Eventide

Every evening Kaku would go out and Ninni was quite aware of it. He would return from office and within almost an hour, would leave. Mamma would never ask Kaku as to where he went. Rarely would it happen, but if at all someone dropped in around that time of evening, Kaku’s fidgets to quickly pack off the visitor would be completely exposed. Despite this, Mamma would never speak even a word in this matter. Nevertheless one rule was irrevocable even for Kaku. Everyone had to dine together in the evening. Perhaps Sandeep could be a bit late or early, by five to ten minutes in arrival, but Kaku would definitely be home when it was five minutes to eight o’clock.

As soon as Kaku stepped out, Mamma would rush straight to the kitchen. Ninni would have returned from library. So she would lie down a bit and flip through the pages of newspaper and finally only at half past seven- when it is time to roll roti or bhakhri- would she enter the kitchen. Mamma’s hands would bustle mechanically as though being fully keyed up. Aadani, tavi, a pair of tongs, the ball of roti ballooning under heat and plopped flat in to the plate. Not in the least would her fine tuning be disrupted. Then Ninni and Mamma would come out. Whether your eyes reached down the clock or not, as you heard the typical creaking sound of the gate outside, you should be sure that it’s eight o’clock. No sooner did the door open, than there would be Kaku’s tap on Ninni’s shoulder and his warm laughter- tenderly carrying both of them in her palms as if they were fragrant flowers, Ninni would go inside. Kaku was not just a daddy for Ninni. World’s best personage had blessedly inhabited her house- she used to feel something of the same sort. Right in her childhood, Kaku had taught Ninni how to go in to the attic of their old house without fearing. Then, she had to fetch water from the tap below and when Ninni fetched water in a tiny pot, Kaku would stand at the first step and take the spilling pot from her hands. If in joyous mood, sometimes he would sing aloud: Ninni, the queen, water she brings...

At the time of exams, when Ninni and Sandeep kept awake all night, Kaku would also read sitting beside them. Selecting library science as a subject was none but Kaku’s suggestion.

< Why, if you like books, do something novel! It will be great fun being amongst new books...Over meals, Ninni, Sandeep and Kaku would talk of a great variety of issues- film, television, politics, music, painting, nothing excluded. One would feel like listening to Kaku. Mamma would keep inquiring as to the subject of eating.

< Shall I give you curry, Ninni?

< Plain curd is there, if you wish to eat...

< Sandeep, you don’t even touch the pulses.

< You have spoilt your taste by overeating junk food...Everyone had to sit on the verandah after dinner. That was Ninni’s favourite time. She would be overwhelmingly swamped with the intoxicating fragrance of home and relatives. What if it came upon her to go somewhere else, leaving this favourite ambience...? And why, Kaku was more like her friend besides.

< I have given liberty to Ninni, complete liberty. Ninni herself will select a boy of her liking. Nobody’s opposition will be tolerated. Ninni’s liking is our liking. Happy now?

That day Kaku agreed to attend the ghazal concert. Mamma didn’t come along. She met many people there. Dr. Ghosh and Ramanathan, Kusumben, Naushir and Gul...so many acquaintances together that one couldn’t even properly smile a greeting to anyone let alone talking. It was such a confusion. And Kaku got separated. He could be seen swimming his way to the opposite shore of the sea of undulating heads. Then Ninni got immersed in some special talk with Sundara who she had luckily bumped into. When she came out of the dip, she found Kaku in front of her. Somebody was with him - a woman of forty years or so with memorable moist eyes.

< This is Ninni - Nandini - my daughter. She has been serving in Central Library for one year now...and this is Dr. Vidula Dave. Teaches Psychology in college. After the concert, Kaku asked Vidulaben if he should drop her home. Ninni did not like it. But then Vidulaben herself declined the offer quite emphatically.

Meanwhile, one day, Lekha insistently took Ninni to ‘Yellow Rose’. That name was becoming famous in the entire city day by day. She said, never mind if you don’t want to eat, just enjoy the atmosphere. The place was quite small in fact, but on both the sides, yellow roses had blossomed in a row of gigantic earthen flowerpots and an unmistakably fragrant atmosphere was created on account of them.

Ice cream was ordered. In the midst of casual chat Lekha spoke up, quite involuntarily- the way Lekha spoke those sentences, put stress on a particular word and how a word clung to the ice cream spoon- all that got recorded in Ninni’s mind.

< What a beautiful place! Didn’t I tell you? That is why sometimes your daddy also, along with our madam...here...

< Which madam?

Ninni was startled. Can Kaku ever go to a restaurant? Lekha had turned embarrassedly pale and silent, but what slipped out of the mouth, could not be taken back. Words can’t be put back in to a purse after sweeping them together any way.

< Tell me, madam means who?

< There is one Vidulaben. She has returned after studying abroad. I haven’t opted for psychology, so I don’t know anything else.

Ninni suddenly remembered that evening and the ghazal concert. And also those big moist eyes ...this is Dr. Vidulaben.

The pattern got formed in her kaleidoscope quite vividly. Black, white and colourful splinters took their respective places. Till now nobody had brought indictment against Kaku, but Ninni passionately got engaged in Kaku’s defense forthwith. Why can’t two persons go out to restaurant? Two women can go, two men can also go, then why can’t a woman and a man go together? Why don’t our eyes get even slightly accustomed to such a sight?

< But Kaku doesn’t go to restaurant even with you, what about that?

Someone hidden inside Ninni kept on making Ninni uneasy by asking such clever questions.

...Why doesn’t Kaku come to ‘Yellow Rose’, taking you and Mamma along?

Ninni had no answer. No other interesting talk could be materialized with Lekha thereafter. Really Lekha spoilt the whole evening.

