LATA (Creeper)
(Translated on 21.6.2012, from the original story 'Lata' published in 'PRANTIK', a premier Assamese fortnightly. Written by (?) an woman. 'Lata' is an Assamese word, meaning creeper. Pori is a female character, Rishi is a male character in the story.)
Where to go ? –I started thinking myself having stepped out of the publishing house where I work. Suddenly my mind became crazy to follow the left side road. It is better to follow according to the indication of the mind. On the left, just after a turn, there is the residence of Pori. I decided to go there.
Not once, but I pushed the calling bell twice, continuously. Pori opened the door after some time. Seeing her, laughter came to me, but she got angry. In stead of saying 'Please come' at the time of entry, she uttered,– 'How many times I have to tell you that whenever you come, make a phone call ? What would have happened, if you had to return back without getting me... ?' Removing my shoes, I answered,– 'I would have returned, so what ? Could get the credit of coming, and also, time would not been wasted !'
Pori entered into the room scaring at me. I closed the hook of the door and left my body on the sofa.
Pori is my intimate friend since college days. The reason of this intimacy is, she does not have any complexity of women. Sportive but very sensitive. A reflection of her positive mind is seen in every corner of her house. That is why I feel peaceful to visit here. Pori is a luxurious girl. She loves to decorate herself by decent dresses of her choice. She remains in attractive fashion from a particular time in the morning, whether she is inside her home or going outside. Perhaps nobody except the part time maid and the news paper hawker, nobody has seen Pori without grooming. That is why she gets upset if she notices me suddenly, like this.
Pori entered into the drawing room with the tea-tray, in attractive look. If not ready before my coming, she can not go and cook any item, whenever I be there at her house, but just a cup of tea. This is my strict order. Because it is intolerable to be without Pori, even for a minute, at the time I am with her.
Having the cup of tea on her hand, Pori said in resentment,– 'Want to see others also like that untidyness as you ?'
'No. Who and how does someone remain like that, is beyond my observation.' But you look nice like that; simple, well-dressed and without make-up.'
'Don't wish to see anybody like that without intention.' See the beauty of mountain and hills always from a distance, through a covering.'
'Ok, I will see mountain from distance. But you are not mountain. Whom I want to make mine, I must know the number of moles in her body also, darling.'
'You are becoming a philosopher today...... last night's hang over ?'
'Ok, forget those. Have you thought over the matter I said ?'
'You have been asking the same question again and again and I too have to answer the same again and again. Listen to me, making you my own means the same thing to get someone to discuss about Rishi. At the first stage you would have listen to me patiently. You will have emotions for me then. But slowly and slowly, these will be the reason for peacelessness. Man never wants a competitor.'
Pori is a lonely lady who became widow at an early age. But Pori, after life is shattered by this loneliness, still wants to remain as a sportive, strong woman in public eye. She wants to establish that Rishi is still alive in somewhere unknown in this world. But in some dangerous lonely moment, when life becomes unbearable, her mind wants to exchange thoughts with someone close companion. Just few days back I got a long message– 'Have you seen the outer world at this time ? Go and see. Today there is thick fog outside. My pen has become stiff due to the coldness. Thought that, I will write something, but it does not move ahead. The leisure time seems to be dangerous like a horror story for me. From evening till now, eight cups of coffee have been finished. You know, Rishi was a big dose of toxicant for me. With no intoxicant his existence can be removed. Incombustible.' Last night, again one message came– 'A bachelor life is the best, you know, then to get separated from the beloved one. This married life is a big intoxicant. Can be stayed if not accepted, but not after accepting it. Why this life came to me that destroys the balance of body and mind ? Busyness of the day, news of the friends, TV, Internet, Study, Writing can provide mental peace for some time. But in abundance of these, there are many things, also the body sometimes do not obey restrictions. The body will certainly want according to its desire...... some companion of the body. Perhaps you will not understand that pain.'
I have read Pori's last night's message again and again. The words seems to be much troublesome for me. I puffed numbers of cigarettes one after another. Opened the door of the balcony and saw, yes, today also, there is heavy fog outside. Is it only the pen that becomes stiff ? Mind wanted to fly near her, to that lonely island, to thrust into the noises of the lonely island. Mind wants to get lost itself in the restlessness of the roaring waves of sea inside.
