The dream that did not become a reality

Aug 02, 2009 News

There are numerous persons that would give an ‘arm and leg’ to make life even just a little bit better for their family members. Parents, especially those who would have had a hard life as a child, are often willing to do the impossible to ensure that their children do not have to suffer as they did.

And such was the case of Anil Bascom (not his real name) who gave his heart and probably his life in the interest of his family’s wellbeing.

Anil was born into a poor family in a small community in Wakenaam, an island in the Essequibo River. As a little boy he wished for many things but as he grew, the startling reality was thrust upon him that there are some things that are just out of the reach of a poor family, and by extension a small boy.

But that was not the life a growing Anil envisaged for his family. And he had his life all mapped out, right down to how he would cater for his children’s education so that they could continue the elevation out of abject poverty.

As a young man he met and married his sweetheart, Subrina, who bore him three wonderful children. They eventually moved to the capital city, Georgetown. But even at that point Bascom’s plans had not kicked in. In fact, it seemed as though his plans would dwindle into oblivion.

His plan was simple – get a visa for the United States and work, work, work and send every penny back home for his family then eventually have them join him.

Several attempts were no more encouraging than the first but yet Bascom persisted. In his mind, reaching to the United States would be the end of all his family’s problems, which of course were mainly financially rooted.

He was eventually enlightened to another way of reaching to the United States, one that was in no way legitimate. He was initially caught by surprise and was even a little reluctant but then desperation overcame every other emotion and presented itself as his single hope of redemption.

It took almost every dollar he and his family had but yet he was glad to sacrifice the little in anticipation of betterment. Ten years ago today, Bascom left these shores and as he had promised he worked every day and sent nearly every cent he earned to his family, keeping just enough to satisfy his basic needs.

Having migrated illegally, it was no easy task for him to attain a legal status. In fact, he never did and couldn’t bring himself to tell his loving wife and children that he could not come home, and that he was unable to send for them.

In every telephone conversation he had with them he would reassure his wife, “I will come home soon.” And that is exactly what Subrina told her friends and neighbours even as she anticipated embracing her true love as she did before he left her to find a better life for them.

Anil had promised her that when he did return home they would spend the first two nights of his stay at the Princess International Hotel where they will be pampered to their satisfaction.

But little did Subrina know that Anil had developed cancer that was destroying his physical ability to continue his working momentum. And the disease with a vengeance slowly killed him.

Not willing to shatter his dreams before it was fulfilled, Anil persisted and even solicited the assistance of his mother-in-law who was living in the United States to help sponsor his wife and children so they could all be together.

But as fate would have it, Anil’s dream will not come true. In fact he is expected home this morning via a Delta airline flight, in a casket, ready for his cremation.

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The dream that did not become a reality

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The dream that did not become a reality

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