Jagan’s date with Jampa

 It was quite hot and sultry that Sunday afternoon and there were only speeding cars and trucks on the highway. Jagan was proceeding to Chengalpattu to meet Jampa at 4pm at her home at the behest of his parents who have shortlisted her. It was past 3pm and he looked out to see the SRM campus at Kattangulatthur.He relaxed at the comforting thought he had enough time to reach the destination. The song Rangapura Vihara from the YouTube by Harish Shivaramakrishnan in his sonorous voice with guitar and keys as accompaniments was mesmerizing. He slightly adjusted the temperature as he felt cold.

It was then he saw a young woman, in the barren stretch of the road that had no trees, frantically signaling him for a lift. Dressed in a dark pant  and maroon top she was slim and around 25. He stopped the car and slightly lowered the window pane.

“Sorry to trouble you. Can you kindly drop me near Singaperumal koil? It is very hot here and possibly this is no bus stop,” she spoke in impeccable English with a convent drawl.

Chivalrous by nature, he readily opened the front door. There was a gentle fragrance of Chanel No5 as she took her seat. While driving he glanced sideways at her when she was searching something from her handbag. She looked attractive with high cheek bone and long eyelashes. She turned to see him looking at her surreptitiously and smiled at him.

“I am am meeting a friend and have been delayed quite a bit waiting for the bus. You really saved the day. Let me call her to tell her  I am on my way. She will be relieved,” she said softly. The proximity of a beautiful woman, the sweet scent and the pleasing music was a heady combo.

Jagan was silent presumably lost in thoughts how Jampa would look like and whether she would be as charming as the one sitting by his side. The woman was chattering nonstop on her mobile. After a few minutes of driving in silence, he stopped the car

“We have reached Singaperumal koil,” Jagan said.

She got down from the car and after thanking him, she left in a hurry saying she was terribly late without telling even her name. Selfish woman, he thought as he drove speedily towards Chengalpattu.

Hardly after a couple of kilometres from Singaperumal koil, he saw two policemen by the side of a blue jeep waving their hands at him to stop the car. They came near the car and one of them a portly figure gruffly told him. “Can I see your license?”. He turned the pages of the license for a couple of minutes

“We got information from a source that some drugs are being taken in this car. Please step down while we check inside the vehicle. Give me your mobile and the keys,” he said. Turning to other guy he said,” Palani, go through the car like a sieve quickly. It could be ganja, cocaine or whatever.”

The luggage compartment was opened and checked what seemed thoroughly and finding none he started searching inside the car at the rear seats and finally at the glove compartments and beneath the door mats. He drew blank. The stout man shouted at Palani,” It must be there planted in some corner. Check again carefully.” Palani opened the left door where the lady was sitting and gave a shriek. “It is here, Sir and handed over a small bundle concealed in a Venkateswara sweet stall bag. The bundle revealed some whitish substance.

Jagan was stunned at the discovery and pleaded total ignorance of how it could be there. “I am a senior IT engineer in a big IT company and proceeding to see a lady for matrimony at Chengalpattu at 4pm. I promise, sir, I am totally innocent. The only mistake I did was to give a lift to a young woman of about 25 years up to Singaperumal koil. She seemed decent and educated. I do not have any information about her including her name.”

“Don't lie. I am accustomed to hear such sob stories when they get caught. Palani, close the car and keep the keys. We will take him in the jeep to the police station and let him talk to the Inspector. My bladder is full. I will relieve myself and come,” he said with some finality.

When Jagan looked pathetically at Palani, he signaled him to come near. “Do you have any cash? If you can pay 10k to him, I can try to get you out of this mess because you are going to see a girl.”

Jagan quickly thought over the sequence of events like his giving a lift to unknown woman, getting caught with drugs, and not knowing even basic details of the woman. He had no credible answer except repeated denial. This would surely shock his parents and Jampa’s family. After some haggling, Palani agreed upon 7k and whispered to the stout man. They took the money, retained the packet and allowed him to leave after admonition that he would be jailed if caught next time.

He reached Jampa’s place at 4.30pm and they were intrigued to see him in a sweaty shirt and disheveled state. He initially said he was held up due to breakdown of car for the delay and his untidy condition. When he came to know that Jampa’s dad was a DSP in police, he made a clean breast of the happening.

