The Old Toothbrush

Chapter-1

I planned it admirably. At precisely 1710 hours, sitting near the boarding gate 12B and in midst of a sea of humanity, I placed the call to Suhasini. She picked up after three rings and her breathless voice at the other end confirmed that all was well. I wouldn't have called her, had I not been warned by my daughter (at the last moment) that if she found my mobile switched off for more than two hours on a Friday evening she was sure to suspect something and therefore...

She had no inkling that I was about to board the flight to Pune and spring a surprise.

"Hey", I said. "We have a 'dengue' meeting and it's going to last till God knows when."

"Hmm, so?"

"I have to switch off the mobile and you will not get through."

"What's the noise? Where are you?" She enquired suspiciously.

"Err...I am in the foyer, for...for the meeting. Lots of fellows here?" I hurriedly replied.

"Ministry? Again?" She was steadfastly inquisitive.

"Yes, the same one," I replied on cue, trying hard not to panic.

"But you never mentioned about it in the morning." The query continued.

I was getting deeper into the muck and surely, she would sense something funny if I didn't stop this conversation forthwith.

Suddenly, a male voice called out the passengers from seat number 20 onwards to come forward for boarding. The entire human race stood up as if the final call for the doomsday had been announced.

Suhasini continued her investigative vigour, "What's happening? I heard some 20 or something."

In a brilliant flash of recovery, I said, "The minister is here and we are moving to room number 20. Okay, bye. I will call after the meeting."

I cut off the call, switched off the phone and wiped my brows.

Lucky escape!!

Standing at the tail end of the serpentine queue, I reviewed the situation. Thanks to the benevolent government we had an unscheduled holiday this Saturday followed by a scheduled holiday on Tuesday. So, I took a day's leave on Monday and lo, I had four days. I tried my best to convince my daughter to come along but she refused. Nowadays she was in a constant state of irritability ostensibly triggered by us, her bungling parents.

The line moved slowly though I did not make much personal advancement due to continuous mid-level entries that complicated the progress. I found that there was a general panic among the passengers and almost everyone elbowed their way through the bar code verification; rush to the bus; frantic move to the stairway and finally depositing the huge hand luggage overhead and finally settling on the window seat, in the process trampling over many a human form.

I had a middle seat that annoyed me and my flanking co-passengers. The primary life-threatening issue at hand was as to who will use the armrest!

Finally, the plane taxied and took off on yet another before time departure proving that it was good to be on time.

Two and half hours passed with difficulty. Further, I managed to disappoint the in-flight hospitality team by not subscribing to either pre-cooked noodles or customized merchandise. To avoid the 'less than friendly' glare, I closed my eyes keeping both my arms firmly on the lap (my own). I had conclusively lost the battle of the armrest.

Finally, we landed at 1940 hours at Pune airport. I stood on the aisle and called my daughter. A deadpan bored voice answered cryptically, "Reached?"

I said in a low voice, "Yes, any news?"

Her: Yes, mom called.

Me: Did she ask about me?

Her: Yes, she asked where you were.

Me: So, what did you tell her?

Her: I told her that I don't know. And you must be in office.

Me: And? What else?

Her: Nothing Baba. I know what to tell. In the end, you only will create the confusion.

Okay, bye.

The phone went dead. There was no respect for the elders these days. In our days...!

My thought process was broken by a firm shove that propelled me forwards towards the exit. The back-end wave pushed me out of the plane door like an egg, expelled from you know where!

The next 15 minutes were spent on coming out, booking an Ola cab and moving towards home. I had half an hour to reach.

Now was the time. I called Suhasini. The breathless voice appeared after three rings. All under control.

Her: What? In a vehicle?

I was well prepared this time and said, "Yes".

Her: How was the meeting?

Me: What meeting? I was there for the tea and snacks. Do you think I had anything to contribute? Whatever I suggested was shot down. The tea was good though. What are you doing?

Her: Hmm. You know what? After you switched off, I got a call from Aditya. There is some get-together at Pune club. The boss wants me to come. Special Invitee.

Me: So, what have you decided? I think you should go. Someone's marriage anniversary or what?

Her: I don't think so. I wanted to ask you but your mobile was switched off. I presumed that you will say the same. Actually, Aditya is here to pick me up. Talk to him.

Aditya: Good evening, Sir, what's happening at Delhi?

Me: Hi, Adi! And where are you taking my wife? What's happening?

Aditya: Sir, it's just a get-together at Pune club. I am here to take Ma'am. With great difficulty, I have convinced her.

Me: And I have never been able to do that. Congratulations. When will you be back?

Aditya: Sir, definitely by 10. I will drop her.

Me: Okay. Enjoy.

Aditya: Sir, over to Ma'am.

Her: What about your food?

Me: I have no party to go!

Her: Don't get jealous. Both of you go and enjoy, Fatty Bao or Monkey Bar.

Me: Hmmm. Okay! Take care.

I switched off.

Some minor change in plan was necessary. I was still about 20 minutes from home. Surely, I would miss them. I had a pair of keys. I had some funny plans but that needed to be shelved for the time being. I reached home uneventfully and quietly climbed the stairs and opened the doors. The guard didn't see me.

The inside of the house was exactly as I had left it three months back when I had visited last. It was intended to be a similar surprise visit. But to my great dismay when I had knocked the door, she had opened immediately and had asked me to come in and have food. Apparently, I had left multiple loose ends that had given my stealth away.

This time the preparation was better.

