Since the publication of my book ` A Difficult Choice`- a collection of 15 short stories by me published in 2017, I had not written a short story for a long while. That spell was broken when I tried my hand at writing a short story in Tamil after several decades. Titled, `Anmaneya Kadhal ( Platonic love), it was published in a recent issue of Malar Vanam, a monthly e-magazine in Tamil edited by Ramki aka K.R.Ramakrishnan. I am now happy to report that my new short story in English, titled ` Solitude by design`, has been published in the March 26 issue of Mixed Bag, another monthly e-magazine in English published by Ramki.
I was inspired to write this story based on the
life of a resident in a Senior Citizen Home, who has two
wives and families, and yet has chosen to live alone in a Senior Citizen Home.
I must state that this is not his life story but a fiction based on the idea of
a man with two families choosing to live alone in a SCH.
Solitude by Design- An independent life
without responsibilities.
Raman , a widower was staying in a well known senior citizen community in Chennai . The facility had a dining hall
where many residents would come to partake their meals three times a
day, providing an opportunity for the residents to make new friends. Oneday he met Rajendran, a newcomer to the
community. He was surprised to learn
that Rajendran had moved into the community in spite of having two
families- through two wives. One staying in Chennai and another in Coimbatore.
Having two wives and
still staying in a senior citizen home alone? Raman decided to probe Rajendran who was more than willing to share his
interesting life story.
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Rajendran`s father was a school teacher in a government
school and they lived in a modest home in Saidapet. Only child to his parents he grew up to be a
handsome young man. After school he got admission in the prestigious Engineering college in
Chennai. After getting a degree, he joined a well known automotive company as a management trainee.
Since he was doing well in his job, his parents decided to get him married to a
distant relative , 20 years old Sita, when
he was only 25.
She was
not a graduate and turned out to
be an introvert who preferred to stay back and build a beautiful home, contrary to Rajendran`s penchant for social life. The couple was
blessed with a boy and a girl within five years of the marriage and his wife
got deeply involved with the children. Though she was a good homemaker. Rajendran
realized that Sita was not the dream girl that he wanted to marry.
It was almost 10 years after his marriage, his company decided to post him
to Coimbatore, as Manager in charge of a
new project that the company was setting up in that city. Sita decided to stay
back in Chennai with the children as she was not sure of managing the household by her
self in Coimbatore in the absence of Rajendran who would be away on tour, 20
days a month. Besides she was confident
of getting her parents`support in
Chennai .
In Coimbatore, Rajendran started missing his family and particularly
his wife who knew how to make him happy whenever he visited Chennai to meet the
family.
Rajendran started feeling miserable. His secretary Neela, a 25-year-old single woman staying in a Ladies Hostel, was an understanding soul. Whenever she found Rajendran in a disturbed mood , she would encourage him to talk about his problems and offered him whatever solace she could.
Rajendran was greatly touched by her compassion and understanding. She was truly the dream girl that he would have liked to marry. She was willing to lend more than her shoulder to help Rajendran face his hopeless situation. Though they were discreet in their relationship during office hours, they decided to meet every Saturday afternoon at a nearby resort hotel to spend the weekend.
These secret outings resulted in Neela becoming pregnant. After one rendezvous, lying exhausted in bed, Neela spoke to Rajendran, “Raja, I went to a Gynaecologist yesterday since I missed my periods. She confirmed that I am two months pregnant “
Rajendran who was on Cloud Nine after a hectic session, landed on Earth with a thud.
“Will you marry me Raja, to give legitimacy to my child… our child?” Rajendran did not know how to react. “Are you sure… we have been taking precautions… I mean...” He was fumbling for words. Yet he said, “Leave the problem to me, Neela, I will find a solution.” He did not have to find a solution because of what Rajendran`s wife told him during his next visit to his home in Chennai, after the rumour about his affair had reached her.
Rajendran went about
his chores for the day and anxiously
waited for the night when he would be alone with his wife. The night
came and when the door of the bedroom was closed, his wife resisted him trying
to embrace her. She got out of his clutches and sat on the bed and asked him to
sit next to her.
She said, “I have come
to know about your affair with your secretary. I am not upset. I am happy that
you have found someone who loves you and makes you happy in every way. I will
have no objection if you take her as
your second wife.”
Rajendran was shocked. She continued, “ But I have one request. While you
are welcome to visit this home whenever you want, You must not force me to
satisfy your physical needs. I am tired
and am unable to cope up with your demands. I have done my job of producing two
lovely children for you. I will do my best to bring them up well so that you
feel proud of them” So saying she broke down. Hugging him tightly she started
crying. For the first time in their married life Rajendran did not force himself on her .
“ So you decided to
take Neela as your second wife?”quipped, Raman.
“ Yes, with Sita`s permission I married Neela and set up my
second home in Coimbatore. I have a girl
through Neela . She is a management graduate,
who owns a private company. Neela
helps her running it. Sita is also happy staying with her daughter in
Chennai looking after my grandchildren. My son is in USA with a multinational
company, doing very well. I found that neither my services nor advice are required by both my families. Besides I find
that if I stay with one family, the other family gets upset. So I decided
to move into this senior citizen home
to lead an independent life without responsibilities”
What he said next
floored Raman. “ You know I did not have to feel guilty about having two wives.
My grandfather had three wives. My father had two wives. When his first wife could
not bear him a child, he married her
younger sister- my mother. I am their
only child` so saying he broke into his trade mark throaty laughter.
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