It was a foggy night. Road was clear surrounded by thick line of trees from both sides. He was wandering searching for some shelter to sit underneath. Far away a dim light was glistening he increased his pace trying to reach there as soon as possible, he entered in the ground.

                         It was a small hotel the one similar to those on highways for drivers and passengers so as they can warm up and continue there long journey from one city to another. He sat quietly on one of the `charpai` sat on the vast ground outside the hotel. Hotel was almost deserted, a man was sitting behind a big pot aroma of hot refreshing tea was coming out of the pot. He felt craving for cup of tea in order to make his senses work properly. He grabbed the cup from man and returned to the charpai, cold wind of mid December blew creating shiver in his body. He sat down a blur of thoughts was coming in his mind, none of the memories were clear a small indigent house, a beautiful pale faced women with ordinary old cloths, and the child.

                            He recalled the day which was perhaps the happiest day of his life. Kubra his beloved wife was inside the room along with others she was going through labor pains, he was fighting the desire to go inside and take a look on her to pamper her. It was their baby then why just kubra was going through all this while he was standing outside helpless. His heart beat was fastening with every passing second. Suddenly the door opened old women coming out of the room was his neighbor she was a very old lady may be of his mothers age he rushed towards her ``what happened, how is kubra?

Old lady smiled wryly ``patience abdul majeed every thing is alright you have got a baby boy kubra is very happy she is calling you go inside.

There was a burst of emotions and joy all around he was on his knees at once ``thank you god, thanks for every thing``. he entered the room kubra was feeding the baby, she looked tired and weak, a very shinning smile broke through her face when she looked abdul majeed. Everything was so perfect and complete at that time.

          Another blow of wind passed by making atmosphere unbearably cold he was all alone now, again in that small hotel on an uncomfortable charpai, everything was gone warmth of his home, beautiful smile of his wife, his child`s innocent face. A wave of pain squeezed his heart. Drink he was holding in his hands looked like anything except tea. He placed the cup on floor and lie down wrapping his shawl tightly around his cold body. Once again he was lost in those beautiful moments.

        He named his son akbar, after the name of powerful mughal emperor. His mother used to tell him akbar`s tales as bed time stories, in his childhood he desperately wants to be like akbar brave and confident. Well there were also some similarities akbar was illiterate so was he, he was orphan as was akbar.

              He decided to give his son akbar   everything in his life. Abdul majeed was a rikhshaw driver he put all his energy for giving his son education and other necessities of life. After akbar he doesn't  plan for another child, according to him big family means big and divided responsibilities provided his short income he`ll not be able to fulfill all there needs.

          The day when akbar got admission in a private school, not so prestigious but a good one he feels as his son has finally stepped on the path of his destination he was very happy and he shared his excitement with kubra she listened to his plans and smiled calmly ``one day you`ll see kubra my son`ll become a great personality, he`ll have each and every thing I m dreaming of and you will be proud of him ``he kissed the face of his son and akbar in return also kissed him kubra`s smile widened and abdul majeed burst into laughter. life went on leading akbar more close to fulfill his father`s dreams. One day when akbar was in his college years very near to his goal kubra left this mortal world leaving abdul majeed shocked behind. How could she do this to him, she doesn`t leave him for a second even after birth of akbar when her responsibilities increased she managed all this so well that he wondered whether she sit idle for one moment and now she was sleeping in peace.

        The day when akbar completed his studies was the day of celebration for abdul majeed at the same time he missed kubra so much, she was the only one who knew him from soul to heart.

       A big air condition bus stopped near by scattering all his memories, he slid corner of shawl from his face and glanced on passengers coming out of the bus, some were stretching their bodies, some rushed towards toilet, others were releasing their mucsles, suddenly quiet atmosphere of that small hotel came to a life. A couple with two kids sat on a charpai close to him. Man was calling a boy standing nearby selling boiled eggs, he gave those to his wife, she distributed them evenly between both kids. abdul majeed suddenly felt exhausted he slid shawl back on his face clouds of sorrow gathered all over his body shattering him into pieces he felt home sickness more then ever, word ``home`` created sea of pain in his heart….

      He was sitting on a wooden chair all alone in his small home, at the same moment someone knocked the door, he instantly moved toward the door and opened it, akbar came in tired and sweating. He brought water for him and sat on the chair once again. ``everyone is corrupt, there is no value of my degree no consideration of my good grades`` akbar talked with disgrace towards system which let down hopes of many deserving candidates like him. Abdul majeed glanced at him he looked hope less, ``Allah will help us`` he tried to sooth his son, ``he won`t baba he always helps those who are rich and powerful , look at me it`s almost an year I m searching for a job despite my great results and constant efforts nothing happens but vain I m still jobless those my class fellows who come to me for my lecture notes because they consider them more accurate are now sitting in luxurious offices because of their father`s contacts and look at me I m still wandering`` he was sobbing, his young strong akbar was crying.

           Peep peep driver was calling his passengers to come back and take their positions as the bus was moving towards its destination, the family sitting beside him was gone, bus was now crawling reversing back to highway. Everything was quiet once again. abdul majeed still feels the pain of akbar`s crying, his young son, his hope, his power was breaking in front of him, tears were streaming out of his eyes remembering those painful days he consider those days as one of the worst phase of his life, he never wants to see his son crying again he will rather give his own life.

        And then god listened to his prayers and akbar got a very god job in a prestigious multi national company he was very happy and so was abdul majeed he thinks that now his son was earning a good cash and that he has no need of driving that old rikshaw he threw the keys of rikshaw in his pocket. But he didn`t knew that his son had planned a surprise for him.

           Like always abdul majeed was sitting in corridor on his wooden chair enjoying relief and peace in atmosphere suddenly someone knocked on the door he went and opened the door a uniformed driver was standing holding a fancy basket he handed the basket to abdul majeed ``akbar sahib sent this for you`` abdul majeed felt bewildered he received the basket and a folded paper he came in and placed the basket on floor opened the envelope akbar had sent. It was a letter. Akbar got married with his M.D`s daughter and this was informing letter to his father he wrote that his elite father in law doesn`t want abdul majeed a rikshaw driver to come and spoil his daughter`s wedding and that akbar is going to London for honeymoon with his wife he will visit abdul majeed as soon as he returns. Paper fell out of his hands and tears make their way down his cheeks, his hand unintentionally crawled down in to pocket and some thing was in his hands.

                  It was the keys of his old rikshaw.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Sun was rising in the background life in that small hotel was awakening waiters working there in morning shifts started doing their routine chores one was rearranging charpai and other was sweeping on the floor when the first one reached near the charpai of that old man he pull the corner of his shawl in order to awake him his shawl slid off of his face revealing nothing but a dead body….