TWO SISTERS (Short story)

 

 

TWO SISTERS

 

It was a pale morning in January and Ammini Amma, an aged widow in the beginning of her sixties, was busy cleaning the surroundings of her already dilapidated home. She had been staying there for the past thirty years with her two beautiful daughters in absolute insecurity. Her late husband was a Naxalite - a hardcore communist revolutionary, who got vaporized by the Police during the emergency period of the seventies.

‘Where is Sumangala?’ Post-woman asked her.

‘She went to tuition center… Is there anything important Madam?’’O… Nothing…’ replied the post woman.

And within a short span of twenty minutes, Sumangala got the first appointment letter of her life from the Department of Agriculture as a lower division clerk. She got her appointment in the reservation quota for physically handicapped people. And for the first time in her life, she started liking her left leg, crippled by Polio.

‘Congratulations Madam,’ said Aravindakshan Master, principal of that tuition center for school kids. Thirty one year old Sumangala had been teaching there for the past ten years to support her family. Unfortunately, that was the only income of their family.

♥

The officer in charge of posting was kind enough to provide her posting at an office barely twenty km away from her house. The agricultural officer in charge of her office was even kinder so that she could leave for home around three thirty in the evenings. She deserved this concession as she was very good at her work as it was practically impossible for a woman like her to get a seat in the crowded buses in the evenings.

♥

Sunanda, her younger sister, was of twenty seven years old. She was a very beautiful woman and her beloved mother was really afraid of her sexy outlook. Soon, a local marriage broker approached her with a list of several alliances.

‘I am not going to get married,’ announced Sumangala.

‘Why dear?’ Ammini Amma couldn't understand her intentions!

‘I cannot satisfy the physical needs of a man,’ she replied painfully.

‘But, your periods are regular…’

‘That has nothing to do with my life…,’ Sumangala said stubbornly. ‘Let’s get her married to someone…’

‘You need a lot of money for that,’ sighed the old woman.

‘I will take a loan…’

‘One of our relatives wishes to marry her… She too likes him… I knew this for long… But, I didn’t tell you…’ smiled the old woman... ‘Poor boy is waiting for her.’

‘Is it? O.K… Let’s fix it…’ Sumangala hugged her tightly.

And the betrothal was over in a simple manner within a month.

♥

It was a second Saturday. Sumangala walked in to the chamber of the Bank Manager for a loan.

‘Sir, I need a loan for a hundred thousand rupees,’ Sumangala told him. Soon she explained the background of the loan too.

‘That’s O.K… Will you please tell me what kind of security that you are able to offer?’ asked the Manager.

‘I hope, this is enough,’ she pulled out her salary certificate from her new, but cheap, bag.

‘Madam… I am afraid… it is not enough…,’ said the Manager without any change of expression upon his face.

‘Documents of some land?’

‘How many cents?’

‘Seven cents’

‘Unfortunately, that’s not enough Madam’ he said mercilessly.

‘Sir... what shall I do then?’

‘Please find another surety... Please ask some of your colleagues to stand as surety for you... Madam, I need only a salary certificate and a declaration... Then I will be able to release the funds within a week,’

Empty-handed, she walked away like a girl-child with a begging bowl.

♥

It was the first Tuesday of the new millennium... Leftist unions convened a convention near our office in a local auditorium. As part of the grandeur, lunch with chicken curry was served around 1pm. Being special invitees, we reached there by the noon.

‘Premji...,’ somebody touched my shoulders.

‘Chandran... what a pleasant surprise... How come you are here?’

‘I going to join your institution as head accountant,’

‘That's great!’

Soon, Sugunan, a state committee member of the leftist workers union, started delivering his trademark speech... ‘Are you aware of the political changes happening around us? What is happening in Latin America? What is happening in Bolivia and Venezuela? Comrade Hugo Chavez is doing wonders in their nation. He is the greatest sentinel of the leftist movement... The future of the world will be safe only through the doctrine of Marxism,’ He went on like this and finally touched the current educational scenario in the state.

