The Krishna Love (Wattpad India Awards Winner)

Chapter 14 - I for Ego

Some workers were setting up home appliances outside a shop. As the sun heated everything with its blistering rays and created the atmosphere of an oven, sweat rolled off their foreheads like liquid beads, darkening their clothing.

Ravi's dad, Jijroliya, was seated in the office room of his shop. It's my shop, he would say, there should always be italics whenever he says I, me, or mine. He's egoist than thou, remember?

In the meantime, Ravi arrived at the premises of the shop. He parked his bike near footpath and rushed inside. Jijroliya comfortably leaned back the chair with one hand behind his head and feet up on the table. He was chewing the fat on the phone with one of his pals.

Ravi came in—wearing a nervous smile on his lips—and stood at the threshold of the door. The way he stood before his dad, for a stranger, it would appear as if he's one of the employees. Although in the future, he will be the sole owner.

Ravi preferred to wait until his dad finish talking, which took about twenty minutes. Dad, I'm getting late for college! Jijroliya placed his cellphone on the table and glanced at his son scornfully. "What do you want?"

"I want some money for petrol refilling," Ravi replied, almost inaudible.

"Last time, when did you refill it?" While skimming over some official files, he asked this question. There was a sternness in his voice that made Ravi's legs wobbled. The guy becomes timorous as a mouse while talking with his dad.

"About half a week ago, I think so." Ravi guessed, which was undoubtedly an ugly lie.

What Jijroliya hated the most was Ravi's spendthrift nature. Since childhood, he has been teaching a lesson to his son that he often quotes, "you should work like an ass if you want to earn the cash." The idea was to transform Ravi into a penny-pincher. Therefore, he came up with a deal: You help the laborers setting up appliances outside the shop, and get the cash.

What the... I'll be the freaking owner of your shop in the future, and you want me to do this lousy task? Get a life, Dad; I'm not going to do it.

Of course, Ravi could think like this only in his mind. At first, he felt a spasm of anger boiling him. Maybe this time, he will give his dad a piece of his mind. You suck, Dad, you may be a successful businessman but not a great father. Is there any father who treats his only son as a laborer? No? Meet my Dad.

Ravi's glare didn't pacify but grew stronger. "What I suppose to do, Dad?"

Damn! Such a scaredy-cat.

A little later, a sales executive stepped into the scene: to introduce his products for an exhibition. Some home appliances caught Jijroliya's attention, and he brought it. As everything was said and done, he thought to gossip with the sales executive (or rather, let's say bully him). You see, Jijroliya has one quirk in him. Whenever he used to come across with a new bloke, he always bugs the person's brain with questions: "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Punjab," the sales executive said with the humility that brought regards to his geekiness.

"Oh no, bad, because your marketing skills are just like a Rajasthani. That's a real shame for you."

"What you mean by that, sir?"

Jijrolya ignored his answer, rubbing his brow. Rajasthan is a state of India, primarily, well-known for its ancient heritage and business-minded people. Jijroliya has this ethnic pride in him that those who belong to Rajasthan are better businessmen than others. He asked another question. "Do you know the net worth of your boss?"

The sales executive wrinkled his nose and shrugged his shoulder. "Um, maybe quite the same as yours."

"Nope, there's a hhhuuuggggeee difference. I've studied up to 4th grade. But your boss has a bachelor's degree. So who's has the upper hand?" Jijroliya's challenging tone got crystal clear as he stretched out "huge."