I was returning from my hometown Kolkata to my workplace Bhopal, where I was posted as a Manager of a Commercial establishment. I had just moved in around 15 days back. Have taken a small flat quite near to my office. I am a bachelor even at 36, so had purposely not gone for a bigger flat. I don't need one. I was also of the introverted kind, not much sociable. I prefer to be left alone after my working hours. So, on this trip, I had gone home to bring some more of my clothes and belongings. Just reached Bhopal station some time back. So thought of calling my mother back at Kolkata and tell her that I've reached safely, before taking a cab to my Bhopal flat. Just finished my call and was about to move out of the station, when somebody called me from behind, speaking to me in my mother tongue, "Are you a Bengali ?" a lady's voice was calling me. I turned and saw a middle aged woman of around 40-45, looking at me with an enquiring face. She was soberly dressed with a light coloured sari with a suitcase in front of her and a travel bag on her shoulder. I said that I was a Bengali. The lady came close to me and with a pitiable face, said, "Sir, please help me, I'm in big trouble." I looked askance at her. She continued, "I was supposed to catch a train for Kolkata, but a little while back, my purse got snatched. I had my ticket in the purse along with some cash. Now I can't go back. I don't have any place to stay over here. Please help me."
I looked at the woman... Tall, healthy figure, didn't look like the beggar type, nor a cheater. I said, "Why don't you make a complain to the police, how can I help you?"
She said, "I had taken out the small purse to get my ticket. A small boy just snatched my purse and ran away and mingled in the crowd and vanished. How can the police catch him now ? I tried to buy another ticket, but no reservation is avaiable now. So how can I go without a reservation ticket ?"
I said, "I don't know what you expect from me ? Do you want money ?"
She said, "No, I have money, but it is 9 pm now, I don't have anywhere to go. I heard you speaking on the phone in Bengali, so thought of asking your help."
I said, "I myself am new to this city, just moved in here a fortnight back. How can I help you ?"
"If you can get me some place to stay the night..." , she was literally pleading.
I said, " I am a bachelor and I live alone in a flat, how can I get you a place to stay ?"
"Just one night, Sir", she was still requesting. "See, I'm older than you, I don't have problems to stay in your flat. Please understand, how can I stay alone in a hotel, that too near a station ? Will it be safe for a woman ?"
I was in two minds.. Will it be right for me to take an unknown woman home ? Was there any wrong intentions of her ? But the woman really seemed to be in trouble. Still I was hesitating...
The lady, delved into her shoulder bag and brought out her Aadhar card and handed it over to me. I checked the picture; it was the same face. Her name was Latika Das, age 40 ; and her address was of Baranagar, Kolkata . She said, "You can keep that card with you for now, Sir, as security. I think you are not sure whether you can take me to your home."
I said, "Ok, come with me."
We got into a cab and drove down to my flat. I said to the lady, "I live on the first floor of a two storeyed house. The ground floor is occupied by the landlord, but they do not live here. They live abroad in the U.S. I have a separate entrance to my flat."
I was paying the taxi off. The lady had by that time, taken out my suitcase and hers from the dicky of the cab. My suitcase was quite big and heavy, as I had brought a whole lot of clothes including woolens. Her suitcase was relatively smaller. I saw that she picked my heavy suitcase and was climbing up the narrow staircase to my room on the 1st floor. I was surprised at the ease with which she was lifting the heavy suitcase. I myself had been having trouble lifting my suitcase into the car hold, it was so heavy. I was looking with awe how easily she was lifting the heavy bag in one hand, without even putting it down midway. I took her lighter suitcase and came up behind her. Opened the door keys and went in first. The lady followed me in carrying my heavy suitcase.
My room was actually one hall with an open kitchen in one corner of the room and a toilet in another. The landlord had provided with the furniture. It had two single beds with mattreses, a table and chair and an Almirah. I had purchased a small refrigerator, a washing machine, an induction cooker, a small TV and a plastic basket chair and a big stool. The room was rectangular and had two ceiling fans. Each of the two beds were placed directly under the two fans. It also had a small terrace cum balcony attached providing some open space. Although not very posh, but it was convenient to me as it was within walking distance of my office.
I looked at the lady who was standing surveying the room. "I told you, I had a small place, don't know whether you can adjust here for the night."
