'A Damsel In Distress' (MG)~~ Part 24 (pg 100) - Page 26

PART 10

They both went off to GK 2 in his car the very same day. It was around 6 in the evening and sun was setting down.

The journey was strange, silent with only the faint buzz of the vehicle to be heard. It was rather incongruous, and did not fit in with the gay frivolous ones they had so far ' for they both knew that at journey's end, they would no longer be the master of themselves.

The shadows of the trees lengthened on the road. Starting ahead he was nevertheless conscious of his companion looking at him from time to time and smiling to herself.

At last he broke the silence and said, "you know my mind is all queer now. Each minute we are getting closer and closer to your - your rehabilitation, let's say. It is a prospect over which we should be thankful and jubilant. But I don't mind confessing that I am only sad and miserable."

Her eyes pooped out, like am I listening it wrong?

He continued, "I know it is strange and cruel to talk like this, but the truth is you came into this world only the other day ' born like my mother, and like her, too, with no material ties with this world." He heard a soft chuckle.

"Now you are being sentimental," she said to clean the air. "Try to imbibe, for a change, a spirit of sport and thrill from this wild racing speed of miles an hour. Let the past or future be forgotten."

Desk had closed in when they reached their destination. They drove to a hotel of some sort, and there having refreshed with coffee, they left in search of Mr. Das. She did not accompany him ' she was very tired, she said, and moreover, who knows what the fellow would turn out to be" for she knew, he might be just a stray acquaintance, seen for a minute and forgotten ever since.

"I might have been experimenting with insurance and he might be a potential policy holder, though I certainly don't look plebeian enough to be an ordinary working girl," she said smilingly.

"But you can never tell; it was awfully embarrassing position if after explaining Mr. Das about the predicament, the potential holder turns out to be a potential victim. No, I can't face such an eventuality; you must go alone, I am afraid."

He said solemnly, "I hope fervently that he is nothing more than once of your victims, not a potential victim, but already battered and crushed."

"May your hope be granted," she sand out after him as he started walking.

Mr. Das's house was not very far. He could take the car, but Geet asked him not to do so as she had traveled quite a lot so he left it to be cleaned. 'Geet is too much cautious ' perhaps even fussy ' about straining the car too much; it seems pain to her directly. Moreover, I rather want to stretch myself after the journey and so lets walk Maan.' He thought.

Maan's monologue

I sent my card and waited for Mr. Das in the verandah of his house. He seemed to be a metallurgical engineer or something as his name indicated. Mr. Das seemed to be doing rather well' was he a married man, was he a young man?

Somehow the possibility of his turning to be a young bachelor was a very unpleasant prospect to me' standing on the threshold of his house as I did; I also stand on the threshold of his'. and her' secret.

Mr. Das came out at last. A tall man of about 35, a family man surely, my instinct told me. After apologizing fro this unexpected call, I went over the story right from the beginning and he listened in silence.

Then, as I took out the slip of paper bearing his name and address, something amazing happened. He simply exploded with the most obstreperous laughter that ever made me sick; nearly five minutes he laughed away. Never in my life have I heard such vulgar, yet such hearty and sincere laughter.

At last after many fruitless attempts he brought his boisterous merriment under control, and said, "At, last after long long waiting you have come. For one whole year, I waited for you ' and for this hearty laugh, if you'll excuse me. So please don't be cross if it gets a bit out of control. I am really happy to meet you Mr. Khurana, believe me I am.. So you are the next victim, eh!" and again he shattered the air with the same thundering laughter.

"Enough of this nonsense," I shouted on top of my voice to make myself hear, "for heaven's sake, come to the point, frankly, I don't yet see where the tremendous joke lies."

"How much did you pay for it?" he went on softly, almost soothingly, totally disregarding my snub. "What was it ' A Hillman or a Morris perhaps? Or maybe a Packard or one of those sleek shines Mercedes Benz or Stude- bakers. Did it cost you a lot? Tell me Mr. Khurana, come inside and tell me about it." He took my breath away by the staggering entreaty of his tone.

