Mishal Raheja as Major Dutta Patil
Painful Rapture: chapter 29
"one may smile and smile and be a villain".. Shakespeare
The sound of the metal gong heralded the crack of dawn , activity commenced, smoke swirled from the camp fires, uniformed Outs embraced the day, Dutta walked towards the nearby brook which buzzed with focussed activity of general sanitation. He stood tall and looked at the water flanked by his Outs , gradually with bent knees , cupped handfuls of water and drenched his neck with it with a look of visual relief. He bent again and cupped some more water and splashed his stubble face clean , and finally ran moist slender fingers through his hair. Drips of water slid down his stubble face and across his pink lips surrounded by his pokey spiky stubble .He felt stared at, and caught Khan from the corner of his eye, looking up at him riddled with perplexion. He slowly rolled his eyes down at her and screwed his mouth, "you need to carry on with the ablution Khan ,and do it fast not spend ages at it, he said dryly and turned and stomped off with rivers of water running down his neck. "Sir your towel", she said quietly as she held his maroon face towel towards him .He looked in absolute horror how dare this chit of a girl go rummaging around his tent he fumed and turned to face her in full authority , "Khan tell me something are you my mother , sister , wife ,friend or what? that you are giving his bloody show of care in front of the other officers" he grazed with a clenched jaw ,Khan was shell shocked and her hands that held his towel trembled "Sir ,Sir ,"no you be quiet officer ,this is a military camp you are not in school! and I repeat not in school where you go around giving your teacher an apple! as a token of appreciation! ..have you got that officer? ..or do you want me to tell you in another manner , he glared at her and snatched his towel from her hands threw it up against his neck and resumed to walk off ,but paused mid way, turned back to see her crest fallen face and lifted his finger "don't you ever enter my tent again without my permission!, don't forget I am your commander! and your tutor! not your bum chum! and stormed off. Kapur who was the last to finish his wash came over to her concerned what happened Khan? "why was Sir so cross with you ,what have you done girl? he asked caringly , she tried to suppress her tears "oh nothing Kapur he was most displeased that I went into his tent to get his towel so I got a telling off, reported Khan in a resigned tone . " you did what Khan? are you out of your mind! yelled Kapur, "no I am of sane mind, you see ,Kapur where I come from you show respect to your seniors ,in age or in status" ,defended Khan, "haan theekh hai argued Kapur "it may be the case in those areas but may not be such a hard and fast rule here Khan it's called encroaching on people's privacy ,beside's don't tell me you have the hot's for the guy" , Kapur teased, Khan blushed "no I have not! but even if I did what's the big deal we all have people we look up too, admire make heroes out of" ,she said. "how come admiring cricketers and film stars, celebrities on mass is accepted but not if, say if I did admire Sir ."listen you nitwit it is not allowed for he is our teacher ,come off it don't compare him to a celebrity ,cricketer etc, Sir has his own league, he has his only place! he said admiringly , "waise that makes two of us I too admire him Khan, really, oye girl humein bhi to thora admire ker le chuk dein gein phate tere liya! guffawed Kapur with his hands in luddi style" ,"oh shut up! said Khan but Kapur carried on "sun sun he went ,"well Khan let's face it Sir is very professional and he clearly has ramparts of reservation around him ,which he doesn't want crossed, he obviously rejects special treatment or misuse of the power invested in him..actually ,have to Khan he's a swell guy, finished Kapur as he beckoned Khan towards the camp . "swell guy you're right Kapur that Sir is" .. echoed Khan.
