The Sixteenth Day

 ‘Is this not the day of the great lunch!’ The engine driver asked her. She had told him about the lunch the previous day. Nancy laughed.

‘How should I wish you?’ he asked again.

‘Let this soul escape’- that should be your wish.’

‘From what – the lunch or the person hosting it?’

‘From everything. I am fed up.’

‘Don’t be silly.’

‘I am serious. Can you do me a favor?’

‘Tell me.’

‘Will you come to that restaurant?’

‘To the restaurant? Me? Why invite an intruder into your privacy.’

‘Can you come? Only for moral support. You need not acknowledge me. Stay somewhere nearby.’

‘Two o’clock is my siesta time. It will be a great sacrifice to forego that. Moreover, if I don’t have my siesta, I may sleep while running the train. There could be accidents.’

‘Then leave it.’ She started walking. There was not even a tinge of being offended in her tone. Nevertheless, she wished that Rajan would be there in that restaurant. It is okay.

Noticing that she was working even during lunch time, Bhaskaran Nair asked her, ‘Are you not feeling hungry today?’

‘Today I am offered a grand lunch.’

‘By whom?’

‘A stationery businessman from Alwaye.’

‘That means your marriage is fixed.’

‘This is only the preliminary step. Communicating with each other to see whether we share same wave length or not, thereby making the job easy for God Almighty to connect the two hearts.’

‘Wow!’ Said Bhaskaran Nair. ‘From where did you steal those lines?’

‘That is a secret. Postmodern and if I disclose the source, my book will not sell.’

By the time Nancy reached the restaurant at 2, the hero was already waiting at the hotel entrance. She walked in the hot sun anxious that her effort to get a lunch will not be wasted

‘I thought that I could come to your office.’ He said smiling.

Great expectations – she said to herself.

They opened the glass door and went inside. It took time to get accustomed to the dim light. She was searching for another face. Knew he would not, still…

They sat across a table. Waiter placed menu cards for both. While he opened the menu card, Nancy was studying his face. Where did she see that face? On the day he came to see her also that face disturbed her. He asked.

‘What would you like have?’

She did not hesitate. She was about to say, Masala Dosa, then decided against it. She is not going to have Masala Dosa with this man. She glanced through the menu card which read Biryani, Parotta, chicken curry…. ‘I will have an ice cream only’, she said.

‘We will have it later. First have chicken biryani, won’t you?’

She did not say anything. She was hungry. So, let it be. She was thinking of the elusive face which evaded her memory. Where had she met him? Suddenly memories fled past the milestones of years. The drama enacted for the school anniversary. ‘Last Holy Supper.’ Principal Father Michael himself had scripted the play.

While giving the holy bread to Judas after dipping it in wine, Jesus said, ‘What you intend to do, do that fast.’

It was Nancy’s class-mate Antony who did the role of Judas. It is that face, that she is seeing now right in front! Nancy didn’t like Antony.

 ‘My name is Shaji.’

Nancy’s eyes were roaming around in search of Jesus. Beyond the betraying face of Judas, finally she found the smiling face behind another table.

‘I called you to talk with you before the marriage is fixed.’

Nancy was feeling happy. She had thought that Rajan wouldn’t be coming. Now he is there, right behind a nearby table….

The bridegroom did not understand the reason for the sudden brightening of the face of the bride-to-be. Considering it as a favorable expression, he continued.

‘Nancy, you too may want to speak.’

‘No. I have nothing to talk.’ She lied. In fact, she had hundreds of things to say. But she was doubtful of returning in single piece after saying all that she wanted to say!

‘Didn’t you like me Nancy?’

‘Why not.’ She said the truth. She liked any boy if he is above average. Only if he is below average, would she exercise her right to choose. The man sitting in front of her had the signs of masculinity. Thick eye brows, thick mustache, shade of beard which had not vanished from the tanned face after the morning shave. The muscular body which was visible through the red and white pin-striped terry cot shirt. She detested only the expression on his face. The face of Judas!

Jesus still smiling, sitting behind Judas is placing his order with the waiter. She had a sudden impulse to change tables.

‘Nancy, what job are you doing? I know you work with computers.’

‘I do D.T.P.’

