From & To Sathish #5 - Page 69

*Today is World Happy Husband Day.*

Let us keep *2 minutes silence* and read some quotes of great personalities.

*First quote*

*After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin, they just can’t face each other, but still they stay together*.

– *Al Gore*

*A good wife always forgives her husband when she’s wrong*.

– *Barack Obama*

*When you are in love, wonders happen. But once you get married, you wonder, what happened*.

- *Steve Jobs*

And the best one is…

*Marriage is a beautiful forest where Brave Lions are killed by Beautiful Deers*.

- *Brad Pitt*

*World Happy Husband Day !!* 💐😀

*Laughter Therapy*

*While getting married, most of the guys say to girl's parents*,

" *I will keep your daughter happy for the rest of her life* ".

*Have you ever heard a girl saying something like this to the boy's parents like* *I will keep your son happy for the rest of his life*

*Nooooo ... because women don't tell lies*!

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

*If wife wants husband’s attention, she just has to look sad and uncomfortable*.

*If husband wants wife’s attention, he just has to look comfortable & happy*.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

*A Philosopher HUSBAND said:- Every WIFE is a ‘Mistress’ of her Husband*…

*Miss” for first year & “Stress” for rest of the life*…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

*Position of a husband is just like a Split AC, No matter how loud he is outdoor, He is designed to remain silent indoor*

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

*Husband to wife : U should learn to embrace your mistakes*…..

*She hugged him immediately*

-----

*Share to make others smile...laughter works like medicine!*

😀😀

Avan, Aval Adhu 230

Ravi's smile was slight and it shed little light on what he was thinking and what his answer was going to be to Daksha's pointed question and this forced Gayatri to look worriedly at Partha who was holding his hand in his two hands and mumbling something about a game of chess.

Taking a moment to breathe and calm her mind down, Gayatri looked at the question that Daksha had asked from her own point of view and realized that the question and the situation could be best described as a conundrum.

' I could intercede, stand up for Ravi's sake and tell Daksha to back off but then their friendship goes a long way back and much deeper than mine that is only a week old. But, I love Ravi with every cell of my body and I would rather die than see him suffer any kind of pain. But, then that is me and my feelings and I cannot just do that for he is an adult and it is an adult situation that needs to be sorted out by the people involved ' Gayatri thought to herself and then she felt his arms tighten around her and coming out of her thoughts, she looked to Ravi and found him looking at her.

He gently kissed her forehead and brushing her lips slightly with his, asked her, ' Confused. You should be. I am.'

Letting go of her, he addressed Daksha, ' The answer to your question is simple, Ducks. If I do find something that does not belong to me and is valuable, then, first of all, I would not keep it in my possession. I would hand it over to the authorities and let them handle the situation. That is the proper and legal manner to behave in any lost and found situation.'

Picking up his cup, he took a sip from it and lowered it and his eyes to look at Daksha and asked politely, ' Does that answer your question or are there deeper layers to it?'

Daksha smiled and said nothing and Partha clapping his hands yelled, ' Of course. Ravi's answer is correct and it makes perfect sense.'

' I too agree with his answer, hubby, but..' pausing she looked at Ravi and then continued answering Partha. ' What if you know for certain that the authorities are corrupt and that the property will not reach the rightful owners? Tell me, will you still hand it over to them or will you keep it in your safekeeping and continue to search for the owner?'

' In a court of law, those moral and emotional decisions on our part will be struck down and will not be taken into account, Daksha. For, in the end, it is not up to the concerned person to sit judge on such matters. All they did was stumble upon property that does not belong to them. Their responsibility and their connections to it must end immediately with the surrender of it to the proper authorities.'

Gayatri felt like her head was spinning and heaved a sigh of relief hearing Ravi's stand and which seemed to be the best course of action and the safest one in the situation. But, Partha still had his head in his hands and Ravi still had that slight smile on his face and Daksha did not look like she was done with her thoughts and questions and came out with a question to beat all questions.

' What if the rightful owners come forward and file a criminal case against you stating that you have stolen from them when it was you who found it in the first place and helped them to regain possession of it?'

Ravi nodded and said, ' Good move for then the person who did the right thing will really be in a soup of his own making?'