'Reached immediately, having received the message, isn't it ?' –Pori smiled with a gentle sound. Sometimes I turn to be mad with the madness of Pori. There is no sign of mental uneasiness of the message on her face now, completely normal. Perhaps women are mysterious because of such type of a covering layer. Again she laughed at, with sound. It generates excessive anger to me, but I used to stop...... I see her unbearable agony hidden under a skillful technique of self-control and thus control myself from a sudden slip. A pathetic tune I always feel inside her smiles. Therefor, I think– let a new dream be started by her. Another dream may be shooted out for a dream broken. Thousands of dreams may be shooted out of that.
Pori and me, are now sitting on the balcony. In front of us is the evening sky. It seems the sky is yet to pour all the generosity of it upon us. There was a space between the two chairs of us, where another chair can be put. The working maid placed a small table in that gap.
Both of us took one cup of coffee each. After some silent moment, Pori said,–
You know, Rishi and myself never ever sat like this together to see the evening sky. That is why now-a-days I become silent at this time. Because there is no news of Rishi in this sky. Have you seen that creeper ? It too does not know about Rishi. Now it is known to it after hearing several times.'
'Not taken sugar in your coffee ? Previously you were the queen of sugar !'
–I asked, changing the scene.
'After the marriage, sugar of Rishi's body started increasing. He left sugar. So how can I take ? But now I take a little, not much. Otherwise Rishi may feel bad.'
'Can't you go nearer to somebody ? How long like this ?'
'Knowingly or unknowingly, this proposal has given to me from many. But those bodies have no smell of art. They want to touch the beauty of mine. They have no idea about the heart-rendering feelings inside the women.'
'Choose such a person who can cross the worn out road of loneliness keeping hand to hand with you ? Arrange the pains and cries properly for life.'
'Don't say about life. Life itself is a big lie. Otherwise why Rishi has gone away ? Why couldn't life keep him inside the circle of my deep love ?'
Pori, may not be extremely beautiful, yet, her appealing appearance attracts others at the first sight. But that attraction does not make me greedy, even for once. I want to know exactly, what actually Pori wants. Art of a body or supplication of it ! What will make her loneliness out and clear Rishi's non-existence too !
Today, I have come to Pori with a surprising proposal. Without any preface, I said,– 'Let's go, today we will have court marriage.' Pori agreed at once. 'Ok, let's go.' Don't know what she thought and agreed immediately ! Getting her enthusiasm, I phoned my lawyer friend. He commented at once,– 'A bachelor's married life !'
Pori in a beautiful dress took her sit inside the car. But left the driving seat for me today. I looked at her face intermittently. An extremely sentimentless expression.
It took some time to work out the papers. Both of us are sitting in the friend's chamber. Suddenly I noticed that she has started sweating. I asked,– 'Are you feeling hot Pori ?'
'Yes, I am. Run the fan.' –She said. At this moment my friend entered and said with smile,– 'Go to Kashmir for honeymoon. Why are you making cold here in vain ?'
I finished my part as per the direction of my friend. He forwarded the papers towards Pori. Pori just had a look over those and thrushed on the table. She stood up suddenly and said to me,– 'Leave it for today. I am not feeling comfortable.' And came out from the room hurriedly. I followed her. I looked back for once and saw that my friend is standing in a state of being puzzled.
After reaching the car parking, Pori occupied the driving seat. Opened the opposite door and said,– 'Come'. Although unwillingless, I sat. If something unwanted happens on the road due to the bad mood ! May be, I can never forget the extreme shame due to the incident before my lawyer friend, in my life. A kind of temper is working inside me such a way that I want to punish myself.
The car is stopped in front of my house. I took leave with a courtesy, outside my home.
It is about one month, connection has been cut off between me and Pori. Before this, till the day we went for court marriage, I can not even think that I am staying without seeing her for one day or without getting her voice once a day. I can not even imagine this unpleasant situation. After that I have been passing this current month with much sorrow. Thinking from my mind, let she make a phone call first. I was just thinking it, all of a sudden a phone call came. Her call,– Please, please come. I have written a story after long gap. For the new year issue of your magazine. Check it for once, please.'
And I too send a message immediately– 'Send it by the driver. Time is less. Tomorrow all the matters will be sent for printing.'
I waited long for the driver. Pori's presence will be felt at least if I see him. But the driver is not there, story too. A message came instead– 'Let loneliness increase more...... make me courageous.'