Dutta checked on parade his Outs, each clad in mud but dried uniforms ,most of them appeared reasonably presentable as can be expected under the circumstances ,he noted as his narrow eyes shifted from their faces to the toes of their rugged and chunky combat exercise boots. Each carried their rested helmet behind their heads hung by the chin strap . "ok excellent work officers ,last day today hence final field training ,that of orienteering, bridge building for which you will need your poles and ropes and we round off by rock climbing ,is that understood officers " he enquired "Sir" ,they saluted with a heel click and right foot slam! "Fine he said with a compressed mouth "we shall thus begin with the activity of orienteering, now here I would like to remind you, in orienteering you use a map and compass to find your way across unfamiliar terrain. I, as your commander have placed orange and white control markers at various land features found on your map", he paused briefly and raised his hand and with the swirl of his forefinger commanded them to form a circle to view the large map placed on the ground , "if you look at his map, these markers act as checkpoints along the course", he pointed out as they stood looking deep in thought .He looked up at their faces from his crouched position, and slowly hauled himself back on his legs and spread his hands in an explanatory position "the object of the sport is to use the map and compass to locate the control markers and return to the finish". He folded his arms and explained clearly, while all eyes and ears fell to his instructions, "I will be looking out for how you are using your imagination and navigational skills, you are in charge! and therefore you try to select the best route to each control. Once there, you punch a score card which verifies that you have found the control. "There are many versions of orienteering officers, like on foot, bicycle, and so forth, but the idea is essentially the same, the use of a map and compass to find your way across unfamiliar terrain. "One of you ,I recall asked me if there would be training given in compass skills" ,he stopped and peered at them ,"here's your chance to practice them officers ". "Sir, are we competing as teams? asked Bhatnagar " yes" clarified Dutta, "I will measure your success by the time given to complete the course or the number of control flags collected during the specific time allotment, and that's how the winning team will emerge eventually" Dutta said , as he nodded his head and shifted his eyes to see if they had understood. He noticed that some of them still appeared slightly glazed, "Kadam are you clear about what you are meant to do? , asked Dutta with a compressed pout and raised eye brow ,"well Sir kindly could do with more instruction" he said embarrassed , "okay let me explain the reason why you need to do the task" , Dutta reasoned "well because orienteering is a challenging outdoor adventure sport that exercises both the mind and the body" he paused and questioned Bannerjee "what do you think is its' aim, officer? " Sir the aim is to navigate in sequence between control points marked on this unique orienteering map and decide the best route to complete the course in the quickest time". "Well done Bannerjee, you obviously listened when I explained unlike some others who clearly were mentally somewhere else" he remarked curtly, "but Sir may I ask a question?, Dutta jut his chin and encouraged the question from Tiwari, "Sir can we only walk in the exercise? he looked at her directly and answered "officer it does not matter if you can run, walk or jog in the course and progress at your own pace, as long as you keep within the given time, but yes this is predominantly a foot orienteering". He looked at his officers, "now one last word about this activity, which apart from being an important part of combat line infantry, orienteering can take place anywhere from a remote forest and countryside to urban parks, but also school playgrounds", he paused and held his hands behind his back and lifted his head high and continued speaking "the military for obvious reasons has chosen this forest for the task, but those of you who take a keen interest in sports can use it in running, jogging and walking, he moved his head and almost sucked his lower lip as he added it improves one's navigation skills".
Dutta caught Khan mouthing "navigation" at Kapur who moved his pupils towards Dutta's frame and lowered his head and whispered to her ask "Sir" ,Dutta noticed her face in almost a sulk ,and he bowed his head almost to confirm to himself, the officer got what she wanted ,he looked up and spoke straight at her "have you got something to ask officer" ,Khan almost shirked , but composed herself fast, "Sir, we were wondering if you could please elucidate navigation for all of us" ,he accepted that calmly ,and she breathed a sigh of relief, "yes of course, he said "navigation is an informative and engaging activity, he raised his slender fingers and continued for being able to read a map is a useful and fascinating skill, during line combat foot soldiers come across a range of challenges and sound knowledge of map reading and navigation can be used to help your awareness of enemy intentions!, in this exercise navigation, as you can all see is an essential element with other objectives. My aim as your commander is to ensure officers, that you are confident and alongside derive a lot from this interesting pursuit", "however, Dutta continued, "the activity can involve a gentle walk in the woods, like here, or could be an expedition in the mountains - it can be over a few hours, like what you are attempting or a few days, often linking other activities together". Dutta, moved his lips, his eyes sparkled as he continued to his all ears officers, "officers when you navigate through the war zone! you feel the satisfaction of finding your way with a map and compass, but for that of course you await the real action, I speak from experience, there is nothing worse than the feeling of being lost in the middle of nowhere!" he parted his lips and blinked his eyes a couple of times and briefly looked away, as they stared at him, thinking about his words. "Right,that'll be all officers Bhatnagar and Singh get the maps and compasses for your teams ,everyone , I trust you have essentials like water etc in your rucksacks ,and may I remind you to abstain from using matches or lighter or other materials that may cause an unwanted fire in the woods ! off you go! you have two hours to complete your tasks ,it's your choice if you want to work in isolation, in pairs or in small groups of three..remember though you are working as a team the more markers you collect in the allocated time the more points you achieve... back by 12.00pm".. "good luck" finished Dutta as he saw the teams veer off into the woods...
Dutta , sat on the grass with one uniformed booted leg tucked under him and the other held vertically on the grass he pulled out his ray bans and ran his finger through his hair as he pulled his mouth at the corners and he bent his head to study the map spread on the floor, he ran his finger along the different coloured posts ,he would assess them on which routes ,detours ,diversions they would take to gather the flag posts 15 each of two colours for each team. He read the map markings and yanked his arm and shifted his sleeve ,as he ascertained the time ,it was 10 to the final time of 12.00 so he looked sideways with a screwed up face to the clearing of the woods for figures returning. Finally he saw them , uniformed figures that trudged back, most of them seemed to have an accomplished task look. He folded his map and stood up as he signalled them with his finger to position themselves in a horizontal line .He peered at their face as they stood to attention ,while he stared at them from behind his glares ,his hands held behind his back ."well the two leaders please give a count of the posts please" he commanded. The two team leaders stepped out of the line and gave a count of the orange and white flag posts and punched score cards. Dutta gave it a rapid single glance and looked up at the officers and moved up his face parted his lips and praised both the teams "well done both teams, you have completed the task in given time ,now looking at the punched score cards Bhatnagar's team appears to be the winner by one mark, but overall I am well pleased, I would like a brief written summary from both your teams which should be collated by your team leaders, I would suggest you prepare it before the day ends as the exercise is still fresh in your mind", he paused, briefly "I suggest that we break for lunch and after that over to the next exercise of bridge building".
