‘www.google.com’, Vijay frantically types on the Google Chrome browser of his laptop. He was a natural workaholic, who decided, for once, he should access something that was not within the boundaries of his duty.

He lifts his head away from the laptop, and does a quick scan across the room, to ensure nobody is trespassing his privacy (although, he was ever ready to minimize the window at the slightest violation of his serenity).

‘Download free loops packs’, he murmured in his breath, as he typed fast with quivering fingers on the world’s favorite search engine. The result was a staggering 16,700,000 results in 0.35 seconds.

His eyes gleamed looking at the result. Another frantic search followed, for a site which he had noticed on Instagram. That site promised royalty free downloads, which any budding music producer can download, to make his own music using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

Vijay was good in music, especially, making Electronic Dance Music (EDM). But one look at him reminded of a technology smitten geek. Ironed full-sleeved plain shirt, neat cotton pants and polished boots that you could see an aero plane flying in the sky, was which he usually preferred to wear. He was never late to office or meetings, and maintained a healthy rapport with his colleagues. So, anyone who knew him would be easily baffled than being puzzled at the fact that Vijay was also a musician. That baffled list also included his family members.

He was good, right from his younger days and he cared a damn to tell that even to his best friends. Instead, his favorite pastime was to pipedream the impossible. And that showed even now, at this ripe age, he was confined mostly to his own world where he dreamt of becoming a music producer. Nothing wrong in dreaming, of course, those who dare to dream are those who succeed often. But, he would hesitate and would not dare to make a real kick start effort, even if someone had to place a double barrel gun on his forehead. This was because, he had no one to encourage him. Whatever he had learnt, he learnt on his own.

While he was not a natural talent, he worked hard, and his affinity towards music grew over the years. He had even purchased a licensed version of a DAW and had it installed on his laptop. He was presently working on his first song, which when published on social media, would send his fits to cloud nine, which only Walter Mitty could envy. But right now, he was on earth, and his watch constantly reminding him that it was about time that he goes home.

‘Home is where the heart is!’, so goes a saying.

At home, Vijay would spend more time on his laptop than his family. As a result, he was not committed in doing his responsibilities at home. While his wife complained about not spending much time with her, his kid complained about not being a good father.

He found his wife demanding. Vested interests, he would think; as his wife complained about him not being a good family man. In silence, he would call her name’s, such as Kali, or even Mura – the demoness; and rejoice himself at his puny jokes. Dirty jokes has its own side effects. And as a result, luck often favored against him, to witness the power of the same deity or demon that he would call her.

And so, went the days in merry…

One day, it happened that he came across a music based online community, who would conduct regular meet-ups and practice gigs at houses. He instantly joined the community and soon received a welcome note form their Administrator.

‘Now, I can do gigs’, Vijay said pleasingly to his wife Vinitha, who had found it annoying.

‘Do you remember? Next week is Vinny’s skating competition’, she reminded. Vinu, their six year old son was amused, expecting a fight.

‘I’am aware dear, but, you know, I have this ever piling daily workload…’, Vijay started defending himself.

‘I’am worried about you spending most of the time in front of your laptop, even at home’, she opposed, handing him a glass of water.

‘You would not even care to drink a glass of water on your own’, she said.

‘Look, I need a break after my office work..’, he said, with his decibels increasing a note.

‘Then, what are we here for Vijay?’ she questioned. ‘We are your family’.

Vijay felt that a protest here would lead to a major outbreak of strike. So, he calmed himself and said, ‘Okay, let me finish my song and, by then, we shall be ready for the Vinny’s skating competition’, he said with total surrender.

Vijay expected a ‘BIG DEAL’ answer coming from his wife, but, nothing of that sort came.

After the storm had subsided, Vijay calmly went back to work (on his music).

All the while, it was a baptism of sorts for young Vinu, who has been watching his parents grumble about commitment, which he never really understood. Rather, he felt it as an exciting melodrama of his favorite characters. He had even secretly told his friends about World War 3 happening at his home and that they should come and watch it.

For the next couple of days, Vijay was busy engrossed in making his first musical song. He played it over and over again until it sounded okay to him. Technical issues did not bother him, as he knew he was a rookie, and he would be pardoned of such mistakes. After all, life is a learning process, he would think.

He converts his music to mp3 format and uploads it on his site. The next step, was to inform his community of the new song, which he did almost immediately.

Within 24 hours, Vijay received an email from the community administrator, inviting him to visit their next general meeting and reminding him that they liked his music. Boy, was he thrilled? It was a moment he would cherish for a life time, as if someone has signed his records.

But, his happiness was short-lived. The skating competition and the meeting were to happen on the same day. Also, his wife’s words seemed to create a dent on his joy.

There was still two days left for the D-day. He had successfully avoided both, his wife and his son. But, he could feel that they were avoiding him too.

On the day of the skating competition, it took a mighty courage to confess to his wife. ‘Dear, I got a mail from my music community, asking me to attend their meeting’. He told her how important it was for him to attend the meeting.

‘It’s you who make the decisions!’ his wife explained.

Vijay did not like the answer and sensed trouble ‘Dear, after all it is a one-off competition. I shall be glad if Vinu wins it, and my support is always there with him. You go and attend. Please.’ he begged.

‘Vijay, your presence is as important as mine, for a talent like our child. It is the encouragement’ she pleaded.

‘Dear, I think your music can wait a while. But, not the dreams of a growing child. His aspirations will crumble due to our foolhardy. Unless we are passionate towards our child, how on earth is he going to be encouraged? It is like, letting go of a talent. He needs not just my support, but ours, as parents’.

‘He never had bothered you all the while, but, I could sense that he needs your presence at the school. Maybe he would not say that, but, I can feel it’, she continued.

Vijay was in the greatest dilemma of his life. ‘Anyway, it’s you who make the decision’ she reminded him coldly, screwing his last hope of a revival.

Vijay was in a spot of bother. Vinitha had made a point that had brushed his own aspirations aside, at least for a while.

He did not say anything until they got into the car.

Vinu and Vinitha both looked sullen and silent. They probably guessed Vijay’s adamant answer.

Vijay somehow did not like the idea of sending his wife and kid to a competition in a miserable state of mind. Unaware, his commitment towards his family was being polished by the situation. ‘He is not going to win it’, his conscience reminded him, which was making a last effort.

As a father, Vijay thought, he did not want his son to struggle as a dreamer (like him). He wanted Vinu to chase his dreams instead. For that to happen, he (Vijay) had to give himself a push.

There was a sudden dawn of enlightenment in him (on any other day, he would have just thought that you do not need a Bodhi tree, but, rather a demanding wives’ prattle).

He took a deep breath and relaxed a while. With a smile, he hugged his child and says, ‘Son, we are going to watch you win the tournament!’.

While driving to school, he looked at his wife, who was in tears of joy.