Mercilessly, he criticized the policies of the former right-wing government that crippled the public education system by excessive privatization. To be very frank, it was the finest speech in that political convention.

♥

The second session started immediately after the lunch and the introduction of new members was the primary agenda. And at last, Comrade Chandrasekhar was invited to the stage.

‘Dear Comrades... At the outset, I would like to thank you all for giving me this opportunity to stand before you. I am Chandrasekhar from Thirunellayi. And actually, I was supposed to join as head accountant at........ college today morning itself. My father was a communist and he remained a communist until his death. But, I would like to ask a very simple question to you: ‘How many of you will remain as a communist till death?’..O.K.. Let me tell the answer: ‘only a few!’ That's the sublime reality, we face now... the decadence of a leftist party... Comrade Sugunan criticized the former right wing government for crippling the public education system... But, we should never forget the truth: ‘It was actually started by the leftists... that is the truth, Comrade Sugunan... If anyone is over-informed, naturally he will question their dogma,’ Chandrasekhar spoke out his stubborn opinion.

‘Switch off the microphone and throw him out of the stage,’ someone started shouting from the audience.

‘Red Salute... Comrades...,’ Chandrasekhar walked away.

‘You bastard... they would have crushed your balls to pulp,’ I told in his ears.

‘No way... Come, let's go to our college... I have to join today itself,’ Chandran said.

♥

Chandran started staying with me in the same room at Aryabhavan, a lodge immediately opposite to our institution. It was a calm place until his arrival. Soon, it was filled with laughter. But, he was an absolute loner in every office wherever he had worked.

The last week of every month was a nightmare to Principals of every institution. Salary bills of employees were to be prepared without any correction. It is very easy now-a-days since we have softwares like MS-Excel... But, such a thing was unthinkable during those days.

Chandran used to sit with two candles, a packet full of Beedi- locally made cigarette, and a packet of salted ground nuts. He used to take maximum three hours to finish the salary bill of seventy employees. Not even a single Treasury Officer was bold enough to object a salary bill prepared by Chandran. He was such an accounting genius.

♥

He was a handsome man in mid-thirties. Being a heavy drunkard and dare-devil, he didn't even have the slightest element of respect towards higher authority. Women, especially 'Gulf widows' were his great weakness. He had a special knack in trapping those women whose husbands were away for years, toiling in the deserts. He was an oasis in their deserted sexual life. On certain days, he purposely avoided the habit of drinking and smoking. And beyond all, he used to brush his teeth twice with imported sweet smelling toothpastes.

‘Do you have an appointment?’ I used to ask.

‘Yes... Sheela Mathew is alone tonight,’ he laughed while going out at around eleven in the night.

 

And he was back in the morning.

‘Have you seen this?’ He took out an expensive Yardley spray from his pant pocket...

‘Poor man might have brought if for her,’

'So what?’ Chandran laughed silently fondling the nail marks over his powerful elbows... ‘I haven't met such a sex-starving woman like her,’ He pressed the knob of that and a sweet smell started flooding inside.

‘Scent of a Gulf Widow...,’ I told carelessly.

♥

Sumangala was in utter distress as she was unable to find a surety with a permanent government job. The black and red marks on the calendar became her permanent foes as the date of marriage was approaching faster. And finally, she decided to approach someone from our institution. And to her dismay, everyone deserted her mercilessly. The poor woman was about to cry as she could see only darkness ahead.

‘I am ready to be your surety,’ Chandran rose up from his office chair.

Everyone in our institution was shocked to listen to his decision!

‘Do you have any crazy plans for her?’ I asked him in the evening.

‘I could see a real sister in her...,’ he lit a cigarette.

‘You can give without loving…’ I said painfully.

♥

It was a simple, but elegant marriage. Chandran helped them in every possible way he could. Soon he was under suspension for drinking during duty.

‘What are going to do from tomorrow onwards? I asked him in the evening.

