TRANSLATED FROM BENGALI BY NABANITA SENGUPTA
Ambarish Babu was facing a grave problem after his retirement. A single stroke of the clock signalled that it was half past seven in the morning. Outside, it was already bright and sunny. Yet there was no sign of the morning tea.
He had already raised his voice thrice asking, “Is the tea made?” But Sheela kept sitting indifferently on the sofa opposite him and continued with her knitting. Her fingers moved so swiftly that it seemed she was participating in some sweater knitting competition. This year too, she must have received unpaid commissions to knit several sweaters and cardigans. That she was unable to do any social work was one of the regrets of her life. Hence for the past 20-25 years she had been knitting to her heart’s content and gifting those to all around her.
When he shouted for his tea the fourth time, Sheela replied without even looking up from her work, “It will be here soon. Rhik and his wife aren’t up yet.”
– Not awake yet!
As soon as he said this loudly, Sheela almost snapped at him, “Speak softer. They are a newly married couple; they will be a bit late in waking up. Why are you shouting? The tea is not going to run away.”
His face was saved from being hit by the ball of wool just by a whisker. Instead of hitting his face, it rolled along the floor in the shape of a spindle. Ambarish Babu looked at it and sighed. He could hear tinkling in the kitchen. Elder daughter-in-law, Purna, had got up just a while ago. He had also seen that his elder son, Rhiju, was already awake. Now, if only his younger son, Rhik, and the daughter-in-law, Snigdha, would wake up …
Left with no choice, he once again delved into his newspaper. Before his retirement he hardly got the time to read the headlines. From the early morning he would be in a rush to leave for his office. He used to reach his office by eight in the morning. It was a must-do for him. And since his retirement, in the past few days, he had read the newspaper from its end to end more than once. Today too, it was his second reading and he was already on the fourth page. Yet there was no sign of tea.
Since he was unemployed now and neither of his sons left for their office before 9:30 am, Sheela had enforced this rule that everyone must have the morning tea together. For thirty-four years she had been waking up early in the morning just to make breakfast and tea for her husband. She too had a right to ask for some respite.
Therefore these days, by the time tea arrived, it would be 8 am. He had come to know that his sons and daughters-in-law regularly took their tea at this late hour. Almost all of them were late risers of various degrees. Even Tinku. But the younger son and daughter-in-law surpassed them all.
The whole thing appeared disagreeable to him – waking up at such a late hour! No, he could not let that continue. There were some people in the office who were comfortable reaching office late. This was also something similar. A poor habit.
That evening he once again faced disappointment when he enquired about Tinku. Since his retirement, his greatest challenge was how to spend time. So he looked forward to his grandson’s company in the afternoon. When he sat on his easy-chair, the child played around him and threw a thousand questions at him. Dadu, does a crow lie down on its back or chest, will the cat grow into a tiger if I feed him more, and so on. But that day, Tinku was not at home. Sheela informed that their daughter-in-law had taken him to her parents’ place after school and that they would return in the evening.
Ambarish Babu asked in surprise, “Do they do this frequently?”
– Yes, at times. It is just a few bus stops from his school.
The next day there was another issue. He found the house completely silent in the afternoon. Sheela was busy knitting the neck and shoulders of the sweater. After walking along the balcony for a while, he suddenly asked, “What happened? Why is everything so quiet today?”
Sheela looked up in surprise and said, “All of them have gone to watch a movie. Rhik and Rhiju will wait near the metro station after their office and the daughters-in-law would meet them there. Tinku is with them too.”
– Is that so!
Everyone ganged up to go to the cinema and he did not even get a whiff of it! Sheela was quite indifferent to the whole thing and said, “What is there to know? They had been planning to go to watch a movie together since Rhik’s wedding.”
– Do they do all these frequently?
– Rhiju and the elder daughter-in-law go at times. Today they are all together …
Ambarish Babu was quite unhappy with the state of affairs. He realized that indiscipline had deeply set in his family. For thirty-six years of his work life, he had been in a trance, engrossed in thinking of ways and means to achieve growth for the company, to increase its turnover, and so on. Even on Sundays or other holidays he would go to visit the production plants. Eventually he too had climbed up the ladder to reach the post of the General Manager. By focussing more on the growth of his work place, he had neglected his family. And so much had happened meanwhile …
With the passage of time he yawned repeatedly. Time seemed to have come at a standstill. He did not have the habit of reading too, or else he could have buried his nose into a book and spent time. Sheela was so easily occupied with her knitting …
Seeing him yawn frequently, Sheela asked, “Shall I serve you some rice for dinner?”
