I remained single for too long and now, at the age of fifty, marriage seems a mirage.
Having enough money for a living, I took to wandering endlessly. In Gujarath, I remembered my old friend who retired from Railways. We used to sit at the top of a hill, from where, one could see for miles around. The train moving at such distance seemed like a centipede.
As the Sun sets, the stars appear shyly, one by one. The street lamps appear like a garland and during the waxing of the Moon, it is sheer joy to watch its crescent, like a canoe moving in the water.
I did not notice the the young girl sitting very close to me. Alone in the night, who could it be?
“Excuse me, who are you? Don’t you have a guardian?”
“I am a working woman, thirty years old; why should I have a male escort?”
“Sorry for the presumption”. I stood up to go, but the lady held my hand and told me to sit down.”Why should you go,uncle? This is a public park. Sit down and enjoy the evening. I am sorry to have disturbed your musings.”
I was impressed.This lady is educated and capable. I enquired:”May I know who you are?”
“My father retired from the railways. I am Maya, his daughter.”
” Oh my God.! Are you not Keshubhai’s daughter? I have seen you when you were a kid!”
“I suspected , but was not sure; now I will not leave you in the dark. I will be your guardian. Every senior citizen has a right for protection. If something happens to you, I will not pardon myself”
She held my arm and we descended from the hill. At the foot of the the hill was her car. She opened the door and we entered it.
At the centre of the town, she stopped the car and suggested light food. We entered a good restaurant and she ordered something in Gujarathi.
Now I scrutinised her. She is coffee coloured and her teethare not well formed; but her eyes compensated these short comings. Her look is warm and compassionate. She looks like a christian nun.
Fried things came; my mouth watered at the very smell. We began eating.
“Tea or coffee?”, asked the waiter. I said tea; she took coffee. She phoned her father:”Papa, I am giving you a surprise. I shall not tell you”
“A lover?”
” See whether he is acceptable to you.”
She smiled. “Papa is always telling me to marry; I am resisting”, she smiled.
The house is old fashioned but spacious; all modern facilities are there.The old man looked at me for some time;” You are … Ra…ju…?”
“Yes, still alive and kicking”. We hugged.
“My only worry is this girl. She says she will marry only if she loves the fellow”
“What is she doing”
Doing research in Allahabad University in biochemistry. She has already taken her doctorate.”
I looked around, she was not there.
She came back after some time, refreshed and dressed like a Gujarathy woman.
“Uncle, how do I look. Am I lovable”
“When are you going back to Allahabad? Will you take me with you?”
“Sure. You are good company..I can go when I please. University will give air fare. I shall bear your cost.”
“I am not bothered about money. I have enough”
“Then shall we leave on Sunday? Tomorrow we shall see an old Hindi movie. Now, would you like a game of chess? Papa says you are a champion”
“I have not played for a long time; still I like the idea.”
She brought the board and coins. “White or black?”
So we began. After initial moves she made me think. I wanted to confuse So I made moves on the king’s side, as if to make an attack there But actually, I was making deep moves to attack on the opposite side. Afterwards, she was forced to defend. For over twenty minutes, she thought and said:”Uncle has confused me. You are very cunning.” After some blunders she committed, she resigned.
So I have not forgotten,”I said.
“You take black”, She said.
Before long she was in trouble, once again.
“Dinner is ready,” her mother said. We all went into the dining room. The talk was about me.”How did uncle get money?”
“I inherited from my father who was a businessman.”
“Why did you not marry?”
“I did not like to be the slave of my wife.”
“If someone will allow you full freedom, after marriage?”
“Then it is to be considered.” She smiled.
After dinner I went to sleep. “Give me a cup of tea at five in the morning”. I said “Good night”
The next day passed pleasantly, with cinema, outing etc. Sunday we left for Allahabad.
There I joined the chess club and participated in many tournaments. In the evening, Maya would watch.
