JIVLAG - THE ROBOT

JIVLAG – THE ROBOT

“This is Jivlag (Dear). The new member of our family. Satish & Seema, this is your brother. Treat him like your sibling and you will find him lovable. He will assist you in all the matters where you need help. So welcome Jivlag.” Saying this, Dhananjay put down the small, three feet tall robot.

“Welcome Jivlag to our Pradhan family.” Satish, a twenty-year-old boy extended his hand.

Jivlag, with a sparkle in his eyes, shook hands with Satish.

“Welcome Bhau (brother) to our family.” Teenaged Seema shook hands with Jivlag.

Jivlag was happy to meet these youngsters of the family.

“I am very happy to see you, Bala (Child),” Sumitra said and lifted Jivlag and hugged him.

Jivlag was happy to find a mother in Sumitra.

“Will it be okay if I call you Aai like Satish and Seema call you?” Jivlag asked affectionately.

“Yes. Certainly. You are also my child,” saying this she pinched Jivlag’s cheek.

“Baba, where is my room? “ Jivlag asked Dhananjay.

“Satish will show you. Satish, take Jivlag to his room and also show our rooms to him.” Dhananjay said.

“Sure. Come on Jivlag.” Satish held Jivlag’s hand and took him along with him. On the way, Satish showed Aai & Baba’s room which was well appointed. Next was Seema’s and further Satish’s own room. Seema’s room was neat and organized while Satish’s room was untidy and messed up. Jivlag made a note of it.

A small room next to Satish’s room was Jivlag’s.

“You take some rest in your room first. After you are refreshed, come out and call me. I will tell you further details. Okay?” Satish left Jivlag alone in his room.

"Okay, Satish. Will see you soon." Saying Jivlag went into his room to freshen up.       

He stood near the charging unit and started getting energy using Bluetooth.

Soon after he had full energy, Jivlag came out and called out for Satish.

“Satish.”

Satish heard Jivlag’s call. “Just a minute, Jivlag. I am coming.”

He came out.

“Shall I clean the rooms first?”

“Yes. Go ahead. In half an hour, we will be at our dining table for lunch. Please, finish your work before we start our lunch.”

"Sure, Satish Dada. See for yourself how quickly and neatly I will finish my work."

“Ok. Let us see!”

Immediately, Jivlag started his work. Quickly, he cleaned all the rooms. Rearranged all the material after wiping it carefully.

After lunch. Dhananjay & Sumitra went into their room for a quick afternoon nap.

Satish & Seema entered their respective rooms and got busy with their phones.

Jivlag completed his work and stood in the corridor waiting for further orders.

From Satish’s room, Jivlag heard the name Vidya several times.

From Seema's room, he heard the name Suresh too many times.

Jivlag made a note of it.

In the evening, Satish got ready and went out. Sumitra loudly said, “ Satish where are you going?”

“To see my friend.”

“ Whoever he or she is. be back home before 7:30”  Sumitra said.

“ Sure Aai. I will be home by 7:30.” Satish rushed out speaking to someone on phone.

‘He must be going to meet Vidya.’ Jivlag thought.

 Then Seema went out. “Aai, I am going to my friend. Will be back before 7.”

"Seema, make sure that you are back by Seven," Sumitra said.

‘Suresh must be waiting for her in the garden.’ Jivlag concluded.

Both the children returned at around eight.

Sumitra was a bit annoyed. ‘These children don’t have value for time. Exams are approaching and they are wasting time meeting friends.’

“Aai, this is the weekend. At least, once a week we want to meet our friends. Why are you annoyed so much?” Satish said.

“My dear, this is your final year. You have to put in everything for this examination. It is going to decide your life. Don’t ignore this aspect. I am not against your meeting with your friends. But don’t forget this is your final year. That is all.” Sumitra said.

“Aai, In that matter, I am a little free, isn’t it?  Only next year, that is my final year, I should not be relaxing.” Seema defended herself.

Jivlag noted this also.

After dinner, everyone retired to their respective rooms.

Jivlag picked up all the used clothes and put them in the washing machine.

The next day morning, Sumitra woke up at 6 and made tea. Soon Dhananjay, Satish & Seema joined her for breakfast. After breakfast, Dhananjay got ready and went to his job. Satish & Seema due to their summer vacation had to attend their vacation classes. They also left in hurry. Sumitra too went out to attend her Yoga class.

Jivlag was all alone in the house. He took up the task of cleaning the house.

After finishing with Baba & Aai’s room, Jivlag entered Seema’s room. While doing his job, he found Seema’s cell phone lying on the bed. Jivlag wanted to know Suresh’s role in Seema’s life. But he refrained from probing into her personal life.

After a couple of hours, Sumitra returned. Jivlag got busy assisting Sumitra in her housework. When the children came back, there was movement in the house. After lunch, when Sumitra entered her room for the afternoon rest, the two children entered their respective rooms.

Jivlag heard the conversations on the phone.

Satish was talking to Vidya. Jivlag found Satish had his studies the subject of the discussions. Vidya being his classmate, they were deliberating on topics related to their learning.

One evening Satish returned from the class and was searching for something in the house. Jivlag found Satish a bit upset. He asked Satish, "What is the matter? What are you searching for?"

“Nothing serious. Don’t bother about it.”

Satish thought, ‘if I tell him the truth, Aai would know it immediately. And she would fire me left & right for not being systematic.’

Jivlag was unhappy that Satish did not open out to him. He was wondering what Satish was looking for. Could it be some note from Vidya that he wanted to keep it a secret?

