"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.