Short stories - 'Modern Day Mariamma' on page 8 - Page 6

Originally posted by: girivanam

Nanri nari Priya. Ungal veetil Pongal pandigai mudindhadha?😊

                                              Modern Day Maariamma

As her lips inches closer to mine, I can smell the mango slice juice from her mouth and my eyes close on their own.

"Harish! Open your eyes."

"mmm... no",  I refuse to open.

"Are you going to open them or not?" she shakes me violently.

As I open my eyes in slow motion, my father's face at close range jerks me out of my bed.  My God! Was that all a dream?  He stares at me intently. Did I blabber something? Not sure of anything, I bend down my head and start to fold the bed-sheet.

"Harish..."

"Appa..?" I sound more like a student in front of the head master.

"I forgot to tell you yesterday. Your grandparents are coming by Chennai Express now. Bring them home from Central Station."  When I could get terrified with his normal voice, all my life I had made sure not to find out how he would react in anger. Would I give him a chance now? Definitely not and so as usual I nod my head meekly and head towards the wash room.

Amma hands me the coffee cup with a pleasant smile. My mother has always been a woman of very few words. Most of her conversations consisted of only her smiles. Her entire world revolved around my father, me and our house. Books were my companions until my college days. Even afterwards they became my life. Our house always has a quiet and serene atmosphere. I can never ever raise my voice above a certain decibel. The very reason I am telling all this is because I can easily give in to anyone or anything  and for the same reason I do not mind anybody calling me shy or introvert or timid or for that matter any other name. Ok, coming back to my story.

It is 6:15 in the morning. I finish my coffee and hurry for my bath. Fifteen minutes later I bike towards Central Station. After leaving my bike in the parking lot, I take out my platform ticket from the automatic vending machine, walk through the security scanner and enter the station. The electronic display shows ETA of Chennai Express as 7:35am. I think the time gap of fourteen minutes before the train is scheduled to arrive, is more than enough for me to tell something more about myself. My name is Harihara Kannan. I have completed my post graduation in Library Sciences and currently employed as a Librarian in a highly reputed Deemed University. After three years in the college, my annual income has crossed five lakh rupees. My father is also employed and as he is taking care of all the household expenses, most of my earnings go into savings. The elders for whom I have come to the station are my paternal grandparents. They are settled in a village called Andhiyur, near Gobichettipalayam. We visit them three or four times in a year. As I do not know the purpose of their current visit, I am not able to tell about that now.

My cellphone rings. Who else? It is my father. "I forgot to tell you that they are in coach S8. Couldn't you have asked me?" He chides me. I don't protest or get angry... haven't I already told you about my nature? The train arrives sharply at 7:36. I walk in search of S8 coach. My grandparents wave through the window. I smile and show my happiness on seeing them. I quietly wait till everyone has alighted and then get into the coach; help them down to the platform with their luggage.

Grandma hugs me warmly. "Harish kanna, how are you? Hasn't our grandson grown even taller?" she asks grandpa who nods his head vigorously in agreement. Grandma has been saying the same thing every time she sees me. But I can't recall growing even one millimeter taller than my 5 feet 11.5 inches in the last five years. We come out of the station. After helping them into a prepaid auto, I follow in my bike.

After a relaxing bath, my grandparents sit in the dining hall with my mother's special hot and aromatic coffee. My father, sitting humbly in front of his parents looks up at them anxiously. I realize the purpose of their visit is a mystery even to my father.  Grandma turns towards her husband , "Ennanga...", but grandpa is too busy to hear her, pouring the coffee into the tumbler and the accompanying cup alternately, the sound of which reverberates in an otherwise quiet house. By the time he finishes his drink nodding his head many times in approval and wipe his mouth with his towel, I fear patience itself might have lost its patience.

"Do you remember Murugesu from the adjacent farm? His brother-in-law Paramasivam's wife is Neelaveni. Neelaveni's sister is studying in a college here.  We wondered if we can fix that girl for our child, Harish. The girl is staying somewhere in Triplicane. We thought of visiting Parthasarathy temple, see the girl and then consult the astrologer also. What do you say Subbu?"

"It must be perfect, if the two of you say so." My father's complete surrender is dutifully accepted by my mother with her usual smile. I slip into my room slowly.

"Look at our Harish blushing", Grandma laughes in delight and everyone joins her. I donot share their enthusiasm. I couldn't care less if it is Paramasivam's sister-in-law or even Parthasarathy Himself's sister. With a thirty eight thousand monthly salary and a timid nature, I have no hope for any Chennai girl to marry me. It must be obvious if you visit any matrimonial site. Every girl wants a boy whose annual income  is more than sixty or seventy thousand. Why fault the girl alone? Parents also share the same view. Anyway this has never bothered me and will never ever bother me. Do you know why? SUJI... my Sujitha. The sound of her name can fill all part of me with such warmth that I have no words to express. The best part is I have seen her only six days in my entire life and even during those blessed days I have not spoken a single word to her. During last year's cultural programme in my college, she had participated in the art exhibition. What attracted me to her? Was it her calm demeanor, toothpaste commercial laugh or the artist inside her? I have no idea but I fell head over heels in love with her. Noting her birth date from the participants register, I even bought her a birthday card, but beyond that I couldn't do much. I never had the courage to give it her. I had it hidden inside one of my books, which eventually got lost somehow. I sigh deeply and start getting ready for work.

"I have an important audit at office. Amma, Aiya you two please take care of the alliance", my father leaves in a hurry.

"Yes atthai", my mother echoes my father's sentiments.

I drop my grandparents at the bus stop and go my way. It is around 3 in the afternoon when my father orders me to take permission from work and come home immediately'. Oh my God! I am so tensed now. Did the girl accept the proposal? How can I get out of this mess?