Lunch was a portion of ready prepared vegetable soup, with savoury cheese twists and two pieces of fresh fruit. Dutta bit into the shiny red apple and chomped his juicy apple and occasionally licked his lips to savour the trail of apple juices that glazed his lips. Dutta stood up as his apple reached the core, he brushed his posterior and walked in long strides towards his officers "right can you get sorted fast and report for parade". Once they were lined horizontally he commanded "ok the next activity is that you build a bridge over the muddy pool area. You will need to unload the poles and ropes from the truck ,and oh by the way while you head towards the truck ,the team leaders need to safely put away the marker flags punch cards and compasses back in marked boxes in the supplies truck, he instructed.
He prompted them towards the muddy pond area and raised his muscular arm ,"here you have to leave it to your imagination and pretend you are in a war zone" he said as he looked around with a slight smug expression, "how would you get your team across the 'raging' old muddy pool with only a few ropes, poles and your own ingenuity? he asked with a grooved brow, "now officers, may I clearly indicate, this classic team building challenge requires careful thought and planning, pitting your skills against the natural elements". He paused and explained as he expanded his finger to denote points, "with limited materials you will need to make the most of your resources and manage your time efficiently" he remarked emphatically, "now really the solution you choose is up to you officers - will you create a structure worthy of this large muddy pool or will it be wet feet for you and your team. Prove that you have what it takes and conquer the pool! Dutta said challengingly.
He could see they were in a quandary, he wanted to help but it was their engineering and strategic thinking as a team he was looking for, "and for this activity you will need your helmets! ,he warned... he saw officers in consultation, he saw them drawing rough sketches and moved over to peer at their sketches they seem to have got the basic structure. "remember, officers it needs to transport you ,help you cross from one side to the other.. consider balance of body , also keep in mind the strength of the bridge", he suggested. Finally he gave orders to the team that was ready to put up the structure. Singh and Tiwari pitched the two crossed poles at both ends of the bridge. They tied thick ropes at the top end of the crossed poles that stretched to the other top ends of the opposite crossed poles , thus formed roped sides and cordons to hold on to while crossing the bridge. For the base another rope was pulled through the overlapped, crossed midpoint of the two crossed poles, stretched across of one end to the other and both spare ends of the rope was yanked against a hammered at opposite ends to a steadfast iron post. Dutta looked at the finished bridge and pulled his mouth and ran his finger over his fore head "I guess the only the only thing that is left now is to test if this structure works", so Singh give us a demo and good luck" said Dutta. Singh gingerly approached the bridge as every eye looked with held breathe, he grabbed on to the ropes with his hands and bit by bit placed one foot before the other as he gradually but surely reached the other side of the bridge. There were loud cheers and claps as Singh arrived to the other side. "Ok said Dutta any more volunteers, Kapur, Rao, Subramanium were the ones who tried and successfully crossed the bridge. "well I am pleased with all of you officers, as in my observations, I took on board your concerted novice engineering skills ,remember in the war zone there might be built up structures, for general transportation, however in wake of damage and destruction of such structures you may need to adlib to make such structures to move yourselves in dangerous conditions, ok now dismantle the structure and cart it back to the supplies lorry". commanded Dutta.
