"Dada Bhai Buys Heart Shape Balloons!!!" Malbari Hotel----An Old Man's Day Dreams,

By Abdul Sattar Lakhana


We all four were sitting at the Malbari hotel as usual.Suddenly Malbari came to us and asked "Sirs, why the prize of the roses has increased.Last evening I went to the shrine to offer Fatiha.I usually got 10 rupees worth of red roses to offer at the shrine.Believe me the flower vandor flatly refused to give me flowers for 10 rupees and told me you have to buy atleast 25 rupees worth for one twig.Why the increase in roses prize.I had heard sugar , atta and the things like that were getting scarce,why the flowers?"

Siddiq master told Malbari that it was the season of valentine.Red roses were bought in large quantity.Thats why the prize is rising. Malbari asked what is Valentine season.I never heard of it.

Ghaffar kapadia said, "O simple man ! valentine is the craze throughout the world.Young man offer their girlfriends red roses and gifts to express their love towards the girlfriends." Malbari asked is it possible in Islamic country like Pakistan?.
I told him that everything is possible in Pakistan.Young people are not controlled by Molvis.They do whatever they like and our police encourages them.When the young couples go to a park or any other public place,police get their share of 50 or 100 rupees from them.This is the season of extra income for police.Youngsters prepare for this event months ahead.The day is celebrated on 14th February.They are demanding to declare 14th Feb as national holiday.

Yaqoob Kiria jokingly told Siddiq master to take red roses or red heart shaped balloons to his wife.Siddiq master very simply told that his old lady was allergic to balloons and didn't like any flowers.If I want to express my love I'll take home some biryani.She likes biryani from kharadar and would be happy.Our age of red roses is over, now we are practical people.

Ghafar kapadia said you know that whole system was created by Gora Saab.They dont have aromatic flowers so fragrant roses is a valuable gift for them.In pakistan fragrant flowers are sold by the kilos.We follow the Gora Saab blindly.Even a Gora saab RAYMOND DAVIS killed our 2 or 3 young men, we are almost ready to free him.We all firmly believe that Gora saab can do no wrong.You know billions of rupees are spend on chocolates flowers and other gifts in Karachi.Add to that the expenses done else where in Pakistan the figure reaches mindblowing heights.Head the system started in India and Pakistan youngsters would treat their girlfriends with biryani and halwa.

When the discussion was going on a child 7 or 8 years old came to us and offer to sell red heart shaped balloons.He said Eid was coming and please buy these balloons for eid.I asked him what eid was coming?He replied that his father has told him that it was an eid of red roses and balloons.His father was disabled and could not earn his living,so he sent out his son to sell these balloons.So that he could earn a few rupees.I was impressed by this child and wanted to buy one or two balloons.My friends asked me who my girlfrend was?.And as obviously there was none,I told them so that I wanted to help this child.I didn't want any balloons.

Ghafar bhai simply told me that I should offer him some money but not to buy any balloons.A child was a picture of self-respect .He plainly refused to take any money as he was not a beggar but a bussiness man .He was selling baloons and was not asking for any money.I was realy impressed by this self respecting child and told ghaffar bhai that I'll buy atleast two balloons and later on will give these balloons to some young man.Ghaffar bhai agreed. This was the proper way to help this child.This child didn't know anything about valentine or girlfriend, but he knew that if balloons were not sold his family would remain hungry for the day.

Yaqoob kiria told what a tragedy this was.Youngsters celebrating this none sense tradition.Do not know anything about hunger ,disabilities or any other tragedies faced by these balloon sellers or flower sellers.Yaqoob was so right.I had asked many youngsters,boys and girls why they celebrate valentine.No one knew, they knew that it was the easiest way to meet their girlfriends and on 14th Feb it gets easy and no passer by stares or object.

They all belong to well to do families and could spend a lot of money on flowers, balloons and chocolates etc. Why the government and molvis denounced this tradition is beyond understanding.Countries like Pakistan cannot afford this wastage of money. 

