Pune 2

Varghese knocked at a door painted in some shade of green. A second later she heard a small baby cry and then shuffling as Elsie opened the door. Elsie, sweet Elsie who had bought them ice candy when she had come to Othara after marriage. Susamma smiled and shuffled into the small room. A sofa lay with its innards open; Elsie quickly covered it with a sheet that had hibiscus flowers in yellow. “Will you have tea” Elsie asked almost as if she was willing Susamma to say no. Susamma just stood at the door with her truck and smiled. Elsie pointed to the sofa and said, “Then you sleep here, lets talk in the morning”, the baby mumbled a cry and Varghese asked Elsie to see what was wrong. He came in a few minutes later with a thin cotton towel with a brilliant green border and pointed generally in the direction of a passage and said, “The toilet is in there, no hot water, if you want to take a bath use the bathroom.” Susamma sat on the edge of the sofa and removed her new rubber slippers, the plastic sticker had mover to one side and the sticky glue had collected grime and a few hair strands. The florets on the design too had specks of black soot.

The bathroom was a sorry affair with the paint having peeled off; the door had a few gaps that could not be trusted. She somehow managed to pour the cold water over her head and stood shivering as the warmth drained out of her. Overcome by the distance she had traveled, her arms and legs suddenly felt like lead. Her father had bought her Chandrika soap, she used it in a miserly fashion while trying to take a bath while still dressed in her petticoat and blouse. She searched for the light switch when she has done and then changed, peeling the clothes one by one from her body and then rubbing her skin until she felt circulation return. Then she folded the wet clothes and wore the ones she had got along from Othara. Pune was cold; the steely fingers of the air had crawled into her trunk and had touched everything. The clothes slowly melted to her body and warmed within minutes.

Susamma looked at her watch and lay down on the sofa. Trying to avoid the hole in the blue rexine. She covered herself with a sheet and was in a flash asleep.

She woke up to the sound of a vessel crashing to the floor followed by a series of loud chaste Malayalam curses. Startled she sat up and waited for someone to come through. Varghese could he heard somewhere inside cooing the baby. Elsie came into the room and gave Susamma a tired smile. “Go and get ready for breakfast.” She said and went away. Sleep hovered at the edges of her eyes. She got up and straightened her sari. Varghese called out to her and said a cheery good morning. She entered the kitchen and waited for Elsie to ask or tell her something. Finally she walked out and went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth and then went to the look. She was a bit amused, back home the morning ritual was done collectively with her sisters all heading into the grassy strip of land behind the canal and then while one stood watch the others did whatever one had to do. She smiled as she came out feeling better and a little hungry. The kitchen gave off smells of an ordinary meal being made. She entered again and asked Elsie if she could help her in the kitchen. Elsie nodded, “peel the onions” she said pointing with her eyes, while she continued stirring sambhar on the stove.

After breakfast, which was consumed without any conversation, Verghese asked Susamma to show her letter. She fished it out the letter from the trunk and gave it to him, explaining what had to be done. She then handed over two hundred-rupee notes to him as her father had instructed. He took them and put them in his pocket and read the letter aloud like a teacher would while evaluating an exam sheet. Elsie interrupted him with “What are the qualifications required for nursing, chetta?” Varghese looked at her and shot a question at him, “Why? Do you want to do it?” He then folded the letter and shoved it into his pocket saying “ I will go to the college and enquire the details” Then he got up and went inside. Susamma wondered whether she was off bounds the inside room. Elsie came in then with the baby and handed him over to Susamma saying “Take care of him while I get your cousin off to work”. The nine-month-old baby gurgled and smiled. He was not a beautiful baby, but like babies are all over he had a innocent charm about him, Wrapped in an expensive blanket he was warm, she cooed as she held him in her lap.

Varghese came in late that night. She was asleep when he noisily rapped the door and Elsie grumbled under her breath as she ran to open the door. Susamma sat up and looked at her cousin as he stumbled into the room reeking of liquor and sweat. He brushed past her and went in, She within minutes felt the lights go out and then as she drifted back to sleep could hear small sounds of pleasure that came from under the slats of the door.

Varghese took several days to find time to go to the nursing college. By the time he did go, Susamma was feeling sick with worry. Elsie kept saying that he would do it soon and not to worry. A few times she asked Varghese only to be given vague answers. Susamma finally burst into tears one day and Varghese fled the place only to return a few hours later with a sheepish look on his place. Susamma was frantic when he walked straight into the inner room and Elsie shut the door. The baby gurgled in her hands, while she strained to hear the conversation that came muffled from the door. Finally Varghese came out of the room. She gave the letter to Susamma and told her in a rather plain voice “The last day for joining the college was day before yesterday”. Elsie dropped another vessel in the kitchen and Susamma felt her head spin.