The fact that there are no new faces in the house is some consolation to me. All of us sit in front of grandma like a mass before a reverend.

"After little Harish left us at Vanuvampet bus stop, we waited and waited, but there was no bus in sight for us. There weren't many people in the stand. As we were thinking of returning home, an auto came near us slowly..." As grandma started narrating like an expert scriptwriter, the events unfolded visually in front of me.

Grandma is struggling between pressing her aching hips and arching her neck to see if any bus is coming. Grandpa is wiping his spectacles with his dhoti and reading each and every word from all the wall posters hanging in front of the pan shop. As per Murphy 's Law, 51 route number buses are moving one after an other in the opposite direction, but not one in their direction.

"Let's take an auto, Mani", grandma dismisses grandpa's plea with a stern reply, "No auto. These auto fellows charge the price of an auto as fare. We will wait for some more time."

After an agonized half hour wait, an auto slowly stops by them. "It is very hot. Where do you elderly people want to go?" Grandpa is floored by the courteous voice of the auto driver.

"We are waiting for the past half an hour. We have to go to Triplicane, before the girl goes to college."

Grandma is grinding her false teeth, "What is the need for so much information to the driver?"

"How much are you asking?" Grandma's stern voice humbles the driver even further.

"Usually the charges would be three hundred rupees. You are elderly people. I am also going in that direction. So give me what ever you wish."

"No, it is better you tell the charges, now. I don't want an argument after we reach the destination", says a prudent grandma.

"Ok grandma. Hundred rupees will do."

The old couple get into the auto. Just round the street corner, the driver stops the vehicle and asks for hundred rupees for petrol. As grandpa opens his wallet slowly, the driver can see bundle of currency notes. 'Does he ever listen? He keeps all his money in one place and exhibits it to all', only if grandpa can read the angry thoughts of grandma. As he pulls out a hundred rupee note and hands it to the driver, some notes fall down.  The old couple bends down to pick up the flying notes. As they are straightening up, the driver comes back running.

"Aiyaa, the finance minister is killed."

"What! What!" a visibly shocked grandpa.

"Triplicane is always a riots prone area. I can't come there. Get down from the auto."

Both of them slowly get down.

"Please give me my money."

"What? We haven't even gone ten feet from the starting place and here you are demanding more money. First give us back the hundred rupees you took in the first place", grandma is panting. The driver grabs the wallet which is still in grandpa's hand and starts his vehicle in a hurry.

"Thief, thief... someone help", grandma screams. Grandpa comes out of his trance only after hearing the cries of his wife. A bike stops near them.  The helmeted rider is a young man in blue jeans and white shirt. They discover it to be a girl after she removes her helmet. The old people animatedly describe their ordeal, she leaves in a hurry.

'Kof ... kof' I was diverted from the narration by a coughing sound. It is my grandmother coughing. She continues the story only after my mother gives her a hot sponge and honey.

"The auto came back chased by the girl and few others within minutes. The driver was given a sound thrashing. We got our money back, so we just let him go without any police complaint. You will not believe when I say this, Subbu. When your father lost his purse, I prayed to our family deity, Paariyur Mariamma. Immediately this girl came. I felt as if our own deity came to our rescue in pant and shirt. Do you know her name? Akilandeshwari", grandma was ecstatic. 

"Funny, the girl is also living in this area, actually next street. She took us to her house and showered us with so much respect and hospitality. The house is so beautifully decorated. It seems her parents are in a foreign country and she is staying here with a distant relative. I have asked her to visit us all sometime. We mentioned about Harish and she gave us her parents contact number. I have decided Subbu... Akilandeshwari should be the daughter-in-law of this house." Appa and grandpa nod their heads vigorously in agreement. Only amma looks at me in concern.

"I can't think of anyone else other than Suji", I couldn't hear my own voice. The hall becomes silent. I cannot bear to face all the four pair of eyes on me.

"Sujji... bhajji what nonsense name is that?" How can grandma be so mean? I did not know I was capable of so much anger until I hear myself shouting, "If at all there is a girl in my life, it will be Suji... only Suji."

 I see someone entering our house. I am stunned to see Suji standing and staring at me. How did she come here now? Did she hear what I just said? I am sure of one thing now. She is going to negate my feelings. Heartbroken I slip into my room.

"Akilandeshwari, please come inside", grandma is full of excitement. My God! So is my Suji the modern dress mariamman? My heart take wings and soar up.

"Harish, are you happy with the girl of your dreams?" I am stunned again... this time by my father.

"We knew it all along. Suji had long back hinted to your mother. We were just waiting for you to express it yourself. What more happiness do we need than to see our boy settle down with the girl of his choice?" I am seeing a new face of my father. I am getting emotional.

"Sathya, can we have a treat today?" Appa walks out of the room talking to amma. She gives her usual smile following him. Left alone we ogle at each other.

"Is it enough to just buy a card? Shouldn't it be ensured that it reaches the intended person?" Suji questions playfully. I am stunned again... so the missing card is with her.

"If you had opened your mouth, we needn't have wasted these many days, right?" There is so much longing in her voice that I begin to feel the same way.

"Suji... do do... you...like... Like mango... juice?" I ask hesitantly.

"mm... why do you ask?"

"Dream... smell... juice.." I am back to my normal incoherent self.

"Why don't speak in such a way that I can understand?"She walks closer to me and holds my hand. The touch instills a new feeling in me... a new strength...a lively spirit.

"Why speak? I will demonstrate it to you." With a new courage and bliss, I lead her out of my house.

                                                                                                Subham

Caution : The story is actually based on real life incidents... incidents of elderly people getting duped in novel ways. The romance part is the masala mix 😃