Malbari Hotel....An Old Man's Day dreams by Abdul Sattar Lakhana

Lets Live Together!!!

We all four friends were sitting at the malbari hotel just chatting without any particular topic, just then Abdul Samad joined us, he was a property broker we all knew. He had come to meet Ghaffar Kapadia. We ordered tea for all of us thinking of availing the credit from our malbari.

When Kapadia and Samad began their talk, we became aware that Kapadia’s son Arif wanted to buy a seperate home of his own. Samad told Ghaffar that Arif wanted to buy a house which will cost one crore or more but Arif has twenty five lacs in his possession and dreaming of getting the rest from his father Ghaffar Kapadia. Samad asked Kapadia whether he had enough amount to provide to Arif so that he can go ahead and find some deal for him.

Colors on the face of Ghaffar Kapadia were changing rapidly. His mood turned violent and he began to use abusive language for his son.

What Ghaffar told us, was the story of all middle class families. His son Arif was the father of two children and his wife was expecting another baby. Arif knew very well that his father had no savings and still he fought with his mother for a separate home. Ghaffar had advised him not to get separate. Actually, the house in which they were living was owned by Ghaffar Kapadia while his son was running the expenses of house because Kapadia did not have any income.

Samad broker was a strong supporter of joint family system. He tried to convince Arif about his parents’ troubles that they endured to raise him and in educating him in a way that he was getting a decent income and now he was trying a solo flight leaving the parents on the dry ground.

We were listening but could not remain silent any longer. I was the one who spoke up first. I asked Kapadia to sell his house to his son Arif at market price. Samad broker informed that the house will go easily for fifty lacs, but Arif had only twenty five lacs and that was also engaged in stock exchange.

Yakoob Kiriya could not remain silent, he said that it is very difficult for Arif to find a luxury home with baby sitting and house keeping service all for free.

Siddique Master went one step further, he asked kapadia that he should neglect their grand-son and daughter-in-law totally. When the children will miss the school, milkman will go back without delivering milk and Arif will run out to get tea for his wife his mind will come to right place.

Yakoob Kiria was family type amongst four of us. He said that Arif's wife was expecting a third child and this was a time, every lady wants some older woman like the mother-in-law to be on her side. Ghaffar told us that the whole issue started when  one day his wife asked his daughter-in-law where they were going? It made Arif very angry that why his mother keeps on asking where are they going to. “Arif is totally crazy to mind his mother asking this, when a mother asks her children where they are going, it is because she is worried about their well being", I said. Kiria continued that Arif must understand that no one can take care of his wife and children better than his own parents and he will repent after taking a wrong decision. He advised Kapadia to motivate his son with love instead of fury.

As we all separated in rather a gloomy mood, Abdul Samad said I will try to change his mind.There was a loud horn as we were standing almost on the road now, so we moved along.

When Ghaffar reached home everybody was sullen and nobody cared to welcome him home. After a few minutes his wife took him into their room and gave him a cup of tea.


She told him that both Arif and his wife Salma were not ready to live with them.
Witnessing the harsh dialogue going on between her parents and grandparents Sarah the 5 year old daughter of Arif repeated same things to her mother while playing with her dolls. This thing affected Salma a lot. She seems embarrassed after the incident, Ghaffar’s wife told him.

Arif who was already half convinced in favor of the joint family system by the good great lecture by Abdul Samad. Hearing of the incidence from his wife about his daughter he also felt ashamed. Now Arif was thinking in the right direction.

Late that night he sat with his father and his mother. His wife Salma brought tea. Arif begged pardon from his father for what nonsense he had said about the separate home. It was best to continue as was going and that they will think about separate homes when his children grew up. Deep down Ghaffar knew this turn of mind was brought about by Samad broker. He smiled to his son and patted his back as he used to do since he was a kid…a father’s way of showing nothing has ever happened.

Arif had already begged pardon from his mother. So everything was settled and talk about a separate home was a thing of the past.

