Gently Falls the Bakula Read online

  His was not the first Indian company to be listed. Several other companies had been listed and were also doing well.

  Shrikant took every challenge as an opportunity. He felt the stronger the hurricane, the greater the challenge. Shrikant believed challenges meant opportunities for growing. It was pointless worrying, action had to be taken.

  He called up Priya and told her to cancel all his appointments, however important, and informed her to book a ticket for Delhi that night and to the US after a couple of days.

  When he reached home, his head was heavy. He told his driver Maruthi that he would be ready in an hour’s time and asked him to stay back to drop him at the airport.

  He knew that Shrimati’s driver would have left by then. Without even looking for Shrimati, he went to his study and picking up some papers, called out to her, ‘Shrimati, I may be off to the US for two to three weeks. Kindly pack my bag. I think our friend Vasudev Shenoy and his wife are coming from Delhi on a personal visit. They are our guests. Let them stay here, not in the company’s guest house. Please look after them and organize all their trips at our expense. He is an extremely useful person to us.

  ‘Please pack an extra pair of specs and boots for me.

  ‘I was supposed to go to Hubli for a day next month. But now, I will not be able to do so. Inform my mother about this change of plan. By the way, she has asked for some gold item. If possible, arrange for it or send the money for it.’ Shrikant gave all these instructions without once looking up from his papers.

  Maruthi, who had followed him into the study with his briefcase, was surprised to hear him talk like this to memsaab. He thought Shrikant’s behaviour resembled his drunkard father Tukaram’s. They were in their own nasha, without being bothered about others. Under intoxication, they behave like that. Look at our saab, Maruthi thought. He doesn’t drink. But he behaves like he does. Maruthi thought of his young wife Tulasi. He had promised her that he would take her for a movie that night. But by the time he dropped his boss at the airport and returned, all the theatres would be closed. Tulasi would be upset, but also happy with his overtime allowance. Maruthi went downstairs.

  Shrimati did not move an inch. Shrikant looked at her and said, ‘Shrimati, hurry up. Serve my dinner quickly. I cannot eat on the plane, you know. I forgot to tell you! Pack two of my suits as well.’

  ‘Shri, where are you going?’

  ‘Didn’t you hear me? I am going to the US, I said.’

  ‘But Shri . . .’

  ‘Please don’t waste time. I am getting late.’

  ‘I cannot do your work. I will get bored being alone for three weeks. You had promised that you would take leave for three days next month. And those three days you would not take up any official work. Because of that I booked our tickets to Ladakh.’

  ‘Cancel them. I don’t even have time to talk about it now. I have tremendous pressure from office.’

  ‘Please, Shri, can’t you postpone your tour at least this time, for my sake?’

  She knew Shrikant would not do it. It had never happened before. But still she wanted to put her demand forward, to let him know that she did not want to be the lowest priority any more. Shrikant realized that Shrimati was not going to do anything for him. He himself went to the wardrobe and started taking out his clothes.

  ‘Shrimati, don’t be irrational. Tell Priya to send you my itinerary tomorrow. Pack in some aspirin and sulphur tablets. I have to leave in the next half hour.’

  Shrimati was standing as still as a rock. But inside her mind, she was exploding like a volcano. She had been so happy that Shrikant had at last agreed to spend three days with her. She was looking forward to the trip with much eagerness. Now, she felt like a tired traveller in a desert, looking for an oasis. Her heart didn’t want to accept that Shrikant did not care for her. But by his behaviour today she knew she was right. Shrikant was only living for himself and his ambitions. He was using her as a personal secretary at home. At least for his official secretary there were timings, but for her it was an all-time job. Her anger was increasing by leaps and bounds, superceding reason.

  ‘Shri, you cannot go anywhere today. You always think of yourself. You are so selfish that you think only of your position, your company and your mother. You never think of me as a human being or what hurts me and what makes me happy! You treat me like a machine.

  ‘You give appointments to everybody but you don’t have any time for me. Don’t I deserve one? Don’t you have any duty towards me? You spend all day occupied by your company, physically and mentally. What is left for me? You give me false assurances every time and I believe you. I am neither a bank nor a post office to send money to your mother. She is related to me through you. When you do not care about me, why should I care about her? Shri, tell me now. Who is important, your wife or your profession? Ask your heart and tell me.

  ‘I am aware that the value of a person is known only during a critical time. The time has come now and you have to decide today, now and at this very moment.’

  Shrimati was overcome with emotion. She caught hold of his shirt and snatched the suitcase. The suitcase fell open and all the things scattered to the ground. Shrikant was struggling to control his rising temper.

  ‘Shrimati, I cannot answer such a nonsensical question. I don’t want to travel at my own will but the work demands it. It is your duty to support a husband like me. Now, you are emotional and being silly. Not only are you wasting your time but you are wasting my precious time too. I have many things to do. I am already late. Please let me go.’

  Helpless and disappointed, Shrimati started sobbing. She didn’t want him to be happy when she was so unhappy in this marriage. She wanted the heat of her unhappiness to touch him too.

  ‘Shri, if you consider that your time is more valuable than mine, if your work is more important than my inner happiness, I will allow you to go. You do your duties to your company because you are paid and given a status. What about my work? And what is my role in this marriage? Just think it over, whether you have discharged any responsibilities as a husband. Has your mother performed her duties as the head of the family? You decide one way or the other. You have an obligation to your wife. If you do not fulfil it, I will not stay in this house.’ Shrimati was holding his hand firmly.

  This was the first time that Shrimati had talked so openly about Gangakka and in relation with Shrikant’s work. There was no logic. Both were entirely different issues. He was surprised by her behaviour. His watch showed that he was getting late and he would miss his flight. He could not afford to spend one day quarrelling with his wife. He forcefully freed himself and said, ‘Shrimati, think whatever you want. I have told you my opinion. I am not going for my own pleasure or for extra money. Neither am I cheating on you. Shrimati, the whole world says that you are more intelligent than me. You think over it and whatever you feel is right, go ahead and do it. I am leaving now.’

  Listening to Shrikant, Shrimati felt as if she had touched a live wire and stood dumbstruck. Shrikant did not eat his dinner. He took his bag and left.

  Now Shrimati did not care what others would say. She ran to the balcony and shouted, ‘I won’t be in town for a month. I won’t look after your guests.’

  Though Shrikant heard it he didn’t respond and just told Maruthi to drive to the domestic airport. He knew very well that she would be at home, do all the work, because duty had become her habit. She would do whatever he asked her to.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  Shrimati looked at the sea with sorrow and bewilderment. The grief that was in her heart was as deep as the ocean. Despite her arguments and her tears he had not listened to her. She sat on a chair and felt as if all her energy had drained out. What had she achieved in her life, she asked herself. She had done everything for Shrikant but he had not noticed her sincerity; he did not value her sacrifices for him.

  He had told her that his time was very valuable.

  Yes, he would definitely grow in stature and rise to