She smiled and replied, "It's nice and cosy, I won't have any problems. I don't have words to thank you Sir. I don't know what would have happened if I did not meet you. You are Godsend to me."
I said, "That's ok. Now you tell me whether you have eaten anything or not. Actually, I cannot cook, except for tea or toast or boiled eggs, so I generally buy my food from nearby restaurants. It's already 10pm, so if you want anything, I think I have bread and eggs in the fridge. I have already had my dinner in the train."
The lady said, "No, no, I had already eaten at the station, while waiting for the train. And then this mishap happened."
I said, "In that case, let's each freshen up and then I would like to know about how you landed in this station alone. Do you want to go into the bathroom first ?"
She said, "No Sir, you freshen up first, you had a long train journey."
So I freshened up and changed to my casual wears. She changed into a soft cotton sari. We were sitting on the two separate beds with quite a bit space of about six feet inbetween. I had brought some sweets from Kolkata, which I offered to her.
I said, "Well now, let's talk. Tomorrow is Sunday, so I'm not in a hurry to sleep, as I don't have to get up early for office. Now before I go start my introduction and then yours, I am very curious to know, why you chose to carry my suitcase up to the room ?"
I will refer to her by name since I knew it by now from her Aadhar card. Latika said, "Actually Sir, your bag was quite heavy. I saw you struggle to lift it into the taxi. So I thought I should help by carrying it upstairs for you."
I said, "You seem to be pretty strong for a woman, you lifted the heavy suitcase quite easily up the stairs."
She laughed, "That is obvious Sir. Look at my figure, I'm so much bigger and taller than you."
That part was actually true. At 5 feet 3 inches height, I was short even by Indian standards. I wasn't so thin though, my weight was 63.5 kgs to be exact. I couldn't help asking her, "If you don't mind, can I know your height ?"
She smiled, "I'm 5 feet 9 inches...and also I'll answer the question which you couldn't ask, my weight is 94 kgs. I'm also used to lifting weights, so you see how I could lift your heavy suitcase so easily."
I said, "Ok understood. Now tell me how have you landed up in this city alone ?"
She began, "Actually I'm here for the last almost a year. I had come here with a family of Mr and Mrs Bhandari, who has a spastic child. I was hired to look after their sick daughter. I have been working with them for the last seven years, since the time they lived in Kolkata. The girl was around 13 years old then. She cannot walk, she is confined to her wheel chair. I used to look after her in every way. Earlier her mother could handle her. But with the child growing in size, her mother couldn't lift her. So they had hired me. You see, the girl is normal in every other way. So she has grown normally. Now she is 20 years old, quite a big girl of your height only, Sir. She is around 70 kgs in weight, since she doesn't have any exercise. I used to physically carry the girl from her bed to the wheel chair; or to the bathroom ; or even when they went outside to the Doctor ; or to just take the child out of the house to the mall or the park. The child's father worked in a very senior position in a Company. An year back he changed his job and joined another company here in Bhopal. They requested me to come with them. Since I had nobody else back in my hometown, my last straw my mother expired last year, so I agreed to come with them. Now Mr Bhandari has been posted at the company's Singapore office. Today only they had their flight. So they dropped me at the station and left for the airport. They had asked me to come with them to Singapore also, but I didn't want to go so far. They paid me six months wages extra and bought me a reservation ticket to Kolkata."
I kept quiet for a moment, then said, "Ok tomorrow morning I'll check on my laptop and book you a ticket to Kolkata. Now let's go to sleep."
Next day morning, I woke with the sound of utensils. I was greeted with a cheerful good morning by Latika. I was still lying in bed. She came to me with a steaming cup of tea in hand and placed it near my head on the stool. Then went and sat on her bed with a cup in her hand. I sat up in bed. "Could you sleep well in this new place ?" I asked.
"Yes, no problem at all. In fact, I woke up around half an hour back. I was out on your balcony, it is quite refreshing with all the trees down in the garden below. Nice bungalow you have rented."
Then she continued, "There was bread and eggs in your fridge. I have put the eggs for boiling. You go and freshen up Sir, I'll get the breakfast ready." I didn't say anything, but went into the bathroom.