“I appreciate your frankness. I am aware of such a racket going on. What is planted as a white powder is no drug but used for rangoli. I have already put some decoys to catch them. Let us now turn to Jampa who is waiting eagerly to meet you,” he said.

He called “Jampa, take him first to your room for a wash. He needs to be presentable before the girl whom he has come to meet,” amid peals of laughter from others present.

That Jagan found Jampa far more bewitching than the crook who wangled a lift, is a happy titbit.

Happy denouement

 “I have lot of respect for you both but please appreciate it is my life. I will alone choose my partner as and when I come across someone I like. In spite of my specific request, I am hurt that you both chose to ignore my wish, “ Menaka said. She was furious when her dad informed her over tea about one Eswar coming to meet her at a restaurant in the weekend.

 “Menu, I am fully aware of your views on this matter. I happened to meet an old friend of mine after a very long time and exchanged the happenings during the intervening years. When he came to know about you, he suggested about his son Eswar for you. I told him that you are totally averse to arranged marriages and that I can do little in the matter,” said her dad.

“Then why did you agree for my meeting him at a restaurant this Sunday?”

“I could not bluntly refuse when he made the suggestion that you both meet outside at a restaurant over a breakfast instead of at home traditionally. I would not compel you to marry him if you do not wish to. But I am impressed with Eswar’s credentials and would leave it to you to decide after meeting him. I was also told that he is a tall guy with curly hair and athletic build. Please meet him for my sake. Here is his profile. I have no photo of his readily but he will be in jeans and a light blue T shirt” said her dad.

“Which restaurant and at what time? I will just walk out if he keeps me waiting,” asked Menaka with some asperity in her voice.

“Park view,8am.”

After a glance at the profile, she knew why her dad fell for the guy. Eswar met all the requirements that parents of any bride would look for. Highly qualified, he was already holding a middle level position in a multinational bank. He belonged to a decent and affluent family with a large house in a gated community in the suburb. He had a good flat within the city and a medium sized car.

Menaka was at the restaurant sharp at 8 am but the guy was not to been. She waited for ten minutes and was upset with the guy still missing. She had half a mind to leave the place but decided to wait for five more minutes for her dad’s sake. As she was browsing her Facebook, she heard someone loudly coughing by her side. She turned with a startle to see a stodgy guy in blue T shirt of medium height with a receding hairline.

 “Menaka. I believe. I am Eswar,” he said taking her hand and shaking a trifle longer than usual with a tight clasp. The absence of a prefix to her name and the rough handshake put her off instantly. She was speculating at the uncouth stout guy before her to the favourable description given by dad. After initial introduction, he walked to a corner table and settled comfortably leaving her to pull a chair to sit. To make matters worse, the guy ordered idly, masala dosa and coffee without asking her what she would prefer. He was too loud for her comfort and seemed restless drumming the table with his fingers making a few turn their heads.

He then embarked on what seemed to be a long rant and from the word go started telling her what he expected of his wife to be elaborating on his likes and dislikes. He was neither chivalrous to enquire first about her, her interests, her dreams and such like nor gave her an opportunity to talk He kept talking about himself interspersed repeatedly with the phrases’ I hope you follow’ and ’I hope you understand.

The last straw was when he said, “Let me make it very clear at the outset that I am very fond of my mother and would not like her to be unhappy on any account because of my wife whoever she is.ls that clear?”

Menaka developed an instant dislike for him and for his boorish behaviour. She did not talk much. At the end when he asked her whether she had anything to ask of him, she replied in the negative and stood up. Thinking possibly, he made a favourable impression on her, he made a parting remark “You are very quiet. I like you for this reason. I have an aversion for women who talk much.” Without reacting but fuming within, Menaka walked towards the gate.

When she met her eager parents, she did not elaborate but made known her total dislike for him and requested them not to proceed further in the matter. They were disappointed and felt Menaka was being foolish with preconceived notions.

That evening as Menaka readied herself to leave for gym, her dad asked her, “Can you drop me at my friend’s place. He has come to the flat for a couple of days. You need not come inside. I will take an Ola on my way back.” She readily agreed.

