I got appointment as Accountant in Western Railway Divisional office. The office is near the Chambal river and I has happy to roam about, watching the river near the bridge. Alone and unattached, I was hardly twenty five and enjoyed the freedom of living on my salary, part of which I used to send to my mother at home in Kerala , where she has to look after my ailing father and marriageable sister, who, for want of dowry remained unmarried . We did not have any property. My education was financed by my uncle, who may be having plans to dump his daughter on my shoulders. I didn’t like her.
There is a Hanuman temple, on the bank of the river. My colleague took me there, about two miles away from our office. The way was along the jungle. I enjoyed the sight of bush, it reminded me of my home state.
The temple is very small. Only on Tuesdays, auspicious for Hanuman, people visited the place. I prayed and offered to donate a bell, if my wish for a love marriage, is fulfilled!
I think it is cinema that made us yearn for love; My uncle will laugh, if I said I did not love his daughter. He would say:”I have not heard of any one in my family having loved any girl. Marriage is arranged by the parents. I married when I was hardly twenty.” He doesn’t like arguments; so I keep mum.
I lived in the railway colony, sharing a quarter with another, as paying guest.
For our free pass, we have to go to the Personnel branch. When I first, went there, the pass issuing clerk, a lady, enquired about my whereabouts. She must be about thirty, dark skinned but lively, with a ready smile, showing white teeth. Her dimples added to her charm.At about eleven she took me to the tea shop near the railway station, where we took hot samosa and tea. This became a routine and our friendship thickened.
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