He had so planned the final rock climbing activity, that after the slightly physically inactive bridge building he would throw them into the dangerous thrill of scouring heights, on the rock site on this field exercise. He blew the whistle for their attention and they responded appropriately "right the final moments to prove your mettle is here ,show me what you are really made of"! ,he suspended his talk for a moment and glared at the clowns of the class , Tiwari, Kapur, Singh who rolled their eyes at others, "let's hope your eyes don't pop out when you undertake the task ,as your desent may very well prompt your ascent , so if I was you I''d listen instead of giving hairy eye balls to others" he remarked in slight irritation, "right so as I was referring before I was forced to note human behaviour! he continued, "a bastion of rock presents a challenge, a call to adventure, a taunt to our most primeval compulsion to conquer what is unobtainable, to pit one's strength and determination against nature and triumph against the odds!, so officers if we all jog towards our rock you can see your challenge,he commanded. They jogged behind Dutta as he lead them to the assimilated limestone rock site, "now as your instructor, I will coach and encourage you whilst ensuring your complete safety and well being, during the climb, so for heaven's sake don't look so frightened! he said with a compressed mouth and slight jiggle of the head. They looked up in a certain degree of awe as they noted the dents and crag like surface of the rock , he turned to face them and raised his arm as he pointed to the rock "now for this activity you will need your helmets on your head, note ,where the groves occur on the surface of the rock, it more or less provides you a gentle route for a steep climb, so study carefully where the groves appear on the rock" ,he took a breather and moved towards the rock ,as he felt he surface in front of them and then turned his face to address them as he placed his fingers in a crevice, here you have places where you prod your boot and places where you clutch and protrude your palm to help you to maintain the two vital clues to success which is balance and courage ,he inspired, with a pointed finger "ok onwards! lets go then! Dutta yelled. Chauhan, Bannerjee , Bose and Bhatnagar scrambled for the first climb ,and all eyes especially Dutta's surveyed their every move. "keep the boots pushed right in the crevices! ,Bose flatten that belly of yours ,love the rock! feel it! he commanded from below, stretch the adjacent leg! prop it! knee up first! before you remove the creviced boot" he looked around at the on looking Outs ,"yes keep watching those four ,consider yourselves lucky you can see what you are meant to do he commented, "ok excellent now start the descent! don't look at the ground! for goodness sake! look out for the crevice to rest your foot". The four arrived back to the ground safely ,and blew on their red and bruised fingers, Dutta noted and turned to address every one yes ,in such conditions heavy duty gloves are dissuaded as it bars feeling of the rock surface ,endangering grip , however if one is using a systematic ,formal climb ,where equipment is used to assist you in the climb,then gloves maybe used" he clarified. He looked at the next lot, Gavde, Rao, Khan, Kapur, and Kadam. The next lot commenced activity under Dutta's eagle eyes, once on the rock, Kapur guided Khan progressively in her moves, Dutta watched with interest ,he had seen Khan in action, scaling up and down a guttering pipe not long ago ,and therefore he was confident she would be able to face the activity with considerable confidence ,however Kapur's constant interruptions in her ascent exasperated him. "ummh Kapur ,leave Khan alone she's doing fine you concentrate on your own moves!!" he yelled from the bottom with one hand yanked on his forehead as narrowed lion like eyes observed the two officers . Khan's concentration broke all the more at her commander's voice and her bent knee tottered dangerously along with her grip on the rock. Dutta's nostrils flared up and he bellowed " what's your problem Khan?, put those hands of your in the crevices and haul yourself up now!!, "Sir she has long manicured nails that may get chipped if she does what you are asking her to do" chipped in Tiwari , Dutta slowly turned his face towards Tiwari and retorted "this is not a time for fun and games officer ,kindly refrain from your wise cracks ",and he turned and looked up and yelled "then Khan you'd better had those nails chopped off! Officer!" ,he commanded. "you lot, just keep in mind climbing is about moving into the unknown, stepping outside a zone of security and proving to yourself that you can persevere"!,Dutta bellowed. Eventually the officers came down safely ,and gave Khan a frigid look as she briskly moved from his gaze and stood next to Bhatnagar who bent her head and whispered in her ear ,"well you make sure Ragoo you do as he told you otherwise he'll have your guts for his braces!". Khan nodded quietly, this was just not her day!.The last batch of Outs Singh, Sinha, Venkatesan, Yadav started the activity and progressed well ,whilst every one watched, Dutta felt pleased with this last group, "excellent officers! your moves show you can feel the overwhelming exhilaration of reaching your goal, of moving on steep rock with your feet and hands while controlling trepidation and thoughts of the ground", he summed up at the termination of the rock climbing activity. "ok folks ,that's it ,now back to camp side ,those in charge of the evening meal can get started, let it be known with the last meal of the field exercise, consult each other for the menu, remember to use up any existing perishable consumables in edible condition , anyway I leave it up to you to decide among your selves. He took a breather in his word as he pulled his mouth to one side and slowly parted his lips and reminded them, "and I also require the feedback of this activity as well from the team leaders after group consultation, so my brief as before, would be the suggestion you work on it while it's fresh in your minds, fine that'll be all officers good work" he finished as he jogged back with his Outs to the camp.
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Harshad gave the wheel chairs one final look and ordered the driver to pull the shutter down of the goods vehicle ,he ensured he choose an unmarked vehicle ,for he could not risk a Dera hospital identified vehicle. The driver questioned the route again and Harshad bit his head off "tum challo adher se tu nikalo, challo high way ke teraff phele". The driver conceded and Harshad delved in his thoughts ,he needed to get in touch with the other party ,but not in front of this geyser ,he bent sideways and checked the petrol gauge ,"ye petrol kum dekh raha hai ,kisi petrol station pe lorry rok aur gas dilwao" he commanded .The driver heeded and pulled in at the nearest petrol station. Harshad disembarked and dialled the number "haan Dhavan I am on my way now ,but wanted to negotiate a few matters, before delivery ,he clarified, "but we have already decided on the price, 15, grand each" replied Dhavan , "well not quite ,see I have been giving the price some thought , now look here Dhavan, I am saving you 5 grand, Vat on the item , should you had bought it at the retail price, so now the price is hiked to 20 grand per chair , besides it's a German import ,the best in the market ,Harshad argued, " well that's too much Harshad, it's beyond my reach, the price", pleaded Dhavan, "no its not ,you have no cash flow problem , you have a cosy sales person job at the mobility show room, plus you have an internet business you run from your home ,where you skive off value added tax again, and whose to know how much you fleece customers on the internet! so what's your problem ? ,listen take it or leave it's up to you! not a penny less than 20 grand, remember I have put my job on the line for this deal", there are plenty of other fish in the ocean ,so give it a thought and hurry up I don't have all day! sounded off an irate Harshad. "ok !ok! I'll take it how many? said a desperate Dhavan after a small hiatus. Harshad smiled he got him where he wanted now he'll continue "fine then, firstly for the minute I can provide only four, now you need to come and meet me near the bazzar off the highway junction 10, bring a pickup that can contain 4 items , then I'll bring our van ,but we need to do the exchange fast ,and oh yes don't forget the money no cheques only cash! explained Harshad, and sat back in the lorry "challo highway junction 10 ke teraff... he instructed the driver.
