BALANCING ACT (An attempted Short Story)
By: Sundaresan Suresh
Lakhipur was a sleepy, small hamlet in West Bengal. It was one of those industrial townships which had sprung up in the mid 60’s and 70’s. Kamla, a Bihari woman, had come to this township, some 3 decades back, from her home state, in search of livelihood, along with a handful of other villagers. She must be have been 20 years then. Her husband did all sorts of odd jobs- from selling vegetables, to being a daily labour in the factory, to being the owner of khaini/pan shop. In between, Kamla and her husband managed to buy a couple of cows and were supplying milk to households also. The families, about 6 in number, had set up thatched- houses constructed in an unauthorized manner, in Government/Private owned land,adjacent to a large factory.
Kamla was short in height, round and plump. Her face was not particularly attractive but was not repulsive also. She was voluptuous, had enormous bosoms and her backs were gigantic. She had well structured thighs and legs and she exuded a lustful air around her. She had no inhibition in talking to males and would freely use double meaning words, diatribe and sexually provocative gestures. She would often been seen in the company of various males, leaving little to imagination. One could not make out whether Kamla realized that she had been bestowed with great physical assets which she was using to her advantage or she was just plain naïve, a distinct rustic character. Kamla and her husband were getting along like any other illiterate, lower-middle class couple of meager income would. Even after 10-15 years of marriage, they did not have a child. As is the custom, tongues started wagging. Some labeled Kamla’s husband as impotent. Others said that there was marital discord because of Kamla’s character.
Finally Kamala did give birth to a male child. Two saddening incidents coincided with her attaining motherhood. One-Her husband suddenly abandoned her and went missing. Rumour-mongers attributed this to the fact that while the child was Kamla’s it was not ‘theirs’. Secondly the child was a semi-spastic child. There was no apparent physical disability but there was distinct speech impairment and under-development of brain.
The boy was named ‘Chotu’ and all the neighborhood families showered their love and affection on the child. The spirit of cooperation and the determination to the fight the odds are very high amongst economically weaker sections and Kamla with the support of her neighbours and co-habitants managed to bring up the child. The boy, who had no formal education, grew up through the teens and entered his twenties. Kamla was worried about Chotu’s future. There was a Shiva-Kali mandir by the side of their habitat and Chotu used to visit it, both in the morning and evening, religiously. His mother had taught him to close the eyes and pray before the lord. She used to say “if you ask with pure mind- God shall grant all your wishes”.
The boy had enquired about his father only on two occasions. On the first instance, Kamla had simply replied that he was no longer with them. The boy’s persistent queries evoked no response from her. The second occasion had an element of drama in it. It was “HOLI” day. After the customary sprinkling of colours, few community youths had forced Chotu to have a couple of glasses of Bhang and he became inebriated. The youths further teased him by called him “son of unknown father”. Chotu rushed home and pulled Kamla by her neck and yelled “tell me- with whom did you have intercourse, who is responsible for my birth”. He had never seen such calmness in his mother’s eyes despite his wrath. Kamla lifted his chin ,held his face and staring straight in his eyes replied-“you were born when my husband and me consummated our marriage”- there has been only one male in my life and it shall always be so". She walked away as if there has been no altercation at all.
Apart from teaching Chotu with basic manners and personal hygiene, Kamla had also taught him elementary social courtesy like respecting elders and greeting them with “namaskar”etc. There was one South-Indian gentleman, Mr.Thorai, attached to the factory, who would always throw a customary glance at Kamla, Chotu and their hut, on his way to and from the factory. The man was in his fifties and Kamla could make out that his stares were luscious. His mere stare would strip her from head to toe and just as a tiger would look at its prey, he would look at her with hungry eyes. It was as if he was caressing her body part by part, biting her lips, cuddling her breasts and indulging in the act of copulation, in full public view. Kamla could intuitively feel his strong desire for her physical body, but somehow she felt that this gentleman could help Chotu to get some job. Among the hundreds of people who worked in the factory God knows what inspired Kamla to have faith on the lecherous Mr.Thorai. She decided against approaching him directly, by herself. She painstakingly explained her son that if they could please Mr.Thorai then he could fix up some job for him. Thereafter he would have a steady income and could even get married and rear a family. Chotu understood partially what his mother was saying but how to “please” Mr.Thorai was still a mystery to him.