When she drew the car to a stop opposite the flat, surprisingly dad’s friend was standing there talking to a neighbour. On seeing them, he was very happy and invited them both inside. Her dad said “Menaka is late for her gym. She will not come. I have come to spend some time with you.”

“No, I would not allow her to go without stepping in. I know she met Eswar this morning. I do not know what they decided. Whatever their decision, I do not care. She must pay me a visit,” he pleaded with her dad.

When her dad looked at her unsure of what she would do, she got down and said “OK I will come in for five minutes. Come on.”

As they settled down on sofa, uncle said, “I am very pleased that you both have come. Menaka, you do not have to speak anything about the meeting.” At that time a tall handsome and muscular guy came from one of the rooms hearing the voices.

“Eswar, see who have come,” said uncle

With a bewildered look she gazed at the young man opposite her for a while and told her father, “Dad, this is not the person whom I met this morning. Someone else short and stodgy in blue T shirt introduced himself as Eswar and was talking to me.”

Uncle turned to the young man, “What is happening, Eswar? Did you not meet her this morning as agreed upon? This is Menaka whom you were to meet. Who is the chap who impersonated you?”

“Appa, I will presently explain everything. Meanwhile, can I have a word with Menaka in private?” he said and turning to a surprised Menaka asked her to give him a few minutes. There was a confused look on the faces of both fathers when both young things went to the adjoining room.

“Sorry. Menaka, I played a dirty trick on you. Frankly I do not believe in arranged marriages. Dad was telling me you too have the same opinion. When he insisted that I meet you. I could not refuse him. But I wished to get out of this without displeasing him. I asked a friend of mine to meet you as Eswar with instruction to behave in such a disgusting manner that you would reject outright. I am sure you must be hating him?” he said patting both his cheeks with his hands symbolically for an apology.

Menaka could not contain her laughter at his theatrics but was gawking at him greatly impressed with his easy going manner, frank disposition and handsome look. He reminded her of Gregory Peck in his younger days.

“You are not talking? After seeing you I now realize I was a fool to have missed meeting in the morning such a charming and accomplished lady. How about meeting tomorrow evening at 6pm at the same place? I wish to impress you to win your nod” he said with a big chuckle.

Menaka equally moonstruck and replied with a bashful smile, “Why not, I will surely be there? Hopefully you will buy me dinner this time.”

“Oh. oh, did that bloke make you pay for the breakfast?”

“It is ok. I did a wise thing to come inside your home when your dad asked,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes

“I have one more request. Can we go to the hall hand in hand to make our fathers happy?” Eswar asked

With a loud ‘chee, chee’ in response, she grasped his proffered hand as they both stepped out rubbing shoulders with beaming faces.

A spontaneous decision

A topical story for the cricket season

Mohanti was the last recognized batsman at the crease. It was the final of an international one-day series with a formidable team and with the series evenly poised at 2-2 each. He was facing the last ball of the 50th over. A sixer was needed to win the match. It was a do or die situation. He was the cynosure of millions of eyes on the ground and before TVs. His future depended on what he did today. The stadium was packed to the full. There was an eerie silence all around. The suspense was punishing with the commentators going silent for a while with their fingers crossed. As the bowler was walking back to the starting point, there was a flash of his life for Mohanti from his child hood days like a film on a screen.

The couple in their thirties with their two children were the last to get down from the train that terminated at Khurda Road. The compartment had become empty. The few passengers had left and the platform was almost empty. The husband and wife took their small luggage in one hand and held the children on the other. Just as they were moving away from the train, they heard a wail of a baby. They both stopped abruptly wondering where from the cry had come from. The shrill cry from a new born babe came again from within the dark compartment. The man rushed in to see a new born baby of hardly ten days old lying on a rag under a seat. It was clear to him that it was abandoned. The wife too who had followed him looked around. There was not a soul visible.

Handing over the crying baby to his wife, the man said, “Pacify the baby. We cannot be cruel to leave the baby here and go away. We will take it and leave it at the police outpost in the station.”

The moment she took the baby in her hands, it stopped crying and broke into an innocent smile. It was cute looking baby boy. Resting the baby on her shoulder, she turned to her husband and said, “Why not we keep this baby ourselves? If we leave it with police, they will surely hand this over to an orphanage. I don’t wish this gift of God should go there.”

