"But, Appa don't you want to be with me? I am all alone and I too want to spend time with you"
"You can resign and come Preeta, or we can visit you once in a month but do not ask me to come over there and stay"
I was furious hearing his careless talk. He do not want to think for at least one time! And I Blurted my above mentioned dialogue with some of the few instances where he did not considered my opinion (which included house paint color to the new curtains they both had purchased!, silly me)
I do not know what changed his decision. He agreed to shift to Bengaluru.
I rented a 2BHK and made everything arranged from packers and movers to the door mat.
A month was spent very enthusiastically by my parents. Mother's office was very near and she daily took an auto for her commutation (Mothers are so practical, they get used to everything if they can see their child near to them, they will get used to literally every condition)
Dad, on the other hand was becoming very silent. I was coming late around 9PM. Would have a little chit chat with him and as I was so tired I used to doze off early. I failed to notice his silence till my mother made me notice it.
On weekend I sat with my Dad and asked, "Appa, you seem very unhappy here. See there are lot of parks where you can walk in evening, libraries where you can get each and every book you want to read. Do not be so dull Appa, it makes both me and Amma feel sad"
My fathers eyes were filled with tears. I had never seen him cry. He told, "Preeta, I am very happy to be with you dear. But, this city is making me sick. I am afraid to go out. There is no one out there who would speak with me, no one to share a coffee in the darshinis. Oh, how I miss riding scooter! I am scared to touch scooter here seeing how riders ride bike here!
I do not know how to go in an escalator, I do not know neither Hindi nor English when somebody asks address to me. I am scared to go farther from house fearing getting lost. Oh dear, I am scared of everything here.
Even though you used to come once in three month to our home, you used to spend lot of time with me. I miss those days Preeta. I know I should adjust but I am suffocating in this. I am so sorry dear"
He was like a fish out of water. If the man who had cried coming home when I had gone out of my hometown for the first time for the sake of job has tears in his eyes now, How deeply he was disturbed with this shift.
"Appa, I am so sorry, I should never had asked you come here and stay. Appa, you are my daddy strongest. I do not want to see you suffer like this! I will visit you whenever I get leave from office. Mom might get a mutual transfer to go back. I will ask tenants in our home to vacate. Be happy Appa"
Next month, fortunately Amma got a mutual transfer and Appa Amma went back to my home town.
My point here is, as a daughter, Mothers can handle anything. But fathers always fear the change. He will resist the change. It might be a new scooty gifted by him (He will always ask you to ride at 20km/hr to be safe), or a trekking trip or the well settled boy who in every aspect is a suitable match to you.
Well where ever you can, propose your opinion. But if you see tears in your daddy strongest, it is better to let go the opinion you have. Heroes always should be heroes alwa?