03-08-2019, 04:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2019, 06:33 PM by Antar. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
The conspiracy of women ...
I recognized the company limo that used to come and pick me up from Changi airport whenever I came to HKC hq in Singapore. The chauffeur stowed my bags in the boot and I opened the backseat door to settle in. And then I did a double take …
“Bloody hell! What are you doing in here Preeti?” I couldn’t for the life of me understand why she had come to pick me up. That had never happened before.
“But anyway, I am glad to see you – as always”, I said grinning at her.
“Same here”, she said, clutching my arm and grinning back.
As we sped through the familiar streets, I looked at her. Under the tutelage of Mr. Ching, Preeti had proved her mettle and was universally liked in the organization. Everyone was aware of the close bond she enjoyed with him. She accompanied him on all his tours and took care of all his official as well as personal details. Rumor had it that on foreign tours, Ching wouldn’t even touch a glass of milk if it wasn’t handed over by this foster daughter. Indian black magic – the office staff used to joke to her face and she used to smile back. I knew, however, for a fact that it was she who made Mr. Ching follow his medical regimen strictly which meant regular checkups, a severely controlled diet, leaving the office on time, enforced holidays etc.
“How is it that Daddy has let go of you in the middle of the working day…”, I teased her.
“Bah!”, she slapped my thigh. “You think he will get lost in the office he has worked for the last forty years just because I would be away for a couple of hours. Anyway, I decided to come to take you to the guest house.”
“Right!”, I said and we relapsed into silence.
I closed my eyes a bit and was immediately taken back to the previous night …
Certain things never change, be it the warmth of the three of us – Kajo, Riz and me – sitting down together for the dinner; or the gentle flavors of Kajo’s cooking which revived the forgotten memories or just simply reveling in the miracle of finding myself in the present situation.
‘Kajo was so right’, I told myself. ‘Riz deservedly acted as my child’s father and if I had even an inkling of humanity left in me; then I wouldn’t dream of separating the two of them. How in heavens name had I even mentioned getting back with her? Tchh!’ I was so disgusted with my conduct.
After dinner had been over, I had volunteered to wash the dishes but Kajo had just laughed. “Now that the boy is asleep, your dear friend will slink outside for a smoke. You better join him.”
Riz had fumed. Hustling me outside, he lit a cig and offered me the packet. Though I had quit smoking, I didn’t have the heart to refuse him. Both of us sat down on the steps and having lit watched the blue smoke curling away.
“Ssale, bet you can’t blow a ring now”, his voice was defiant.
“What!!!”, I couldn’t help guffawing out aloud being suddenly pulled from the vortex of emotions. In the process, the smoke got inside brought out a bout of serious coughing.
“Accepted”, I swelled up my chest. Imagine the cheek of the fellow when I had spent hours at the hostel teaching him to blow one in the first place.
We smoked away, cursing each other’s performance and the familiar swear words flew freely. If Kajol hadn’t dragged us back with some furious tongue lashing later on, we would have probably sat up the whole night. But I had to depart to the airport early in the morning and Kajol was the only one who had sense enough to hustle us back in – saying that we could carry on the next time I returned. She was right of course. Resignedly, we came inside. She had already carried the boy to her bed and directed us both to Riz’s room. He started snoring the moment he hit the bed and was still sleeping peacefully when Kajol shook me awake in the early hours of the morning. I hurried through my morning routines and was ready for departure.
“Has he got up by now?” I asked her indicating towards her bed.
“Go and see for yourself”, she said with a smile.
The image of the boy asleep with both his palms joined together under his head – seared through my heart. I stood rooted to the spot. My breathing slowed down as if it would somehow dispel this lovely vision. In a moment I felt the familiar sting at the corner of my eyes. I turned around.
Kajol was watching me with concern. I took a step towards her and clutched her tight, burying my face in her shoulders. She stood motionless for a while and then her hands came around and rubbed my back.
“I thought”, she said, “if I had delayed showing him to you, perhaps you would have never forgiven me. So I had to call you – even though I wasn’t sure how you would take it.”