The husband meekly pointed out that they were already leading a hand to mouth life and that addition of one more member would strain their tiny budget. She put her foot down telling emphatically that they could share whatever they had amongst the five and that the baby should be retained by them. That settled the issue. The baby boy grew up as a member of their family. They bestowed the same affection and care as they gave to the other two children.

Mohanti looked at the bowler running menacingly towards him to bowl the last ball. The entire crowd stood up on their feet in high anticipation. His mind was blank to the noisy surroundings and his eyes were focused at the bowler’s arm. Mohanti hit the ball with all the strength at his command and presto the ball soared high and travelled across the vast ground to hit the roof of the pavilion with a thud. There was a deafening uproar from the hysterical crowd even as his team mates came running to lift him on their shoulders. His country had won with a nail biting finish. As he walked back to the pavilion with other players forming line on both sides, the applause from the stands was resounding.

Declared the man of the match, one of the foreign commentators approached him with a mike on hand and said, “This is a memorable occasion in your cricket career that has just started. You have been instrumental in bringing the trophy to your country. I think you have cemented your place in the team. You will soon be showered with riches and goodies in plenty. What would you like to say on this momentous occasion? To whom would you ascribe this outstanding feat?”

Even as he wiped the flowing tears from his eyes, Mohanti replied without a moment’s hesitation, “I dedicate this achievement wholly to my loving parents. They are not here but must be watching TV at our house in a small town in Odisha. My thoughts go back very long. Twenty-three years ago, they took a spontaneous decision at a railway station that changed the course of my life. I owe everything to them today, tomorrow and forever.”

There was a puzzled and curious look on the faces of the commentator and the millions who heard Mohanti even as he continued, “The snap decision they took that day transformed me from an abandoned orphan baby in a dingy compartment to be their loving son and a cricketer.”

A happy compromise

The short form of cricket being the flavour of the season,I am posting an old story on this theme written almost a decade back for readers who had not followed my blog then

The cricket season is in full swing with annual T20 tournament being played across the country drawing everyone to the grounds or the TVs whichever was convenient. The schools were closed for summer vacation. I see daily from the porch of my apartment about a dozen young boys in the age group ranging from nine to fifteen playing cricket in the large vacant space of my housing complex. The sun may be scorching at 40 degrees Celsius but the boys are at the ground by 11am undeterred by the sweltering heat. A few wore over sized county caps while most were bare headed. Only some boys had shoes while the rest played with or without chappals, mostly Hawaii. They played with three stumps of irregular heights on one side and a bamboo stick doing the duty of a stump at the bowler’s end. They used old tennis balls as they had no money to buy a regular cricket ball. There were two pairs of pads with one pair being smaller than the other. The wicket keeper had to be content with torn and frayed gloves. For the timid among the boys, an old hand glove was available but rarely used. None of these deficiencies dampened their soaring spirits or muted their loud appeals during the game.

They adopted a shortened version of T20 format by dividing the number of available boys into three teams and played 6 overs each. They christened themselves with equally high sounding names though they lacked the colourful uniforms or the smiling faces of celebrities to own and patronize the teams. Luckily they had common cheer leaders for all the teams from urchins of less than 7 years with or without shirts aping the lusty movements of the regular cheer leaders we see on the TV. There was the unfortunate incident of one mother pulling away her 5 year old girl from the cheer leaders’ team for what she considered an obscene movement of the child’s posterior.

As I was watching daily from the porch of my apartment, I saw one fat and short boy sitting alone under a tree beside an improvised score board. I have never seen the boy playing on any single day. I called him and asked him his name and why he was not joining others in the fun.

Amidst sobbing he replied, “I am Sumitkumar. I keep asking my friends to include me in any of the teams but they refuse asking me to look after the scoreboard. They keep telling me that I am an owner like Sharukh Khan or Preity Zinta and should stay in the pavilion with dignity as they do.

“This is grossly unfair. Each one of you can take care of the score board by turn. What is this nonsense of you being an owner? Call the boys right now. I will have this matter sorted out,” I said angrily.

“Uncle, it could be because I am a Gujarati boy and my Tamil is not that good,” he added to buttress his case.

I felt it was unfair to exclude a colony boy on silly grounds and called three older boys from among those who were playing.