"Will you stop this maddening gibber and talk sense." I shouted

"A lady in distress ' a memory lost," he dragged on as if in a daze, lengthily reminiscent, "heartfelt gratitude for shelter and sympathy _ sudden discovery of an interesting slip of paper bearing a name and address on it ' the host sent along to investigate ' wasn't the game with you too?"

And he went on and on in the same vein, apparently oblivious of me, till I turned back ad ran dazedly.

The rest is simply told. Shortly after I had left the hotel for Mr. Das (the manager told me), she drove in my car; she won't be late, she had said.

The drastic event of my life, no a second one, naah, a 3^rd one. . ONE of when my mom died, the second when I was cheated by Sameera and the last one is Geet leaving me like this. She can't do this to me.

If she wanted the car she would have asked me I would have bought her thousands of it. I took a cab back to home.

~~~~~ End of the monologue ~~~~~

Geet was driving the car on the speed of 100km per hour with tears rolling down her face. She knew after what she did he would never forgive her. She cheated him. He trusted her but she cheated him.

Geet tujhe toh chullu bhar paani mein dubkr mar jaana chahiye, why babaji aap mujhe mein thodi akal nhi daal sakte the taki mein aise kaam na krti.' She was constantly cursing herself.

AT night

Maan took a hot shower and came out of the bathroom

He sat on the bed with his face covered with his palms. "Why, why, why?"

He was asking it again and again. But he himself doesn't know to whom. She is not here anymore to answer to his questions.

~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~

He still remember how Dadi was surprised knowing the reality of their angel. The real devil behind the mask. But to his surprise Dadi laughed aloud and said, "mujhe pata tha aisa hi kuch hoga."

"aapko pata tha?" he asked her.

"ummhmm, nhi buss aise hi intution si thi." She was still laughing and saying all this.

Maan thought everyone has gone mad, 'pehle voh aur ab Dadima, akhir sabko ho kya gya h?' he went upstairs to his room but stopped in front of her room to see did she really left?

He entered in the room and ran towards the cupboards and opened them and saw all her clothes were there, but how? Then he saw a little note attached on the door of cupboard,

I knew it, that you would come to see if I left my belongings or not.

But Maan don't you remember these are not mine. You have provided all this to me. I just came with my white dirty suit and my satchel. So leaving all your things behind.

HE sighed and came back to his room.

~~~~~ FLASHBACK ENDS ~~~~~

He got up to close the windows but something else caught his attention there was a note on the table. Looks like someone scribbled it in a hurry.

DEAR MAAN

Not a Revoir. but Farewell, my friend and guardian. From the very first day ' and that was before you became conscious of me ' I admired you. But I was a still grater admirer of your RANGE ROVER; I couldn't resist her, what a beauty she is ' how silently forceful, smoothly elegant in speed, like a racing greyhound! So much so that by the time you read this I am beyond your reach, however hard you may try. Don't you think we should be grateful to live in this modern age of streamlined speed?

But strangely enough. I still have ride old broken- down cars from time to time, as you have seen ' as has Mr. Das a year ago. But your car is easily a far better than his. A distinct improvement for me, don't you think?

AND I would like to thank both Dadi and you for taking care of me so efficiently. I will say sorry or something cuz this is my business. You see I am a working girl after all, though not of the common plebian sort. But business is business, and I work hard enough like anybody else as, I am sure, you will appreciate.

Believe me, I am really thankful to you for every bit of these 2 months we spent together. Oh it was glorious ' pity it couldn't be longer. However, if my company has made you happy even for a moment, be grateful that may be not enough, but certainly not insignificant in this miserly world of ours.

I have my own future to perceive.

I leave my excellent car to you with the season's greetings.

Time is flying and I must fly too. Take care.

Again, Farewell.

PRECAP~~~ LEAP!!!! 😉😉

Hope u guys liked it...

i knw its a sad sad update... 😭

PLz comment guys... 😊

PART 11