Love Digger's husband Ch 33 6/5 - THD 2 LNK - Page 9

Chap 2:

Few months back:

It was a bituminous evening. Dark clouds were hanging around the lake giving it a dark and ominous feel. Strange smells of ashes burning were filled in the air. Veer was a lonely young lad. Not very dashing. Village urchins did not entertain him. There were too many people at his home to have a quiet peaceful moment. So he visited the village lake every evening. It was his usual custom. But today he saw something scary. A white somebody floating. In the water. Lifeless. He waived it off as a something an oarsman had thrown overboard. But then the object was too big. He sat there for about a good hour before the clouds started thickening. The object had not yet moved. An object big enough to be a man. For a lad not used to too much television random things like this were entertainment. And fear. He decided it was time for positive action. He ran to the nearby potter's home to fetch binoculars. The potter considered himself a budding ornithologist and fancied his chances big time. Veer ran back to the lake and viewed the object. He was petrified. It was somebody he knew. Who had been dead for at least an hour and the dead body was floating on its back. He felt he would have nightmares about this for years to come.

He began running and did not stop until he reached the guest house. He went straight to the suite in it and banged on the door. Huffing and puffing.

A regal looking old lady opened the door. She wore a white silk saree and had knowing eyes that could light up a thousand suns with their sagacity and wisdom. Her smile brought a soothing effect on Veer. But it did nothing to ease his fears.

"Yes Veer beta. Why are you so tense?"

Veer was searching for words. There was no easy way to say this.

Veer "I saw him dead and floating in the lake."

Her eyes widened in fear "Who?"

Veer "Maan saab."

Daadi clutched her chest and was about to fall backwards. Veer held her just in time.

Veer "Daadi you alright?"

Daadi "I don't believe you. Take me to the lake right now."

They hastened to the lake to find as Veer had said Maan Singh Khurana floating on his back. Lifeless and unmoving. Daadi was about to break down.

Veer "Wait, I spot some movement through the binoculars. Look!"

Daadi grabbed the viewing instrument and indeed Maan was swimming back. She sighed a huge sigh of relief.

Veer "Sorry Daadi. I thought.."

Daadi "Doesn't matter beta. Thanks for informing me. You are a good boy. Go back home now. It is late."

Veer nodded in huge relief. And ran back home as fast as he could.

Maan swam back to the shore and his eyes indicated surprise at finding Daadi.

Maan "Daadi, what are you doing here?"

Daadi "Veer told me you were dead and floating in the lake."

Maan did not know how to react for a brief moment and then burst out laughing.

Daadi "It is not funny you know. I almost had my fatal final heart attack."

Maan grinned "Daadi, Veer imagines things. You know that."

Daadi sighed "I know. That is why I came here to check for myself. Don't ever do that again!"

Maan smiled "What? Never swim again?"

Daadi "Don't ever float on your back again. Not even in a swimming pool. This lake is supposed to have housed a crocodile last monsoon."

Maan "Is it? If a crocodile had found me I wouldn't be floating now, would I?"

Daadi "Not funny at all. Just come back home and have your dinner now. You just don't want to see a smile on my face. And by the way why were you floating on your back for so long? And for how long!"

Maan just shrugged "I was just you know meditating." He looked at his water resistant watch, "For about four hours."

Daadi was staring at him walking, stupefied. Four hours! After coming back to her senses she walked back with him to the guest house. And there were some guests waiting for them. Seemingly important ones.

Daadi "Maan beta. They are trustees from the village development committee. I think they are here to collect donation for the new school they are building."

Maan "I see. Hello. Please have a seat."

Trustee1 "So Maan, we have heard a lot about you and your generosity. As a bid to further education in our own village we are building.."

Maan "One minute. Why should I make a donation for your trust?"

The trustees looked at each others faces.

Maan "I am sure you have plenty of people who are NRIs making hefty donations. And you organized an international festival last year giving awards to so many 'deserving' people. All that money to hold that fest had to come from somewhere."

Trustee2 "Look here Maan."

Maan "Don't ask me to look anywhere. I am asking a simple question. I want to see the books of accounts for your trust."

Trustee2 "We don't…"

Maan "We get a useless monthly magazine from you. As if that weren't enough we get an annual bonanza of a colorful book with all photographs of 'achievements'. I don't see any mention there of any sort of bookkeeping for the money that we all donate. You appear to be a trust only in name."