Once junction 10 built up area approached, Harshad instructed the driver to park at a parking point and suggested the driver grab some lunch. Shortly after the driver disappeared ,Harshad before losing any more time ,took charge of the lorry and raced towards the agreed point of the deal .He smiled as he saw Dhavan, standing behind his static lorry. Harshad pulled up and declared "let me turn my lorry and reverse it back to back yours , for easy exchange ,he suggested. Once in the right position their lorry shutters open, the two men carried out the transfer of the four wheel chairs out from Harshad's possession into the possession of Dhavan. Harshad smirked with the look of devil himself, as he clutched the smooth handle of the briefcase with his easy earned cash. He bade good bye to his buyer and the two men revved their engines and drove off in the opposite directions. Harshad raced back to the bazzar and parked the vehicle just in time to note the return of the driver. "chaal tu rok edhur mein ata hoon kahana kha ker ka, ghare ko poocha laga de aagar time hai tera pas" said Harshad as he went into the air conditioned cafe with a tongue and cheek expression. Harshad returned after lunch and said with a sigh as he slid in the passenger seat," chaal phir ab sedha rassta le military hospital ka" .Once they arrived they went through the various checks and were sent to the PT goods loading and unloading vantage point .Harshad ,instructed the driver to wait ,while he requested at reception for Lauren. Lauren arrived "hi ,Harshad , now tell me have I seen you before? she asked as she clasped his hand" "well you may have perhaps I did pop into this hospital a few months ago when Major Dutta was under treatment here he stated with a smile, "oh so you know Major Dutta, do you ?asked Lauren with renewed interest. "well no not really but I am a close friend of Nakusha , you see we are from the same village ,we studied PT at uni together ,and".. Lauren interrupted "you work together at the Dera Hospital together, isn't that so Harshad? so really a close connection" jested Lauren. Harshad smiled, "well you could say that he said dryly, but inside he screamed but not close enough!. "well, shall we go and have a look at the wheel chairs ma'am" suggested. Harshad ordered he driver to pull up the shutters and unload the wheel chairs !,as the driver unloaded the goods, Harshad was shocked to see only four wheel chairs instead of the requested 8 wheel chairs ,he looked at Lauren embarrassed "well Lauren I don't know what has happened! I myself supervised the loading there were definitely 8 in there ,I am actually speechless" he said beginning to get angry and then suddenly in a fit of rage collared the driver and yelled at him accusingly "baata baki ke 4 kahan gayen!! he yelled as he held a fist in the terrified drivers face "Saab kaise baatoon? keh raho hoon saab mujhe kuch pata nehi! saab un ke bara mein! he pleaded with folded hands in front of Harshad .Harshad roughed and shook him violently "jhoote kamine ,baata kahan gaye hain kis ko bache hain tune kahan ghyab ke hai aur kis waqat tune ye chorri ke? Harshad shouted ,he looked at an estranged Lauren "I don't understand I was with him all the time I only let him out of my sight for twenty minutes when I went for my lunch break", his eyes had an evil glaze and he turned to beat the driver "haan tune ne chorri ke jab mein kahana khana giya ? bol! .bol !! jaldi keh kahan hain wheel chairs" he shouted and repeated terrorized the driver "saab main ne kuch nehi kiya cried the driver, "theekh hai military police saab tere se niklwain ga" ,he pushed the driver away against the wall , as he wiped the sweat off his face "listen Lauren you ring for the military police please and in the mean while ,get some porters to wheel these four to the wards, suggested Harshad, "humm yes said a shaken Lauren, you're right I'll hand him over to our police ,and she whips out the phone and puts in the report and within seconds the unformed military policemen arrived and llifted the broken ,figure of a man heaped on the floor and propped him up ,hand cuffed him and carted the driver away Harshad gave the man an intimidating glance reminding him if he said anything to implicate him, his family would be on the line .The driver lowered his eyes and dragged his feet as he was led out of the parking lot. Harshad yelled "ek minute chabi de lorry ki",he ordered, he went and faced the driver once more and looked fiercely at him one more time as he took the keys off him...