I had nothing to say in reply for the words would have been facile. Instead I clutched her still tighter and let out a small sob. The cabby waiting outside gave a short horn. We released each other and I picked up my bag to stride outside.
During departure, she held on to my arm – just a little longer than usual and I saw the mist in her eyes. As the taxi started moving I looked behind and saw her turning away suddenly while covering her up her eyes…
We had reached the company guest house. Preeti came inside with me. She opened my travel bag and started storing away my clothes in the closet – in the same methodical manner – in which she used to do when we were living together for six months in New York. I sighed. Nothing had changed between us since she had left.
She threw a towel at me and, while I was changing into my pajamas, asked in a matter of fact manner.
“So finally, you were able to meet with little Ramesh?” Her back was towards me.
“What??” I blurted out dazed. “You too knew …?”
She turned around and I saw her smiling back at me. Afterwards we had sat together on the bed and she had opened a folder on her mobile. There were hundreds of photos – all containing my boy – in various poses – playing, eating, sleeping, laughing, and even taking a pee. I don’t know how she knew, but she mentioned methodically how old he was when this photo was taken and when that one was … I was flabbergasted.
When it was all over, and I had run through a whole gamut of emotions of missed fatherhood; she had flung her arm around my neck and kissed my cheek.
“Of course, I have been in touch with her all the time”, she said. She meant Kajol. “Almost every time, I went to India – I used to pay them a visit. After Ramesh was born, I urged her to give you a call but she was scared and could never work up the courage. Only last fortnight, after I had almost fought with her and Riz also took my side forcefully; that she had relented. Even then, she was too scared to talk to you directly and so sent the email. The rest … well you know …”
I was so weary…. my head hung down … and kept it supported by both hands. Again, there was nothing for me to say.
She got up, ready to leave.
“I will see you in the office tomorrow. But remember, whatever decision you take, remember – you have to be fair to all three of them. So choose carefully.”
I started rubbing my eyes. It had been a most long day.
She was letting herself out when I burst out - “Damn. Damn you Preeti! Damn Kajol! Bloody hell, damn all you women and damn all your intrigues …”
Her parting smile became only wider and she blew an exaggerated flying kiss when she left.
I recognized the company limo that used to come and pick me up from Changi airport whenever I came to HKC hq in Singapore. The chauffeur stowed my bags in the boot and I opened the backseat door to settle in. And then I did a double take …
“Bloody hell! What are you doing in here Preeti?” I couldn’t for the life of me understand why she had come to pick me up. That had never happened before.
“But anyway, I am glad to see you – as always”, I said grinning at her.
“Same here”, she said, clutching my arm and grinning back.
As we sped through the familiar streets, I looked at her. Under the tutelage of Mr. Ching, Preeti had proved her mettle and was universally liked in the organization. Everyone was aware of the close bond she enjoyed with him. She accompanied him on all his tours and took care of all his official as well as personal details. Rumor had it that on foreign tours, Ching wouldn’t even touch a glass of milk if it wasn’t handed over by this foster daughter. Indian black magic – the office staff used to joke to her face and she used to smile back. I knew, however, for a fact that it was she who made Mr. Ching follow his medical regimen strictly which meant regular checkups, a severely controlled diet, leaving the office on time, enforced holidays etc.
“How is it that Daddy has let go of you in the middle of the working day…”, I teased her.
“Bah!”, she slapped my thigh. “You think he will get lost in the office he has worked for the last forty years just because I would be away for a couple of hours. Anyway, I decided to come to take you to the guest house.”
“Right!”, I said and we relapsed into silence.
I closed my eyes a bit and was immediately taken back to the previous night …
Certain things never change, be it the warmth of the three of us – Kajo, Riz and me – sitting down together for the dinner; or the gentle flavors of Kajo’s cooking which revived the forgotten memories or just simply reveling in the miracle of finding myself in the present situation.
‘Kajo was so right’, I told myself. ‘Riz deservedly acted as my child’s father and if I had even an inkling of humanity left in me; then I wouldn’t dream of separating the two of them. How in heavens name had I even mentioned getting back with her? Tchh!’ I was so disgusted with my conduct.
