STORY-SHOP KEEPER

SHOP KEEPER I was coming on my bicycle , after closing the shop at eight. The whole day the sky was overcast and suddenly rain burst out. To make thing worse , street light went off and I fell into a ditch. Covered in dirty water I began pushing the cycle , guided by the lightning flashes. A lady sitting in the veranda of her house saw me and called out:”Ey fellow , come here and rest till the rain stops.” I complied and she continued:”Lucy, bring some cloth for this man.” The girl in skirt and blouse brought a dhothi . The lady told me to go to the bath room and have a bath. When I returned , a bowl of hot kanji (rice soup) was ready. While finishing it , the lady said:”Are you not the shop keeper of students books and stationery near the school? “ I nodded my head. “Lucy, wash his dress and dry them in the washing machine . “ To me , “Take rest in the sofa . Who are there at home? What is your name ?” “My name is Paramu; I am alone here at Pazhai. My people are at Chalakudi” I reached home at midnight and went to sleep immediately. The next time Lucy came to the shop , she told me her mummy wanted to talk to me. “Are you non-vegetarian? Tell me when you come . “ She gave me her mob number and smiled :”I wish you were a Christian” I went there the next Sunday at noon . I knew they all go to the Church at Pudukad in the morning. The meal was sumptuous with both meat and chicken. Then Mummy said :”When my husband was alive , he had purchased some sixty acres of land at Palapilly , among the hills . He wanted to go and establish there . Now I need a manager there, to develop a rubber estate.. As soon as children’s education is over , we shall shift there . There are no schools there . Can you be our manager? We shall look after the shop here. You are young . When you marry , the shop will not be enough.” I thought and then consulted my people at Chalakudi. They agreed to develop the estate , including rice fields , on partnership basis , 50%. Thus began my new life in the hills. It is a very beautiful area. I contacted the neighbouring estates and obtained loan for purchase and planting of rubber. Rice cultivation was no problem. Labour was cheap. A narrow water channel was dammed with plated coconut leaves and mud supported by arecanut tree trunk split into two. When the first harvest time arrived , I brought Lucy’s family to witness it. I was living in a bamboo tent . It was like a picnic. We went to see the dam under construction. Rice was carried to Pudukad in a bullock cart. We chalked out a plan for building a terrace building , with all modern facilities , including a swimming pool. After her family left , Lucy remained with me . I showed her how wild pig can be killed with a shot gun. We remained silent in the moon lit night , when pigs cam and played or tried to dig in the mud . Then at one shot , I killed one . All the rest ran away. She was happy to make a dish with it . During this period we became close friends. She would sleep with me without sex. She used to kiss me , but did not go beyond that. She was happy to see the rubber trees becoming mature and latex being extracted , by cutting a part of the skin of the tree. She was interested in Hindu mythology , never once went to the Church at Varantharapilly. She was ready to become a Hindu but I was not willing for conversion into her faith. Her two sisters were married in due course . To her Ma , she said one pretext or other to avoid marriage. I think her Ma was willing for our marriage , but never mentioned it. Now she has become a big girl . I knew this could not be postponed :”Honey , we can register our marriage which is lawful. . In the register her name was entered as Bhavana.