“Why are you excluding Sumitkumar? I learn he is benched daily. Is it because he is from another part of the country? If there are thirteen players, let one sit out by turn to look after the score board. If you people behave like this, I would see that the ground is not used for playing cricket,” I said in feigned anger

The boys said in chorus, “No Uncle, though a Gujarati he can speak Tamil as fluently as any of us and can even swear in filthy manner. We have not excluded him for his being Gujarati but because he is the owner of all the teams. Owners do not play.”

 I got annoyed and shouted “What rubbish are you saying? What owner? Include him in the game or I will not allow you people to play here anymore.”

The boys pleaded “Uncle, kindly listen to us. The bat, stumps, pads and gloves belong to him. That is why he is the owner.”

I shouted “Are you not ashamed? The boy is giving you all the equipment for you to play with. Without them you cannot play at all. Yet you do not have any sense of gratitude?”

The boys again said in one voice “Uncle, he is not giving them free. He collects a rent of Rs.10 per day. It is actually high  for us but he would not reduce the amount.”

When I looked at Sumit, he hung his head down as if to confirm what was said. “I have considered your points. Henceforth Sumit would collect Rs5 per day and he should be included in one of the teams. Score board would be taken care of one of you by turn. Sumit will arrange to get a good   fourth stump instead of a bamboo stick. Since you are playing with tennis ball, there is no need for batting pads or gloves for batsmen.” I concluded

That compromise left everyone happy including Sumit who  remembered that T6 tournament too had a commercial angle.

Feminine charm

It was past 8 pm and the sky was threatening to break into rain. The road was a bit desolate and the lights were few and far between. The office crowd had thinned out. There were not many on the road that had many sprawling IT offices in the interior of big IT park. Cars were of course whizzing past now and then at great speed. Amar had a meeting at one of the offices that should have been over by 6pm. But it started late and he was held up. His wife Ruchika had taken his car as Amar had agreed to come home in a taxi.

As he was walking with the brief case in one hand, he saw a young woman virtually running from another gate of the complex towards him. He could see that she was afraid of something as she was frequently looking behind her shoulders. About thirty yards behind her, he saw two young men trailing her and increasing their pace to close the gap. Amar wondered how this young lady dared to walk alone in lonely stretch without the security of numbers. As the distance between the woman and the young men reduced, she ran faster towards him.

When she was a few yards from him, she shouted “Raghav, how are you? How come you are here at this point of time?” Amar looked behind to see whether anyone else was behind him. When he saw none, he turned towards her wondering to whom she was talking.

By that time, she had clasped his hand with hers and whispered hurriedly, “Please save me. These fellows have been stalking me for quite some distance and keep whistling. I am sure they are wicked men and their intentions are not honourable. Please pretend that we are friends.”

Amar immediately forced a big smile on his face and shook her hands vigorously talking to her some meaningless nothings enthusiastically. The stalkers on seeing the big built Amar conversing animatedly with the young woman went past them possibly looking for another easy prey.

After they left, the young woman said, “I am Sonali.I have no words to thank you enough. I am sure but for you they would have ruined me. You are my saviour and I would be eternally grateful to you. Can I walk with you up to the auto stand?”

 She looked very attractive when she smiled. When they walked together, she actually snuggled close to him possibly as it gave a sense of security. Nevertheless, Amar relished the soft fragrance of her perfume and the feminine charm of her close proximity rubbing shoulders with him, though not without a guilty conscience. When they reached the auto stand, she gave him a hug with smiling eyes in gratitude for his help. She took a three wheeler and Amar took another one.

When he reached home, Ruchika was already there. He told her proudly how he saved a young woman from the clutches of rogues but did not mention how she walked with him rubbing shoulder to shoulder. When he changed his dress, he found to his great shock that his wallet was missing from the rear pocket of his trouser. He had kept Rs. 6000 in cash besides a few credit cards and ATM card. He notified immediately the banks about the loss. They then drove to the police station near the IT park to lodge a complaint.

The kindly Sub Inspector after listening to his woes sympathetically said “I will register the complaint, but you are the seventh loser this month. This is a new strategy. The woman and the two men are part of a gang and deprive gullible men of their belongings. The woman being good looking and well dressed, people fall for this trap. We are trying hard to catch them with a decoy walking daily in that stretch. They are clever and have not so far fallen into our snare. We are sure to get them. Don’t worry. We will get in touch with you.”