Trustee1 "The thing is.."

Maan "Any club in the city or elsewhere prints their expenditure, surplus, new plans in the pipeline in their magazine for everybody to see. Every member is treated equally and given equal amount of privileges in the club. But all I see with your trust is rank favoritism."

Trustee2 "Excuse me…"

Maan "No you are not excused. Just because we stay in the city and earn well, we have to pay you some kind of tax every year? For which let alone rewards we are not even given basic respect?"

The trustees were silent.

Maan "I am not expecting a medal of honor. I am not a philanthropist. I am not a saint who wants to write my hard earned money to a trust that is not transparent to its motives. Just a couple of years ago I had made 1 lakh rupees donation to your trust. No mention of it was made anywhere. Which is fine. If the same rules were applied for everyone. But no. If an NRI gives half that amount of money in dollars, his name and bio data is printed on the front page. Why should I be a party to this sham?"

The trustees had no words to say.

Maan "Look I don't have a problem with the way you run your 'trust'. Just don't behave as if you are doing me a favor by asking me for my donation. It is not my duty to be charitable to you. I think you have enough. This may be my native village but I choose to take my charity elsewhere. You may leave."

Maan was fuming by the time the trustees had left.

Daadi "Leave it na beta. These people will do anything in the name of asking for donation."

Few months back elsewhere:

He was lying on the chaise lounge chair by the Olympic sized swimming pool sipping his favorite poison. This was life. He did not swim much. But he loved hanging out by the swimming pool for obvious reasons. A bevy of beauties waltzed past him. Best part. He did not even have to do much. His name itself was enough to attract women.

But he was also bored. There was nothing about any of these ladies to excite him anymore. They were all the same. Spoke the same things. Had the same goals. They only created an irritation inside him with their constant chatter. They made a mountain of every small event celebrating it as if it were his birthday.

And then he saw her. His heart stopped beating for one split second.

He was stunned into disbelief by her aura and sheer magnetic beauty. She was wearing a bikini. And was looking scorching hot. All the anorexic model type of girls around her who starved themselves just to be able to get into a swimsuit were now secretly wishing they hadn't. She was as curvaceous as they came. Her poor clothes unable to hide and survive her sensuality. He was sure a couple of women who were staring at her had begun having second thoughts about their own orientation.

She packed some poundage in all the right places. May be even a modicum layer of sweet belly baby fat. But that is what made the entire picture so hot. It was the fact that her body was not perfect. It was healthy with generous amount of grace and pride. When she walked her body was taut but it also vibrated just a little bit to let you know she was human. He just could not tear his eyes away from this vision.

Her face was the last thing one would look at in all this brain numbing beauty but he did look at it. She had a stellar movie star face which was expressive and kind. A face that could portray anger, strength, humor, bubbly demeanor without actually turning into a puppet monkey. The complexion as smooth as silk. Natural yet had enough imperfection to make it beautiful.

He needed to find his ball bearings before searching for words to introduce himself to this bewitching creature. Without his being aware of it, he had actually stood up.

"Are you actually going to say something? I am tired of staring."

But staring was the only thing he could manage to do.

"If words are evading you, would you mind moving aside please?"

He automatically moved to a side. And watched her swim. And his idea of what swimming was changed from that moment.

Present:

Maan:

Maan found himself yawning through the rest of the proceedings. Arif offered for him to say a few words but he declined. That would be the last straw. The pinnacle of boredom.

One more great sarcastic plus from this entire book signing exercise. He got a signed copy of the next bestseller 'Monkey Diamond'. Which he would most likely trash on the way back home.

He went sauntering outside and found her in the lobby playing angry birds again. He knew she would not speak to him or anyone else. So he just told her.

Maan "Geet Handa."

She looked up at him her expression being a mixture of interrupted concentration, a curious interest and slight boredom.

Maan "I have only one thing to say about your speech."

She lifted her chin and eyebrows up meaning to emote a 'yes?'. And it came out very cute and well.

Maan widened his eyes like a pale ghost and said in all seriousness "Monkey Diamond."

She giggled.

Maan "So until the universe conspires for us to meet again, adios."

He was smiling away to glory driving back in the car. Did it ever happen he wondered. That a joke which made no sense made two strangers share a special moment and laugh. A moment they both would most likely remember for a long time to come. Absolutely beautiful.

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