I wrote this 10 years ago.
Adding it to my shortstory collection as
Lakshmi the shortstory evoked a lot of responses
Adding it to my shortstory collection as
Lakshmi the shortstory evoked a lot of responses
"Just two times ma.. I am telling you these days such stand-offs are common " - Raja said in a loud voice.
Raja works as Inspector of Police in E1 Station in Vadapalani. He is married and is planning for kids next year. His wife Shanta is a home-maker.
One of Shanta's cousin sisters, Ramya, had a problem in her marital life. Ramya is also a home maker like Shanta. Ramya's husband Shiva, works as lecturer in a college.
Ramya and Shiva were married at just about the same time as Shanta and Raja. Ramya detected that Shiva had an extra-marital affair with one his colleagues in his college.
In fact Shiva dared to book a room with that lady for two evenings in a hotel, where Ramya's relative worked. The couple used to book a room between evening 5 to 7 and spend time there.
Obviously that became a huge dispute between Ramya and Shiva. Finally, as an Inspector of Police and also as a relative to the couple, they were brought before Raja to Raja's home.
"Ramya.. I have enquired about Shiva completely and also with himself. What has happened is a simple two nights stand-off. There is no real relationship between these two people. I have warned Shiva enough. And that lady is a married one. She has resigned her job and will never interfere in your lives again.. What do you say..?" - Raja explained to Ramya.
Shiva was sitting besides Ramya with his heads down.
"But.. But anna.. I can't accept that he can do this with a married lady and explain it as a stand-off. How can I trust him in future..?" - Ramya asked boiling internally..
"Next time you even hear something like this.. You come to me.. I will book this guy under Sec.498A and not only him, his parents and entire family will be behind bars for his actions" - Raja retorted.
"No Ramya.. I am sorry.. You know how much I love you.. I promise you what happened with that lady was not my mistake. She had some problems in her life. She somehow lured me into this. I could not resist it. It will never happen again." - Shiva said with tears in his eyes.
"Ramya.. I have enquired enough about this case. You do not need to worry. Shiva is a good guy. You can believe him. I also have told him in our style, what will happen, if he plays with you again" - Raja said.
Shiva nodded his head.
"No anna.. I am not able to forgive him. How can one cheat on his wife and claim it as somebody's mistake..? I can't accept it.." - Ramya still stood in her place.
"Ramya.. you do not know the world.. How many of our leaders have two or three wives. All our gods have two wives.. Males are like that.. If they are eating house food daily and suddenly they get a hotel food for free, they will jump on to it without thinking.." - Raja said.
"No.. No.. that cannot be an explanation anna.. Are all males like him..?" - Ramya asked
"Did you read that India today's report. A significant portion of our girls and boys have pre-marital sex. Another significant portion has extra-marital sex. It is very common in this society today. We should not get bogged down with such stand-offs. If you tell me, he has abandoned you for another girl, I can accept." - Raja said.
"Anna.. you mean to say our culture is dead.. Is there no value to chastity ?" - Ramya asked.
"What culture, chastity you are talking about Ramya..? We are in twenty first century and you are talking chastity. In today's fast world, these things are common. There is nothing like chastity these days. Man or Woman, as they long as they are able to adjust to their faults and pull together, they live together." - Raja said.
After a long session of drumming into Ramya's ears, that there is no value for chastity and one-night stand-offs are very common in these days with males and females, how India Today reports say pre-marital and extra-marital sex are common etc etc, Ramya somehow accepted to live with Shiva.
After giving Ramya and Shiva a warm send-off, Raja and Shanta entered their hall.
"Shanta.. It was really a very tiring session to convince Ramya. Hope Shiva remains on track. I did not want a couple to get separated on such a simple and stupid issue. That is why I put in such effort. I am right only na..?" - Raja asked.
Shanta nodded her head. She did not talk.
"Get me a cup of cofee..shantu.." - Raja said "hey.. why are you so silent..?"
Tears bubbled up in Shanta's eyes. Her lips twitched.
"I.. I did not know that you are such a broad minded person. Only when I listened to your advice to Ramya, I understood it.. I was living with a heavy burden for the past six months. Now I feel I can let it out and be free.." - Shanta said amidst her cry. She sat next to Raja on the softa and embraced him
"What happened shanta..? I do not understand what you are saying..?" - Raja asked softly..
"When you went to hyderabad for a week sometime back, your friend Ramesh had come here. Though I tried my best, I should say I succumbed to him. Only two days.. After that my self got back and I chased him away.. But that has been burdening me a lot.."- Shanta said amidst her cries..
Raja pushed away Shanta violently. "You whore.. bitch.. prostitute.. How dare you tell your husband cooly that you bitched about with his friend..Are you a woman..?" - Raja shouted.
"Raja.. please..Just two times. Such stand-offs are common. You yourselves were saying.." - Shanta said.
"What.. you are justifying that you bitched around saying that everybody is bitching about like you.. What nonsense are you talking..?" - Raja asked.
"Raja, you talked about that India today's report. A significant portion of our girls and boys have pre-marital sex. Another significant portion has extra-marital sex. It is very common in this society today. But I promise you I had come out of it long back. I thought you will not get bogged down with such stand-offs. I did not run away with your friend or abandon you.." - Shanta said pleading.
"You bitch and whore.. A chasteless girl. I don't know how I married you. Is this the way you grew up in your family. Everybody in ur family went on bitching with males or what? They did not teach you about chastity..?" - Raja boiled with extreme anger..
"What culture, chastity you are talking about Raja..? We are in twenty first century and you are talking chastity. In today's fast world, these things are common. There is nothing like chastity these days. Man or Woman, as they long as they are able to adjust to their faults and pull together, they live together. You only said these words know" - Shanta said with a mischievous smile
-TBT