After some time of the fruitless search, Satish came to Jivlag. Finding that his mother was not around, he spoke low, "Jivlag, tomorrow, I have to appear for a test in the class. And I can’t find my book now. I don’t know how to prepare for the test. If Aai comes to know I have lost my book, she is going to get flared up. I am confused.”

“What is the title of the book?” Jivlag enquired.

“Quantum Entanglement. A physics book. Tomorrow if I perform badly, Baba will receive a call from the class and Baba & Aai will take me to the task."

“Only this much? I will search the book without Aai getting it noticed.   

Meanwhile, I will tell you about quantum entanglement whatever I know.”

And with his wonderful style of explaining, Jivlag described the subject interestingly that the need for the book had become redundant for Satish.

The next day, Satish appeared for the examination with confidence and he scored remarkably well. Satish sincerely thanked Jivlag. 

And in the evening Jivlag found the book hidden under Satish’s bed. One of the days, Satish must be reading the book while lying on the bed and in the morning he must have shoved it under the bed in the process of cleaning the room. Satish was thrilled that Jivlag was proved to be a friend in need. He was overwhelmed.

Seema was on different lines. She was swinging in the dream world of love. Jivlag was a bit worried.

Once, in the afternoon when no one was at home, Seema came home with Suresh.

When Jivlag saw them entering the house holding hands, Jivlag was disturbed.

“Are you sure there is nobody at home?” Suresh.

“Why are you so much scared? “ Seema.

“ I heard some movement in the other room,” Suresh whispered.

“Oh. That is Jivlag, the robot. Don’t worry. He does not understand anything related to love. After all, he is a man-made machine.” Seema assured Suresh.

“That is right,” saying this he pulled Seema close to him and started kissing her.

Jivlag was upset. This little innocent girl was getting carried away with the infatuation of a teenager. He went into the kitchen and to divert their minds, dropped some small steel vessel. That sound, of course, disturbed the lovers. Seema rushed into the kitchen. She found Jivlag handling steel vessels and had dropped a vessel.

“Jivlag, be careful. Thank God. It is a steel vessel that is empty too. Otherwise, you would have got into trouble." Seema murmured.

"Sorry," Jivlag said. And he started re-arranging the vessels.

Seema entered her room. Suresh was waiting for her impatiently. Soon, they got into the action of deep kissing.

Jivlag was irritated. He wanted to prevent these love birds from going further into love acts.

He started the tap in the kitchen and directed it to Seema’s room.

“Oh my God! What is this? Close the tap immediately. We got wet. This is nonsense! Jivlag, you are totally useless.”

Jivlag closed the tap. And entered Seema’s room to clear the entire mess he had caused. Suresh annoyed left the room. It took some time to restore the room.

Again, Seema and Suresh entered her room.

But that moment, there was a knock on the door.

“Why did Jivlag latch the door?" Sumitra wondered.

Happy Jivlag rushed to the door. He opened it.

“Seema Tai is home.” Jivlag quickly informed Sumitra.

“Seema, how come you are home early?” Sumitra went into the kitchen.

She saw Suresh all wet. Was shocked.

“Suresh, you?”

"He came here to study as there are guests in his house," Seema explained.

“But why are you both wet?”

“Ask your beloved Jivlag. He started the tap and somehow it was directed to my room.”

Sumitra with annoyance looked at Jivlag.

Jivlag was embarrassed. He said, “I am sorry, Aai.” With his head down, he started his work

But Sumitra was worried about why Suresh came home with Seema in their absence. She pretended to be satisfied with Seema’s explanation. But from within, she was upset with these two teenagers at home in her absence.

Suresh picked up his books and left quietly. Seema was irritated with Jivlag as because of him she missed enjoying the loneliness at home with Suresh.

In the night after dinner, Seema complained to Baba about Jivlag’s behaviour.

“He is useless. He dropped vessels first and then he directed the tap in the kitchen to my room.”

“He has already apologized for it. Don’t scold him. But Seema, tell me what important topic did you have to study with Suresh?” Sumitra infuriated, directly put a question to Seema.

" Today, we were taught about the theory of symmetry. I was confused. Suresh had understood it. So he came to explain it to me.”

“What nonsense, in the afternoon you had because he had guests at home so he had come to study.

Seema, I don’t want to see you with Suresh anymore. Instead of studying, doing these affairs? I think we should get her married quickly.”

“Sumitra cool down. Why are you so much upset?” Dhananjay said coolly.

“Ask your daughter only.”

“Nothing much Baba. When she came home, she found Suresh in the house. So, she is angry with me.” Seema explained.

“Was it necessary to bring her classmate home when no one else was at home?” Sumitra was exasperated.

“Seema, you have made a big mistake. This should not happen again. That is all.”

Furious Dhananjay warned Seema.

Seema was extremely upset with Jivlag. Because of him, she was exposed.

Here Jivlag overheard the entire argument. He was happy that he saved this innocent girl from further disaster.

Sumitra and Dhananjay thanked Jivlag for taking care of their children in their absence.

“Sumitra, don’t you think Jivlag is much more than a simple robot? He saved Seema from a terrible happening. Also, I heard from Satish how Jivlag described Quantum Physics in simple words. That ranked him first in the class in the test last week.

I think it is much more advanced. He has feelings and he is empathetic. That day when I shouted at him for dropping the vessel, he was really sorry.

Regarding Seema’s incident that day, Jivlag has played a very understanding and mature role. He also knows the social norms. I don't know how to appreciate him."