The Shadow on the Wall by Manoj Nair

  “Get these medicines from the pharmacy in the hospital. I need them in half an hour,” the nurse coming out of the ICU told Hari.

  “Give me ten minutes”, he said and rushed down the stair in the hospital. The ICU was on the second floor and the pharmacy was on the first. It took him more than an hour to get the medicines and return to the ICU. When he returned the nurse was not there. By the time he found her, she had forgotten why she had asked for the medicines in the first place!

  ‘So much for asking me to hurry’, he thought.

  One day later, they moved V.N.K to the army hospital. V.N.K had suffered a minor attack, while out on his morning walk and had collapsed on the street. Luckily, he was not far from home and someone had recognized him and had called up the nearest hospital. Devaki and Priya were informed and they in turn had called up Hari.

  Hari had left office and gone back straight to his house, grabbed some clothes, and rushed off to the railway station. With no reservations and on an open ticket he had made the two-day journey crouched in a corner of the packed general compartment. One week in the private hospital was expensive, luckily Indigo covered employee dependent medical expenses. A week later, they returned home.

  One of the first things, V.N.K said on reaching home, was that he planned on getting Hari married. He had also selected a girl for him. It was the daughter of one of his colleagues from the army. Hari had protested but his mother silenced him. She reminded Hari that V.N.K’s health was in a delicate condition and the least he could do was not to aggravate him.

  Since Hari was there only for a fortnight, they asked the girl’s parents to come over. This was against all accepted customs. Traditionally it was the boy and his family that went to the girl’s house. The boy would ‘see’ the girl, and if allowed they spoke. Then the elders fixed the marriage. Discussions on dowry were optional and went on separately.

  In Hari’s case, given V.N.K’s health condition and the fact that the parents already knew each other, tradition was set aside. Hari was a prize catch in the village. Reasonably good looking, well – educated, with a very promising career most fathers would have been happy to snare Hari as a groom for their daughters. The two families met over tea.

  Anjana was in her second year in college. She was quite, studious and was learning bharata natyam one of the traditions forms of dance.

  “Let the kids talk. These days it is not like what it was during our times. Then our parents arranged everything. In my case, my father had set up everything. I had come on my vacation. He called me and said ‘There is a girl in that house. You will marry her’. All that I said was ‘Yes father’. We did not dare questions their decisions,” V.N.K said and all those in the room started laughing.

  “Yes, yes ..Let them talk. Show us the house in the meantime, “said Anjana’s father. Except for Hari and Anjana the others left the room. There was an awkward silence as the two sat there looking at the floor. Then Anjana broke the silence, “I do not want to get married now”

  Even though he was planning to get married so soon he had not anticipated this. The abruptness of the comment stumped him.

  “ Why is there a problem?” he asked.

  “ I want to study; I want to get a job first. Only then can I think of marriage. My parents are forcing me into this, “she said looking straight at Hari.

  Hari struggled to find the right words and mumbled, “That is fine with me. I am also in no hurry,”

  The elders returned from their tour of the house.

  “We are planning on the marriage only after a year. As it is both of you have just crossed the marriageable age of 21 and 18 so we will wait for another year, “said V.N.K. “I hope that is alright with you.”

  “That is perfectly ok, we are in no hurry either, “said Hari.

  “ What, are you mad? Getting married so soon? Vijay’s voice carried to all parts of the ODC and before Hari could even respond, the whole team had gathered around his desk.

  “Tell us all that happened.”

  “Tell us about the girl.”

  “This calls for a party. Hari is paying and we want to go out to a restaurant, don’t try to buy us out by getting in a dozen samosas”

  “Do you have her photos?”

  “ Well, my mother put a photo of hers in my bag. She said I was so that I do not look elsewhere. “Hari said and the whole team laughed with him.

  “ As my friend, there are some basic standards that you have to maintain. Bring that photo tomorrow. First of all I have to approve her,” Vijay said.

  “She must be like you. Traditional, oil in her hair with thick spectacles, “ said Manju. “A half sari fan!”

  “Actually she is quite pretty, “said Hari.

  “I doubt that. A girl from a village, what dress sense would she have I can only wonder,” Manju said and went off to her desk with a sarcastic laugh.

  “What a sweet laugh,” said Vijay as he looked at her back.

  “ What is her problem? She reminds me of an angry cobra. Always ready to strike,” Hari said.

  “Don’t say that. You are hurting my sentiments. Anyway bring that photo tomorrow.”