– Rice! It is just 8 pm by the clock. Let them return. We all can eat together.
But when no one returned even by 9:30, he was amazed, “What is the matter? Why are they so late?”
Sheela scolded him mildly, “I have been asking you to have your dinner since a long time. But you can’t even hear that. Perhaps they have gone to some restaurant after the show and will return after dinner. You have your food.”
That night, Ambarish babu could not eat properly. He could not imagine that there was so much indiscipline in his own household. He had spent his entire life chasing ‘discipline’. He used an x-ray vision to supervise whether everyone was reaching office dot on time, whether anyone was leaving office before time, or if anyone was engaging in idle gossip ignoring important files on their desks. He was also extremely strict regarding leaves. The entire office was scared of him. And here, in his own home …
He could not even sleep well. He kept thinking of ways to bring back discipline in his household. He realized that the control had slipped from his hands. But he could not let this continue.
Next morning, he drafted a circular with careful attention. Then, before anyone woke up, he put it up on the wall of his dining-cum-living room.
The circular was as follows –
This is hereby being informed that all the residents will have to be more attentive towards maintaining the discipline in the house. Everyone must leave their bed by 6 am. The time to report at the table for morning tea is between 6:30 and 7 am in the morning. Proper timing is also to be maintained regarding returning home in the evening. Without prior permission, no one is allowed to stay outside after 8 pm. It is mandatory to take permission from the undersigned in case of going to the cinemas or to visit one’s parents.
After signing the circular he added ‘General Manager’ beneath it, as was his habit for so many years. Then he struck that off and wrote ‘Head of the Family’.
That day too everyone gathered for tea after 7:30 am as usual. Rhik was the first one to discover the circular. He was quite taken aback when he first noticed it. He whispered to his wife, and then, glancing at his father once, whispered to Rhiju too. Rhiju looked at the wall on his left and was stunned. He then passed on the news to Parna.
That day, there was a lull at the dining table. Everyone sipped their tea silently and threw furtive glances at Ambarish Babu while he kept drinking his tea, eyes fixed upon the newspaper. At times he cast sidelong glances at his sons and daughters-in-law to observe the impact of his circular. At office too, after any strict circular, he would notice the union leaders gathering at a table and putting their heads together to whisper something among themselves. They would plan their course of action with bated breath – whether to simply set up a protest together or to stage a ‘gherao’ of the GM.
At his home the circular seemed quite effective. The next day everyone gathered for their morning tea by 6:30 am though the mood remained a little sombre. He noticed his younger daughter-in-law’s sleepy eyes and the way she yawned a couple of times while sipping her tea. Rhik too was speaking softly, in a sleepy voice. That evening the sons returned early too, before 8pm. A couple of weekends passed but none of the sons or their wives mentioned anything regarding going for the movies. The daughters-in-law too were not saying anything about visiting their parents or were not leaving house at all hours under the pretext of shopping.
Noticing the entire scenario, Ambarish Babu was quite pleased.
One evening Tinku bent over his easy chair and said, “Well dadu, you have put everyone in quite a tight spot.” Hearing such a thing from Tinku surprised Ambarish Babu. The English-medium school going kids these days were quite loquacious. He smiled and asked, “Why my dear?”
– Yesterday night, while lying on the bed, ma was telling this to baba. That paper, the one that you have put up on the wall – has made everyone fall flat.” Tinku clapped in glee and then asked, “Dadu, what does bheemroti mean?”
– Bheemroti, senility! Ambarish Babu was taken aback on hearing the word. He tried to understand what his grandson was trying to mean.
– Does bheemroti mean to be as fat as Bheem, dadu?
Ambarish babu was nonplussed. He asked, “Why do you say so?” Tinku added with gesticulations, “Yesterday night baba was telling this to ma, after retirement you have contracted this thing called bheemroti.”
It was quite a shock for Ambarish Babu but every action has its equal and opposite reaction. He knew that the circular will provoke a reaction but after coming to know of it from his grandson, he felt a bit troubled as well. To change the track of conversation he asked, “When will your teacher come in the evening, dadu?”
Tinku did not respond to that and continued, “Have you bought a whip, dadu? Where is it? I haven’t seen it!”
Ambarish babu looked at the little one, his eyes popping out – what was Tinku driving at? He simply asked, “Why my dear?”
– Ma said that since you could not crack your whip at the office anymore, you were doing so on the people in the house.” And then almost immediately Tinku added, “Dadu, were you the top boss at the office? Did everyone have to take your permission?”
Ambarish babu looked at him with sharp eyes and replied, “Yes”.