Sighing sadly, he looked up at the ceiling and declared to no one in particular, ' Kali kalam. This is one of the reasons why people hesitate to help or even lend a helping hand to others for they fear that they might get bitten in the process.'

Daksha's left eyebrow raised itself like a question mark and her eyes glinted brightly making Partha imagine that the raised eyebrow was not a question mark but that of a cobra's raised hood and he knew that his wife was going to bite.

He hurriedly looked at his watch and announced, ' It is nearly 4.00 pm ' and pointed through the windows, ' Guys, look. It is nearly dark and looks like this fog has only gotten a lot worse than what it was earlier in the day.'

Daksha turned her eyes on her husband and glared at him with intensity and whispered, ' Please, don't disturb our conversation again like you have been doing all these years.'

Gayatri instinctively rushed to Partha's aid and standing by his side agreed that it was getting late to which Daksha retorted, ' Are we going anywhere? No, so better to spend time sitting and talking.'

Not knowing how to reply to Daksha's answer, she looked helplessly at Partha who said, ' this is no time for conversations or talking and we know pretty well what happens at the end of those sessions ' and looked at Daksha whose eyes took on a more dangerous look.

' Why? what happens at the end of those sessions, Parth?' Gayatri asked him and he looked at her, ' There is never an end. It never ends between these two and my wife instead of practising what she learnt in college, keeps luring our wise man here with a juicy bait and he as is his wont, swallows it and lo and behold another titanic struggle starts off. Sadly, I am the odd man out and all I can do is swing my head left and right like the people watching tennis games do.'

Gayatri totally confused, ' what did Ducks learn and what is she luring Ravi with?'

Partha placed his left hand on his wife and said, ' Gayatri, meet Advocate Daksha who could have been the best in the business but instead decided to grow Tea. She is a Gold medal winner from Bengaluru's Law College ' and placed his right hand on Ravi, ' Meet Headmaster Ravi Kumar who could have been anything he wanted to be but decided to take up teaching.'

Gayatri still confused, ' Okay. But why are they going at each other?'

' I have been asking the same question and have yet to find an answer for that. She won't stop pushing and pulling at him and he won't stop resisting her. This has been going on for more than 15 years now.'

Ravi with a sweet smile on his face leaned forward and looked at Daksha, ' There the universe has spoken and answered your question in its own way.'

Daksha frowned, ' Sorry bro. You cannot wriggle your way out with such profound gobbledygook statements. '

' Not gobbledygook my sweet sister. But the bitter truth no matter how balderdash and claptrap they might feel.'

' Explain ' and then she added, ' please ' and Ravi smiled and said, ' I will and I hope it makes sense to you.'

Daksha leaning back placed a cigarette in her mouth and was about to light it when she paused her hand and looked at everybody, ' May I, please? I need my nicotine fix.'

Ravi shrugged his permission while the others just stood looking at him and wondering what he was going to say or how he was going to explain himself.

' Ducks, your question painful and bitter though it may be is a legally valid one and it can at best be described as a Paradox. An omnipotent Paradox and I quote here that famous paradox that is popularly used in daily life "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?"

Parthiban groaning loudly looked up at Gayatri and said, ' You see this. This is the same crap that happens whenever he comes here or we go there to see him in Kumarapalayam.'

Cursing loudly, ' The most frustrating part about this is that sometimes they go off tangent, leaving me far behind and totally lost and disoriented.'

' 15 years ' exclaimed Gayatri and unable to keep herself smiling, she turned to Daksha, ' What exactly is that bone of contention between you both that has both of you going at it and that too for 15 years?'

Daksha took a puff and throwing a glance at Ravi, ' You or me? ' and shaking her head, looked at Parthiban and said, ' you will do the honours, Mr Husband of mine.'

Partha groaned, ' Is that a question, command or a request?'

' All three in one. Just do it ' Daksha said and in a tone that Partha knew better than to ignore and looked at Ravi pathetically, ' sir, this is your mess. Why don't you sort it out and help me out here?'

The slap that Gayatri landed on Partha's broad back had him yelping like a puppy and complaining loudly. ' I get beaten by my wife. I get bullied and tickled to death by my best friend and now I am getting slapped by my guest and new friend. Nice. I deserve this.'

