CHAPTER 4
Raman - so? What business do you have in your clinic late night?
Ishita - scrolling over Human brain.
He giggled while she said the word "brain"
Raman - uhuh! That sounds scary though.
Ishita - don't worry! I won't get into your mind.
Raman - it's a bit difficult to understand a complex man like me.
Ishita - don't be like that Mr. Bhalla.
Raman - Raman.
Ishita - huh?
Raman - call me Raman. Mr. Bhalla sounds too official and formal.
Ishita - okay! Raman.
Don't be like that. Life isn't the same for all. There are times which is hard, and times when things go smooth. It's been three years, why don't you get over her and move on. Infact, I bet she's doing the same wherever she is.
Raman looked down and murmured, "she's nowhere"
Ishita looked at him and asked out, "what? What did you just say?"
Raman - nothing! I... I just said that she's nowhere I'm in touch with.
Ishita - okay! I get you.
They had finally reached the clinic after a long walk.
Raman had decided to wait outside. But Ishita insisted him to follow her back.
Ishita was seated on her chair, staring at the CT scan sheets hung on the white screen that flashed lights from the behind.
Raman stared at them, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted, and then finally spoke up, "what are you trying to do Ms. Iyer?"
Ishita looked up at him and raised her eyebrow to say, "I thought you didn't like the formal and official stuffs Mr. Bhalla"
Raman - now you're talking, Ishita.
Ishita had almost started her class and lecture on psychology and psychiatric cases and that is when Raman interrupted her in between to say, "yeah I got you. You do your thing"
Ishita smiled and said, "I'm still trying to wrap my head around what your thing is?"
Raman - you're just gonna have to read my book.
Ishita - ooO you're slippery.
Raman - I prefer "mysterious".
They remained silent for a while, until Raman spoke up again, "how long you been at this?"
Ishita promptly replied, "oh! I've always wanted to do this. Ever since I was a kid. In my late teens, when my dad passed away and I had to take up the entire responsibility of my mom and my younger sister. I actually knew how good I was in it. Infact, akka worked day and night, to pay the annual fees of mine. And mom engaged herself in a boutique that still runs well. The income was enough for joining my sister in a college of art and photography. So I basically awe my sister and my mom. And then couple of months ago, I got the guts to open up my own clinic"
Raman - your sister is a photographer? That's interesting. I just met a photographer couple of days ago. She asked me to consult her sister who was a psychologist As well. Looks like, Delhi has a trend of having mothers with one of her daughters excelling the field of photography and the other psychology.
Ishita laughed out loud and said, "you have a good sense of humour. How come you never dated a women in these three years"
Raman - life was too harsh to do so. And moreover, I loved my wife.
Ishita - you loved? What about now?
Raman - it's long time. And.. It's like...
Ishita rested her hand on his, that had held the table while he spoke about his wife and said, "hey! It's okay! Don't push yourself into this if you don't want to"
Raman smiled at her tried diverting the topic.
Raman - so? What's your sisters name?
Ishita - you seem to be interested in my sister?
Raman laughed out and flattered, "not in front of a girl like you"
Ishita - woah! Easy mister. Your misery shouldn't be the cause of my pain late night.
Raman raised his eyebrows and emphasised on the word, "pain?"
Ishita winked and said, "if you know what I mean"
Raman - you're a terrific women, do you know that?
Ishita - well! I do now.
They laughed out loud until they realised themselves being too close, both physically and emotionally. Raman was sitting on the table and during the entire process of laughter, he had leaned over her. The awkwardness created an uncomfortable silence and the they gained their consciousness.
Raman got up and said, "I'm.. I'm sorry"
Ishita looked down and said, "I got dumbed two days ago"
Raman stared at her shocked. He wondered who the drunkard was? And then he thought, probably an emotionally unavailable person to dumbed a charming lady like her. But out of all, the question that tickled his mind was that, why on earth was she telling her story to him? Specially after their long silence of awkwardly closeness?
He finally decided to speak and said, "do you want to tell me the reason?"
Ishita looked at him and said, "it's too late Raman. I think you should leave"
Raman looked at her confused. She just said about her being dumped. Didn't she need a shoulder to cry or something? Or tell out her story? But he decided to shut his mouth and stop thinking over.
Raman - yeah it is getting late. Anyways, thanks for coming up for the dinner. Goodbye.
Ishita stood up and walked to him. She held the chest button of his shirt, that was left open and said, "you're an amazing man Raman."
She buttoned the shirt.
Raman smiled at her and walked away.
******
NEXT DAY
Raman and the people attending the workshop, where seated in a dark room. Vikas was holding a candle while was supposed to tell out the truth behind his grief.
Vikas - okay well! I mean, if this is the candle of truth, then I guess I should be honest. I... I used her life insurance money, for a down payment on a condo in Mumbai. Well, because he had talked about it before, he liked the idea. So I made mold of his, you know... So that, when he was gone we could.. You know..
Raman looked at vikas and said, "that's okay vikas. I can understand. Who's next? Bala? You gotta say"
Bala - not much to say really!
