SCENT OF A WOMAN (Short story)

SCENT OF A WOMAN

That small lake and the Sea were separated by a thin band of sand. And I used to stand here, on the long bridge above the lake, to watch Sun set in my younger days.

And that day, I stood there again… But, with a difference: I was in Uniform, Circle Inspector of Police. The dead-body of a very young woman was floating over lake water… Were it a suicide or a murder?

God knows… It’s the head ache of every Policeman…

‘Sir, he had gone somewhere… mobile is also switched off,’ the Policemen who went in search of Thampi, former cadaver keeper in the Medical College, said.

‘It’s already getting late… How can we lift her body from water before nightfall?’ I asked the crowd whose eyes were busy moving along with her floating body… ‘Can anyone help us?’

They didn’t reply either yes or no… numbskulls… I was in a huge dilemma… Then somebody stopped a modified Mahindra Scorpio SUV near me.

‘Hi… Premji’

‘Hi… Nazar… When did you come from London?’

‘Three days back… I thought of meeting you… with Royal Salute,’ he laughed… ‘Tell me, what’s going on here?’

‘Dead body of a young woman is floating down… and nobody is ready to lift her up,’ I spelled out my desperation.

‘Is that a real problem?’Nazar asked.

‘Yes’

He parked the vehicle on a side and started removing his shoes.

‘What are you up to?’

‘Just to lift her up,’ he smiled while removing his jeans and shirt. ‘Just two minutes,’ he jumped into the Scorpio SUV. He consumed nearly 200 ml of raw Vat 69. ‘Just for some guts,’ he laughed.

‘Thudd.’ He plunged into the water and within no time she was lying on the ground. She was about to swell and her eyes were eaten by fishes… The public were busy raping her with their eyes.

‘To lift a dead body in your place, someone has to come from UK…. Now… Get lost you… Bastards,’I shouted burning with anger… ‘Dirty sons of bitches…’

Nazar laughed while consuming the remaining Vat 69.

♥

After two weeks, he called from UK and I envisioned what happened in his house there in UK… through his words…

Premji, my son was away at school… and only my wife was there at home. When I was to hug her, she pushed me away. Did she smell something foul on my body?

‘Is this the way to treat your husband when he is back after a long journey?’

‘Of course… it is like this… Mr.Nazar… Answer me… why did you lift her dead body?’

‘Dead body? Whose dead body?’

‘Don’t try to act… Mummy rang up and told me’

‘Did your Mom get training from Scotland Yard?’

‘Naaaazar… don’t try to change the subject… God knows… whether she was a prostitute or an AIDS patient… tell me... Why did you lift her body?’

‘You want to know that?’

‘Yes… I must’ she was adamant.

‘Whether dead or alive… women deserve respect,’ I said calmly and she hugged me tight in a quick move….

‘Scent of a woman! I feel the scent of a woman on your body,’ she said calmly…

Premji