Whenever Chotu would see Mr.Thorai he would shout “namaskar-sir”. Kamla would look at the man’s face expectantly for some positive response. But the man would reveal no emotion and he would just curl his lips in a smile. The hunger in his eyes, which would make Kamla squirm, would be evident.
The ‘gentlemen’ turned out to be a ‘wolf-in-a-sheep-clothing’. One evening when Kamla was standing by the hut, the gentlemen, without shame, approached Kamla and said that “I was thinking about the boy- can fix up a “haajiri”(daily-wage) job for him in my factory”. But you see, everything has a price; some want money, others alchohol and few others err... women. Then he mumled Hmmm.. yer…. You see, you are very attractive even at this age. You must be what 50 ? My weakness is that I am drawn only by older women- Now-a-days- these things have become very common.If you can be accomodative... he broke off not being sure of Kamla's reaction.After a pause he said "I hope you understand". Kamla instantaneously realized what was being hinted at and at that very moment she decided that it had to be done for the sake of her “Chotu”.
After about two days, as promised Mr.Thorai arranged for a job for Chotu. Chotu could not understand how Mr.Thorai was “pleased”. Nor could he summon up enough courage to ask his mother. Kamla asked Chotu to wear his best dress. “First go to the mandir- and then proceed to the factory- do your job sincerely- do not say no to anybody”- she was rattling of advices to her dear son. Chotu was nodding his head. Just at that time, the lady of the neighborhood barged into Kamla’s hut. She was wailing loudly and saying “everything has gone- we have been ruined”. Suddenly Kamla felt ominous. She enquired what the matter was. The lady replied that news had just been received from their native village that Kamla’s husband had expired. The import of the news failed to evoke any reaction in the mind of under-developed Chotu. Kamla could feel her world crashing. Her head was swivelling and she was fainting Yet shercould hear the echoe of her own voice, in her ears,clearly and distinctly “there was only one man in my life and it would always be so".
By: Sundaresan Suresh
Lakhipur was a sleepy, small hamlet in West Bengal. It was one of those industrial townships which had sprung up in the mid 60’s and 70’s. Kamla, a Bihari woman, had come to this township, some 3 decades back, from her home state, in search of livelihood, along with a handful of other villagers. She must be have been 20 years then. Her husband did all sorts of odd jobs- from selling vegetables, to being a daily labour in the factory, to being the owner of khaini/pan shop. In between, Kamla and her husband managed to buy a couple of cows and were supplying milk to households also. The families, about 6 in number, had set up thatched- houses constructed in an unauthorized manner, in Government/Private owned land,adjacent to a large factory.
Kamla was short in height, round and plump. Her face was not particularly attractive but was not repulsive also. She was voluptuous, had enormous bosoms and her backs were gigantic. She had well structured thighs and legs and she exuded a lustful air around her. She had no inhibition in talking to males and would freely use double meaning words, diatribe and sexually provocative gestures. She would often been seen in the company of various males, leaving little to imagination. One could not make out whether Kamla realized that she had been bestowed with great physical assets which she was using to her advantage or she was just plain naïve, a distinct rustic character. Kamla and her husband were getting along like any other illiterate, lower-middle class couple of meager income would. Even after 10-15 years of marriage, they did not have a child. As is the custom, tongues started wagging. Some labeled Kamla’s husband as impotent. Others said that there was marital discord because of Kamla’s character.
Finally Kamala did give birth to a male child. Two saddening incidents coincided with her attaining motherhood. One-Her husband suddenly abandoned her and went missing. Rumour-mongers attributed this to the fact that while the child was Kamla’s it was not ‘theirs’. Secondly the child was a semi-spastic child. There was no apparent physical disability but there was distinct speech impairment and under-development of brain.