Harshad headed back towards the Dera hospital , well , he deliberated, his tale has had it's first rehearsal already now it's a matter of repeating the same story sufficient times for the things to gravitate in his favour ,he glowered as he checked the rear mirror of the lorry. Lauren went into her office and picked up the phone and asked her receptionist to get her the Dera hospital MS, "hello Ms.Tendulkar, this is Lauren , just wanted to thank you for the 4 wheel chairs ,they have been put to use as we speak", she paused and waited for the MS to question "how do you mean? 4 wheel chairs, why 8 were sent as per your request Lauren?.. Lauren explained the complication and the possible misappropriation of supplies. MS, assured Lauren she would carry out investigations and get back to her in due time. Ms Tendulkar , summoned Harshad ,who was confident as if he was going for a job interview . He was asked his story and he explained things clearly and without a doubt clarified his position as he placed the blame on the driver, who was under police custody for further investigations.
Naku ,had just had her evening meal and was relaxing in the recreation playing ludo with one elderly patient .Once she heard her phone, she excused herself and went outside the recreation room through the French doors. "hello Khan this is a pleasant surprise, she said ,"Naku bhool gaye kya Rajoo ko kya? "please nehi tu ,ok Rajoo then how are you?" she asked ,but was careful not to ask about forbidden topics like Saab or her whereabouts, so she thought she might just ask about the weather, "aacha chaal ye baata mausam kaisea hai? "mausam said Rajoo tu theekh hai, though chilly hai" replied Rajoo, Naku started to get uneasy did he have a jacket? a cardigan? and she feel silent, having visions of her Saab shivering with a temperature! , and little drops of sweat gathered on her pointed nose "hey Naku are you there? called Rajoo "haan tu main ye khe rehi thi ke mausam theekh hai but my luck isn't Naku" , said a worried Ragoo, "kyon what's happened? asked "Naku, yaar ask what's not happened? I got a telling off from Sir, tell you what this morning we were at the waterhole and he had washed his face and I went into his tent to pass him his face towel ,Naku he went ballistic! ,yelled at me and said how dare I enter his tent without his permission ,I bet he hates me, Naku" moaned Khan, Naku interrupted "listen Rajoo, even I or if anyone else enters his room without his permission he tends to go off the rails ,see he's a reserved person in general, more so with people he has no bonds with, so I wouldn't worry yaar he won't fail you if that's what you are worried about", teased Naku. "that's not all Naku he commanded me to get my nails chopped off!, complained Khan "naughty ,naughty, Rajoo being a fauji you shouldn't have long manicured nails anyway girl! occupational hazard! oye my nails are cut as well I have to handle patients all the time", explained Naku "aur tu sab theekh hai na Rajoo"? asked Naku, but stamped the gnawing of her heart, the many questions she wanted to ask about him. "Yes everything is fine, listen have to let you go, you look after yourself Naku"..said Khan and the call ended.. Naku returned to the room and sat down near the elderly patient and resumed playing the game ,but her mind was slightly troubled Saab's burgundy face towel handled by someone else other than her, she felt a slight queasiness..
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The final night meal at the camp fire began, as their commander appeared and stood briefly and looked at his Outs, he was well pleased with them .Khan looked at him ,and felt bit more confident after her pep talk with Naku, Khan almost giggled as she wondered how Sir would react if ever he found out that she engages in phone conversations with Naku , she pondered would he be interested in girlie talk , she almost giggled and Tiwari who sat next to her nudged "oye what's so funny bata?, Khan nodded her head "it's nothing" she said "really I was just looking at my stubby fingers here take a look!" she said as she held her outstretched palms up , she noticed from the corner of her eye that Dutta was distracted by the action and he very briefly looked at her out stretched palms, flared his nostrils slightly and remarked loudly for all to hear "good officer I am pleased to note that you take on board orders your tutor and senior officer's command seriously, and actually act upon it!" he almost growled. Khan received yet another bolt of lightening from Sir. She hurriedly looked across at Kapur at the opposite end of the ring, he just winked at her and bowed his head. Food was served and Dutta was yet again reminded of her cooking ,dal and rice and kidney beans curry. He recalled, how there were many moments she would bring meals to his room ,and he would be inundated with two choices ,to be with her or to feed his culinary requirement , he chewed his food and as he looked at the food he felt a mad burning desire to bite into her sandwiches, the officers who prepared the food Khan, Singh and Rao asked "Sir the food alright?" and he deep in thought of Naku's sandwiches said loudly without thinking "yes sandwiches"! ,they all looked stunned as they saw his big innocent vacant eyes! they looked at each other and smiled and winked at each other ,they knew it was safe as Sir was miles away lost in sandwiches! He suddenly realized his momentary stupor and blushed and abruptly cleared his throat "ahem yes the food is delicious ,yes the best compliment I can give is ghar ke kahane jaise hai , you see officers I am a great believer in home cooked food it stems from the simple faith that the family that eats together stays together..metaphorically speaking so to speak..he remarked with a smile half the Outs were stunned into silence. Dutta heaved himself up on his long legs and walked in long strides to wash his metal bowl, returned and stood outside the ring of officers "right officers this is your last night here, do the need full of lights out procedures , alongside be aware that we will leave at the crack of dawn for the Military school, ensure that you are in full uniform ,upon reaching our destination, we will shower, dress and have breakfast, after which you will need to complete your individual portfolios . Mean while I don't need to remind you that all supplies need to be carted back to the supplies truck. The tents can dismantled first thing after you are dressed in the morning, he paused and felt his stubble over his lip, squared up his broad shoulders and announced "now overall both teams have performed neck and neck , however according to a rough analysis ,just by a thin margin Bhatnagar's team appears to be a winner ,so well done every one ,I got to see some fine examples of comrade ship and team work, and good instances of tapping each other's strong points and supporting each other's weakness! so good work! ok make sure you stub out the fire" he turned his lion like face, lowered his eyes and walked away...