Ravi sat down and motioned to Gayatri to sit down and said, ' This started many years ago one evening when we were binge watching the late actor Shivaji sir's films and one film and its climax, in particular, got our lady Daksha to go on a warpath.'

Gayatri looked at him and then at Daksha, ' OMG! So, all the scrappings and tense standoffs are over a film. Why? What's so great about the film?'

Partha smiling tried to get up saying, ' Gayatri, it can wait for another day and for a better time. This is neither the time nor the place to be talking about some silly black and white film right now.'

Gayatri stared at him and said, ' You guys started it and you better end it, right now or else my head will explode in tension from the suspense.'

Ravi whispered softly and slowly, ' I will do it ' and looking straight into Daksha's eyes, ' I still state that there are no answers or happy endings for some stories and will remain a Paradox.'

Daksha pursed her lips and blew a thin but steady plume of smoke at Ravi and said, ' Paradox or a conundrum. It matters not, bro. She should not have died or rather she should not have been sacrificed in the climax.'

Ravi nodded and replied, ' but she was the one with a weak heart and it might have given up any moment?'

' Maybe. But, the first wife was blind and they had been separated for more than ten years and both of them went on with their lives thinking that the other is dead. Why didn't the director kill her off? As it is, she was suffering and she could have been put out of her suffering.'

Gayatri yelled, ' For heaven's sake, please tell me the story already.'

Ravi nodded and said, ' The name of this film is Paarthal Pasi theerum ' and Gayatri immediately asked, ' what does it mean?'

' Literally, it translates as " A look to quench the hunger " and stopped seeing Gayatri raise a finger and say,' Ravi, in these past few days that I have spent with you and the others, I have realized one thing about your Tamil Language, which is that it is a beautiful language and that English can never hope to match it in its complexity or its subtle nuances. So, please, details.'

Daksha clapped her hands, ' Well said, woman. You hit the nail on the head. Parthal pasi theerum is the title of the film in three words but what it really means is that a Lover's hunger and pain will be banished with one look of love from the person they are in love with. That years of separation and pain will disappear when two lost lovers meet each other once again.'

Gayatri's face changed slightly and she looked uncomfortably at Ravi who placed his hand on hers and smiled lovingly and said, ' This debate, this discussion has been going on for years between me and Ducks. So, don't let your thoughts run wild for we are talking about a film here. There is a lot of difference between Real and Reel, sweetheart.'

Partha joined in, ' The film starts with the Indo-china war when two Indian soldiers are fighting a losing battle with the invading Chinese army and one of them is hurt badly. His friend carries him and leaves him in the safe-keeping of a tribe and surrenders himself to the Chinese and in the process diverts them away from his injured friend. The injured man slowly recovers and happens to fall in love with one of the tribal women and gets married to her. The war is still going on and soon he goes back to doing his duty and rejoins the army but promises to come back once the war is over. As he had promised, he and his friend eventually return but the tribal village has been destroyed by bombs and almost all the people killed. Thinking that his tribal wife is dead too, the man heartbroken returns to Chennai and slowly starts a new life and gets married again and is now a father to a child. But fate plays a cruel twist, and the tribal woman who is still alive but blinded in the bomb attack too comes to Chennai in search of her husband and with their son played by none other than Kamal Hassan himself. Their paths cross and this is the story. What does the man do now? Does he live with his first wife who he had thought of as dead and who returns after several years or does he live with his second wife who is a heart patient and cannot bear even the smallest of shocking news for it might stop her frail heart?'

Gayatri exhaled slowly and agonizingly expressed her thoughts in two words, ' Oh F..k ' and said, ' this is indeed a paradox ' and looked at Daksha and Ravi and asked them how the film ended.

Partha who had heard enough now gathered courage and standing up said, ' I think your debate, discussion or whatever you call it can really wait for another day, another year. It has gone on for 15 years and it can afford to wait until things get better.'

Patting Ravi on his head, ' Headmaster, Please. It is dark already. Come now. Let's go take a look around and see if we can spot anything suspicious out there.'

Gayatri too got up and worriedly asked, ' If it is getting dark outside then, why risk going out and instead stay put here, guys.'