‘Wait and see Mr Premji...,’ he laughed as if nothing had happened.

And from the very next day, he started working as chief hairdresser in an expensive saloon in the nearby city. He knew the art of making money than anyone from our institution. And his service was reinstated at the month end.

♥

Sumangala was really embarrassed to see him appear in her office.

‘Hello Sir... How come you are here?’ the innocent woman in her asked.

‘I have come all the way to meet you,’

‘Is it so... What shall I do for you?’ asked Sumangala.

‘Even I have to take a loan... Will you please stand for me as a surety?’ Chandran asked politely.

‘Why not!’ Sumangala replied happily.

He left her office within fifteen minutes, that too with her official consent as his surety. He completed every formality for the loan in record speed.

On the very day he got the loan amount of Rs 2,00,000/- from the district cooperative bank, he got an unexpected transfer to the extreme north of Kerala. It was a special gift by the union leaders for questioning their sacred dogma!

Time went on so fast and I lost contact with him as there were no mobile phone services at that time. As the left wing lost power in the next elections, almost every leftist union leader were transferred to the farthest corners of the state as a part of political revenge. Comrade Sugunan was also one among them!

♥

Sumangala took a casual leave on that Tuesday as Sunanda and her husband were at home.

‘Today is a very special day,’ said Sumangala... ‘Today is your second marriage anniversary,’

‘We should celebrate it then...,’ said her mother.

And on that fateful special day, Sumangala got a registered letter from District Cooperative Bank.

‘Is there anything important dear?’ asked her mother.

‘O... nothing,’

♥

Unfortunately, Chandran was one among their defaulters with almost eight months payment dues. The Bank was in no position to tolerate it and they decided to recover the loan amount from Sumangala's salary. She was paying almost one fourth of her salary to the bank regularly as down-payments for her personal loan.

‘I will have to start tuitions at home for a living...,’ she told her Mom when her sister and husband had left... ‘I will have to pay three fourth of my salary to the bank for the next five years, if he is not willing to pay,’

‘That's unthinkable... Why don't you meet him in person and ask him to settle it?’ asked her Mom.

‘Even I think so,’

And on the next Friday evening, she caught a train to the extreme north of Kerala, with a small bag full of clothes.

♥

The Technical Institute at Cheemeny, a sleepy village in Kasaragod district, stood on steel and concrete, like a woman without any expression upon her face.

‘Don't you know that?’ asked the senior superintendent.

‘What?’ Sumangala yelled out in utter confusion.

‘He committed suicide around three months back,’

‘O! my God!’

‘Very sad,’

‘Will you please give me his house address?’

‘They are staying here only.,’

♥

‘His wife will readily agree to settle the dues... She will not desert me...,’ Sumangala told herself while she was on the way to his house.

The Auto-rickshaw ran for almost three kilometers through the narrow roads and stopped in front of a small house. Three goats were making noise inside a small thatched shed adjacent to the house and two little girls were busy feeding them.

‘Where is your Mom?’ asked Sumangala.

‘She is in the kitchen...,’ one of the girls ran in to call their Mom and she came out in no time.

‘I am Sumangala,’

‘O! Please come in... Chandrettan told me everything about you... Please come in...,’ she offered a broken chair for her... ‘Please be careful,’ and soon, Vasantha, the young widow, broke into tears...

♥

Eight months back...

‘Chettaa, I have severe pain in the lower abdomen...,’ Vasantha told her Chandran late in the night as she was carrying for the third time. ‘You wanted to have a little boy and see how he is troubling me,’

A pain grew severe and she was admitted in the hospital next day morning.

♥

‘Mr Chandran, she is suffering from tubal pregnancy and it will be extremely dangerous if it breaks...,’ warned Dr Samuel, the most experienced gynecologist practicing in the nearby city. ‘We should make arrangements for the operation today itself,’

‘That's O.K...Sir,’

♥

‘The operation was successful and I was discharged after four days... and on the fifth day, my husband got the last suspension of his life,’ said Vasantha.

