(Recap – In the last part I narrated, how by chance I noticed the appearance of Tarun ji at an ordinary food corner. There only, a local vagrant told something about his personal life in disparaging way. That hurt me.)
From the very moment, I came to know about the bitter truth of Tarun ji staying in a rental room, in an unknown colony of under developing semi-urbanized location and facts about his personal life; I felt distressed about him. Prior to that, I had heard facts about his domestic life in another form, that all I have narrated in the previous parts of of this story. But one fact about his deportment was undisputed. Whenever he happened to meet with someone, apparently he behaved jovially, as if, nothing serious had occurred in his private life. Perhaps psychological norms truly say, ” a man who looks happy and jovial in appearance in person, in fact is utterly “alone” in his life.”
Time kept on pacing in its usual way. On one day Dubey ji alias Rishi ji had to visit some distant far away arduous location to cover a certain story. There hovered a probability, this adventurous assignment might consume the entire day in covering of the story and he was expected to return by late of the evening. Now, Dubey ji who had crossed the age limit of fifty years and at this juncture of age, no doubt was fraught with worldly experience but along with was weaker on the physical strength level and somewhat cowardice in this respect. In such condition, he needed a young fellow as a companion, who could be helpful if there occurred any untoward situation. Secondly, the only option to reach at the destination to cover the story, he had in hand was his old timed scooter only.
If by mischance, scooter’s wheel got punctured there, the young fellow as a companion might be a good helping hand in changing of the wheel. Or if condition worsened, he could push on the scooter manually easily, at least to a place, where it could be repaired. Who else than me could be most suitable companion for Dubey ji in this adventure. Secondly. I was an all alone bachelor, free from all encumbrances from banal point of view. He, with a right of a senior colleague commanded me to accompany him. Along with he also offered a lucrative proposal to give me the feast of drinks and dinner at the return time. I was but to concede to his this command and I did the same.
In that far distant hilly location, owing to heavy torrent and storm, the incidence of massive land slide had taken place, causing considerable loss of life and property. He was to collect the photographs of devastated spots of occurrence and prepare a sensational news report. This to was an opportunity for me to gain some experience in the field. This coverage consumed much more time than we had anticipated. When we happened to reach near the city’s outer, it was 9 O’ clock of the evening. There in the out skirt of the city, Dubey ji managed to have a sitting arrangement at the shop of his some acquaintance. We both were tired to the extinction and this impelled us to consume the alcohol more than our usual daily drink quota.
As I already have mentioned about the peculiar behaviour of Dubey ji alias Rish ji; firstly, he began in the same way under the impression of the alcohol. He began to describe about the beauty, contours and sexy looks of the women of landslided effected area. Before he could consummated his imaginary copulation with those women, I found this situation most suitable and hit my long awaited query. By giving a slight bend to our conversation, asked him in an astute way, ” Dubey ji, You have been an old time family friend of Tarun ji; it is certain you might have met his better half also ?” Upon this question, eyes of Dubey ji became at once tipsy and tinctured with lustful expression.
Perhaps, he at once recalled the image of the better half of Tarun ji, he quickly replied, ” Of course, on various occasions I have seen her. We are old friends and been regular visitors to the place of each other. Now Tarun has no “home” in real sense. He is a wanderer. To the extent, if you ask me about his wife’s appearance, she was an “arresting beauty”. An item by her self.” Upon the term “Item,” Dube ji emphasized specifically. When he used this derogatory term “item”, I again found a lustful spark in his eyes, which we often notice in the eyes of sexually thirst stricken ‘s man. Really say, I at once felt an abhorrence for Dubey ji for his this misdemeanor. This feeling of abhorrence too impelled me for a conviction that in near future when I plan to get married, never, I will Introduce my better half with this sex maniac.
A man, who could use the derogatory word “item” for the wife of his one intimate friend, how could he honor the wife of his junior colleague. But I too was determined to know the facts of real story of Tarun ji’s life from his mouth only. Again I threw another round about question, ” but Tarun ji seems a fortunate man. It is obvious, he has got handsome earning from his journalistic profession, besides , he receives an additional remittance of fifty pound per month as a gift from his abroad settled wife.” My this quirky statement made Dube ji rolled with laughter. Hardly he controlled his laugh and then abruptly under the spell of drinks, he burst into a rage, ” fuck the ass! All that story is fake one and coined by Tarun, just to save his face in the public.”
The time period of this story, I already have narrated took place in the last decades of the last century. At that period of time, fifty pounds meant about five thousand Indian rupees of that time. This amount was considered as an handsome amount for a working class person at that time. This was sufficient for a small family to meet its expenditure in a small city like us. And with a forceful loquacious jerk, Dubey ji had exposed the truth. Yet more was to be disclosed. ( End of the Part 5th. Cont’d ). Penned by — Vinay Pharasi —–
