Hewertam **

It was nearly dawn. The rain beat down relentlessly. Baskar took a swig from the flask and looked over the horizon. No sign of the bus. He huddled in the shelter. A cold wind swept up, sending a shudder down his body. The street lamp sent a sickly yellow glow around the shelter. As he stood in the cold, a figure ambled into view. Baskar watched in trepidation as the figure approached. As he came closer, Baskar could make out his face. The man was heavyset. He was bald, but had a hat pulled down over his head. Soon the man was at the shelter.
"रीटर क्या होता है ?"
"No, I dont know Hindi." Baskar was apologetic.
"क्या करना हेह हिंदी मालूम नहीं - यह हिंदुस्तान है । यह मद्रासी क्या बोलता किता ?"
"Sorry , Hindi nahi. Don't know Hindi. Sorry. "
"हेह सुनो। हिंदी मालूम नहीं क्या करना है हिंदुस्तान ? वापस मद्रासी । साला " The man sounded angry.
Baskar was getting irritated. "I said no Hindi. Now leave me alone." He snapped.
The man pulled out a long knife and stabbed Baskar. Then he fell back astounded. Baskar had transformed into a vapour.
"What the hell?" the man exclaimed in English.

Advice ***

Her husband had come back a few hours earlier, in a drunken stupor. He barged in, making a row and waking the kids. As the children cowered in fear he had proceeded to thrash Prema, slapping and kicking her frail body, cursing her all the time. Exhausted, he then lay down on the sofa. Soon, everyone fell into a fitful sleep. Then he sat up. Cursing under his breath he stumbled over to Suguna, their 12 year old daughter. As he shook her, trying to wake her, Prema leapt at him, screaming. There was an ugly struggle, and much screaming and cursing. Finally he relented. Then he pushed Prema down and forced himself on her. Sated, he rolled over and was soon snoring.

Prema opened her eyes. It was gloomy in the room. She looked around at the sleeping children – eight of them. One more was in the hospital. And her eldest boy, Murugan – in jail. She felt drained. Soon they will all awaken. Hungry. And there was no food in the house. Her husband would beat her up again. Prema searched under her pillow for the betel leaves she had stashed. As she chewed on it, the pungent juice burned her mouth. She closed her eyes as the juice took effect. For a few moments, she forgot her miseries.

***

Sarojini amma sat on the only chair in the house. Sridhar and Bala stood, leaning against the wall. They had brought food and provisions for Prema’s family.
“உங்க பிள்ளைங்கள school க்கு அனுப்புங்கம்மா . அவங்க எதிர்காலம் ஆவது நல்லா இருக்கட்டும் . (You must send your children to school. At least make sure their future is bright),” Sarojini amma advised lovingly.
Sridhar looked annoyed. “இன்னமும் வெத்தல போடறீங்களா ? வாய் எல்லாம் புண்ணா இருக்கு , அப்பிடியும் இன்னும் போடறீங்க ? (Are you still chewing betel leaves ? Your mouth is all sores, yet you are still doing it?)”
Prema looked down, silently.
“உன் புருஷன் வந்தானா ? மூஞ்சி எல்லாம் வீங்கி இருக்கு ? (Did your husband come? Your face is all swollen?),” Sarojini amma wanted to know.
“இல்லம்மா . எப்பயாச்சும் வருவாரு. (No amma. He only comes occassionally.)” Prema didn’t want to talk about it.
“பிள்ளைங்கள school க்கு அனுப்புங்கம்மா . (Send your children to school),” Bala sounded angry.
Prema nodded silently.
***
The children squabbled over the biscuits. Prema tried to get some for the little ones, but the older boys elbowed in and snatched everything. Prema mixed some of the fruit drinks for the younger children. As she looked up, her heart sank as she saw her husband standing at the door. As she watched, cowering in dismay, he walked in, grabbed the bag of rice and cooing oil and walked out. Prema sank to the floor and sat in the corner, staring blankly into the far distance.

Kat ***

“Hahaha… that’s awesome lar Kat.”
“Rinny, do you remember BJ? What a woman! Hahaha.”
“Hahaha… she was a real nutcase. I loved her pranks lar. And Chegu Nina got the brunt of it!”
“Kat, it was hilarious lar. Hey woman, we gotta do a movie real soon lar, the whole gang.”
“Hey how about right now?” Kat giggled.
“And after that let’s do something really crazy. Hahaaha. Hey woman, call Bina and Liz. And BJ too – how can we go without BJ? Hahaha.”
“Hahaha…”
“You know, Rinny, we gotta be like this all the time. Together, laughing. Having fun.”
“Yeah, who wants marriage and children- a nuisance lar. Hahaha. ”

The garbage truck out front blared the horn suddenly. Kat sat up, startled. She looked around her. Everything was perfect. She had all the luxuries. She looked out the window. The neighbours, Valli and Siva were sitting in their swing in the garden, lost in idle chatter. Their grandchildren ran around squealing. Kat looked at her hands. They were wrinkled and shook a little. She looked around the house. It was quiet. Too quiet. And then, the telephoned rang, its jarring tone shattering the silence and giving Kat a mild start. Someone was calling ! A smile lit up Kat’s face. She shuffled over quickly, lifted the phone and spoke anxiously.
“Yes, Kat here. Who is calling?”
“Ohh.” Kat put down the phone slowly. It was a wrong number.

She knew then. She was no longer Kat, the effervescent, ever laughing teenager. She was Kathyayini, the aging spinster, alone in her home, among her material riches, with no one to share her joys and sorrows.