" Sweetie come closer..."

 

Shankar had just returned after a fortnight’s tour, a day earlier than scheduled. The wretched marketing job took him away for almost 20 days in a month. His wife Menaka was away at the market and had left the keys with the neighbour. It was hot and the fan did not give any relief. He reclined on an easy chair with a bottle of chilled coke. He never liked being away from his young wife for so many days but his job required his constant touring.

He suddenly heard his pet parrot talking, ‘’Sweetie, come closer”. He could not believe his ears when he heard the parrot utter for the second time the same words for he had never taught or heard earlier the parrot speak such words. He went near and said “Hello, Ranga” in his familiar tone only to hear again “Sweetie, come near”. He was utterly confused and asked the bird to repeat. To his horror it said “Close the door”. This repetition continued for a while till the bird refused to talk by remaining silent.

In his rage, he shook the cage violently till the bird screeched in fear. His mind started imagining all sorts of scenarios and he perspired a lot. Who it could be  and what she does in his absence, racked his mind but he could not find an answer. He decided to find out if there is any secret liaison going on with someone else in his absence. But she is so guileless and utterly simple that he could not associate any treachery with her. But the parrot does not lie. It repeats what it hears.

He heard a three-wheeler stop outside. Menaka came inside with several bags in her hands and smiled at him. “what a surprise! You were supposed to come only tomorrow. Did I keep you waiting for long? Just a couple of minutes. I will make coffee for you in a trice,” she said with a happy smile in her face.

"I don’t need coffee. Come here. I wish to ask you some questions. I don’t really know what is happening in our house in my absence. I want a truthful answer from you” Shankar said in a serious tone with an angry face..

Bewildered at his strange behavior, she asked “What are you talking about? I cannot make out what you are alluding at. Are you well? Is anything bothering you? Please tell me.”

“Yes, lots of things are bothering me. Come and listen to the parrot” he said as he dragged her towards the bird.

As soon as they approached the cage, the bird blurted “Sweetie, come close” again and again. After a while it said “Close the door”. Shankar turned to her and asked her  “What is all this nonsense of Sweetie coming close and closing the door. Who is calling you Sweetie? I have never spoken to you like that. And why close the door?”. He could not stop at that  and shook her shoulders hard with his hands and asked her “Tell me the truth whatever it is”

On hearing this wild accusation, Menaka was stunned with disbelief in her eyes even as tears started coming out of her eyes.

“Do not avoid the question by this crying act” he shouted.

It was then a knock on the door was heard. Shankar rushed to open the door expectantly for an answer to the riddle, only to find Arjun,an eight-year-old boy, from the adjacent flat standing.

Menaka’s face suddenly glowed when she asked the boy, “Arjun, talk to the parrot. Uncle wants to see how the parrot talks”

The boy ran near the parrot and said “Sweetie, come close” only to be answered back by the bird with same words. The boy repeated again only to be replied the same way to the mirth of the little boy.

Shankar felt foolish but still asked “What about the door,"?

Menaka asked Arjun “Tell uncle what aunty asks you to do after you enter the house”

“You always say close the door and never leave it open” the boy replied

Menaka looked at Shankar with derision and said “You have gone down in my esteem by several notches. I never knew that you so hastily jump to absurd conclusions. It shows how little trust you have in me. Do I ever doubt your integrity when you are away for three weeks in a month? Do remember that relationships are killed by suspicion.“ She rushed out of the hall into the bedroom breaking into uncontainable sobs. He followed her hit by great remorse.

The last thing heard from Shankar’s house was that he had given away the parrot to Arjun.