Short story  

His ambition

by Yasmin Jaldin

As a little child, Ajith loved to play with toy pistols and guns. Whenever the mother and son visited a shop, he would pester her to buy him a toy pistol or a gun and had a good collection of them.

He would be the leader when he played soldier with his friends in the neighbourhood. After school, their games would be soldier hide and seek when he would climb trees and shoot his friends with toy pistols filled with water.

His father was a Brigadier in the Army and Ajith was very proud of him and would boast of his father's combats and escapades with his friends.

His father was stationed in the North and he really missed him. Every time he came home on leave, Ajith would chat with him for long hours admiring his medals and uniforms. His father too had an inkling, that one day their little son too would enlist in the Forces.

Often his wife would intervene in their conversations and rebuke him for telling the boy episodes of his career. 'Enough, she would say, you are away from home, now you are encouraging our son'. 'Putha, join a company, you could be back home in the evening'. Speaking of the Security Forces was taboo when she was around. Before leaving for school, Ajith had a habit of saluting his father's photograph and secretly whisper, 'I want to be like you', and rush from home before his mother admonished him. When he reached adolescence, he joined the school cadet corps and was its leader.

Incidentally, at the prize-giving, he bagged the best cadet award. His parents were very proud of him. Though his father admired the trophy, his mother shed a sorrowful tear.

Instinct

After completing his higher studies, at his mother's instinct, he followed an IT course but his mind was elsewhere, as this was not his chosen vocation. He wanted to fulfill his ambition. His dream was taking a dramatic turn, when he heard his friends discuss vacancies in the Police Force. He applied for a trainee Sub Inspector's post. With the requisite qualifications and physique, Ajith was top on the list and he was selected for training. He informed his father and received equal support, but his mother was unaware of his motive.

In another two days, he had to report to the training camp, how could I broach the subject to Amma, and the thought of leaving her made him sad, Oh! It is only for six months, she will get over it', was his thought. Anyhow, the day before his departure, he calmly broke the news to his mother. When she said 'I knew your game putha, you cannot hide anything from me, never mind it is your ambition, you have trod in your father's footsteps, your dedication to serve your motherland is utmost, I wish you well'. Ajith hugged his mother and cried like a child for her endearing words.

Passing out as a trained Sub Inspector, Ajith was posted to a remote village off Kandy mainly to raid illicit hooch dens operated for the past three years carried out in the dense jungle by thugs. Many officers who were posted to handle this case returned with failure whilst one or two met with untimely deaths. Ajith's Chief briefed him of the graveness of this case and cautioned him to deal with utmost care, since the thugs were supposedly very dangerous.

Assignment

Before embarking on his new assignment, the came home to see his parents. His mother smiled warmly when she saw Ajith clad in uniform, he looked the picture of his father, only the colour of the uniforms differed. He gave his mother a salute and placed his cap on her head, which brought peals of laughter from his parents and thus soothed his mother's troubled mind. He pacified his mother, promising to give her a tinkle every night. At his departure, she hid her despair and anguish lest he be discouraged.

The raid of the hooch dens were very successful, but Ajith fell into a deep hole, a trap laid by the thugs. Fortunately, he was saved by his comrades and escaped with minor bruises to his feet. Pleased with the successful operation, that no other officer dared to venture, he was awarded a 'gallantry award' by his superiors.

During the peak of a siege in the North, his father lost his vision in his left eye due to shrapnel. His father now retired with a long and meritorious career, would often share a light moment with his son whenever they met and talked about the victories of the battlefield.

His mother would also join and pat her beloved son with fondness. Ajith still very young, has a long way to go. Serving in many parts of the island and with his dedication to duty, no doubt he would achieve a brilliant career. He presently serves as a Senior Superintendent of the Police Force.

(Names are fictitious)