Ms,Tendulkar ,summoned Naku as she was a colleague who worked closely with Harshad. Naku was wondering why she was beckoned , as far as she knew her life and her career up till now was untarnished ,but then , she.. "ah yes enter Nakusha, please come on in and have a seat. "Now Nakusha we have a sticky situation ,it is a about a colleague of yours ,the matter is a serious incident that is pending further investigations before any clear judgement is arrived at" stated Ms.Tendulkar. Naku, looked visibly preoccupied, she finally drew courage and asked "who is the colleague ma'am?, "its Harshad ,he was in charge of the dispatch and delivery of 8 wheel chairs to the military hospital, apparently only four have reached Lauren and she has alerted us ,I have already spoken to Harshad and he denies any knowledge of the missing wheel chairs ,so till this is pending I thought you could perhaps through some light on him as a person ,you know ,character wise ,can he be trusted? ,has he any integrity ?how do you find him as a work mate?, Naku heard the questions ,but gave airy fairy answers which were more of maybe's rather than clear definites . As it was a matter under enquiry Ms.Tendulkar thought it best to let Naku go, "ok Nakusha thanks for your help ,and if you have any more thoughts about the questions I asked you then please don't hesitate to get in touch with me again" she called after Naku as she was about the exit the office.
Naku came out strident from Ms.Tendulkar's office ,she could have replied to all the questions about his character, laid back in work , chauvinistic, manipulative, devious and obsessive ,but dishonest! ,oh Bappa ,because he was a friend plus from the same village, she felt she would have to give him a chance to say his piece. She moved angrily towards the PT room and went to his office. He was busy looking at some files , she stood in the door way and intently studied his face. He looked up at her and like always his face lit up at seeing her and his broke into a wide smiling "ah ja Nakusha is waqat? ,I thought you would have retired by now , how may I help you ma'am? he said lightly. Naku confronted him undeterred by his displayed normal behaviour,"look Harshad she started off "have got anything to tell me?, in response he gave her the shrug of shoulder and continued to read through his notes .Nakusha ,moved closer and snatched the file out of his hand "Harshad! she repeated his name I have just come out of the Ms.Tendulkar's office and she!.. Harshad stood up and touched Naku's arm and sat her down on one of the chairs ," Nakusha Dekh, tera dost problem mein hai , he fell down to his knees and very nearly grabbed her hand as she swivelled the chair slightly away from him, he clasped his hands and bowed his heads ,real trouble! but not of his own making he grovelled, "meri fault nehi hai Nakusha , now would I lie to you, tu mujhe janti hai since donkey's years,! common pilfering why would I do that? he pleaded "do I look like a petty thief to you Nakusha do I? he desperately tried to convince her as he stood before her pointing to his chest, he continued to argue, "well I am not sure of what to think? especially of what I have heard it sounds more than petty crime" said Nakusha her large doe eyes pierced him to unpick his thoughts. He complained "oh so you have already formed an opinion of my involvement in the incident, have you Nakusha? without listening to my story!!...he shouted .Naku was fed up of his ambling about and she raised her voice "I am gutted Harshad ,so what is the truth then? tell me I am listening said Naku".."well Nakusha the truth is 4 wheel chairs have gone missing ,I was overseeing the despatch, and henceforth now I am under scrutiny, but my defence is I am in the clear, my dealing in this case is only to the level of delivery to the destination, what lead to it? who was involved? is not my head ache, for I have given my account , I was with the driver and he with me, all along the journey! the only time I left the drivers side was when I went to have lunch, now if you ask me Nakusha ,he had enough time to remove the wheel chairs from the lorry ,especially as I was not about to supervise the goods, so now you decide who could be the culprit in the is mystery? ! who is likely to commit such an act? who would be desperate for money? me? who has a secure job , qualifications, or this driver who is a crawler! with a hungry brood, barely making ends meet! He disputed loudly. Naku squared her shoulders and her eyes flashed. "Harshad this is ,unacceptable, this is immoral, that you have blamed the driver, for something that you, planned, and implemented! shouted Nakusha as she screwed up her face arched her eyebrows and pointed an accusing finger at Harshad in the true fashion of her Saab, "Harshad! she threatened dangerously "I heard your conversation that night in the basement with your accomplices! you bunch of iniquitous filth! aura ab tu dekhna I will give evidence! , tumahre jaise log he mulak ko demeek ke terhan chaat jata hain!!! , kala dundha ker ne wale!! , she trembled with anger ,you watch I, will give evidence ,against you! and defend the driver! who is innocent ,and Bappa help me! she fumed. "ahhh! nice speech Nakusha! and great histrionics as well! but Bappa better save you ,and he whipped out his phone and fumbled around with it and then finally flashed the picture before her face , take a look at this lioness! before you decide to give evidence go on take a look at this lady hot of the press for your Saab! ,howwhaaa!! and what I hear of him he will certainly make mince meat out of you, or better still boot you out of his life! ,which ,he slapped his hands together will be no bad thing for me!...haaa so jaa aur evidence de baby!..waise Iam not such a Kamina ..Nakusha.. will give you some time to sleep over it, the ball is now in your court.. defend the driver or lose your Saab!! cackled Harshad. Naku left his office, outraged, scandalized traumatized.. she needed her man now . She went out in the cold night and dialled his number..