I settled in the armchair and thought for a while. I had two hours to kill. I was hungry. So, I carefully hid my bag and left the premises being careful not to leave any tell-tale signs. I avoided the watchman again and left for the MG Road in an auto.

I reached "Pulp Joint" and ordered many 'usually avoided nowadays' items and stuffed myself while washing it down with two glasses of 'cane sugar juice'. Then I had 'mango pulp' followed by the glorious 'India Kings', both strictly forbidden.

Heaven.

Chapter-2

Well, "Pulp Joint" was the place where I and Suhasini had decided to unite. Two energetic youngsters woefully short of cash spoke at length about the Niagra falls but could afford only the sunrise at the 'Katraj Ghat'. This is where they got so animated about the romantic 'Fort Kenilworth' that they ended up visiting 'Fort Purandhar', the next Sunday itself. That was us and that was more than 20 years back. Today, she was 41 and I was 44.

'Katraj and Purandhar' evoked the same nostalgia, much greater than Niagra, even today.

It was 2145 hours and I casually walked to the Pune Club. Intention was to spring the surprise there. As I entered the gate, I found Aditya's SUV moving out with Suhasini sitting in front. I felt foolish. I cursed my greed for the pulp and the fag that lost me precious time.

I needed to change my plans, once more!

I loitered around for another half hour, caught a Pune city bus (what nostalgia!) and reached home at 2300 hours sharp. The watchman was there but looking elsewhere. I climbed the stairs for the second time and stood in front of the door.

It was time. I took out the keys.

For some time now, I was increasingly getting enamored by the qualities of WD-40, the one-stop solution for many household activities. I had generously applied it in the hinges of the double door 3 months back and it worked. The door opened silently like a Rolls and I entered planning to spring the ever-elusive shock.

There was a single dim light in the living room accentuating the darkness in the corners and there was the noise. From my bedroom.

I stood transfixed. Even for a callous fellow like me, I knew what was going on. The grunts and the moans said it all.

No, it wasn't my worst nightmare. This, I never knew existed.

Did I feel faint or angry or dismayed or anything?

Nothing. I felt unreal. Something that happens to someone else. Not me!

What was I to do? Shout? Charge in? Run out? What?

I slowly sat in the armchair. For the second time, today.

The noise continued and then got muted and then stopped altogether.

For how long?

How do I know? Was I timing it?

But I knew only one thing that I was sitting in my own living room.

That the surprise was on me.

I took out my mobile and switched it off. Why?

I don't know. Maybe, I did not want my phone to ring.

The events of the day crossed my mind like a cinema, the telephone calls, the car ride, the pulp joint and even the push in the aircraft. Everything passed like frames. A disjointed movie. In bits and pieces. Meaningless. I was tired. I had no will to react.

Time passed.

The phone rang somewhere in the distance. I did not care. I heard only one word that she uttered, "What?"

And then there was silence. Minutes passed and I stared into the darkness that my life offered.

She came in and we were face to face.

I looked at her and she looked at me.

Who will say the first words?

"I think Adi needs to leave," I said quietly.

A human form slowly emerged from the direction of my bedroom and stood in silence, head bowed. An undeniable shadow of the smart, athletic, handsome and witty man that I knew and admired.

I stood up and said with a surprising normalcy, "Come! Let me leave you to your car."

The door opened silently once again and I climbed down the stairs, not looking back.

This time the watchman was sitting bang near the stairs and was awake.

He said with a bright smile, "Sahib! You came today?"

I nodded.

He looked behind me, "Party? Sahib."

I nodded again.

Aditya whispered, "Sir, the car is outside."

I nodded once more and walked towards the Complex gate.

The lone SUV was parked a little away from the gate. He climbed and started the engine. He hesitated. He wanted to say something.

"Drive carefully", I said kindly.

He averted my eyes and drove off.

I returned. A whiff of cold air made a sudden chill go down my spine. Possibly, the chill was in my heart. The watchman looked at my tired face and said, "Sahib. Tell your guests to get their car inside. I will arrange parking."

I patted his shoulders and moved on. I had no energy to climb back the stairs. But I did, I had to.

And I also had to enter the door that nowadays opened silently.

I looked at the watch. 2347 hours. I was getting obsessed with the 24-hour time format.

My time was approaching the zero.

The door was closed and I did not have the keys this time. Should I ring or should I knock? Confused, I shuffled my feet. The door opened and she stood aside. Her face and eyes were enacting the nightmare that I thought I would never see. We both were the protagonists in a drama that never existed, for us. We didn't buy tickets for this Machiavellian comedy of intrigue. A comedy, most cruel.

It was a serious issue for both of us to take the next step. Finally, she asked, "Have you eaten something."

On another day, I would have omitted at least half the menu before mentioning the pulp joint. Today, I simply said, "Yes."

"Will you sleep?"

I looked at her and said blandly, "Okay."

I moved to the bedroom where all the linen had been changed during that short period of my absence.

For the first time in my life, I did not change. I just lay down, head down with my face on my arms.

The lights went out. The darkness engulfed me completely. I had never experienced how heavy darkness could be and how easily this darkness sucked out life. But sleep had its own mechanisms and the tiredness covered my body like a blanket and I descended into a slumber.

I don't know when I came out the stupor, but there was an arm around my back and a face on my outstretched arm. I was dimly aware of my arms being soaked in sweat. I turned my face and saw what I had never seen before. Relentless silent tears flowing from her eyes, drenching my arms.

What was I to do?

Kick her and leave the bed in rage?

Or just lay the way I was!

Or take her in my arms and comfort her the way only I could do.

What was I to do? What?

Tb be continued...