It was a fine morning. Daddy was reading the newspaper with his morning tea. I was sitting with him reading a book.
'Do you know, Mr. & Mrs. Saxena visited us last evening ?' He said without looking off the newspaper.
'Of course I know as I served them tea. But what made you talk of their visit now ?' I replied turning a page of my book.
He pulled down the newspaper and putting off his spectacles said in a chanting tone, ' Mrs. Saxena was telling us both their children are now doctors. Isn't it a great deal ?'
Listening to this I kept my book aside and uttered slowly, ' Is it necessary every one's kids grow up becoming a doctor or something that sounds so socially renowned ? Aren't there enough professions to choose from ?'
I suppose this sentence of mine annoyed him a bit as his reply made the conversation quite serious. 'So can I ask you what are you up for ? What are you choosing from the list you were talking of just now ?'
I kept silent for few minute. Then picked up my book and resumed reading. Waiting for a reply he asked again, 'Is it that you are still thinking of what to choose? Are you confused?
After a few minutes I replied without glancing at him, 'Daddy I want to be a writer. Would that make you unhappy ?'
This was followed by a long silence. Then he came closer to me and said, 'why do you want to be a writer?
Giving him a glance I replied, 'because I look for a better society to live in. And that is only possible when certain changes would be brought to it.'
'And how is your becoming a writer a solution to it ?'
'It is because the way I wish to contribute is through my writing. I want to write to make people aware. Do you know your daughter loves to write ?'
'Well, you never discussed this before with me.'
'I thought you would be disappointed. Are you disappointed now ?'
He kept looking at me while I was still reading. 'So what do you want to write ?'
'A book.' I gave a brief reply.
'And will that make you happy ?'
I looked at him and smiled. He patted my shoulder and said, 'I am as proud as Mrs. Saxena is of her children'. With this he went away smiling.
