It was 7'O clock in the morning. Someone gently knocks on the door. The retired old naval officer Johnson opened the door and was surprised to see a differently abled person who stands with the support of a stick, smiled at him and gave a pamphlet and said "Sir, please vote for my party". Yes, the election season has begun and everywhere there are loudspeakers, rallies, public meetings, flags etc.
Johnson, completed 15 years as a Naval Officer and retired as a school teacher. He often thought that he would have done his best for his country as a Naval Officer until he encountered a few incidents. After the differently abled person left the place, Johnson, switched on the television; the news channels flooded with criticism and allegations of political leaders on one another; big promises from political parties and announcements of freebies. Johnson, slightly irritated and while waiting for a tea from his wife Asha, he took his mobile and scrolled up to check for new messages. His message box was full. Most of the messages were related to vote canvassing. Johnson put his mobile phone aside and lied back on the sofa.
For the first time Johnson was confused, for whom to vote? He realised that too much of information sometimes makes a person perplexed. After had their breakfast, Johnson and Asha got ready to go for shopping. At the time, the woman who sells greens came. Asha purchased a bunch of greens and enquired about the woman's daughter. The woman desperately said "My daughter scored high marks in her board exams, but she couldn't score in her entrance exam, despite her hard work ". "She would be the first doctor in my family, if she got the seat " the green vendor lamented.
On the way to the grocery shop, Johnson met his Zafar near the park. As Zafar seen him after a long time, he elaborated his plight as a senior citizen and requested his help to get the pending retirement benefits. Johnson, assured him that he would help him in all ways. While reaching the grocery store, there he saw his nephew who is awaiting for a government job. In the busy streets, under the scorching sun, Asha urged him to complete the purchase as soon as possible and return to home. When they reached the vegetable shop in the market where they usually buy vegetables, the shop was closed. When Johnson enquired about the vegetable vendor, it was told that he sold the shop as he couldn't repay the loan amount he borrowed for his business. They purchased fruits and vegetables from another shop. Meanwhile, the mobile phone rang, Johnson answered the call. It was from a municipality official who stands outside his house, who came to collect the property tax. As the motorcycle broke down, Johnson and Asha got an auto to return to their home. On its way, the auto driver spoke with Johnson regarding inflation of food products and fuel price hike. They reached home experiencing thought provoking incidents.
Johnson and Asha, returned home. Their neighbour called them for help to call the ambulance as his wife suddenly fainted. He helped him to go to the hospital. Johnson, told himself that why today like this, does it want to teach me something? He smiled and relaxed on the sofa. He put on the television and chose the news channel. The headlines itself did something in his mind. First, someone fell into an open manhole. Second, an accident because of the potholes in the road. Third news, a young woman was molested by a group of men fully drunk. Fourth news, a communal conflict. He just put off the television and his thoughts expanded to question himself that "What could I do to my society, how would it be healed? Have I done my part enough? These questions started hovering over his head.
The election day came. Johnson and Asha got ready to go to the election booth to exercise their democratic right. On the way, they saw children playing in the park. The incidents they encountered last week sparked in the minds of Johnson and Asha. They remembered one by one: the education of the daughter of a green vendor, the senior citizen friend Zafar, unemployed nephew, the vegetable vendor who failed to repay his loan, the healthcare emergency of their neighbour, the conversation with an auto driver and the news they watched on the television. Lastly, the future of the children playing in the park flashed before their eyes. Before stepping out of the house they didn't have any idea of, for whom to cast the vote. But, on the way to the election booth they understood that our vote does not decide our future alone, it has the power to change society. Yes, "everyone's vote decides everybody's future". Therefore, after casting their votes, Johnson wanted to write about their experience and started writing "The Fate Makers".
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