While they were returning, Ruchika said, “Do not mind this small loss. However, this incident of being cheated by a wily woman should not deter you from helping other genuine women in distress.”

The case of the torn ticket stubs

Shraddha, generally a bubbly and lively person, was morose and brooding ever since her husband returned three days back from a tour. She had found accidentally a pair of torn stubs of cinema tickets from the pocket of Naveen’s pant while folding the heap of his clothes washed after his return. She had not gone in the recent past to any movie with him. The tickets were so crumpled and the letters faded, she could not find more details than that they were movie tickets. Naveen was not a movie person and gave in to accompany her only after much pleading from her. Who could be the other person, a female colleague or stranger, was she younger than her and more beautiful and was Naveen in relationship with her and whether that was why he went to Hyderabad frequently and similar such questions rankled her mind bringing in its wake a severe headache. Naveen was a good guy and loving husband, she was aware, but what worried her was if the woman was wily and snared him into her fold. She decided to confront him directly that evening.

On his return from office that evening, Naveen found the living room dark and switched on the lights to see Shraddha   sitting on the sofa with her eyes closed and hair disheveled.

“Aren’t you well or what? Why are you not dressed up ready to go out as you usually are?” Naveen asked with concern. She did not respond and continued to ignore his presence. Sensing something unusual, he went near her and put his hands comfortingly on her shoulders only to be shrugged away.

“If you do not tell me what is bothering you, how can I help you?” he asked gently

After some uncomfortable silence, she said, “I never expected this from you. I have always believed that you loved me. But you seem to have developed other interests,” and started sobbing.

“What crap are you talking? Why can’t you be forthright and tell me what is it you are trying to convey indirectly,” he asked in an irritable tone.

She ran inside and brought the pant, pulled out the torn tickets and thrust them on his hands saying “Do you need more proof of your cheating on me while on tour? Do remember we had not gone to any movie in three months. Come out with your excuse that you had gone with your male friend despite my knowing that you hate to go to movies.”

“Believe me, I have never gone to any movie after we went together whenever it was. I am hurt that you suspect me despite my abiding love for you,” he said. Suddenly he pulled the pant from her hands and examined it minutely as Holmes would do by turning it from one side to another and measuring it against his body. He finally spoke, “It is you who needs to explain a lot. This is not my pant, the waist is shorter in width and length longer than my size. Further I do not have a pant of this texture that is somewhat cheap. How has this come to our house? We do not go to dry cleaners at all. Whose pant is this? You may have to account for the mysterious presence of a stranger’s pant and possibly that of a younger and taller man than me?”  

Shocked at his veiled accusation, she could only mumble, “Frankly I don’t know how this has come here,” and snatched the pant and tickets from him only to examine them further. Not finding any clue. She threw away the tickets in disgust.

“No point in wasting time by examining the pant. Take your time and think of any plausible reason why a stranger’s pant is in our house. Do remember the adage that people in glass houses should not ….,” he trailed before she put her palm on his mouth screaming hysterically, “No, no. I swear in the name of god that I do not have an inkling of how this has come to our house. You must trust me and have faith in my words.”

“I thought faith was mutual and not one sided,” he said with a smirk. She started crying loudly.

He kept quiet watching her weeping inconsolably till he heard a knock on the door. It was the maid Krishnaveni with a man who could be her husband standing behind her. She looked disheveled with swollen eyes possibly after a bashing   from what seemed a drunk husband. “Can I speak to amma(Memsahib) urgently?” she asked.

Hearing her voice, Shraddha came rushing to door and asked her to come in side with the man left outside to wait.

“What is it you want to speak to me urgently at this hour? Why are your eyes swollen and black? Did he beat you for money again?” Shraddha asked in concerned voice.

“Amma, you must promise me not to throw me out for a mistake I committed. I have never done that and will not do again,” she implored looking alternately at Shraddha and Naveen.

“What are you blabbering? What mistake you committed? Have no fear. Tell me the truth,” Shraddha said looking at Naveen from the corner of her eyes.

