Sanketh will be surprised after seeing Ramesh completely change after talking to Rajeev. Rajeev comes out of the house. Rajeev and Sanketh will get inside the car.

Rajeev: Now, tell your friends to let your mom go.

Sanketh will call his friends. His friends will be keeping his mom busy by talking to her. Abhi will receive the call and whispers his friends to let her go.

Sanketh: How did you do it? Please, teach me..

Rajeev: Teach you what?

Sanketh: How did you make that man apologize?

Rajeev: Well you know the 3 basic needs of a human being right? 

Sanketh: Yes..

Rajeev: What are those?

Sanketh: Food, water and clothes.

Rajeev: When you give a human all the above things a new need will be created. It is the need for importance. Every single human being even a baby needs to feel important. Its one of those things that kept us alive when we were cave men: Importance.

Sanekth: I still don't understand.

Rajeev: Your uncle Rajeev, from his childhood to when he became a man lived in the shadow of your father. Everyone loved your father because of the sacrifices he did. But, you all forgot about Rajeev. He didn't feel important, he creates troubles in other peoples lives just to make you feel how important he is. I just made him sit down and made him realize it.

Sanketh: Where did you learn all this?

Rajeev: Books..

Sanketh: So, when people don't feel important they do bad things?

Rajeev: Most of the times. You can see this even in infants, just spend a half an hour with baby, after a while put the baby down and just ignore it. The baby will start to cry as soon as it knows its importance is at steak. Not only that, why do you think terrorist put bombs and kill people? They want to show the whole world how important they are. And you remember the space race right? Russia and America flying rockets with tax payers money. They just wanted to show the world who is more important. But, look what happened now. Russia is a mess. This importance has killed millions of people in the name of god, government, work, almost everything.

Sanketh: True..

Rajeev: This seems like a good lesson to remember.

Sanketh: So, you are telling we shouldn't be important?

Rajeev: Anyone can be important. Manmohan Singh was important, but was he useful? Importance is just a tag which can be ripped off. It is wise to be valuable than important. Value is something that you need to strive for.

Sanketh: Value is more important than importance

Rajeev chuckles

Rajeev: Yeah... Something like that.

                                                                         ****

Devika will be with her dad and it will be the day when her dad Sanjay will have arranged a meeting with Swati, her dad fiance.

Devika will be waiting in a restaurant. And after a few minutes of wait her dad will arrive there with Swati. Devika stands up to welcome them.

The three of them sit at the table.

Sanjay: Swati, this is my daughter Devika. Devika this is ..

Devika: Yes, dad I know who she is..

Swati will giggle at Devika's response.

Both Devika and Sanjay will be looking at Swati trying to understand why she was laughing. But, soon Swati will realize her mistake and she hides her face behind a cup of water which she picks to drink.

Sanjay: So, as I was telling..

Devika: Yeah, as I told I don't have any objections dad.

Sanjay: Swati, this is my daughter.

Swati: You told me already..

Sanjay: Oh.. Devika this is Swa..

Devika: Relax dad.. 

Devika and Swati will laugh looking at the nervous face of Sanjay.

Devika: By the way Swati, I know you are an architect. So, how is your job and everything? 

Swati: Its normal, its not one of those glamorous jobs you know.

Devika: How much do you make?

Sanjay, as soon as he hears this gets reminded of Devika telling Swati must be a gold digger.

Sanjay: Devika, why would you ask such a thing?

Devika: I was just, okay Swati, I am sorry..

Devika knows that her apology was a sarcasm. 

Swati: No need to be sorry, I know you must be thinking why I am marrying your dad when I am still this young. You must me wondering if I am marrying only for money. Right?

Sanjay: Hey come on, she didn't mean it that way..

Devika: That is exactly what I meant.

Sanjey will be embarrassed.

Sanjay: Devika don't..

Swati: Honey relax, she needs to know. If I were in her shoes I would do the same.

Devika: Fine then, tell me..

Sanjay will be nervous.