Raman - there's always something to say Bala! C'mon, tell us. How did your son die?
Bala - well! I used to be a constructor and he used to be my little right-hand man. Only 7, but he did certain things better than I could.
We stopped by my construction site. I had to pickup some blueprints from my trailer. I told him to wait in the car.
He fell off the scaffold and snapped his spinal cord into two. Just like... Just like that... And Every day... Everyday is... I should've known that he wouldn't stay in the car.
Bala broke down and Raman held him.
Raman - Bala? You said, " I used to be a constructor"
Bala - I can't even walk into a hardware store now. I clean up buildings at night now. I lost my business. My wife left me.
Raman - thank you Bala.
Raman continues, "there's a dirty little secret. And that's "fear". How many of you don't fly anymore? C'mon raise your hands"
He saw a hand or two rising up.
Raman - who here gets an annual check up three times a year.
Bala raised his hand.
Raman - how many of you don't take elevators? Or skiing, biking, surfing, kayaking, whatever it might be.
There were numerous hands coming up.
Raman continued, "well! Listen to me. Fear is a state of mind, and I'm gonna prove you that right now"
Raman stood in front of them bare foot. The arrangements were done to walk on fire. The white cloth was put and the burning hot coal were placed on it. And there Raman was, challenging his fear.
He said, "are you guys ready? Here we go?"
And he walked on the Burning coal, from one end to the other.
He stepped the other side of the ground and called out for Mahi, "okay now Mahi. The only thing separating you and me is your head and not the fire. Give it a try"
Gathering all her guts and kicking away her fear, she ran through the fire. And then jumped on to Raman. Raman held her tight and said, " easy easy"
While Raman was busy with his people and his workshop, Ishita stood near the door peeping inside to see the activity going on. She enjoyed seeing Raman laughing around with those people.
Raman. - okay Bala! Now it's your turn.
Bala stood there numb. Everyone in the hall cheered for him, shouting his name aloud, "Bala! Bala! Bala !Bala!"
Raman insisted him again, "c'mon Bala. I know you can do it. C'mon"
Bala turned around and walked to his chair. Sat down and started wearing his shoes.
Bala - I'm sorry! But I find this a bit silly. I don't feel "OKAY" because I've walked across some damn coals.
Raman - okay! Then it shouldn't be that big deal Bala.
Bala - it's not a big deal. It's just..
Raman - just a step. An important step.
Bala - well, it has nothing to do with my Shravan.
Raman - Bala! Would Shravan want you like this?
Bala stood up and walked closer. He was angry deep inside. His blood rushed through his cheeks and he spoke up in a harsh voice, "you know nothing about my son Shravan. Get that"
Raman stepped on the coal and stood there firmly and said, "Bala, watch. You can do it. C'mon"
Bala somehow couldn't see Raman burning his feet knowing the fact that he was the reason. He left the room at once.
Ishita stood there at the door, watching him stand on the fire. Her heart beat was getting faster and her eyes were moist. She wanted to go and get him down, but then their strange awkwardness made a huge place for itself between them.
Raman continued with the remaining people, "okay! Alright. We'll go at our own place. Before that, give yourself a big round of applause for daring to kick fear right where it hurt."
Ishita stepped aside and rubbed her eyes. She went to the table where the water bottles where kept. She grabbed of one of them and drank a sip or two. That is when she noticed Raman's books displayed right there. She read the title aloud, "lighter side of the life"
She took one of them and walked away.
******
RAMAN'S ROOM
Pathak - buddy! This stuff is gonna hurt.
Pathak had an spray in his hand that he referred to.
He continued, "how many layers of skin do you think you have?"
Raman - not enough.
Pathak - you know that you can't do the work for them. You do right?
Raman - the guy needs help.
Pathak - fine, but you can't do it for them.
He took the spray in his hand and said, "this is going to sting a little bit. Ready? Count three"
He sprayed it on his burnt foot while Raman shouted his throat out.
Raman - Pathak! You're fired.
******
Raman and Pathak was seated with the board of members for the contract they had discussed about earlier.
The lady right infront of Raman blabbered, " once you sign with us, you're no longer an independent contractor. You've got all the states in India, funnelling your image 24-7"
While they continued talking, Raman scratched his feet with the help of the other. Pathak nudged him asking him to pay attention.
"The lighter side of the life show will subsequently launch in the third quarter. Followed by DVD line and new set of books. Syndicated talk radio and etc."
Raman looked at their branding and publicising strategy and thought to himself, "are you kidding me?"
Finally when the meeting was done, he walked up to his room.
He sat on the couch, almost moaning every second with the pain in his feet. That is when he saw the red light flashing on his handset, which eventually indicated that he had a voice mail.
He pressed the key to listen to them and figure out if anything was important.
"Hey that was great. Don't forget when..."
"Hey, I've got to take them down the museum and show them..."
"Did that beep? Hey Raman, this is Ishita."
And he was into her voice over the voice mail.
******
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