Chapter V
Ravi, secretary of Rajeev was waiting, holding a rose garland with utmost care that the petals of the flower would not wither off. Rajeev’s driver dressed in white uniform was standing ready to receive orders from his boss. Rajeev’s car which was an old model white ambassador, looked sleek, elegant and attractive.
The door of the Central jail opened.
Rajeev came out from the entrance gate of central jail. He thanked the guard who accompanied him and walked towards his car with quick and brisk steps.
The driver came one step forward from where he was standing, saluted him, went back to the old position, and opened the car door for Rajeev. When Ravi was getting ready to garland his boss saying, "Good Morning Sir!", Rajeev interrupted. " Wait Ravi, did you bring what I told you?"
"Yeah! It's inside the car in the back seat, sir," Ravi replied.
"Then wait a minute," Rajeev said, then he closed the car door. There was a white silk kurta with tight pants kept ready in the car. He changed his clothes sitting in the car. He rolled up his old clothes and just threw them in the driver's seat and combed his hair again. He looked in the rear-view mirror and got satisfied himself with his looks. Then he got out of the car and said, "Now you can garland me."
When Ravi garlanded him with servitude and fear, pride glowed in Rajeev’s face." Where is the photographer? Have you not arranged?", he asked.
It was then that Ravi remembered that he has not arranged any photographers but he managed the situation by saying that "Arranged Sir, but you know today being an auspicious day, all of them are very busy, may be that is why they didn't come...".
"Why?Hmm. I remember when the case was going on, they were all busy taking my photos, seems like now, I do not have any news value", he chuckled. He could see at a distance near the Jail gate some prisoners who were released standing in que to collect their daily wages.
"Where is my cash bag man?", he asked Ravi.
"Here, it is, sir", Ravi handed over a brown Swiss leather bag and said " Fifty thousand in cash with your debit and credit card is there, Sir".
He clapped and called out those people standing at a distance. Five hundred-rupee notes were distributed to them fast,
Ravi asked "Shall we leave doctor",he corrected himself immediately and asked, "Shall we leave, sir?"
Rajeev raised his eyebrows and asked, " What did you say?"
"I asked shall we leave"
"I heard, What you said!"
Ravi sighed.
"Tell man boldly"
"Was just asking whether we could leave, doctor… It’s just a slip of the tongue"
"Feel free to call me as doctor man . No one will jail you for just calling me as a doctor. Do you understand?"
"I understood- doctor"
"That's good"
Hearing the car at a distance, watchman opened the main gate wide open and stood in silence . The gardener, who was watering the rose plants with a black hose pipe, closed the tap immediately and stood aside with his hands folded.
The bungalow with a flat RC roof was located away from the main road and had no terrace. The concrete floor was visible from the ground floor. As the car passed half of the garden, Rajeev said, "Stop the car for a moment." When the car stopped, he got down and looked around the garden, and called the gardener, "Murali, come here."
"Yes, Sir," Murali came running.
"There's a ‘best rose garden’ contest next week, am I right? On 12th of this month?"
"Yes sir"
"Did you spray TTT well before planting?"
"I did, Sir!"
His eyes went back to the roses again. "It should be perfect when judges arrive, do you understand? Look at that. The leaves are covered with dust and dirt, bring waste banian cloth, and dab each leaf. Look at the withered dried two to three buds. Pinch and throw that away man. Okay?"
"Okay, Sir. I'll do it"
He did not get into the car again and ordered the driver, "Park the car in the shed." He reached Portico by observing other plants along the pathway of the garden. When he was about to enter the bungalow front hall, he noticed something is missing in the wall and stood there with irritation.
Ravi, who came behind him, observed this and was quiet embarrassed, he said, "Doctor, the police came and removed your name plate with “Dr”, while the case was going on", he replied with a little hesitation.
"I don't care about that. The place where the board was removed looks awkward, did you notice that? Why have you not arranged to plaster and paint it?"
"I will finish it today, Doctor"
Instead of a regular sofa in the hall, there was a beautiful Diwan with embroidered art work on it, Rajiv Menon sat down at one end of the Diwan. The cook, who had brought the frothy Boost, said, "Hello, Doctor."
He looked at Ravi and asked, " you didn’t stop the household staff, did you?"
"No Doctor. In the clinic, Pharmacist Bharathi and office boy Ramu said that they wanted to quit. I paid three-months’ salary and relieved them."
"Cheaters ! They do not deserve even a single rupee. They testified against me. Let's leave that. Is the clinic ok?"