While having breakfast, Latika asked me, "Sir, you said, you didn't cook but had your food from the restaurants. Don't you think that eating outside food everyday will spoil your health ?"
I said, "I know and besides the food here is very spicy and hot. I'm looking for a person who can come and cook. But the problem is, I have to go out by 8.30 in the morning and there's no fixed time of reaching home in the evening. It is usually after 7.30 pm only. So there's no time for anybody to come and cook my food."
Latika said, "I have a suggestion Sir. See, I do not have any fixed place to go back to in Kolkata. If I stay back here, I can take care of your cooking and take care of all your other household chores while you are at office."
I said smiling, "There are two problems to this. One is that I cannot pay you so much, which you must have been earning, taking care of the girl with your earlier employer. And, secondly, I am a bachelor. How can I have a lady living in the same room with me on a daily basis ? How will I introduce you to people or neighbours if they ask you relation with me ?
By the way, if I may ask, how much were you getting paid for taking care of that girl ?"
Latika had her answers ready, "Sir, I was getting Rs 8000 a month, with all expenses paid; that is my food and lodging were taken of by them. But I cannot take money from you. I cannot work as a cook. I used to work as the child's caretaker, her "Nanny ", they used to introduce me as, to their friends and family. All these years I have saved some money in the Bank, I am not after more money. All I want is peace and safety. You are living alone and you are a thorough gentleman. I will be safe living with you. And regarding how you will introduce me, you can tell them that I'm your cousin elder sister, who is a widow and will be staying with you. So then there won't be any issues."
I said, "This cousin sister part is fine, but I cannot pay you anything near what you were getting earlier."
To this she said, "Sir, did I ask for money ? I told you I will not work as a domestic cook. You just give me your shelter and food and nothing else. I can't take money from you."
I said, "See, you are actually not my sister. So how can I take your service for free."
Latika said, "Sir, I feel very bad discussing money with you. You have saved me from a very grave danger and I cannot think of taking any money from you. If I live here, it will be as if I'm living in my own home where I'm cooking for myself and my own relation."
I said, "Ok, if that's your expectations, you can stay, but if you don't want to take money from me, I'll deposit whatever I had budgeted for this expense, to your bank account."
Latika folded her hands, "One request, can I touch your feet ? From whatever you are doing for me from yesterday, you are no less than a God to me."
I smiled, "If you are staying here with me remember, you are going to be my elder cousin sister, so I'm going to call you Didi and you will call me by my name, Sumit and not Sir."
She got up, walked to her bag and took out a plastic folder. She came to me and stood in front of me. She handed over the folder and said, "Sir, all my important documents, my bank papers are in this folder. Also there's an envelope inside, which has fifty three thousand rupees. Since I'll be living with you now, it will be better if you can please keep them safely in your Almirah locker."
I said, "Why are carrying so much cash ? Why didn't you deposit them in your account ?"
She said, "Actually, I keep around five thousand cash with me always. Yesterday only they paid me six months' wages in cash of forty-eight thousand rupees. Sir, I would request you to please check the documents and count the cash before you put them in the locker. Actually, I am an unknown woman to you till now. It is better you check everything about me."
I said, "Where did you learn all this wisdom ?" I started checking her documents. In the folder, she had her Bank papers and ATM card , her voter id card, ration card and some medical prescriptions. There was a paper envelope, which had exactly fifty three thousand in cash.
I told her, "I don't keep so much of cash at home. I keep around ten thousand only. If you want I can take you to the bank and get this money deposited in your account one of these days."
She said, "I don't need to go Sir. You can take forty five thousand from here and deposit in my account. Balance let it be in your Almirah locker."
I got up and went to my Almirah and kept the folder inside. I called her and told her to see where I'm keeping the folder, if she needs it when I'm at office. She came and stood behind me. When I closed the Almirah door, I saw her in the full length mirror on the Almirah door front panel, standing just behind me, smiling. Seeing her in the mirror just behind my back, surprised me. I asked her why she was smiling. She said, still smiling, "Do you see how small you look in front of me ? I'm like a giant towering over you."
I really felt like a small boy in front of her tall and huge figure, all the more so, since I was wearing a shorts and a thin collar less Tee shirt. I turned to face her and smiled looking high up to her eyes. The top of my head was just about the level of her lips. My face was near her neck. I smiled and said, "You really look like my very big cousin sister."
