Little by little, just like placing bricks we build our home, our lives with our families. We add possessions to satisfy our own wants and as well as that of our family.
Mr Gulati stood with a smile welcoming a new addition. Mrs Gulati, although smiling, showed a bit of apprehension, while their son Praneet was busy taking pictures and videos with his smartphone.
The new SUV rolled out of the showroom with the new ribbons, the car looked and smelt new and the Gulati family returned almost completely happy driving the new car.
Another addition to the list of EMIs with the major one being the ongoing EMI of the apartment. Mr Gulati was happy with this upgrade, yes this wasn’t their first car, there was one before and no it did not stop working, but nowadays the mind stops working before things do.
Initially the car rolled away on the road with excitement. The family was going out more than before, along with the long road trips that were a new addition and the credit card bills didn’t matter, the excitement was still beyond such things that hamper happiness. What are we even earning for, spending of course, but there is also something called saving and Mr Gulati’s savings had been hit quite deep.
A year and a half went by and one day fine day at the breakfast table sat Mr and Mrs Gulati. Mrs Gulati was fine; she knew what was coming while Mr Gulati had levelled up with reality.
“Sell the car,” said Mrs Gulati
“What? Where did that come from?” asked Mr Gulati a bit startled but yet considerate of the thought
“Why did you buy it in the first place, we are family of three, our last car was sufficient,” said Mrs Gulati
“I thought you liked the car,” said Mr Gulati
“You liked it, and your obviously our son did as well, but I prefer to live in reality”
“Sell it and do what then?”
“Get a smaller car, if needed second-hand”
“People don’t downgrade cars,” Mr Gulati said a bit hurt at the thought
“People are not paying our EMIs and other bills. We didn’t need this apartment as well, our last one was fine,” said Mrs Gulati with a voice more exerting and Mr Gulati spent the rest of the breakfast in quietness
The car was sold eventually, and a smaller second-hand car was purchased, a little unsettling at first but Mr Gulati did understand as the pressure reduced on expenditures. It wasn’t permanent though, since Mr Gulati had developed an interest in a 75 inches 8K Ultra HD television that he had seen in a newspaper advertisement.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
2 responses to “Unsettling Wishes”
This piece is a sharp, quietly powerful reflection on modern family life and the subtle traps of consumerism. Through the everyday choices of the Gulati family, the writer captures a truth many readers will instantly recognize: how easily comfort turns into excess, and how desire often disguises itself as necessity.
LikeLike
So typical! I loved this read. The Soul of Marketing mania and Emi blues.😅
LikeLike