I stayed in a good hotel with two beds. Some nights Maya shared the bed. She seemed to be happy. We were finally married in a simple ceremony attended by relatives and friends.
As the Sun sets, the stars appear shyly, one by one. The street lamps appear like a garland and during the waxing of the Moon, it is sheer joy to watch its crescent, like a canoe moving in the water.
I did not notice the the young girl sitting very close to me. Alone in the night, who could it be?
“Excuse me, who are you? Don’t you have a guardian?”
“I am a working woman, thirty years old; why should I have a male escort?”
“Sorry for the presumption”. I stood up to go, but the lady held my hand and told me to sit down.”Why should you go,uncle? This is a public park. Sit down and enjoy the evening. I am sorry to have disturbed your musings.”
I was impressed.This lady is educated and capable. I enquired:”May I know who you are?”
“My father retired from the railways. I am Maya, his daughter.”
” Oh my God.! Are you not Keshubhai’s daughter? I have seen you when you were a kid!”
“I suspected , but was not sure; now I will not leave you in the dark. I will be your guardian. Every senior citizen has a right for protection. If something happens to you, I will not pardon myself”
She held my arm and we descended from the hill. At the foot of the the hill was her car. She opened the door and we entered it.
At the centre of the town, she stopped the car and suggested light food. We entered a good restaurant and she ordered something in Gujarathi.
Now I scrutinised her. She is coffee coloured and her teethare not well formed; but her eyes compensated these short comings. Her look is warm and compassionate. She looks like a christian nun.
Fried things came; my mouth watered at the very smell. We began eating.
“Tea or coffee?”, asked the waiter. I said tea; she took coffee. She phoned her father:”Papa, I am giving you a surprise. I shall not tell you”
“A lover?”
” See whether he is acceptable to you.”
She smiled. “Papa is always telling me to marry; I am resisting”, she smiled.
The house is old fashioned but spacious; all modern facilities are there.The old man looked at me for some time;” You are … Ra…ju…?”
“Yes, still alive and kicking”. We hugged.
“My only worry is this girl. She says she will marry only if she loves the fellow”
“What is she doing”
Doing research in Allahabad University in biochemistry. She has already taken her doctorate.”
I looked around, she was not there.
She came back after some time, refreshed and dressed like a Gujarathy woman.
“Uncle, how do I look. Am I lovable”
“When are you going back to Allahabad? Will you take me with you?”
“Sure. You are good company..I can go when I please. University will give air fare. I shall bear your cost.”
“I am not bothered about money. I have enough”
“Then shall we leave on Sunday? Tomorrow we shall see an old Hindi movie. Now, would you like a game of chess? Papa says you are a champion”
“I have not played for a long time; still I like the idea.”
She brought the board and coins. “White or black?”
So we began. After initial moves she made me think. I wanted to confuse So I made moves on the king’s side, as if to make an attack there But actually, I was making deep moves to attack on the opposite side. Afterwards, she was forced to defend. For over twenty minutes, she thought and said:”Uncle has confused me. You are very cunning.” After some blunders she committed, she resigned.
So I have not forgotten,”I said.
“You take black”, She said.
Before long she was in trouble, once again.
“Dinner is ready,” her mother said. We all went into the dining room. The talk was about me.”How did uncle get money?”
“I inherited from my father who was a businessman.”
“Why did you not marry?”
“I did not like to be the slave of my wife.”
“If someone will allow you full freedom, after marriage?”
“Then it is to be considered.” She smiled.
After dinner I went to sleep. “Give me a cup of tea at five in the morning”. I said “Good night”
The next day passed pleasantly, with cinema, outing etc. Sunday we left for Allahabad.
There I joined the chess club and participated in many tournaments. In the evening, Maya would watch.
I stayed in a good hotel with two beds. Some nights Maya shared the bed. She seemed to be happy. We were finally married in a simple ceremony attended by relatives and friends.
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