It was no mistake – this time Sudhir had written a post card himself. He was definitely coming home to the village this Saturday.
‘Father, I am worried about all of you in the absence of any letters from home. I will be home by the twelve o’clock train on Saturday.’
Nibaran went inside the house and had a quick look at the almanac to see how Sudhir could afford to take the time off and come home at this time of the year. It did not seem to be a religious holiday mentioned in the book. He then reached for Sudhir’s letter once again, fumbling under the pillow where he had left it. But the letter was not there anymore.
No. The letter was now in the hands of a certain young woman standing by the window that looked on to the nut tree on the northern side of the house. It had been stolen from underneath the pillow by Kiranmala who was finding it hard to read the short letter because of her baby daughter’s antics. Each time she took the letter out, the baby reached for a corner with her chubby fingers. Eventually Kiran managed to get her sister-in-law to take the baby for a walk in the neighbourhood. But as soon as she took the letter out, her mother-in-law came to the room asking her to strip the bed sheets off the bed so that they could be washed. She was going to wash them all early in the morning, boiling them with soda so that they could dry before her son came home. She looked at Kiran and frowned.
‘You must bathe and do your hair tomorrow. He lives in the city now and will not like seeing you with the sort of messy hairdo that you usually sport! My boy is very particular!’
Kiranmala clutched the letter to her bosom and laughed in silent merriment. What kind of a boy had whiskers like that? A boy indeed!
Outside, Nibaran’s voice was getting angrier and louder. The local blacksmith had come by to claim money for a knife which he had made about seven years ago. There was still a small amount owing on it and the fellow wanted his payment. If one paid attention it would seem he was about to lose everything if he wasn’t given the few coins still owed to him. But Nibaran was not so easily fooled. He assured the blacksmith that all payments would be made by his son Sudhir and asked him to have a smoke instead.
He then began, ‘Haven’t you heard? Sudhir has got a very good job in the city. He gets a good salary and everything!’
Now everyone in the village knew about Nibaran’s tendency to exaggerate things. He had been going on about Sudhir’s job in the city for a long time now. His boss was about to give him a raise; various other utterances had been made by his father on the spur of the moment. No one believed him anymore. That is not until this letter arrived from Sudhir. Even if his salary was more in the hundreds and not in the thousands like his father claimed, the blacksmith still saw a chance of being paid in full.
Nibaran swelled with pride. He went on to describe how well his son was doing with a three storey house, more maids and servants than one really needed and the hefty salary with all its extras. Why, he went to work with empty pockets each morning and came back with his clothes weighed down with coins; that was how well he was doing!
The blacksmith was thrilled to hear all this. Sudhir was that kid he remembered, walking past the shop on his way to the fisherman’s for the day’s fish. Who ever knew that he would do so well! He smiled and said that this was good news indeed. All of Nibaran’s problems would surely be solved now.
Nibaran showed some uncharacteristic modesty and said that it was good to hear others praise his son. He himself found it hard to believe that his son was living such a lavish lifestyle. He believed Sudhir might want them all to go to the city this time when he went back.
Kiran heard her father-in-law loudly talk about his son’s salary and his house and the servants. She had never been to the city nor seen a king with her own eyes. She had seen the king with his tinfoil crown and shiny brocade robes in the local village plays. Even though she knew her father-in-law to be no champion of truth, she felt amused when she imagined Sudhir dressed like them. In her short life she had known many hardships. Her father had remarried on her mother’s death while she was still a child and her stepmother had mistreated her horribly. She imagined her own long dead mother looking down upon her good fortune and decided against doing her hair that night as it was too late. She looked at all the preparations for the following day in the kitchen and felt like laughing out loudly with happiness.
Then her sister-in-law and all the children of the neighbourhood came to play in their courtyard by moonlight and Kiran stood watching them, baby balanced on her hip. The little girl smiled and dribbled, babbling ‘Babababa’
Kiran was amazed at how her daughter knew what to say for the child had only been a sweet possibility when Sudhir left the village to seek work in the city. How sad was that she thought, that he did not know how beautiful a child they had created. Then she grew angry for why had he not tried to visit them once in the last two years?
That night she was unable to sleep. The waiting and the worrying made her so hot that she had to get up to wash her face and neck three times. She then lay there, forcing her eyes to stay closed. Moonlight entered like the loving memories of the past and caressed her limbs. Two years was a long time. Everyone used to call Sudhir good-for-nothing and they blamed Kiran for his lack of employment. Even her mother-in-law would frown on her as if it was Kiran’s doing that Sudhir would not seek a livelihood away from the village. How she had wanted him to leave and how pleased she had been the day he did. It hurt to think of those days now. But now it was all going to change; she was going to be a woman of means – by this time tomorrow –
She imagined what it might be like the next night. She would come to bed and find Sudhir asleep; she would look closely at his tightly shut eyes and make various sounds to wake him up, but to no avail. Then as soon as she came to bed after turning the light out he would grab her with his arms. He had never really been asleep!