Then she did something strange. She bent down, put her hands behind my thighs and stood up lifting me bodily up so that my face was higher than hers. With the suddenness of her action, on an impulse my hands went around her neck, holding her, lest I fall down. She put her head back and laughed out at this reaction of mine. She whispered to me, "I will not let you fall Sir, you are so small and light for me. Just relax and wrap your legs around my waist."
I was so flabbergasted, I did as I was told, wrapped my legs around her waist. Then she turned sideways so that I could see both of us in the mirror. I looked as if I was a small boy desperately from her mother's neck, while his big, tall mother was holding him tightly on her breasts. She looked up at me smilingly, rocking me slowly as if rocking a child. She said, "I'm looking more like your mother than your elder cousin sister. So should you introduce me as your cousin sister or aunty ?"
I said, "You tell me what you want."
She started walking away from the Almirah, carrying me in her arms like a child. She walked around the room very slowly, looking right into my eyes. She whispered, "Neither...I don't want to be your sister. I think I'm falling in love with you. You can say that your girlfriend or wife has come."
I said, "I also don't want to be your cousin brother. But how can I introduce you as my wife, because I've not told my Company here that I'm married."
She said, "Ok then you will have to call me your cousin sister to the Company people if they see us together. To the neighbours, you can tell them that I'm your girlfriend or wife, whichever you feel right. But I'm telling you, I'll treat you as my boyfriend or husband only."
I laughed, "Isn't everything going too fast Latika ? Besides, you are older than me."
She said, "I saw your train ticket lying on that table, you are 36 years. So I'm just four years older to you. That's nothing. Nowadays men also marry women ten years older than them."
I said, "Why are you walking with me in your arms, Latika ? I'm not that patient girl of yours."
She said, "Raina, her name is...she is so loving. I used to carry her in my arms in different ways and walk with her everyday. She didn't like her bed or her wheelchair. She loved it when I carried her around. Maybe, that is why I'm liking this.... carrying you in my arms. Good that I've found you. Otherwise I'd have missed her very much. But coming to think of it, I think you are even shorter and lighter than Raina. She is 5 feet 4 inches and 70 kgs. Tell me what is your height and weight ?"
I said, "5 feet 3 inches and 63.5 kgs".
She laughed, "Oh wow, you are even smaller than a 20 year old girl. So cute."
Latika stopped walking. She came and sat on her bed with her feet on the ground. So I was now sitting on her lap facing her, with my legs outstretched on the bed behind her. She was holding me with her arms around my back. I had my arms around her neck.
I smiled at her, "What is this Latika ? Aren't you going to let me down?"
She smiled too, "Why ? Are you feeling awkward or embarrassed that a woman is carrying you on her lap ? Is your mail ego getting hurt ?"
I said, "Obviously, I'm a grown up man. You are toying with me in such a way as if I'm a 5 year old boy in the lap of his mother. I should feel embarrassed that being a 36 year old man I'm so helpless in the arms of a 40 year old woman. But strangely enough, I am not feeling embarrassed. I don't know why, but I'm sort of liking this experience of totally surrendering myself to your strength."
Her face lit up with a bright smile."Really ? Then I've finally found my dream man. When I used to walk with Raina in my arms, I have always dreamt that I want to carry my man around like that cradled in my arms and pressed to my breasts, totally in my captivity. Now that I have you in my control, I'll never let you go. Even if you marry a girl of your size, I'll remain with you being your Nanny."
I laughed out loud, "That really would be some sight, Latika.... You carrying me in your lap and my wife standing in front of you, talking to me."
I said on a serious note, "Latika, tell me some more about yourself. Like how much did you study ? You said you were a widow, what happened ? Who else is there in your family or relations ?"
Latika said, "First of all let me tell you, I'm not a widow. I'm not yet married. Imagine which boy will marry a giant like me ?"
I said, "That is not correct, there are so many tall girls who are married. In my family only I have a cousin sister of your height 5 feet 9 inches who was married to a guy taller than him. I have a cousin brother who is also tall and has a wife who is half an inch taller than him at 5 feet 11 inches".
She smiled wryly, "Then they are lucky. In our middle class society, it is difficult to find a boy who would be willing to marry a girl of my height and weight. Your sister and Bhabhi might be tall, but I don't think they were fat like me ?"