After dinner had been over, I had volunteered to wash the dishes but Kajo had just laughed. “Now that the boy is asleep, your dear friend will slink outside for a smoke. You better join him.”
Riz had fumed. Hustling me outside, he lit a cig and offered me the packet. Though I had quit smoking, I didn’t have the heart to refuse him. Both of us sat down on the steps and having lit watched the blue smoke curling away.
“Ssale, bet you can’t blow a ring now”, his voice was defiant.
“What!!!”, I couldn’t help guffawing out aloud being suddenly pulled from the vortex of emotions. In the process, the smoke got inside brought out a bout of serious coughing.
“Accepted”, I swelled up my chest. Imagine the cheek of the fellow when I had spent hours at the hostel teaching him to blow one in the first place.
We smoked away, cursing each other’s performance and the familiar swear words flew freely. If Kajol hadn’t dragged us back with some furious tongue lashing later on, we would have probably sat up the whole night. But I had to depart to the airport early in the morning and Kajol was the only one who had sense enough to hustle us back in – saying that we could carry on the next time I returned. She was right of course. Resignedly, we came inside. She had already carried the boy to her bed and directed us both to Riz’s room. He started snoring the moment he hit the bed and was still sleeping peacefully when Kajol shook me awake in the early hours of the morning. I hurried through my morning routines and was ready for departure.
“Has he got up by now?” I asked her indicating towards her bed.
“Go and see for yourself”, she said with a smile.
The image of the boy asleep with both his palms joined together under his head – seared through my heart. I stood rooted to the spot. My breathing slowed down as if it would somehow dispel this lovely vision. In a moment I felt the familiar sting at the corner of my eyes. I turned around.
Kajol was watching me with concern. I took a step towards her and clutched her tight, burying my face in her shoulders. She stood motionless for a while and then her hands came around and rubbed my back.
“I thought”, she said, “if I had delayed showing him to you, perhaps you would have never forgiven me. So I had to call you – even though I wasn’t sure how you would take it.”
I had nothing to say in reply for the words would have been facile. Instead I clutched her still tighter and let out a small sob. The cabby waiting outside gave a short horn. We released each other and I picked up my bag to stride outside.
During departure, she held on to my arm – just a little longer than usual and I saw the mist in her eyes. As the taxi started moving I looked behind and saw her turning away suddenly while covering her up her eyes…
We had reached the company guest house. Preeti came inside with me. She opened my travel bag and started storing away my clothes in the closet – in the same methodical manner – in which she used to do when we were living together for six months in New York. I sighed. Nothing had changed between us since she had left.
She threw a towel at me and, while I was changing into my pajamas, asked in a matter of fact manner.
“So finally, you were able to meet with little Ramesh?” Her back was towards me.
“What??” I blurted out dazed. “You too knew …?”
She turned around and I saw her smiling back at me. Afterwards we had sat together on the bed and she had opened a folder on her mobile. There were hundreds of photos – all containing my boy – in various poses – playing, eating, sleeping, laughing, and even taking a pee. I don’t know how she knew, but she mentioned methodically how old he was when this photo was taken and when that one was … I was flabbergasted.
When it was all over, and I had run through a whole gamut of emotions of missed fatherhood; she had flung her arm around my neck and kissed my cheek.
“Of course, I have been in touch with her all the time”, she said. She meant Kajol. “Almost every time, I went to India – I used to pay them a visit. After Ramesh was born, I urged her to give you a call but she was scared and could never work up the courage. Only last fortnight, after I had almost fought with her and Riz also took my side forcefully; that she had relented. Even then, she was too scared to talk to you directly and so sent the email. The rest … well you know …”
I was so weary…. my head hung down … and kept it supported by both hands. Again, there was nothing for me to say.
She got up, ready to leave.
“I will see you in the office tomorrow. But remember, whatever decision you take, remember – you have to be fair to all three of them. So choose carefully.”
I started rubbing my eyes. It had been a most long day.
She was letting herself out when I burst out - “Damn. Damn you Preeti! Damn Kajol! Bloody hell, damn all you women and damn all your intrigues …”
Her parting smile became only wider and she blew an exaggerated flying kiss when she left.
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