She would ask him to sit outside with her in the moonlight but he would tease her about her fear of the darkness. Did he know she had grown up in the last two years?
Or perhaps he would bring a golden necklace for the baby? She would not let him look at the little one until he begged her. Then she would wonder how a little girl would look with an expensive necklace like that around her neck. Would she not chew on the beads with the four tiny teeth she already had?
They would look at the beautiful child and then Kiran would tease him about her daughter’s nose which was just like his. How would she do in the world with a squashed down nose like that?
The night passed in reminiscing over old times and dreaming about the days ahead.
The next morning her sister-in-law teased her by calling out each time she saw someone on the road to their house, even the cows when they went past.
When Nibaran went to the markets he had a fight with people at the fishmongers. He had waited for the fellow to lower the price on four fish for almost one whole hour when Akrur came and snatched them from under his very eyes at the price that was being asked. Akrur had just sold a large quantity of molasses the previous day and was feeling particularly generous. Nibaran was furious at the spite and boldness of the molasses maker and people had to separate the two men when tempers flared.
Twelve o’clock came and went. Sudhir was not on the train. The family waited and waited before eventually eating the meal so lovingly prepared for him and went to have a rest. Kiran was about to sit down to her lunch when she saw someone walking towards the house. She looked and looked and then ran into the kitchen.
A little later Sudhir’s voice could be heard calling out for his mother. He was covered in sweat and grime. None of the maids and man servants people had heard about were to be seen with him. He hauled a battered tin trunk into the house.
His mother fanned him as he ate his lunch and looked at his wretched appearance. He looked prematurely old, perhaps the journey adding to the effects of his job.
He had barely eaten when the villagers began turning up in droves at their house. Some asked for help with placing their own sons in jobs; others asked for money that was owing to them. Even the members of the local theatrical society turned up; they hoped to buy a proper wig so that they could stage more plays and they wanted him to become their patron.
Eventually late at night, when everyone had gone and Sudhir had seen the last of the visitors off, he came to the kitchen to eat his dinner. Kiran had fallen asleep by the covered plate. Sudhir woke her up. He had no hunger after eating at the houses of various well wishers. Kiran began talking to him.
‘You will stay for a few days?’
‘Only a few, why do you wish to drive me away? I am not leaving for the next three months!’
‘But how can you call me cruel? You are the one who never came to see the baby!’
‘Believe me I couldn’t. I have been through the toughest of times. I slept on the streets and ate puffed rice; some days I only drank water from the roadside taps. Thankfully the water was free!’
‘That is sad, but thankfully those days are over.’
Kiran began again when she saw Sudhir was quiet.
‘You must meet your daughter’
‘I have seen her. There she is.’
‘Not like that! Properly, with a piece of gold jewellery! She says she wants to see the promenade in the city.’
‘Does she now? How does she know what to say? What will she do there?’
‘Do you want her to sit at home all day in your three storey house? A little girl gets bored easily!’
‘What three storey house is this you mention?’
‘Why, the one you own in the city. With all the maids and the man servants that you pay with all the money you bring home each day. Your father talks about it all the time.’
‘These are all lies, Kiran.’
‘All lies?’
‘Yes, all lies! I had thought I would rent a place. But then I lost the job and had to give up on that dream.’
‘You will have a job again, won’t you?’
Sudhir fell silent. Kiran spoke again shortly.
‘Fine, perhaps you do not wish me to go there. At least take your parents. They want to visit the temples and bathe in the Ganges.’
Sudhir remained silent. Eventually Kiran fell asleep. Sudhir began writing a letter to her.
~Kiran,
You have heard some falsehoods about me. I did have a job but I had a very poor salary. I did have a roof over my head but it was a tin roof over bamboo walls. I lost that position a week ago. I lost the bond I had paid on the house. Only the one who sees everything knows how I have spent the last two years. I have no wish to beg my way through life in the city. I came home to rest and revive my spirits. But not one of you will let me be. I cannot bare my soul even to you.
After paying the rent, my loans and the place I get my meals from I have eleven rupees left. I am leaving a ten rupee note with this letter. Please use it to buy your daughter a gold chain, pay the blacksmith, buy a beard for the drama society and positions for all the job hunters of our acquaintance. Plus any other wishes you may harbor. Do not worry about me; I still have one rupee.’
(Translation: Mine)