' It's okay, Gayatri. We have done these night patrols before and I do it regularly in my town ' and looking at her, ' remember the first time we both met at my place and I happened to be coming back on my cycle. Well, that was on my night patrol. I do that regularly.'

Partha looked at him, ' But, I thought the nearby police station has taken over those duties after your uncle Dharmalinga Thevar made a direct request to the IG of Madurai.'

' I know and they do their job well but they are not very familiar with our area as I am and do not know all the hideouts that dealers and users haunt regularly.'

' What you are trying to say is that people you know and care about are still indulging in criminal activities?' Partha asked him and Ravi nodded and stood looking uncomfortable. Gayatri feeling his pain that was obvious asked, ' Is that one of the reasons why cops came to see you twice while I was there and you left with them and returned only hours later?'

Daksha's voice rang loud and clear, ' So, the calf is as bad as the cow. Hardly surprising.'

' Please, don't say that, ducks. For God's sake, don't compare my nephew with her. He is still a kid and I am confident that he is going to turn out all right.'

Partha sighing loudly and dramatically, looked up and yelled, ' God if you are really up there and can really hear me. Please answer the question that I have been asking all these years. What the f..k are you doing up there instead of watching over us, protecting us or at least in making an attempt to protect the weak and helpless who really need you?' and throwing an arm around Ravi, ' see my friend here. Sit and count all the good things he has done and continues to do so and compare it with what you have been doing and you will find yourself feeling ashamed and embarrassed. Stupid moron.'

' Partha, please don't blaspheme ' Daksha warned her husband and he immediately apologized, and without any further words, both he and Ravi walked out into darkened twilight that had lost its battle with the Fog.

Ravi stood surveying the few lamp posts that cast light and asked Partha about the backup generators.

' One diesel generator that can run for 12 hours before its tank has to be refilled. I have enough diesel to last 48 hours and then we have the battery inverter that can last for a maximum of three hours but can power only essential services ' and pointed to the solar panels on top of each cottage, ' They are useless for there has been no sun for the past few days. All this started with the arrival of this pesky fog a few days ago and it seems to have thrown some kind of dark cloak on this place and around it.'

Ravi turned slowly and looked at his childhood friend, ' Partha, this fog that you say arrived just a few days ago arrived a long time ago. If it is here now, then that means that what happened 25 years ago is going to happen again.'

' What are you saying? How can this fog have come 25 years ago, Ravi?'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIg91y6_Eic&list=PL6eYJImIZdQ4ivwXTCS3NBCRX6JpWg3JM&index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE5qtx2PbU4&list=PL6eYJImIZdQ4ivwXTCS3NBCRX6JpWg3JM&index=3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp670mF-pL0&list=PL6eYJImIZdQ4ivwXTCS3NBCRX6JpWg3JM&index=4

https://youtu.be/QliTLYnaHpI

https://youtu.be/o4z8UjQWvmo

https://youtu.be/ByVajVUStmk

Avan, Aval Adhu 231

' 25 years and I still remember every moment of that fateful night, Partha ' Ravi said and raising his head slightly took a deep breath of the cold evening air and announced, ' it even smells the same. '

' Dei, Ravi, I find it hard to remember what I ate a few days back or who I met a week back unless it was somebody very important or if it was some momentous occasion and here you are talking about a night 25 years ago.'

' Partha, if you had been there and had been part of what happened that night, I am sure that you too would remember everything for there are some things that get branded in our memory ' Ravi said in a sad voice and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, ' That night da. Remember the village fair and you and a few others got caught drinking beer in the mangroves.'

' Oh, that day. Okay, I remember that day very well for the person who caught us drinking was none other than Meenakshi's elder brother Sundaralingam ' and then he looked at Ravi, ' hey, wait a minute. Wasn't it sometime during that period that he mysteriously disappeared?'

' Not period but that night for no one else saw him again after that night.'

' Sad da. For God only knows what happened to that kind-hearted man who in my opinion was the exact opposite of his sister and the exact copy of his face Dharmalinga sir. If he had been around, I am sure he would have easily controlled Meenakshi for apart from her father, she feared him most.'

