A Matter of Luck

A Bright Morning

It was a bright morning when Rajan stepped out of his bedroom and saw his wife, Mallika, returning from the garden with flowers for the family deity.

“It is your face that I see first this morning. I hope it will be a lucky day for me,” Rajan remarked.

“Why not?” Mallika replied. “It was my father’s practice to call me to his bedside when he woke up in the morning. He would open his eyes only when he was sure that mine was the first face he would see. He considered it a good omen.”

Rajan was happy to hear this and felt hopeful for the day ahead.

Unfulfilled Hopes

On his way to the shop where he worked as a salesman, Rajan kept his eyes wide open, hoping to spot a chunk of gold on the road. After all, such luck could not be entirely ruled out!

However, no such fortune befell him that particular morning. Next, he hoped there would be brisk sales at the shop and that a pleased boss would reward him. Instead, the day took a downturn; business had slowed, and the annoyed boss reprimanded all his employees.

An Unexpected Request

As the day came to a close, Rajan noticed his father-in-law’s servant approaching. “There’s a festive time ahead, and he’s certainly come to invite me to my father-in-law’s house,” he thought.

To his dismay, the servant informed him that Rajan’s father-in-law was preparing for a pilgrimage and needed a loan of five hundred rupees!

Though Rajan promised to send the money, he felt extremely frustrated. The day had passed without a single instance of good luck.

A Surprising Encounter

Dusk settled in as Rajan made his way home. In the middle of the bazaar, he was suddenly stopped by an old woman.

“You are my lost Rajan, aren’t you?” she asked eagerly.

Rajan paused, unable to shake off the memory. Many years ago, when he lost his parents, this woman had taken him in and showered him with love. She had lost her own son, who resembled Rajan.

She owned a few cows and an acre of land. With whatever money she earned from selling milk and produce, she did her best to make Rajan happy and even enrolled him in school.

Years Apart

Five years later, when the old woman fell ill, she called Rajan to her bedside, saying, “My son! I have nobody except you. If I remain bedridden for a long time, you will take care of me, won’t you?”

Though Rajan nodded in response, the thought of serving her like a servant scared him. That very evening, he left her village without saying a word. Afterward, he found a job in the bazaar near his home and eventually got married. He had not seen the old woman for many years.

A Harsh Reality

The thought that the old woman was seeking him out troubled him.

“Rajan! Don’t you recognize me?” the woman asked again.

“What if I do? It’s hard for me to make ends meet. How am I to support you?” he grumbled, resuming his walk.

“Listen, my son…” the woman implored.

“Sorry. I can’t help you. I have nothing to do with you,” Rajan declared emphatically before walking away.

A Missed Opportunity

When Rajan arrived home, Mallika greeted him with a smile, but he lamented, “Far from good luck, one annoyance after another has visited me today. I narrowly escaped a great nuisance just a moment ago. The old woman who once sheltered me began pestering me, and I had to dismiss her quite harshly.”

“Don’t say that! How could you turn away the good luck that came to you?” Mallika exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” Rajan asked, surprised.

“The old woman met me first. She confided that she had found a buried treasure of ten thousand gold mohurs in her backyard. She intended to give that wealth to you, seeing you as her son. She was growing impatient because you were late, which is why she came to the bazaar to find you!”

Realization

Rajan felt as though he could slap himself. He realized that his own meanness had brought about his misfortune.