Shaji was impressed. There are DTP centers in Alwaye also. He has seen beautiful girls working on computers sitting behind the glass covered air-conditioned DTP centers. His prospective bride is also working in such a center. For an ordinary merchant like him, formal offices and those working there earned respect. The shop was started by his father. It is now run jointly by him and his younger brother. Both had only studied up to pre-degree. Shaji who was lazy at studies promptly agreed to his father’s advice that, pre-degree education is more than enough to run a shop. His younger brother wanted to pursue his studies. But when he realized that the shop would entirely be his elder brother’s if he went ahead with his studies, he decided to discontinue.

 ‘Who is running the center?’

‘One Sir.’

‘Is he young?’

‘Umm. He is only sixty-five.’

Shaji laughed. She then noticed the golden neck chain that he was wearing. A cross hung from its end. Looking at the cross, Nancy asked.

‘You are a devout, aren’t you?’ 

‘Why, are you not?”

‘Indeed. I do believe in Jesus.’ She was about to add; nevertheless, I don’t go to church. But she held back. Jesus was a personal asset as far as she is concerned.

‘Don’t you participate in congregations?’

‘No, I don’t believe in that.’

‘Why, several miracles happen in the Congregation Centers.’

‘Never seen a particular miracle happen. If that miracle takes place, I would participate in the weeklong congregations, every month.’

‘Which miracle?’

‘Will tell you later.’

Food arrived. The waiter left after courteously placing the plates filled with Biryani, curries, salads and achars on the table. Nancy realized with surprise and happiness that Rajan had also ordered the same items. She smiled. Rajan was also smiling.

Nancy thought that Shaji would have mistakenly considered her a glutton being in the dark about the actual reason for the mirth on her face. No problem. Yes, I am a foodie. Driving away such ‘spiritual’ thoughts from her mind she started doing justice to Biryani. She has something now to record in the diary, without regret.

She decided to fill the void, the eternal vacuum between Biryani and ice-cream by chatting. She asked.  

‘How much dowry has been demanded?’

Shaji was a bit uncomfortable. It was not for discussing such matters that he invited her.

‘Let’s not get involved in such matters. Let elders decide on it.’

‘Is it for elders that money is taken?’

He is not saying anything.

‘Heard that the cash is for you to buy a shop.’

‘Those are the customs in our community. Why? You didn’t like it?’

‘Why not. Is it not income for us? I did not like the tiny amount that was demanded. You asked for three lakhs only!’

‘That will do for the time being.’ He continued, ‘when need arises, I can ask for more.’

‘My father has huge stock of hoarded cash. If you ask him, he will simply hand it over to you.’

Shaji is remorseful. He felt that it was foolish to demand only three lakhs. It is all right; but will not agree for further reduction.

Sitting at the adjacent table, the Engine driver was enjoying this conversation. The ice cream arrived.

Thoughts about marriage vanished in the glamour of ice-cream. Rajan too had ordered ice-cream. Had he not ordered the ice-cream she would have killed him, she thought! Even if he is at the next table, he should eat the same items she is eating.

While having ice-cream Shaji asked.

‘Do you like me?’

‘Otherwise, I would not have come.’

‘Do you have anything to ask me?’

She thought for a moment. Should she? Will it be useful? As there was no gain by not asking, she decided to ask.

‘You said that several miracles happen in the Congregation Center?’

‘Yes.’

‘Has ever a miracle happened in the congregation, where the participating youngsters decide to get married without accepting dowry? The day that miracle happens, I would start participating in the congregation, at least once every month.’

Shaji is not saying anything. He is really confused. What is it in her mind?

‘Why the Lord who does all miracles, does not make this miracle happen?’

She was really furious. She used to hear dowry related tragic stories of her friends almost every day while travelling in the train. Marriages canceled as the dowry demanded could not be arranged. Man, deserting wife and kids as they are not able to meet repeated demands for more dowry. Stories of torture. She firmly believed that miracles should have taken place in these matters. Her experience made her aware that God did not have much influence on His creations.

Shaji had come on his bike. She declined his offer to drop her at her office. She was in an awful mood till she met Rajan in the evening. 

‘Sermon on the Mount was really grand.’ Rajan said.

‘Don’t make me angry again.’

‘Something to cool down?”

‘An ice-cream will do.’

As they were having ice cream, Rajan asked.

‘At home, what do you use to remove fungus from the old currency notes?’

‘Why?’

‘We too have stock of fungus infested notes in our house. They need be cleaned.’

‘He really believed that dad has large stock of currency notes with him.’ She said laughing.

‘No! Then?’

‘Nooo…ooo’

‘I was thinking.’

‘What?’

‘How many ice creams and Masala Dosas were wasted!’

‘Not a big issue!’