Suddenly, Partha froze as if he had been struck by an invisible bolt of lightning or he was suffering a sudden seizure and then he slowly looked at Ravi and blurted, ' Dei, I remember one more thing. One very important thing about that moment that brought Sundar anna to the mangrove where I and a few others were tasting beer for the very first time in our lives ' and then he fell silent and stood looking at Ravi his face swirling with confusion.

Ravi who knew his childhood friend better than he knew himself, smiled wretchedly and urged him to say what was on his mind.

' Partha, don't torment yourself. Say it da. This is me, your Ravi.'

' I know that da but that night, the reason Sundar anna came in search of me was to know where he could find you and the stupid, scared fool and coward that I was, I betrayed you and told him that you might be at the Lotus pond near the ruins of the Shiva temple.'

Slapping his own cheeks, Partha apologized, ' Sorry da. I am really sorry da for betraying you.'

' It's okay Da. Whatever happened that fateful night happened because of me, Madhu, Meenakshi, Sundaralingam and another person?'

' WTF are you saying? Another person? Who da? ' Partha asked in disbelief, ' Does this mean that there is a witness for that night?'

Placing both his hands on his hips, he stood shaking his head in disbelief and wonder.

' Ravi, you still haven't told us what happened that night and what the reason was for Madhu and her parents to leave town early the next day and never return? '

Ravi did not say anything and stood quietly staring into the distance and Partha too joined him and staring away at the gathering darkness, said, ' Something happened that night. Something so terrible that it has marked you for such a long time and now here we are with you saying that the fog of that night is back and to match your fears, that mad man, Devathoothan has disappeared after his spooking us with his predictions.'

Ravi's eyes were still staring away at the far away Kodai peaks that now looked like ships with their masts sticking out on the far-off horizon of the high seas.

' Ravi, I am sorry for what happened inside with Daksha and you. I apologize if she has crossed the line and offended you. You know her as well as I do. So, I hope you know that she was just pulling your leg.'

His eyes still far away, Ravi spoke and with his words let his best friend know that he was there next to him.

' Stop it, you idiot. Stop imagining stuff and apologizing for it. I have told you a million times that there is no formality between us and that we should never apologize to each other. That unspoken agreement extends to Daksha too, Partha ' and turning to him, he smiled and said, ' You and Daksha are one to me. I have never seen you as two but as one. So, no apologies, Mr Parthiban.'

Taking a deep breath, he oxygenated his mind and exhaled the fog that was trying to wrap itself around his head and heart, he told Partha that if the Fog was there then it was trying to send a message through it.

' Partha, if something, I mean if we are faced with danger, remember that both our women come first. Their safety comes first. Agreed.'

' Agreed. Now, tell me what you have in mind for I know you better and so I know for sure that your super smart brain has been quietly and secretly working overtime. Working on scary scenarios and at the same time making up plans to tackle each one of them.'

' I have, Partha' and using his right hand pointed towards their main cottage, ' Your cottage is the closest to the entrance and to the East. Your tea estates run away on both the northern and southern directions. So, that leaves us with my cottage on the western side and what lies behind it.'

' Wailing Rocks? Why da, why are you talking about your cottage and wailing rocks at this point in time? That bloody godforsaken place is a haunted mess and very few have ventured into it.'

He stopped and stared at Ravi, ' You. Only you have explored that place in-depth and only you have had the courage in my knowledge to have gone in all alone.'

' Exactly. So, in case of any emergencies, we can move in there and stay hidden and safe until more help arrives. But, will it come sooner or later is something I am sure we are going to find out by the time this night is over.'

' Dei, Ravi. You are beginning to scare me da.'

' Good. Fear is good for it will keep you alert and ready to act if it comes to that.'

Patting Partha's cheek affectionately, Ravi said, ' Have you forgotten how we spent nights on top of trees to chase away those wild pigs that used to destroy our crops and vegetables? Don't you remember how we faced down so many wild leopards together and scared them away? It will be like that but with more care and more planning for, in my opinion, humans scare me more than wild animals.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6CGPvvOudc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTDAIU_ELJ8

Avan, Aval Adhu 232

Gayatri watched quietly as Ravi and Partha left them and went back to sipping her coffee. It was obvious her eyes were full of thoughts and after observing her for a few moments, Daksha enquired if she was okay.'

