Destiny : Part 2
Story By Thiyam Ningol, Africa

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After a long thinking, James decided the only person who can confirm his doubts was Charles himself. He had been planning about ways of opening the topic to Charles and steps to be taken if he was found correct about his son. He prayed to be wrong. He also thought about his son's reaction either way. He knew he had to do something before it was too late. They would have to face the consequences together.

While he was planning ways of confronting again with his son about the matter, he had already thought of several possible ways including one plan to catch him red handed and direct confrontation. Very unfortunately, the moment arrived sooner than expected. To his dismay and disgust, to his shame and shock, one day he saw with his own eyes what he would have not wished to see. He was correct. Charles was gay, a recessive gay.

He took this opportunity as the right moment.

Quietly, without raising his voice, he asked for an excuse from Charles's boy friend to leave the father and son alone to settle family matters. Charles and his boy friend were not aware that James was in the house. Now that he was caught red handed, Charles knew that the days of his concocting lies were over.

James tried his best to keep cool. Sometimes he was failing. But the importance of the matter concerned made him able to control his emotions. He was very frank with his son. For quite sometime he had been consulting a psychoanalyst. He had been given tips of handling such a situation.

He suggested that both of them should exchange opinions, in writing, about same sex relationship and later they would try to discuss about it openly.

When James read Charles's version, he immediately knew his son was very much influenced by his friends. But at least his effort was worth. Charles was starting to open up. He would not let the chance slip away. So James asked whether they should sit at home and discuss or they should go somewhere. Charles preferred to go somewhere else.

They set off on their bikes to a place about 20 Km from their house, to a nearby village. They were well equipped for the trip. They had snacks packed, water and soft drinks. They also took a machete and a straw mattress.

When they reached an isolated but comfortable place, James started working-clearing up the area and putting up a cloth to get some shade. He asked Charles to lend him a hand. Charles did not see the necessity of all the trouble just for spending hardly an hour. They settled and rested. James opened up the topic but gave the chance first to Charles to defend his version.

According to Charles, as long as two people love each other, understand each other, had common interest and can satisfy sexual desires, there was no harm in calling them "a couple." They could stay like any other married couple, a couple comprising of a male and a female. Life is as William Shakespeare described "a play where everybody is an actor." One had to act according to the role they choose.

James got a chance to express his opinion. He agreed with Shakespeare's definition of life. But he differed with Charles "One does not choose the role they want to play. They are chosen to play the role. The director chooses the role. Likewise for the universe there is a director, the creator of the universe. He had already chosen you to perform a role and in order to perform that role he has moulded you accordingly. Some are born as male and others as female. Each has to perform as you are directed. Like you and me, we are born as male. We have to act like male."

Charles criticized his father's opinion of not able to have children from equal sex couples. According to him, one could always adopt a child; have the parental feelings and responsibilities. Raise the child and develop the bond of love.

James was ready to answer. He had expected this question.
- Yes, why should one worry about not having a child when there are so many orphans and street children, just go and pick one up;
- Why should one take the trouble of building a house when there are so many cozy hotels to live in
- Why should one cook the food when there are so many restaurants, cafes and eatery places?
- Why should one feel lonely when there are more than 3 billion people on this earth?

"You see Charles! Even the orphans belonged to their late parents. What belongs to somebody is not yours. Every human being needs a belonging. Every living being belongs to a society. Every society has norms.

The norms are set to fit the needs and necessities of the society. It is not one individual's need or necessary. The norms are the common acceptable characters of the constituents of the society. Our society is "Generally acceptable common human nature society". We are made with the ability to identify the needs and necessities, the ability to acquire the needs and necessities, the ability to control the needs and necessities within limits. Once the controlling power is lost, all the abilities get destroyed.

According to the "human norms", a man's sexual desire for a woman or vice versa is physiological. Human are given the power to differentiate between the love of a mother, of father, of sister, of brother and of one's own children. Another man should not look at you as a woman.

You are grown up and an educated man. Think about yourself. Don't allow others to think for you. You have a long path of life to go. On behalf of your mother and sister, please I request you to change your friend circle and let us be a happy family."

To ease the tension, James talked about his work, about the lives of his cousins back in the village. He narrated some jokes learnt from his colleagues. They had a good time together. Father and son shared the rare and short but valuable hours together.

To be continued....