“Amma, I will tell you the truth but promise me that you would not throw me out. My brother got a new pant for my husband for his birthday and this wretch of a man wore it when he went for booze and rolled on the wet road unable to stand up. I washed it many times at my home but the muddy stain would not go. Devil got into my head when I decided to put along with your husband’s clothes in the washing machine. Since you went out to your mom’s house, I could not take it out from the washing machine that day. As you had removed the clothes the next day, I could not muster the courage to ask you for the pant.

This wretch standing outside accuses that I had given the pant to someone else when I could not produce it and has been beating me ever since to tell him to whom I had given. When I told him that I had put in your washing machine and that I could not take it out, he would not believe me. Would you please save my marriage by locating the pant and giving it to me in his presence? It is dark in colour,” Krishnaveni spoke nonstop.

“Did you say save your marriage?” Shraddha smiled as she ran inside to fetch the pant and asked if that was the pant she was looking for.

The maid fell her feet and said “Amma, you will be blessed by God for ever. Yes, this is the one. Let me hand over to my husband so that he will stop suspecting me and beating me,” before rushing out.

Naveen gravitated towards her and drew her close to him with   both feeling embarrassed at their wild accusations. It was then Krishnaveni entered but stopped abruptly at the door only to retreat.

Shraddha freed herself from Naveen and called her to tell “Good, you are happy. Do not put your clothes again in the machine  without my permission. Come tomorrow for work as usual.”

“Small misunderstandings add spice to life. Get ready in five minutes, my dear We will eat out. I am famished,” said Naveen. Shraddha hastened to her room with a spring in her walk.

The fortuitous realization

“Amma, why do you buy for Shanthi the same good quality and design of dress materials as ours for every occasion? She is after all our cook’s daughter,” questioned the two daughters Rohini and Chandra in chorus their mother Raji.

“I am greatly disappointed with your attitude. Do not be petty minded and jealous. She is also of your age living with us in our premises. Her mother has been working for us since the day I got married. I consider them a part of our family,” replied Raji with slight irritability.

Not mollified, the eldest Rohini said, “We are not petty minded. Only you seem large hearted in equating Shanthi with us. Hereafter we will select our own dress materials. You can buy anything that pleases you for her.” When Raji did not respond, they left the room in a huff. This was the first time she spotted their jealousy for Shanthi.

It was only then an earlier incident came to her mind. Shekhar was not in town. It was a Sunday when all of them were having breakfast, she noticed the two girls Rohini and Chandra were whispering to each other and giggling at Shanthi.

“What for are you both giggling staring at Shanthi? It is bad manners. Come out with your answer and till such time we will stop eating our breakfast,” Raji said in an irritated tone.

When they did not answer, she said “I am giving one last chance to tell me truthfully why you both smirked at Shanthi. If you do not come out, I would no more share the table with you two and would prefer to eat alone.”

Shaken by fear, Rohini blurted out, “We were wondering at the audacity of Shanthi although the Cook’s daughter taking the seat on the table even before we took ours.”

Raji flew into rage and told them curtly that Shanthi too was like the other two girls for her and that she would no more tolerate such silly behaviour from them.

As she lay in the bed recollecting the harsh words from the girls and the earlier incident, she could not resist the flashback of the initial years of her marriage with Shekhar. Her father had died leaving her mom and herself, a baby then, in penury. It was a struggle for the young woman to bring up the child though her brother was supportive to the extent he could afford. It was only after Raji completed her inter that she could get a job in Sundaresan’s, an auditor, office. Being intelligent, she learnt her job quickly and managed his office and files well. The auditor, a distant relative, used to wonder how quickly she had picked up the tax laws and efficiently presented the draft returns of the clients for his examination. He relied on her more than on his qualified assistants and article clerks. He gave her good increase in salary to enable her family live in comfort. He treated her with dignity and affection as if she were his own daughter.

Though Raji’s mother wished her married, Raji was not interested as she was apprehensive if her husband would at later date refuse to keep her mother with them. Years went by till one day auditor Sundaresan paid a surprise visit to her apartment on a Sunday. The driver came inside and left a large basket full of fruits. Flustered by this unexpected visit, Raji dusted the chair with her sari and requested him to be seated even as she called her mother. After the introduction and pleasantries, Sundaresan turned to Raji and said,” I have come to discuss some marriage proposal for you with your mom. I do not mind, rather I would prefer, your sitting here to listen.”