Both were under the cold , blue night sky, miles apart from each yet distance was obliterated by both their need and want to commune with each other.. his slender fingers with shiny manicured nails closed over his phone as his face curled up into a drowsy ,drunken ,wicked smile ,hummh and he answered "Naku", "Ssaab", Saabbb", she repeated, "hummm Naku aage bhi bole gi ke usual ditto.. ditto.. kera gi mera name ka ,he said softly, "Saaabb hold me! Saab hold me close to your heart"!! she repeated overcome with emotion ,he smiled with dreamy glazed eyes, but thought he heard her sniff, and she could sense it so she pressed her mouth and then gave a muffled cough instead "Naku have you still got a cold my love" he whispered caringly ,she felt he was unsuspecting of her condition of crying and hence she continued "Saaabb mujhe apni bahhoon mein la lo, Saab hold me close put your arms around me" she begged ,Dutta twitched his jaw with unease, he sensed an awkwardness in her voice something was the matter, she sounded exceptionally needy ?she didn't sound quite right, "yes haan Naku ,my love tu mera pas he hai ,mera saat , meri bahoon mein hai my love , oye what's the matter saab theekh hai na? kya hoya hai? , baata Naku main sun raha hoon , have you had a bad day"? he asked gently "Saaabb" she cried "when! when are you coming back? she pleaded , he threw back his head and chuckled haaa ,so ya baat hai Naku ,all this hold me , bahoon mein la lo! giving me a tease to find out when I 'll be back ,well my sweet ,my gujar ka halwa ,I am coming back tomorrow, ab kush haina" ...he heard her release a sigh of relief and gave her a mauh! over the phone "oye tera pas nehi aye ga tera Saab my gorgeous woman , military school mein ..but between you and me hawwt woman! teri yaad tu bahut ati hai Dutta ko... want to see you hold and kiss you all the time baby ,but you know that don't you my love"? he whispered, "Saaab mujhe bhool tu nehi jao ga na? ...he stopped eh? what kind of a question is that Naku? he asked stunned ,"thuje bhool jaon mutlaab apne ap ko bhool jaon , no I don't think so Naku.. "Saabb", Naku was going to ask do you trust me? ,but she stopped for she knew he would be on prompt red alert!,so instead she repeated again ,"Saaabb keep holding me close to your heart, apne dil ke pas"... and she hung up before she broke down in hysterics. Dutta stood there in the dark , his face screwed up his eyes brows held a slight furrow in the middle, right above the strong bridge of his prominent attractive nose , he was a few metres away from his camp , he looked at his phone ,something was a amiss with her today he could feel it within his soul ! his woman is troubled! .Without wasting a moment, he dialled a number "haan Baji main Bhao, haan main theekh hoon ,sun , Naku ka phone aya hai mujhe abhi ,waise tu theekh hai ,pun Baji kuch tu baat hai mujhe asia lagta hai ,she was not herself,he confided in his best friend ,"bhao tu chinta maat ker ,main pata lagaata hai useka kya problem hai ,waise tu wapis kab ah raha hai Bhao?asked Baji, "kal Baji ,baki AS theekh hai na? Roops uni ja rehi haina ?Dutta asked briefly ,"haan Bhao saab theekh hai ,dekh tu Naku ko mera pe choor de, chinta maat kerna, mera bhi tu behan or vahiani hai woh" assured Baji. "achaa phir main phone rekhta hoon subah jaldi nikalane hai safar pa ...and the call ended.. Dutta headed back to his tent contented with his field exercise, but his soul was troubled..Naku... to be continued~ Hamlet~25.11.11
Precap: "ah yes come in my boy said Parekh, the Dera hospital has a sticky situation that perhaps needs an army style clean up, so, you up for it Dutta"?
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