I said, "Yes, during their marriage of course they were thin. Now they have grown heavy. But, you are not fat. You are well built. Your bone structure is thick, so you are solidly built, but not fat."
She squeezed my body a little, as if to give a silent thanks, then said, "As regards my family...my father worked in a small company, not much of a salary. My mother was a housewife, but she did some stitching jobs from home to earn some money. We lived in a rented house in Baranagar. My parents struggled hard but sent us to school and college...me and my younger brother. After graduation, I also taught in a local school and did some tuitions to support my family and my brother's education; not much of an income though. Then my father expired, around the time I got this job of taking care of this sick child. That gave me some steady income, which I gave to my mother. My brother had also graduated and he got a job through the political party he used to be an active member in. He married soon after. Since I did not live in our house, my room was taken by my brother's wife. His wife wanted me out of the house. My brother looked after my mother though. Last year my mother expired. My brother's wife clearly told me that I should make my own arrangements if ever I went back to Kolkata, as they do not have any space in the house, since their children were growing up.
That's it, more or less, that's my story."
There were tears in Latika's eyes. She tried to hide them by burying her face on my shoulder. I was feeling strange. I was sitting on her lap, while she was crying on my shoulder.
She looked up after some time, her eyes watery. Her face was very close to mine. I said, "Now you don't have to worry anymore on this, Latika. From now on, you will stay with me only."
She smiled broadly, "Now come, let Nanny walk you around some more in her arms. Let me carry my little boyfriend around." Saying this, she stood up with me, but now holding me in a cradled position, like I was lying in her arms, the way the film hero carries the heroine in his arms. She had one arm under my back and her other arm was behind my thighs and she held me high up on her breast level. I had my arms around her neck. My face was very close to hers.
She looked down at my face and said, "What do you think Sumit, will your parents accept me ?"
I said, "See Latika, that is the reason I asked you about your education. My parents are open minded, but they would expect their daughter in law to have some basic qualification. Otherwise they have given me a free hand, because they know that I wouldn't marry someone who wouldn't be able to adjust to our culture. From that point, there's no problem with you."
She was still worried, "But what about this size difference of ours ?"
I said, "If you look at it that way, my mother is also an inch taller than my father. Also, my sister is taller than her husband by an inch."
Latika said, "One inch is not so much perceptible, but I'm taller than you by six inches ! And I'm more than 26 kgs heavier than you. See I'm carrying you like a child in my cradle. Will they accept that ?"
I laughed, "Obviously, you are not going to carry me like this in front of others. Excepting that I look so small standing in front of you, there's no other area, where they might not like you. You have done your graduation. You have quite an attractive face, with high cheek bones, which I like. Your complexion is quite fair. You have a good growth of hair. You can cook and you are very good of taking care of the sick. All these are the qualities, parents look for in their son's bride. So, they will be satisfied and leave the decision of size difference upto me."
Latika smiled, "Then that is not a problem. I'll love you and take care of you so much that you will never want to even look at any other woman."
I said, "That I can very well understand. From the time I woke up this morning, I hardly had to walk. My feet have not been touching the ground for a long time."
Latika laughed, "Yes from now on, when you are home, I'll not let your feet touch the ground. I will always carry you around, wherever you have to go. Even if you are sitting, you will be sitting on my lap. And when I'm working in the kitchen or doing any other household chores, I'll pick you up and work carrying you on my back or sitting on my hips."
I laughed and said, "Then why don't you also drop me to my office in the morning and fetch me from office in the evening, carrying me in your arms ?"
Latika laughed, "Not a bad idea. What I can do is, I'll make you wear a Burqa over your office dress, like the Muslim women, and then carry you to your office and back. So people will think that I'm carrying a little girl on my lap".
I said, "Latika, the way you are carrying me holding me tightly to your breasts, I am feeling helplessly captured in your arms and totally under your power and control."
"Does this feeling bother you ?" Latika sounded really concerned.
I laid my head on her shoulder and I tightened my arms around her neck. I buried my face inside her thick neck and said, "I love this feeling Latika; I feel so safe and secured and protected when you carry me like this, covering me up completely from all sides inside your big body."
So this was the beginning of a new relationship of an odd couple....
