She indeed cooked up a fantastic meal that noon – in a way – to say ‘thank you’ to him for his generosity and unconditional support. The meal was heavy and the sun was hot. He desperately felt need to grab a quick power nap. He knew the clock was ticking and he had to complete the work he was there for – on time. He fished out a flashlight from his kit and used the new batteries he bought at bazaar. He switched it on to check it was working.
“My! My! …” she said in awe, “It’s so bright” then, with a concern asked, “are you going to be late?” He didn’t look at or bother to answer her but looked around and picked up a stout lathi which was about 6 ft in length. “Hey! That’s my lathi.” she said as he looked at her in wonder, “I use it to put our washed clothes to the dry on the line.”
“I’ll get you another one. I need this today.” he said even as she wondered why he wanted a lathi that day.
“Where are you going?” she asked concerned.
“I got to board the 3pm passenger to Samabhalmati. I’m going to the hill where the jungle area begins. I want an aerial view of the town from there.”
“I heard that it’s not at all a safe place.” she said in horror and concern, “Lajjo di was saying that the area nearby and into the border of the jungle, nobody goes there. She said that a new tribe has settled there in that part of the jungle. They are very dangerous. It’s their religion to rob and loot people who pass that terrain. They are ruthless and don’t think twice about killing people who resist. Can’t you avoid that area?”
“No… Sweetheart, I can’t avoid it. I know the area is dangerous, especially after sunset. I actually wanted to leave by 12pm train and return by the train which leaves the hill halt at 5pm. Then I realized it was safe for you to go out. You had been holed up for too long in the outhouse and you needed this shopping spree.” he smiled. “I’m taking this lathi along with me in case, and I run into them. The last passenger train to stop at that halt is around 8pm. I’ll return boarding that one.” he explained.
“Do you know how to defend yourself with a lathi?” she asked and started laughing, “You are a saint who believes in helping people. Not beating them up.”
“I work in remote locations – small towns, villages, jungles. I meet good people as well dangerous ones. Few jungles I have worked in are sanctuaries where you encounter wild and ferocious animals. My work has taught me few useful techniques of survival.”
He walked toward the main door of the outhouse. She quickly hugged him from behind, almost clinging, “Do take care of yourself and don’t you forget, you got a lovely wife waiting here for you to return.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll back – absolutely famished to eat the delicious meal you cook.”
She kept looking at his stout frame as he walked out of the main gate till she could see him no longer. She didn’t realize when her hands folded into a prayer for his safe return. She couldn’t think of anything else. She didn’t realize that they were not husband and wife. They were staying under one roof as an adjustment – just because he was good person by heart and had been kind enough to let her stay along with him. She sat in the main room near the outhouse, keeping it slightly ajar, her eyes fixed to the main gate, waiting for his safe return. After sometime she realized it was getting darker. She switched on the lights and the clock on the wall neared 8pm.
‘He must be boarding the return train now and should be here within an hour. Got to get the meal ready’ she thought and started off for kitchen. Once she had finished, she looked at the clock nearing 9pm. ‘Good,’ she thought, ‘he will reach here any moment now.’
She sat there awaiting his return. Her anxiety rose as the clock ticked beyond 10pm. ‘Should I alert Amarbhai?’ she thought and stopped short of opening the main door thinking Sajjan may not approve her growing concern for him and raising commotion about nothing if he was safe. She decided to wait for another hour before raising alarm of his delay. Her heart beat fast and she had difficulty in controlling all negative thoughts rushing through her mind about Sajjan encountering those dangerous tribesmen.
Her face lit up with a smile of relief when she saw Sajjan at the main gate alighting from a tonga – safe and sound. She quickly folded her hands in a prayer of thanks and rushed to the main door of the outhouse.
“What took you so long?’ she asked in a complaining tone, “I was worried.” she looked at Sajjan’s expression and bit her tongue and continued, “I was worried that the nice meal I cooked will go waste if you don’t return tonight.”
Sajjan started laughing. He was quick to understand what made her say so. “The train from Sambhalmati was delayed. I had to wait for it. Don’t worry I saw nobody around till the time I boarded the train. Now be good enough to serve the meal. I’m famished.”
She ran off to the kitchen, her heartbeats racing with the thought, ‘Did he realize what I felt? I don’t know why I felt so concerned. I don’t understand why I’m feeling so happy to see him safe and sound. What if, he has read my mind and words?’ she blushed at these feelings she was experiencing for the first time. She had never felt thus before.
He really was famished and started eating heartily. She sat next to him serving him the items in the meal, happily watching him enjoy every morsel he chewed.
He looked at her watching him wide-eyed, “Hey! Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m, but, I’ll start eating my meal once you’ve finished yours.”
“What’s this strange style of waiting on me today?”
“Lajjo di said that a good wife always serves food to her husband first and then she starts eating. You’re proving to be a good husband. So I thought – let me be a good wife too.” she started laughing at her own words and he couldn’t help joining her in her laughter.
She had her dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. She saw Sajjan sitting in his favourite armchair, deep in some thought.
“So – how was your trip today?’ she asked, “Were you able to study what you wanted to? I hope you don’t have to visit that area again.”
“Yes. I was able to check out all I wanted to. I also was able to trek on the top of the hills and see the entire expanse of the jungle. Taste the clear water of the river at the point where it starts descending into Dheemapur. I don’t think I’ll have to go there again.”
“Great”, she chirped, “but, I see a look of concern in your eyes. If it’s not personal, please share it with me.”
“Oh! It’s nothing much to worry about”, he said, “I realized that I’m a bit down on my stamina.” She looked at him in wonder not clearly understanding what he wanted to say… “I mean to say, it took me about ten minutes to climb up that hill. I normally could do that in seven. Well. I guess, I‘ll have to start some exercises to get it back to normal.”
“Did you climb up that hill, at the start of the jungle, in just 10 minutes?” she asked incredulously, “I’d do that in about fifteen – and – you say that you are down on your stamina…”
“You don’t understand” he said, “Let’s us say that I did meet up with those dangerous tribesmen – then I’d have been in trouble. I need to be fast enough to move and evade such instances. I got to keep up my speed and my stamina.”
She shook her head not quite understanding his reasoning and sat near the writing desk, drumming it with her fingers.
“What now?” he asked as he looked at her restless drumming.
“Aren’t we going to go out into Amarbhai’s fields as usual?”
“No – not today – please.” he said wearily, “but, yes – tomorrow we definitely will.”
“What if you’re late to return again?”
“I’m not going anywhere for next 2/3 days – so no question of returning late.” he smiled at a happy her.
Are you ready for a thrill ride like no other?
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- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/