Turning to Raji’s mother, he said “I have my cousin’s son who is a lawyer in the city commanding good practice. He will be five years older to Raji. An unexpected tragedy struck about two years back when his wife died suddenly in an accident leaving behind two girls. She was a social worker working in a NGO for protection and upliftment of destitute children. She was also an honorary secretary of an orphanage that was run very efficiently. She was a very kind and generous lady. The loss left my nephew shattered and he struggled to bring up the two small girls. My cousin could persuade his son with great difficulty to marry again as it was difficult to bring up the girls without a woman in the home. I can testify to my nephew’s   character and suitability as a match for your daughter. Your daughter would be well off and I do not foresee any objection from him to your continuing to reside with your daughter. Since I am interested in the wellbeing of both Raji and my nephew, I made bold to make this request to you,”

The lady kept quiet for a couple of minutes before saying,” Raji is very fortunate to have you as her mentor. Personally I have no objection especially when recommended by you but would leave it to Raji to decide. I can only persuade her but not prevail upon her,” and turning to Raji told her, “You have heard uncle and you know he is your well-wisher. I feel that this is godsend and we should not let go. Tell him your view as it is most important.”

Raji was silent for a long time and finally spoke,” Amma, I will go by what you and uncle decide is good for me. I only wish for an assurance from the lawyer that he would allow you to stay with me even after marriage. I have no other demands.”

Shekhar turned out be an extremely affectionate and warm person and took special care that all comforts were given to Raji’s mother. Being a high profile lawyer, he could afford to employ a mami (lady cook) and relieve the old lady from the chores. He had no objection in Raji continuing to help his auditor uncle as she was used to.

The two young girls got attached to her easily. Everything was hunky dory and she had no care in the world except that she had no baby of her own. It was then Shekhar confided in her that the two daughters of his were actually adopted from an orphanage as his wife could not conceive. He also let her into the secret under strict confidence that the two baby girls were generously adopted without any reservation by his wife despite their rescue from a brothel when their mothers deserted them. Raji was initially shocked to hear this news but wondered at the good nature of his first wife and easily reconciled to the fact that she was blessed with two daughters, what if adopted from whatever source. On her part, Raji took under her care the cook’s girl also as one more daughter.

Back from reverie, she decided to broach about the peevish behavior of the two daughters to Shekhar. Surprisingly Shekhar returned from office early that day and was resting in the bedroom in the first floor.

“Are you not well or what? Why unusually so early?” she asked him even as she ran her palm over his forehead.

“Nothing. I am quite fine. There was no work and I thought fit to spend time with you. How are things at your office? How are the three girls who are all at the same time into their teens? Must be a taxing responsibility to oversee them,” he said laughingly.

“They are never a burden to me Would you like a cup of coffee to refresh you?” she asked and shouted from the staircase” Rohini, get papa a cup of coffee from mami”

She then related the day’s incident and the earlier unsavory behaviour about the two girls to him. She never expected that this would infuriate him as he started shouting at the top of his voice, “What do they think themselves to be, Princesses or what? I have been wanting to break the news about their adoption from an orphanage for a long time but kept quiet keeping in mind your wish. If this was their behaviour, I would even tell them their real source…” when Raji put her palm on his mouth gesticulating him not to talk.

He pushed her hand and was about to continue talking when they heard a gentle knock. It was Rohini who entered with coffee cups in the tray. Her face was taut and Raji noticed from the opening Chandra standing outside. Shekhar did not talk to Rohini and started drinking coffee.

“Go and tell mami that we would be there in 15 minutes for dinner. All of you be there,” said Raji softly though she suspected that the two girls must have overheard what Shekhar was telling her.

When they went down, Raji was surprised to see the two girls set the table with Shanthi sitting on her chair watching them silently. It was Rohini who broke the silence telling, “Amma,we are very sorry for our rude behavior. It will not happen again, we promise.” Chandra was then seen standing behind Shanthi putting her arms on her shoulders.

Raji said, “It is fine and I appreciate you both for this apology.Do not worry. To me and your dad all the three of you are the same and apples of our eyes.”

Mami who was watching them from the kitchen wiped her moist eyes.