“Yes, Doctor, it’s locked securely. We go once in a week and clean the Consulting Room and Pharmacy. The drugs were seized by police"
Okay. Then what about my appointments today?"
"Lawyer Shanmugam will come to meet you at 10 am Doctor ".
"Let him come". In the corner of the cupboard was a Veena that was placed vertically in the Cupboard shelf. Rajeev got up and walked towards it. He stared at the Veena with emotions that no one can describe for a minute and took it gently. He picked a small book named "Veena bodhini" in the side shelf and returned to the Diwan.
"What was the last raga I was practicing Ravi?" he asked his secretary.
Ravi who never expected this, was in a dilemma what to answer?
"I remember it man, " Rajeev replied and started playing Amritavarshini. But as he was out of touch for a long period the strings produced apaswara here and there. "Ask the driver to take the car to the East Fort and buy a hundred beautiful party invitation cards. Tell him to buy invitations with gold fonts." Rajeev said.
"What invitation, sir?
After playing the whole raga, he replied, "I want to send a party invitation for about hundred of my former patients and clients. Bring paper and pencil. Let me tell you about the invitation subject."
Ravi came back with a pencil and pocket note, Rajiv started dictating" Dear Friends, you are cordially invited for a get together at my house coming Sunday at 6 p.m. to celebrate my release from prison. All are invited to join the party, Rajeev."
"Is that all Doctor?"
"That's all. Print it in a good modern type when the cards arrive. Hundred is enough"
When the car halted in the portico, Lawyer Shanmugam got out from his car and entered.
Even though he was forty to forty-five years old, the wrinkles in his face, the specs, and the plump body made him look like he was sixty.
"Hi Doctor, when did you reach home?" he inquired as if Rajeev has come back home from a business trip. He sat down at the other end of the Diwan and sighed as if it is very hot.
Ravi understood the reaction of the lawyer and increased the fan's speed. "Doctor, I will make arrangements for the get-together", he said and left.
"Lawyer Sir, if you don't mind, Shall I tell you something?", Rajeev lowered the Veena down from his lap.
"It's about my health, right?"
"Yes. Yoga is the best option for you. To be precise, do bhadrasana. Do you know how to do it? Both feet should be stacked together and should be straight - like this…", he sat on the floor and demonstrated bhadrasana.
"Yeah, I will follow this after my business gets over", as he laughed and replied. He took some agreement papers from his briefcase and said, " Please sign these papers"
As he signed the papers, he asked, "My property is safe, right?"
"I have settled all payments as per your instructions. I didn’t even trust Ravi and gave him only limited funds to disperse. Court penalties came to a big amount. But we have settled everything."
"Good, but What about me? I was Imprisoned", he said smiling without any feeling for what has happened.
"Now, what is next in your agenda, Doctor?” lawyer asked.
"Wait, for a while, let me plan it."
Sunday at 5:45 pm.
Rajeev was sitting in the veranda, in Portico, observing the garden smiling to himself.
In the meadow, which was spread out evenly like a billiards table, the bearers were arranging the tables. Fifty tables were there altogether to accommodate two people per table. The aroma of hot coffee from the snack cart parked at a distance, the fragrance of roses in the jar and the smell of cool ice cream mingled to create a heavenly atmosphere.
At 5:58 pm.
Hesitantly, the catering supervisor came to meet Rajeev.
"What man, What is the matter?", Rajeev asked.
"It is almost six o'clock Doctor. No one came till now. Shall we start a little late?"
"No! No! Wait for a few minutes"
Supervisor's face blushed. He took his kerchief and wiped his face and said, "Are you sure that the guests will come on time?
" No, No one will come"
The supervisor looked at him as if he did not hear him properly.
"I said no one will come and I know that", Rajeev replied politely.
"Then…Doctor"
"I was studying how many people are bold enough. How many people responded to our invitation man?", he asked Ravi who was standing near the office room.
"Three people, Doctor- not for coming, they informed that they have got some other important work"
"At least, three out of the hundred guests are one percent bold." Rajeev chuckled. He turned towards the supervisor, " Look till 6:10. Then you can pack up."
The Supervisor was shocked, "Doctor, the party items...sweets...ice creams…"
"There are a number of poor families nearby and there is a slum area too. Distribute it to them with Honor they deserve It, than this bloody fellows. They will eat happily. Any confusions? Don't worry! I'll settle your accounts."
At 6:10
The tablecloths were folded. The water tumblers were emptied. The Roses in the jar withered, dumped in a corner of the garden.
By the time the forty-ninth table was folded, a car entered the gate. A young pretty woman was driving it.
"Gentleman, Please, keep that one table there", Rajeev said.