The boy was named ‘Chotu’ and all the neighborhood families showered their love and affection on the child. The spirit of cooperation and the determination to the fight the odds are very high amongst economically weaker sections and Kamla with the support of her neighbours and co-habitants managed to bring up the child. The boy, who had no formal education, grew up through the teens and entered his twenties. Kamla was worried about Chotu’s future. There was a Shiva-Kali mandir by the side of their habitat and Chotu used to visit it, both in the morning and evening, religiously. His mother had taught him to close the eyes and pray before the lord. She used to say “if you ask with pure mind- God shall grant all your wishes”.
The boy had enquired about his father only on two occasions. On the first instance, Kamla had simply replied that he was no longer with them. The boy’s persistent queries evoked no response from her. The second occasion had an element of drama in it. It was “HOLI” day. After the customary sprinkling of colours, few community youths had forced Chotu to have a couple of glasses of Bhang and he became inebriated. The youths further teased him by called him “son of unknown father”. Chotu rushed home and pulled Kamla by her neck and yelled “tell me- with whom did you have intercourse, who is responsible for my birth”. He had never seen such calmness in his mother’s eyes despite his wrath. Kamla lifted his chin ,held his face and staring straight in his eyes replied-“you were born when my husband and me consummated our marriage”- there has been only one male in my life and it shall always be so". She walked away as if there has been no altercation at all.
Apart from teaching Chotu with basic manners and personal hygiene, Kamla had also taught him elementary social courtesy like respecting elders and greeting them with “namaskar”etc. There was one South-Indian gentleman, Mr.Thorai, attached to the factory, who would always throw a customary glance at Kamla, Chotu and their hut, on his way to and from the factory. The man was in his fifties and Kamla could make out that his stares were luscious. His mere stare would strip her from head to toe and just as a tiger would look at its prey, he would look at her with hungry eyes. It was as if he was caressing her body part by part, biting her lips, cuddling her breasts and indulging in the act of copulation, in full public view. Kamla could intuitively feel his strong desire for her physical body, but somehow she felt that this gentleman could help Chotu to get some job. Among the hundreds of people who worked in the factory God knows what inspired Kamla to have faith on the lecherous Mr.Thorai. She decided against approaching him directly, by herself. She painstakingly explained her son that if they could please Mr.Thorai then he could fix up some job for him. Thereafter he would have a steady income and could even get married and rear a family. Chotu understood partially what his mother was saying but how to “please” Mr.Thorai was still a mystery to him.
Whenever Chotu would see Mr.Thorai he would shout “namaskar-sir”. Kamla would look at the man’s face expectantly for some positive response. But the man would reveal no emotion and he would just curl his lips in a smile. The hunger in his eyes, which would make Kamla squirm, would be evident.
The ‘gentlemen’ turned out to be a ‘wolf-in-a-sheep-clothing’. One evening when Kamla was standing by the hut, the gentlemen, without shame, approached Kamla and said that “I was thinking about the boy- can fix up a “haajiri”(daily-wage) job for him in my factory”. But you see, everything has a price; some want money, others alchohol and few others err... women. Then he mumled Hmmm.. yer…. You see, you are very attractive even at this age. You must be what 50 ? My weakness is that I am drawn only by older women- Now-a-days- these things have become very common.If you can be accomodative... he broke off not being sure of Kamla's reaction.After a pause he said "I hope you understand". Kamla instantaneously realized what was being hinted at and at that very moment she decided that it had to be done for the sake of her “Chotu”.
After about two days, as promised Mr.Thorai arranged for a job for Chotu. Chotu could not understand how Mr.Thorai was “pleased”. Nor could he summon up enough courage to ask his mother. Kamla asked Chotu to wear his best dress. “First go to the mandir- and then proceed to the factory- do your job sincerely- do not say no to anybody”- she was rattling of advices to her dear son. Chotu was nodding his head. Just at that time, the lady of the neighborhood barged into Kamla’s hut. She was wailing loudly and saying “everything has gone- we have been ruined”. Suddenly Kamla felt ominous. She enquired what the matter was. The lady replied that news had just been received from their native village that Kamla’s husband had expired. The import of the news failed to evoke any reaction in the mind of under-developed Chotu. Kamla could feel her world crashing. Her head was swivelling and she was fainting Yet shercould hear the echoe of her own voice, in her ears,clearly and distinctly “there was only one man in my life and it would always be so".
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