His afternoon nap had become mandatory
since his retirement a few months back. For the past one month he had been
mostly sleeping or lying down in the daytime too because of his road accident
when his right hand was badly fractured. He was still having his right hand
plastered and strapped from the shoulders. But that day he decided not to take
the nap. Instead, he settled down comfortably in the sofa with the book he
started reading in the morning neatly placed in his lap.
The doorbell rang around six in the
evening. As he stood up using his left hand carefully for support and walked
towards the main door Anjana also joined him in the sitting room. Bedanta was
ushered in. After an exchange of pleasantries and the mandatory question about
the progress of his fractured hand all of them sat down. Bedanta was carrying a
colourful cover which he delicately put on the table. Now, Deben was a little
surprised or rather amused that Bedanta did not come to the subject of the upcoming
marriage straightway, starting instead a discussion on mundane office and
pension matters. Anjana interspersed the discussion with one or two family
questions which elicited answers that were a bit too prompt. She found it a
little odd that he was telling her almost nothing about the occasion so far.
The discussion showed no sign of a
conclusion soon. Anjana always got bored whenever they discussed office
matters. Therefore she excused herself and headed towards the kitchen. She was not at all piqued or annoyed, only
bored. In fact, her gesture is considered to be a universal one in Indian
households—after welcoming the guests and interacting with them for some time
the housewife invariably goes inside to make tea or make preparations for a
good meal. This ‘retreat’ is very well understood by all kinds of guests, and
so well anticipated by some guests that they intervene with, “No, no! Tea is
not needed...sit...let’s talk some more!” However, Bedanta did not show any
inclination to prevent her departure at that point of time. Deben was also not
at all perturbed. Well, so far!
As if he was waiting for such kind of an
opportunity Bedanta rose immediately and picked up the invitation letter from
the table. He offered to make a formal presentation now. His amusement fast
giving way to annoyance Deben stood up too, reluctantly. Bedanta handed over
the invitation muttering, “Please do come...” Formally receiving the letter Deben
wanted to make light of the occasion saying ‘What man! No formalities please,
she is like our daughter...we will definitely be there...” But he stopped in
his tracks and never uttered anything of that sort as his eyes went over the
envelope.
Only his name was written on the cover. Nothing
else was scribbled, neither his wife’s name nor the add-on ‘and family’. He was
not only surprised now, but heartily shocked. How could he? Anjana knew his
daughter even more closely than him. The budgetary compulsion of limiting
guests did not quite apply to Bedanta, because he earned a healthy retirement
package recently and it was his only child—the only marriage party to be
celebrated ever in the family! Or was it because of a smaller wedding hall
which was booked? With these thoughts going through his mind fiercely Deben
tried hard to keep his air of nonchalance as he opened the envelope, took out
the invitation card and commented how beautiful it was. In the innards of his
mind he knew that this was still not a good enough reason to boycott the
marriage party. He had to attend for old times’ sake. The image of Anjana began
to haunt him like a spectre.
They sat down and resumed their chatter,
Deben with some reserve now. Anjana entered with a tray of tea and snacks.
Deben tried his best not to have eye contact with her. Bedanta smiled at her as
if nothing had transpired in the meantime.
Immediately after Bedanta left Anjana
burst out, “What’s this? That fellow never uttered a word to me! Not asked me
to come even once!”
Deben dropped the bombshell now. “Only I’m
invited! Not you, darling! Take a look at the invite!”
“Oh my God! What a lousy miser! ...Even
then...how is it possible?” She stormed fretted and expressed dismay. And
suddenly she became calm, resigned. “Okay...no problem! Your friendship...you
keep it...you attend!”
“Yes, I’ll still have to go. And you’ll
have to accompany me!”
“Are you out of your mind? You witnessed
how that fellow insulted me! You have no respect for your wife, for your life
partner?”
“I have, my dear! I’m as angered dismayed
and irritated as you are. But you know it’s his democratic right to decide the
list of invitees. And more importantly, you understand the kind of state I’m in
now. I’m still an invalid. You must help me out and accompany me! At least rest
assured that he is not going to throw you out after finding you by my side!”
“Your million requests will have no impact
on me! I’ll never see his face again!”
The heated debate went on for a long time.
Deben even mentioned ‘humanitarian consideration’ for a life partner! At last,
Anjana seemed to pity him for his ‘friend’ and his fractured self. She agreed
subject to conditions. She declared that she would accompany him to the venue,
but would wait in the parked car with the driver for company till he came back
attending the wedding. Deben knew it was his best option, and he accepted it.
On the appointed day it happened as it was
planned. Anjana dropped him at the wedding hall gate, asked the driver to park
the car a little away and waited.
Deben tried to be his normal self at the
party, but was very hurt Bedanta never asked about Anjana even once. He got some
solace though seeing quite a few of his male friends loitering around without
their better halves.
There was a hiccup at the end. Deben said
goodbye and tried to walk away too quickly taking out his mobile phone with his
left hand. But Bedanta insisted on seeing him to his car. Deben was shaken up
imagining what would happen when Bedanta found a face in the car window glaring
vengefully up at him! He couldn’t afford to let it happen. “No, you cannot
come...I mean you need not come...please attend to your other guests!”
Without giving him an opportunity to
respond Deben walked away forcing even his fractured hand swing freely.