Mamma was stitching a button in Kaku’s shirt. Ninni kept watching her carefully. Mamma’s white ringlet looks wonderful...we could not inherit Mamma’s eyes. Sandeep also was a chip off Kaku’s family block. It is true that Mamma’s body appears a bit heavy now. But Mamma would not have been the same, when Kaku had met her for the first time. I will have to see old photographs once again.

When the button was stitched, Mamma carefully folded the shirt and then began to caress the sleeve of the shirt. All of a sudden Ninni asked:

< How, if you go out with Kaku in the evening sometimes?

< Me? With Kaku?

Disbelief and dislike surged up in Mamma’s voice all at once as if she was asked some utterly indecent and funny question. Ninni was dumbfounded. Got angry with herself. She had made unnecessary haste. She quickly stood up from there as if saving herself from the walls that seemed to collapse on her.

The very next day, Mandakini, foi’s daughter, came with her family. A big motor, scattering a screechy uproar, stopped at the house with a jerk. In her characteristic way Mandakini came out laughing boisterously along with her demure husband and her two sons involved in utter monkey tricks.

< Where has uncle gone, even on Sunday evening? We are on our way to Abu and are staying overnight at Baroda. We thought, let’s meet you people on the way...we would like to leave within an hour.

< Why don’t you stay here! We have got all facilities in our house.

< No, we could get the leave with great difficulty and somehow could work out the programme. It’s only to meet you...please ring Kaku up. Where has he gone?

Ninni slinked near Mamma to see which number she dials. Four to five times she tried, but of no avail. Tired at last, Mamma looked at Ninni.

< You’ll have to go to call Kaku.

< Where?

Now Mamma would grumble, Where else? He must be at that Vidulaben’s place...but Mamma spoke in utter undertones.

< Right in front of the Hirabag Circle, there is Shivam apartment. You will easily find it, it’s just by the roadside. Neither did Mamma speak nor did Ninni ask as to who stays there. They felt no need for it.

She could find out Shivam Apartment indeed quite easily. Also could she see Kaku’s scooter parked near the wall. There was no need to make further inquiry. Nameplates were there near the staircase. Five, Second floor...Dr. Vidula Dave...For a few moments she stood quite nonplussed in front of that door. Then she rapped the bolt at the door as the doorbell was out of sight. The door opened. She espied Kaku, sitting quite calmly in an easy comfy chair. Two glasses were lying in front of him on a small table. On seeing her, he suddenly stood up.

< Oh, Ninni! Why thus, all of a sudden? Did something happen?

< Mandakini has come. Everybody is there. They are to leave within an hour. She has stayed only to meet you. Calls, we made many, but couldn’t get connected. Mamma said, Kaku would return in a little while but as they are in a great hurry, she told me that...

On realizing that she was speaking, though unwittingly, in apologizing tone as if for poaching in here, Ninni stopped. She got slightly angry at Mamma and Mandakini.

< Did you see her? She is our daughter - an utter tornado.

Kaku looked at Vidulaben and smiled. Then he went near the door and put on his chappals.

< How did you come?

< Of course, on my Kinetic bike.

< Well then, you come of your own accord. I am leaving.

Vidulaben smiled gently and waved him goodbye.

< Come in Ninni, there is no need for you to go home in a hurry.

< No, no I’ll come again. Today guests have come, so...

Her eyes reached down the telephone lying right in front of her. Somebody had put the receiver off the hook.

All throughout her way home, Ninni kept on wondering about the sort of chat, Kaku and Vidulaben must be doing. Could Vidulaben be a spinster? Or could she be a widow? She might have taken a divorce ...

She came home. Mandakini had indeed possessed Kaku.

< Manda, indeed your Ravi appears to be quite mischievous. How, how do you deal with two brats of such a sort?

< Uncle, that is why I often feel like leaving one under your surveillance.

Laying his head in Mandakini’s lap, Ravi was convoluting and producing queer noises. Disentangling herself from the prickly annoying thicket of this entire comess, Ninni stood at the window. How would Vidulaben have met Kaku? Till now she had been living under the illusion that it was absolutely impossible for her, not to be conversant with even a single thing concerning Kaku.

< I have brought a special thing for you, uncle! Hey, Kundan, please give me that bag...then some frenzied cries of enthusiasm and uproar...Ninni slipped into the kitchen under the pretext of some chore.

The storm, namely Mandakini passed. At night Ninni dreamt that Vidulaben was taking her to task, for knocking the bolt at the door and Kaku was not speaking a single word, though seated there. Then she went downstairs with downcast looks, so Vidulaben threw herself into Kaku’s embrace.

Again it was Saturday evening. When Ninni came, Mamma was seated on the verandah. Desai uncle and auntie, living in front of them, came out for a stroll as usual. Every Saturday Kaushikbhai and Minaben of neighborhood would create the air of picnic in the house only. It’s their day of bridge. Other two scooters would pull in very soon. On the verandah of Champakbhai antakadi was tossing in the mouths of children in concert with tap-tap of claps. Mamma was seated all alone on the island of her own; the obstinacy to preserve her self-esteem by not complaining had clouded her entire face. Husband, household, offspring, home...where were all these? Layers encrusted over Ninni’s eyes. Wiping her eyes with her handkerchief as if dusting them, Ninni hastily climbed all the steps and came by Mamma’s side.

< Come on Mamma, get ready in a beautiful sari, today both of us are going out for walk.

< Why, why? How come did you feel like that all of a sudden?

< Just like that- depends on my mood...

Ninni said with an air of regality, hiding the moisture in voice. In the garden, sitting on the bench near the dense bamboo grove, she took Mamma’s hand in her own hand. When she was young, she used to clasp Mamma’s hand in the same manner while sleeping, but there used to be Kaku’s finger clutched in her other hand then.