I got troubled in searching for the key of the car. But it appeared to my mind and found the key in the car itself. I cleaned the dew drops deposited on the front glass. My car moved ahead in darkness, through the thick mist with the help of fog light.
After driving speedily, when I reached Pori's house, I felt as if all efforts were done in vain. Still it made me satisfied that Pori was confermed about my visit. Dinning table was ready already by mats, water glasses, plates and other things for two persons. She occupied a chair and called me,– 'Come for the dinner.' I went towards another chair. She restricted me with her hand,– 'You please sit that side. Don't mind, this is Rishi's chair. Both of us quarreled everyday for this seat. Lastly I could understand. While taking meal, sitting on that chair, Rishi always holds my neck with his hand. He likes to eat like that, holding me. It is for the first time, I am going to have dinner with someone second, after Rishi. He too will feel good at this. Ok, start. Let him look at us from far. He will be happy if I become happy. But so much of sadness he left for me and went away !'
I never saw such amount of tears before, coming down from the eyes of Pori. This is the liquid in this world which I can not tolerate at all. I started wiping her tears from back side.
On the dinning table Pori started to say,– 'You might have thought why I came back from the court that day. What your friend might be thinking upon me ! That is quite natural. I don't know, my heart starts beating more whenever I go for such laws. Life had mislead me very badly. That is why I don't like any rule or pride related to life. Can't we accept life by some unlawful law ?
On that day, between Pori and me, there is no space vacant for Rishi. By contracting and shrinking she placed her head on my left shoulder. Her eyelids were just going to close. At this moment those eyes do not want the existence of Rishi. Also, on her make-upless simple appearance, expression of the ancient supplication of women, perplexity, strong desire etc. became distinct. As if I will finish in this particular type of happiness against which previously I felt proud for not to be greedy any day.
Pori was in sound sleep till seven in the morning. As if, a deep sleep came to her after many years, just today ! I thought, after looking at her. But in the next minute, I thought, if Pori's mind becomes upset after getting up ? Cry for the non-existence of Rishi last night ? If she say,– 'Take away your touches from my body... ?'
After coming out from bathroom, I saw that Pori is sitting near the room-heater, taking the warmth. Looking at me, she said,– 'Feeling very fresh today.'
'Whom ? Me ? I am always fresh.'
'No, no; last night I had a sound sleep. That is why now I am feeling much more fresh.'
I thought, other things also should finish immediately, such as tea, breakfast etc. I am scared to attach myself for more time with her. Not because of the word Rishi, but the feelings she had with him as duo.
Not for some moment, Pori took two hours to complete her morning works. I became depressed seeing her unattentive, one or two times in between. This brought me sadness feeling that she repressed Rishi because otherwise I will feel bad.
Seeing me dressing up, she said,– 'Perhaps you are going to the publication ? Or any other work ? Come for lunch during day time.
I again thought, where shall I go, to publishing house or to my home ? A stable decision can be taken after going home only. At this moment, Pori said that she will give me a lift. I changed my decision and got down at the publication.
It became evening, while at the publication. Two days works were totally pending. At that moment a phone call came from Pori– 'What are you doing till such a late time ? Come, let us see the evening sky together.'
The two chairs were together. The working maid today placed the table in front of us. Darkness sprinkled slightly, till the end of the tea. Suddenly a shooting star fell down from the sky. Pointing towards that, Pori uttered,– 'That is Rishi. Look, look.'
I finished reading the story written by Pori during my time at the publication house. Not a story, but a simple, confession of woman's mind. A shocking story of barbarous Rishi who made her life full with curse, bit by bit enjoyment of crual sexual deeds of a monster and a pathetic story of the pains given to the body of an woman.
Closing the door of her bed room, Pori showed me some rounded, black spots on her private part. Those were formed due to burn down with lighting cigerate and thus enjoyed the outcry of a naked body.
She took my hand very tenderly and said,– 'Tell me, how can I forget Rishi ? Whether that pain will allow me to become normal any day, will it make me smiling ? Fascination towards Rishi is my intentional demonstration. The more you see me overwhelmed to Rishi, is it not true that the more you are getting attracted towards me ? Man never wants a competitor. Since you are trying me to cause to forget Rishi, then I feel that my love is secured with you. Come, let us together drive away lonliness.'
I wished to see the creeper again which is climbing on the post of the open space, through the window. Inside human body also, such kind of a creeper always wants to stand up.
