Bad Karma (standard:Flash, 827 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Oct 30 2010	Views/Reads: 3343/2052	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A sad story of of young man lost his way in life.

Bad Karma  By 

Subba Rao 

“You know your uncle was the only student in the history of the medical
school here that was allowed him to pursue masters in surgery in his 
final year of undergraduate medical education?” 

“Yes father, you told me this several times and my professors at the
medical school tell me all the time,” Srinivas replied reluctantly then 
he picked up Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens and immersed in it. 

“Well then study hard to maintain my reputation and of your uncle,”
Srinivas father walked away with visible disappointment. 

Srinivas father had so many hopes on his first son Srinivas.  The entire
family celebrated like a festival when Srinivas got admission into 
medical school few years ago.  Since then it was a total 
disappointment.  Srinivas failed every subject at least once if not 
twice.  Srinivas father well known in town as Doctor for the poor was 
disappointed and embarrassed particularly since his son was failing at 
the hands of professors some his former classmates at the medical 
school. 

While her husband almost gave up on his son, Srinivas mother never gave
up, she believed that her son will graduate from the medical school 
some day and take up the practice her husband built over the years. She 
was always after him to make sure he pays more attention to his class 
books than his main distraction, reading anything other than text 
books; it could be magazines or story books especially by Charles 
Dickens which he read repeatedly like a bible.   Srinivas mother, a 
high school graduate paid so much attention on his son's education, she 
knows the contents of medical text book by the cover. She refers to 
every text book by its author. For example, Best & Taylor for 
Physiology, Boyd for pathology, Davidson for Medicine and Bailey for 
Surgery and so on. 

“Are you studying Bailey? You have a test in Surgery next Monday,”
shouted Srinivas mother. 

Srinivas slowly dropped Oliver Twist on to the floor and picked up
Bailey to satisfy his mother. 

“I saw you. How many times you read that book. Don't you get bored
reading same books again and again,” Srinivas mother was persistent. 

“Remember your own uncle failed you twice in Surgery.” 

“I wish he was more helpful, I did pass in theory and practical the last
time but he failed me in the verbal test.” 

“I don't know, he has some differences with your father but he was not
that kind of a person to hold against you for that.” His mother was 
lamenting. 

“You should have approached him to help me,” Srinivas looked desperate. 

“I did, he said he couldn't help anybody who couldn't help themselves.”
“I wish he could me more helpful than that.” 

“He was saying you have to work hard and pass the test on your own.” 

“Well, I don't need his help then.” 

“All I am saying was you are smart enough to pass the tests if you could
only focus on your studies rather than reading all that trash.” 
Srinivas mother was in total frustration. 

In addition to reading scores of magazines and story books that took
away time from his studies, his interest in film music led him to 
collect hundreds of music records and cassettes.  Srinivas designated a 
large portion of his room to stack them. Neighbors always dropped by to 
listen to his music collection. 

After several years of struggling at the school, Srinivas somehow


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