The Friendly Enemy!

The story opens up in small city. The story basically is set on two neighbouring families whose children are of same age. Mr. Dash had a son whose name is Pankaj and his neighbour, Mr.Shukla had a son whose name is Suman. Both kids being of same age started schooling at same time and in same school. Both families were of lower middle class and both had their headaches regarding the higher studies of their respective child. Finances seemed to give them tough time. Suman was one heck of a student. His prime focus was studies. He gave his maximum available time to his books and researches. Suman being school topper , that did added to his pride, building some ego in his mind. On the other hand Pankaj, was good in sports , very naughty though very helpful in nature, was not at all good in studies. He faced many difficulties just to score the passing marks. Mr.Shukla was very loudspoken on his son's brilliance in studies and being the school topper. Mr.Dash always used to felt bad on the loudspoken nature of Mr.shukla and that used to hit his heart so bad that he always scolds his son and makes all type of comparisons between both the kids. Schooling and the minimum education gets completed by both the kids. Now the age has come where they need to prepare for graduation and next higher level education. Mr.Dash's son being not so studious , admitted himself in a small college in an intend to pass the exam and secure himself a job to support his family. On the other hand, Mr.Shukla decided to take debts in order to admit his son in a profound University. Both the boys never liked each other. Suman being an egoist and proudy of his attributes and equally loudspoken like his father. Pankaj didn't like these qualities of Suman. Pankaj though was not good in studies , was very good in mimicry and various sports. He was very smart and his mind worked faster in various pranks.

Suman moved to bigger city to continue his education while Pankaj remained in his hometown to continue his education and start a job there only. Time flew faster and education of suman got completed. He called his father informing him about his newly got job. His father again being the most loudspoken began talking about his son's achievement and soon he and Mr.dash brought all sorts of comparisons.

Pankaj felt very bad about that. About a year passed and Pankaj also got a good average job to help his family. He was doing well enough though no where near the comparisons. Soon Mr.Shukla was haunted by the peoples from whom he had taked debt. Mr.shukla called his son but his son seemed too busy building his career. Suman responded as : "Dad I have bought a big house and a big car. So I don't have any money to give u. And btw the debt was made by u not me. So my business ideas don't allow me to repay those debts. Still give me few months time I would try to give u some money in minimum Interest rate n u can easily return those money to me in few years." His father cried loudly hearing this. The peoples whom he had to pay the debt heard their conversation and shouted at them . This matter spread like wild fire in the neighborhood. Pankaj heard this and went to Mr.shukla's house and laughed hard at his face . Mr.shukla felt ashamed of his son. Pankaj said "U educated him so much and he read so much of business in his life that he applied that knowledge in family welfare. This is the fault of Ur being loudspoken , which made Ur son proudy." He yelled and returned to his home and said this matter happily to his dad. Mr.Dash on hearing this slapped his son and told him to say sorry to Mr.Shukla immediately. He himself called his neighbour and said sorry from his son's behalf. Mr.Dash then said to Pankaj : "we should never laugh at anyone's problem though they had laughed at us in the past. if we can do anything then we should help them in the right way ." Pankaj couldn't sleep the entire night. He worked harder in few months time. Suddenly a letter arrived at Mr.shukla's house and it had a mobile number written on it and some money. That money was exactly the amount Mr.Shukla had to repay in debt. Mr.shukla called that number and heard Suman's voice saying "Dad is the amount ok? Dad this number is not mine so please don't save it" . Mr.shukla called the peoples from whom he took the debt and happily returned them and again shouted in joy that his son sent him money he is so good bla bla .

Few years later Suman returned home. His father thanked him for sending him money. Suman laughed why would I send u money. Mr.shukla showed him the mobile number and he was astonished when Suman said him that this number was of pankaj's . He being good at mimicry had helped his neighbour without getting acknowledged. This brought him in tears. He went on to the varandah( where he generally boasts about his son) and called Pankaj and thanked him and said sorry for drawing comparisons. He finally admitted his son was no where near to be compared with Pankaj and admitted him to be more like his son. Both the neighbours lived happily as a single house , with Suman getting well settled in the big city.