Tomorrow

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar

The country had entered the dark age. There was no electric nor oil supply. The price of candles shot up in the recent past as the demand was more than supply. It was all most the same situation in most parts of the world.

Raj waited eagerly for his father to return home. He lighted the last candle available at home after the darkness descended in the evening.

“Raj betta, can you please come and study in the kitchen, so that I can prepare dinner” His mother cried from the kitchen.

“All right, ma” He cried back.

Sometime later, someone started knocking on the main door. Raj went and opened the door to find his father standing outside. He came inside, sat on the sofa and took out a candle from his bag.

“It isn’t big enough to last the whole night!” Raj protested with clear disappointment on his face.

“Well, I could only manage to get it” His father said, “I think you should have all ready prepared for your board exams, and it should be only revision tonight.”

“But…”

“If you are smart enough then you will be able to manage with this one” He said interrupting him.

Suddenly, there was a flicker of light in the light bulb which lasted for a few seconds.

“Maybe the power will come” Raj said with a smile on his face.

“Maybe It might not come at all” His father said, “Son, let’s be realistic and use the resource at hand.”

Later that night, Raj thought, how he could manage with that candle? Then he got an idea. He took one of the previous years question paper, went through it as fast as he could in the candle light, and then he blew off the light of the candle. He started recalling the questions which he had just read and answers for the same in the complete darkness. He lighted the candle again for the next question paper. It went on like this till he finished the last question paper.

Next morning, his father was surprised to see a small pile of match sticks and half finished candle on the table. He woke up Raj, who had dozed off after on the sofa after completing his studies last night. His father smiled at him.

That evening, Raj’s father came home and told his son to switch on the television set, as the president of the country was going to address the nation after a long time. The whole family sat in front of the television set….waiting for it to come to life. Raj’s father had a glance at his wrist watch.

Suddenly, the television set came to life…a person made an announcement that the president will address the nation shortly. He requested everyone to switch off the other electrical appliances to save the power for this program. The president came on screen next.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I’m glad to speak to you after a long time. We all dreamt of a better tomorrow and here we are today! We are going through the hardest times…If only the man of yesterday had given a thought of the generation to come, then, perhaps, we wouldn’t have seen a day like this today. Anyways, past is past, we can’t change that. So let’s think about tomorrow.

Have you ever given a thought about what you are going to leave for the next generation?  I know we are all ready in a situation where there is nothing much left to offer, but still…

Let us all make an oath on this day that we will give something to them. The best thing we can do is save WATER for the next generation.

I was told that there was sufficient power only to air this program. I hope you will keep your promise to me. Thank You.”

The television screen went blank and then power went off as usual.

The End