Malbari Hotel....An Old Man's Day dreams by Abdul Sattar Lakhana

A Bus Ride In Karachi

It was a cold and gloomy evening. We all four old friends were sitting at the Malbari Hotel and carrying on small talk aimlessly. Suddenly Malbari came to us and told all of a sudden that he will not open his shop the next day as he had to go to his community's gathering.

The information was casual but its effect on us was like a bomb explosion right on our heads. We were so accustomed to sit at the hotel that we just could not think of spending a day without Malbari Hotel.

We were dumb founded when Siddique Master spoke up: “let’s go for a long bus ride.

I will borrow some money from my son to go for the bus ride. We will go to Saeedabad and back it will take 5 hours.” So was decided.

We all gathered at the closed hotel next day and walked to the nearby bus stop and took bus number D3 .The seats were broken and full of oil smears .I hesitated to sit. Yaqoob Kiria spoke up "Dada just sit down and send your suit to the dhobi to remove the stains ".

So we settled in the bus and the bus started rolling on. The journey up to Gul bai was normal but as we proceeded towards Sher Shah it was evident that we were riding a concrete mixer.

I told my friends, “ had we chosen to sit on the footpath it would have been much better.”Ghaffar Kapadia laughed and exclaimed that thousands of people daily travel this way without any complaints. Road worsened as we moved on and bus started tilting heavily on either side.As we neared Saeedabad the entire road was gone. The bus was traveling on a rough ground.

After much beating, we reached the last stop of the bus and the conductor shouted that our destination was here and we had to get down.We were so buffeted that it was difficult to get up, but somehow we got up and got down from the bus.

The entire area was so different from our Kharadar .The work shops and spare parts dealers were all over. There were small tea shops in between. Without speaking a word we silently proceeded towards a Quetta wala tea shop.Master nodded so we sat at the Manjhis spread there and Master ordered four Doodh Pati chai. The tea was delicious and we really enjoyed it.

After the tea and getting some rest on the Manjhis, we started to walk around the area.

As we walked around, we entered a large market .We kept walking and as we reached the end of market the scenario changed.The shops now were again workshops and spare parts' dealers. There was a sign board proclaiming that we had entered Itehad Town. Most people had guns on their shoulders.

We all were a bit afraid .Yaqoob Kiria whispered "lets go away .All people have guns with them.”

There we saw a bus coming Master told that this bus goes to Saddar, lets ride this bus.  .

Ghaffar Kapadia bought some peanuts and we got in to a bus going to Saddar .Vendors came into the bus and started selling their wares. One was very interesting .He was selling cure all tooth powder. He claimed that any illness you have, would be cured by using this tooth powder and that too in 5 rupees. That tooth powder could cure any thing short of death.

X 10 goes through so many areas with various cultures.

Bus Stop At Saddar Karachi

Bus reached Metro Cinema and Siddique Master shouted we have reached Bangladesh .There were Bangalis everywhere. Bus proceeded towards SITE area and there was smell of various chemicals. Bus was now crowded and people were climbing to the top of the bus. This was a dangerous way of traveling but people were used to it. After passing through site area the bus entered Nazimabad this area was full of traffic and the speed was reduced much. Bus now crawled towards Liaquatabad. After passing through entire length of Liaquatabad the bus entered main road connecting to Saddar area. We were happy that we were nearing our destination.

Soon the bus was in front if Rainbow center in Saddar.It was the end of our journey and time to alight from the bus. The bus was going towards Gizri and Seaview.Siddique Master was about to say to continue but we starred at him and laughed. We said good bye to each other and went towards our homes after an adventurous evening.

Malbari Hotel....An Old Man's Day dreams by Abdul Sattar Lakhana

I am an old man who has seen more than sixty birthdays. Generally consider persons above sixty, like broken furniture. Such persons are hardly welcomed in their own homes. The main reason for this is that the income is either reduced or entirely gone. The only thing such old persons can do is to get some friends and spend some time with them. My own experience is not any different. I am practically retired since few years. I am lucky to have a few friends of my age, my school fellows who like to spend a few hours with me in the afternoon.