Short Story - Conqueror's Crown
Feeling as helpless as a puppet, she went about the house listlessly, cleaning up after her five-year-old daughter, who had gone out to play. A month ago, she had been thrilled at her new assignment. A widow, and financially weak, she had been thrilled at the prospect of the financial security the new posting seemed to offer. But her entire department, inclusive of her seniors, seemed to be corrupt. Her dilemma was simple. She was getting instructions on files from her superiors who simply took the bribes that she rejected. And, indirectly, she was becoming a puppet in the hands of the corrupt system.
It was a battle in her mind between her conscience and temptation. She had discussed the problem with her parents and friends. They had been disappointed that she had not taken advantage of her position. And now they were aghast when they realised that she had been collecting evidence to act against the corrupt in her department. By indulging in these 'crusades', they pointed out, she would be jeopardising even her daughter's future. Her family put down her conscience to sheer stubbornness. Didn't it matter to them, her need to be honest and straightforward?
Temptation was very persuasive. After all, she was not taking any bribes personally and was following advice of seniors. If that was considered corruption, then why not go one small step further. and take advantage of the benefits that were being doled out to others in her department? View them as perks, maybe. When her superiors were so heavily involved, who would question her?
Her conscience now argued with her. The reasoning was simple - if you are not against them, you are with them, it said. It asked her to act as her conscience directed. She felt miserable. She had earlier felt like a puppet dancing to her corrupt superior's' tunes. Now it was worse. It was a tug of war between temptation and conscience in her own mind. She felt like breaking down.
Temptation seemed to come in with the knockout punch. What would she gain by antagonising her colleagues at office and her friends and family? The crux of the matter was that the system was corrupt. How many scams had been unearthed every year and, more importantly, how many had been ever punished? She didn't have the power to change the system. But surely, her pesky conscience nudged, she had the power to decide not to be part of this system.
Temptation, however, refused to give up so easily. It had another ally - fear. Surely, not everyone in her department would meekly accept her actions. What if they tried to transfer her, or, worse, frame her, or maybe even cause physical harm? What would happen to her daughter?
Conscience asked her not to muddle the issue. There was never a guarantee on any life, as she had realised when her husband had died. It didn't sugarcoat the consequences. If she had to live with her conscience, sacrifices would be required.
How significant would be her sacrifice? She picked up her daughter's history textbook lying on the floor. The freedom fighters mentioned in it, seemed to mock at her dilemma. Okay, maybe this was not the India our elders had fought for.
The temptation and the fear were huge when compared with the value of convictions. Temptation asked her to mind her own business; conscience implored her to do her work without giving in to temptations and carrying for the consequences.
She felt helpless and wondered "Conscience, Convictions, do they have any power?" She absentmindedly picked a book. It was a pictorial depiction of Ramayana. She stared at the pictures before her.
WHO WOULD QUESTION HIM, IF HE AGREED TO BE THE KING?
A human prince had to choose between pleasure and pain.
What would he gain, by choosing pain?
But he realized that -
The right path is not the one that is filled with roses,
but often it is filled with thorns
Refusing the kingdom, since his conscience was his king
he conquered the toughest enemy - the temptations within.
And instead of an Emperor, became a Conqueror
The Convictions of the Conqueror lifted him Higher and
Converted the value of His sandals, to another's Crown,
Bharat reverently raised to his head, the Conqueror's Crown.
We all need to doubt our doubts and believe in our beliefs
****
Appeared Earlier in http://www.sitagita.com/ViewArticle.asp?CatID=38&leafid=8461&cyberspace=38-20-0-0
in my series of short stories for them. A sub editor thought it would be wise to give a name to the character, which I never did, in the series. And brought end to the professional writing for them.
The other stories can be accessed from http://life007.blogspot.com/2005/03/short-stories.html
It was a battle in her mind between her conscience and temptation. She had discussed the problem with her parents and friends. They had been disappointed that she had not taken advantage of her position. And now they were aghast when they realised that she had been collecting evidence to act against the corrupt in her department. By indulging in these 'crusades', they pointed out, she would be jeopardising even her daughter's future. Her family put down her conscience to sheer stubbornness. Didn't it matter to them, her need to be honest and straightforward?
Temptation was very persuasive. After all, she was not taking any bribes personally and was following advice of seniors. If that was considered corruption, then why not go one small step further. and take advantage of the benefits that were being doled out to others in her department? View them as perks, maybe. When her superiors were so heavily involved, who would question her?
Her conscience now argued with her. The reasoning was simple - if you are not against them, you are with them, it said. It asked her to act as her conscience directed. She felt miserable. She had earlier felt like a puppet dancing to her corrupt superior's' tunes. Now it was worse. It was a tug of war between temptation and conscience in her own mind. She felt like breaking down.
Temptation seemed to come in with the knockout punch. What would she gain by antagonising her colleagues at office and her friends and family? The crux of the matter was that the system was corrupt. How many scams had been unearthed every year and, more importantly, how many had been ever punished? She didn't have the power to change the system. But surely, her pesky conscience nudged, she had the power to decide not to be part of this system.
Temptation, however, refused to give up so easily. It had another ally - fear. Surely, not everyone in her department would meekly accept her actions. What if they tried to transfer her, or, worse, frame her, or maybe even cause physical harm? What would happen to her daughter?
Conscience asked her not to muddle the issue. There was never a guarantee on any life, as she had realised when her husband had died. It didn't sugarcoat the consequences. If she had to live with her conscience, sacrifices would be required.
How significant would be her sacrifice? She picked up her daughter's history textbook lying on the floor. The freedom fighters mentioned in it, seemed to mock at her dilemma. Okay, maybe this was not the India our elders had fought for.
The temptation and the fear were huge when compared with the value of convictions. Temptation asked her to mind her own business; conscience implored her to do her work without giving in to temptations and carrying for the consequences.
She felt helpless and wondered "Conscience, Convictions, do they have any power?" She absentmindedly picked a book. It was a pictorial depiction of Ramayana. She stared at the pictures before her.
WHO WOULD QUESTION HIM, IF HE AGREED TO BE THE KING?
A human prince had to choose between pleasure and pain.
What would he gain, by choosing pain?
But he realized that -
The right path is not the one that is filled with roses,
but often it is filled with thorns
Refusing the kingdom, since his conscience was his king
he conquered the toughest enemy - the temptations within.
And instead of an Emperor, became a Conqueror
The Convictions of the Conqueror lifted him Higher and
Converted the value of His sandals, to another's Crown,
Bharat reverently raised to his head, the Conqueror's Crown.
We all need to doubt our doubts and believe in our beliefs
****
Appeared Earlier in http://www.sitagita.com/ViewArticle.asp?CatID=38&leafid=8461&cyberspace=38-20-0-0
in my series of short stories for them. A sub editor thought it would be wise to give a name to the character, which I never did, in the series. And brought end to the professional writing for them.
The other stories can be accessed from http://life007.blogspot.com/2005/03/short-stories.html
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