Gayatri nodded and placing the cup on the table, glanced briefly at Daksha and said, ' I am okay.'

' Liar ' Daksha teased her but getting no response, remarked, ' Okay, play the goody girl and act as if you were not intrigued by what took place between me and Ravi.'

' Whatever that took place was between you both and it is something that has been going on for a long time now? ' Gayatri replied and looked very calmly at Daksha who stubbed out the cigarette that she had been smoking and leaning back smiled casually and said, ' You are right. This debate about the movie Parthal Pasi theerum has been going on for a long time now but you are wrong when you say that it is just between me and Ravi for in a way it involves you too.'

' Ducks, please stop. Play your mind games with Ravi and Partha for they might be okay with it but not me. You don't fool me. It was obvious to me by the way you were going at Ravi that you have some hidden agenda behind your so-called debate that has been going on for nearly 15 years.'

Daksha shrugged her shoulders and stylishly lit another cigarette and said, ' Maybe ' and taking a deep pull of smoke, she made an O shape with her mouth and blew out large rings, one after another and Gayatri could not help herself from laughing at this display.

Taking another pull from her cigarette, she looked at Gayatri, her eyes burning with intensity and intelligence, ' You are right in saying that I have an agenda but it is one that stems from my own curiosity about human behaviour and as to how they function in high-pressure situations.'

' What has that got to do with Ravi, Ducks? Why torment an already tormented soul and that too one who you love and care so much about?'

The answer she got from Daksha was a totally unexpected one and it appeared suddenly in the form of tears that shimmered and refracted the light that was shining on both sides of the room. Gayatri's own reaction was a normal and expected one in that she reached out and took Daksha's hands and asked if she was okay and why she had tears in her eyes.

Daksha used her left hand to wipe away her tears since her right hand seemed to be permanently busy holding a cigarette and said, ' Happy tears, Gayatri. I feel so good that Ravi has finally found someone and most importantly someone as good as him.'

' If you feel so much then why bait him, torment him Daksha? Why not just let him be?'

Daksha smiled, ' I know what you mean and understand you but then Ravi is not your average person. He is special Gayatri and both me and Partha know that much better than anyone else.'

Gayatri smiled and said playfully, ' You are acting as if you are in love with Ravi.'

' Correct. Exactly. True words, Gayatri but it is a love that a mother has for her child. It is a love that an elder sister has for her younger brother and it is the love that friends have in their heart for their closest friends and soul mates.'

The smoke from the cigarette hanging from Daksha's lips hung between them like a transparent curtain but the words from the same lips felt like the light of the sun that pierces through any curtains or dark clouds and makes its way to light up our soul.

' Maybe I feel that way because I am older than him and Partha or maybe I feel that way because of the way he carries himself with so much grace and dignity that I envy him and maybe secretly idolize him for being all that and more which I could never be.'

Her words were so beautiful and so full of love and truth that Gayatri could not help it but shed tears of her own joy.

She smiled, ' Yes, he is special.'

Daksha patted her chest to indicate the handgun that lay inside her woollen jacket and said, ' If the situation escalates and if it becomes dangerous, promise me that we will protect them, Ravi most importantly and even if it means us.'

Gayatri nodded, ' It goes without saying. I would do anything, give up anything to protect Ravi ' and gripping Daksha's hand, ' and to protect you and Partha.'

Just like that, Daksha changed the mood and with twinkling eyes, winked slyly at Gayatri and asked in a soft voice, ' You guys really did it and that too out there in the wild?'

Gayatri shrugging nonchalantly, ' Yes and it was a miracle and that too under that tree called, A Miracle.'

Daksha winked and asked, ' A master after all?'

' Not just master, ducks but a grandmaster.'

Both burst out laughing and their giggling noises reached out to them as they approached the cottage making Partha stop and look at Ravi and say, ' Women giggling usually means gossip and bitching ' and he began to giggle himself and pointing to him, ' You want to bet who they are talking about or what they are discussing about?'

Ravi looking totally scandalized, croaked, ' No way. Not our women. Surely not our Ducks.'