She won't cry, again!

It was a challenging posting and his authorities had told him that he was being sent there with very high expectations.  Posted as the head of a large Region in a distant state, he left his family behind and moved alone to that place to take charge of the new assignment.  After landing in the new place and assuming charge, he set out to see the flat allotted  to him as official quarters.  The residential complex had many flats and the bank had hired some of them to house its managers and executives.  Other flats were occupied by local residents, some owned and some rented. The flat allotted to the Regional Manager was compact yet adequate, required amenities available and the locality was also good.  A comfortable place to get back after a grueling day's work is what every one looks for and having settled down in the furnished quarters, he felt relaxed and retired for the day.

He was woken up suddenly early in the morning due to the shouting and fighting in the adjoining flat.  There was continuous shouting in a high pitched voice of a man and the crying of a woman.  This continued for some half an hour and and there was no use in attempting to get some more sleep.  He got up and and went on with his daily routine and left for the office, looking forward to another long day at the office.

The flat was quite comfortable, but the shouting and crying in the adjoining flat was indeed very disturbing.  It would start every day early in the morning without fail.  He observed that residents of other flats too were unhappy with this disturbance, but were taking it as an unavoidable nuisance and tried to ignore it.  Having put up with it for about a week, one day he asked the security guard who were the residents of that flat and what was the reason for the regular fight in it.   The guard told him that the flat was occupied by a man and his mother.  The son was about thirty years old, tall and well-built man.  The mother was about sixty years old and there was regular shouting and crying in that flat from the time they moved into the flat a few months ago.  Some neighbors tried to intervene but were shouted down by the man.  They were strictly advised that it was a matter within the family and others had no business to interfere in it.  The matter ended there.  What continued was the shouting, crying and disturbance to others.  The security guard even advised the Regional Manager that it would be better for him also to forget the whole thing!

The repeated instances of shouting and crying did not provide any chance to forget the trouble.  Something should really be done, thought the Regional Manager.  Being one to always take the bull by the horns, he was not ready to compromise with the situation.  He decided to act firmly and see the outcome.  Next Sunday morning he walked casually past the open door of the other flat when the shouting and crying was in progress.  The door was open and he could see the six feet tall giant standing before a frail looking lady crouched in the corner of a big sofa, crying and trembling.  He would shout at her again and again and her only response would be crying and more crying.  Unable to contain himself, the Regional Manager barged inside the house and queried: "What is going on here?".  The giant had his back to the wall and had not seen the intruder.  He whirled around to see a stranger who had not only entered his den without permission but also had the temerity to question him!

"Who are you and why did you enter my house?  What happens here is a family matter and you have no business to interfere.  If you do not go away immediately, I will physically throw you out.  This is not a mere threat and I have done it before.  Neighbors will confirm it, if you so desire", shouted the giant.  This is no time for thinking but for action, decided the Regional Manager.  But what action?  That was the big question.  Years of experience in deciding things and acting swiftly came to his aid.

"What did you say?  Is it a family matter?  Who says that?  This is an "Affray".  If you do not know what is affray, it means "When two or more persons, by fighting in a public place, disturb public peace, they are said to commit an affray.  In terms of Section 159 of Indian Penal code, such an act is punishable with imprisonment of either description up to one month, or fine or both.  I will file a police complaint, get you arrested and put you in Jail",  said the Regional Manager.

The giant was taken aback as he had not anticipated such a response.  He did not want to yield ground to the intruder.  "What you say may be true if it happens in a public place.  But this is my house and a purely private place.  Your law is not applicable here",  shouted the man.

"If you are under such an impression, you better know some more law.  It is a private matter as long as it is confined to your house.  But this is a residential complex where many people live.  The moment your shouting voice crosses your doors and windows, it becomes a public nuisance as this is a residential complex.  A public nuisance is causing annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity, as defined in Section 268 of Indian Penal code.  Continuance of such nuisance is punishable with imprisonment of up to six months, says section 291 of IPC.  I am not interested in providing free legal advice.  This is not just an advice to you.  If this nuisance continues, I will ensure that you are behind bars, using every provision in the IPC".  Having said so, Regional Manager walked away from the scene without providing an opportunity for the giant to respond.

There was no shouting and crying on the next day.  Or on the day after.  For the next few days.  Next Sunday morning Regional Manager heard his door bell ring.  When he opened the door, he was surprised to see the mother and son duo.  The mother asked for permission to come in and permission was duly granted. The mother handed over a small packet of sweets and said:  "Sir, thank you for finding my lost son.  We live on the savings of my late husband and the family pension that I get from the Government.  My son is unemployed and for the past several years has been blaming me for the bad turns in his life.  Your intervention has made him realise his mistake.  Three days back he fell on my feet and cried like a baby.  He has promised me never to treat me badly again.  He has now secured a job now in a private firm.  It is a low paying job, but he is determined to work hard and come up in life.  I am satisfied that he will live up to his promise."

The giant spoke only a few words:  "Sir, I assure you I will treat my mother like I should have done all these years and as a grateful son behaves with his mother.  She won't cry, again."

As he watched the mother and son leave his flat, the Regional Manager was satisfied that she would not cry again, in her life.