Swati: Hmm... Lets go to the ladies room. Let's talk one on one.

Sanjay: No wait.. Talk in front of me.

Devika: Ladies room it is..

Swati: Relax, this is girls talk. You order we will be back in 5 minutes.

They two of the ladies will walk into the ladies room.

Sanjay will be hoping the talk to go smoothly without fist fights. He knows his daughter really well.

Both of the women will get inside the ladies bathroom. 

Devika: Now shoot!

Swati: Well I am a mother. I have a son who is 3 years old. His dad left us..

Suddenly, Devika will gets reminded about her son and Rita.

Swati: I just don't want my son to grow without a father. And after seeing you I am sure that Sanjay will be a great father.

Devika: So, dad knew you had a son.

Swati: Of coarse.. He likes him too. I could have tell it in front of him. But, I just wouldn't be as open as this to you.

Devika: Well good then..

Swati: And talking about the money. I have a firm with 10 architects who work under me and I drive an Audi A4. I think that is enough information about my finances.

Devika Fair enough, do you smoke?

Swati: No.. 

Devika: I want to light a cigarette. To celebrate this relationship.

Swati: Devika, lets be friends. I can never be your mom.

Sanjay on the other side will be nervous and tensed. He knew his daughter will rip her apart. He will be repeatedly checking his watch.

Devika: Of coarse..

Devika reaches into her pocket and lights a cigarette.

Devika: Here have a puff..

Swati: No, I have asthama..

Devika: Come on, you are acting like my mom.

Swati: Devika, I can't..

Devika: I would hate you if you don't have a puff.

Swati: Oh... Okay..

Swati takes the cigarette. She holds it between her thumb and her index finger and puts it into her lips. She inhales just like what Devika did and she blows the smoke out.

Swati: Here..

Devika: No, you didn't take it in. This is cheating. You should take it in, inhale the smoke.

Swati: Devika please..

Devika: Can't you do this small thing for your daughter? 

Swati: Fine!

Swati again puts the cigarette between her lips. She drags and inhales the smoke. As soon as she felt the smoke in her lungs, she bursts into cough. She coughs continuously her eyes become red and tears roll out of it. Devika will start to laugh.

Swati: Here..

Devika: I'm so sorry..

Swati: I'll be out..(coughs)

Devika: Wait..

Swati goes out with her eyes red and teary. Sanjay sees this and thinks something is wrong and he thinks Swati is crying.

Sanjay: Oh my god!

Swati will sit next to Sanjay. Take the tissues and starts wiping her tears.

Sanjay: What happened?

Swati: Nothing..

Swati replies while having tears.

Devika comes back out of the bathroom.

Sanjay sees this and he gets up off the table. Swati will be coughing heavily as she will be having an asthma attack. Sanjay will grab Devika by her wrist and pulls her out of the restaurant into the parking lot. Devika will be confused.

Sanjay: WHY! Devika why! I thought it was a bad idea. But, Swati insisted me. Why do you have this joy in making other people sad? I don't understand this okay..

Devika: But, dad..

Sanjay: No, buts.. Come on Devi, you are a matured women now. You should understand. 

Devika: I didn't do anything. What did she say?

Sanjay: She told enough. Please, stop acting like your mom. 

Devika: Dad! Stop it!

Inside, Swati will taking her asthma inhaler and she will be sweating. Slowly she calms down. Outside..

Sanjay: What is your problem? tell me.. 

Devika: Dad I am really not understanding anything.

Sanjay: SHUT UP! becuase of you your mom left me. Now! you are trying to take Swati away from me!

Suddenly, Devika will slap Sanjay and walks off. Sanjay will be stunned and he will be standing still. Devika walks off into her car and gets going. 

Swati comes from inside looking for Sanjay. Swati will walk near Sanjay.

Swati: What happened? 

Sanjay will still be having his right hand on his cheecks.

Swati: Where is Devika?

                                                                       *****

                                                                  to be continued...

                                            Follow me @nandan