‘For what?’ asked Sumangala.

♥

It was nearing eleven in the morning and Chandran was having a cup of coffee from the school canteen.

‘Sir, office inspection team has arrived,’ the office peon informed him.

‘It is so?’

And on the very evening, he got a charge memo for committing misappropriation of money... Eight thousand rupees from the office chest was found missing... Unfortunately, Chandran was the one and only staff responsible for the maintaining the same and Comrade Sugunan was in charge of the office inspection team.

♥

‘Sugunan Sir, please don't make it into an issue... I will replace it within ten minutes...,’ requested the Principal.

‘Sir... Are you not ashamed of supporting frauds like him?’ Sugunan got angry.

‘His wife was in hospital for an urgent operation...may be... that's why...,’ said the superintendent.

‘So what? No more discussions in this matter... I will recommend for his suspension right now and the termination from service later,’ Sugunan shouted like a gladiator standing on the victory stand…

He had the same rat in his trap!

♥

‘The official file for his dismissal was fast moving through various government departments as nobody was there to protect him and he was getting more and more uneasy everyday... No money we had... nothing to eat... We were going through the toughest days of our life... And one day...,’ Vasantha stopped in the middle... ‘When those political leaders who eat away billions of public funds roam out freely on broad Sunlight, the cruel public were longing for my husband's blood.’

♥

Comrade Sugunan got up around five in the morning listening to the cycle bell of the newspaper boy as he was having an inexplicable addiction to the whistle-blower daily of the party. He was shocked to see someone standing on the porch when he opened the front door.

‘Who is that?’ Sugathan cried out...

There was no answer. In a quick move, he switched on all the lights in front of his newly-built huge house...

Chandran was standing in the porch. But, unfortunately his feet were not touching on the ground!

‘What a sweet revenge!’ A sweet smile appeared on the dead face of Chandran, hanging from the ceiling.

‘Death is the ultimate socialist and the only communist!’

Comrade Sugunan fainted down like gunny-bag filled with waste. He didn't get up from that shock since then.

♥

Sumangala had to return by the evening train. But, she was forced to postpone the to the next day evening.

‘O! little girls... Shall we go for an outing?’ asked Sumangala.... ‘You can also join us, dear Vasantha,’

‘They will come with you... Sumangala Chechee...,’ replied Vasantha, while covering her empty neck, quite unknowingly, with her torn Sari, the traditional Indian dress for women.

♥

And they were back in the evening with several bags full of clothes, school books, pens and a gunny-sack full of quality rice. Vasantha couldn't control her tears and she started weeping like a child... helplessly...

‘Mummy... Mummy... we have watched a movie for the first time in our life....,’ the elder daughter opened the Pandora's box.

‘It was so nice... Thanks... Sumangala aunty...,’ said the younger one.

Sumangala walked near the young widow and lifted her face with her feeble hands.

‘Don't cry dear... Everything will be alright,’ Sumangala wiped her tears away... ‘It's for you,’ She opened a little box, took out a chain and a pair of ear-rings plated with one gram Gold.

Vasantha hugged her tightly and started weeping much louder.

‘I have one more sister....,’ Sumangala patted her shoulders softly.

‘And two daughters too...,’ said the younger daughter.

Soon, they all started laughing uncontrollably....

♥

Vasantha slept off peacefully on that day, that too after several month-long insomnia... The Gold-plated chain, she wore around her neck, started glittering in the Moonlight. Her face was so serene and beautiful! The two little girls were sleeping with Sumangala aunty.

‘He took a loan to purchase a home for his wife and kids,’ she thought while lying in between the two girls... ‘I will leave my spare cloths here, unknowingly... may be she can use them,’

And somewhere in the middle of the night, Sumangala was blessed with the sweetest of all dreams ever in her life.

‘Dear... You can give without loving... But, you cannot love without giving…. One who loves his fellow beings, than himself, is a true communist... I am proud of you... I am proud of you...,’ her late father kissed on her forehead.

 

Premji