– Oh, what fun! And you did not have to take anyone’s permission.” Tinku clapped.
Ambarish babu was stunned for a while and then said, “Yes, I too had to seek permission. There was someone above me too.”
Tinku’s questions had no end, “Really? Who was your boss, dadu?
– My MD, Managing Director …
– “Oh”, Tinku was deep in thought for a while, “Then is there no MD for you in this house?”
Ambarish babu once again paused to think. Perhaps he thought of Sheela for a moment. Then he smiled and said, “Why, aren’t you there for me? In this house, you are my MD”.
Tinku now made a sombre face and said, “Then you will be taking my permission, won’t you? Remember, I am your boss.”
– Sure, my dear.
Hearing this, Tinku felt very satisfied. He happily pranced towards his study room. Evening was setting in.
One afternoon, a few days later, Sheela suddenly said, “Rhiju and his wife want to go for a movie.”
– “Movie!” Ambarish babu knitted his brows and then straightened them and asked, “When?”
– “Today. Rhiju will go to the theatre and wait and elder daughter-in-law will …”
– “Oh” said Ambarish babu. And glanced sideways. It meant that the plan was already in place. Now it was just a matter of post-facto approval. In a manner of writing ‘granted’ on the application letter he replied, “Alright. But they are not going to dine out. Ask them to head straight home after the show is over.”
After Sheela left, he had a quiet laugh. Finally he could implement some discipline in his household. For a long time there was mal-administration here. It was bound to take some time.
A little later Tinku came to him and said in a serious tone, “Dadu, did you give permission to my parents to watch cinema?”
– Yes my dear
– Tinku looked quite unhappy, “Why? Henceforth never give anyone any permission without asking me.”
Ambarish babu was quite surprised and asked, “But why?”
– They did not take me along with them. Only ma and baba went for the movie.
– That’s an injustice. Why didn’t they take you?
– Ma said that it was a movie for the grown-ups. I was not supposed to watch it. Why dadu, am I not big enough? See how tall I am!” So saying he raised himself on his toes. He was almost of the same height as his dadu reclined on the easy chair. “See dadu, I am almost as big as you are!”
– Alright, henceforth I shall not give any permission.
– “What fun”, Tinku left, dancing with joy.
That night Ambarish babu heaved with relief when Rhiju and Parna returned by 9:30 pm. It signified that his orders were being carried out correctly.
After three or four days Tinku came running and said, “Dadu, kaka and kakima are planning to go for a movie today but you must not give them your permission.”
Little surprised, Ambarish babu asked, “Why my dear?”
– It has been just two nights that I have slept in the room of my kaku and kakima but today morning kaka said, from today onwards you will sleep with your parents. Why did he say like that? I love to sleep beside this new kakima. Ma too said that if I sleep in their bed they face problems. What problems, dadu?”
Ambarish babu was embarrassed and said, “Okay, I shall scold them.”
– Yes, give them a severe scolding. And, they must not go to the movie.
Just as Tinku had said, a little while later Sheela came to him and said, “Rhik and the younger daughter-in-law shall be going to watch a movie today.”
Ambarish babu’s expression became sterner and he said, “Have they made you their Union Leader?
Sheela, surprised, asked, “Why?”
– Can’t the applicants come by themselves? Why do they have to send all the applications through you? I do not like any recommendations from any union leader. Let there be no movies today.”
Sheela was taken aback – What do you mean by no movies!
– They had watched one just the other day…
– But that was the elder one. Rhik and his wife had gone a long time back.
– Still, not today. They can go on some other day.
– Amazing! They are a newly married couple. They have so happily planned to go for a movie today and you are asking them to go on another day! They have already bought tickets for the evening show.
Ambarish babu received a shock. “Tickets have already been booked and after that they were asking for permission! Applying for earned leave after enjoying it! That’s very bad. It cannot be tolerated.”
– Sheela spoke up, “What do you mean? Since they have already booked the tickets, let them go.”
– No, they won’t.
– “Yes they will.” So saying Sheela stomped off. Ambarish babu was left staring after her. He found himself in a fix. Not so much for the reason that his order was being overruled, but for the sake of his grandson. He had made a promise to Tinku …
Towards evening he started feeling uneasy. There was a pain on the left side of his chest. As soon as he lay down on his bed, the entire family gathered around him. Rhiju immediately called up the doctor. Their house physician arrived and checked his heartbeat with his stethoscope. After a detailed check-up he came to the conclusion that there wasn’t much to worry about. Probably it was a pain due to gas. Still he prescribed complete rest.
Ambarish babu felt a little better after the doctor left. By then the time for the evening show had passed. He could somehow manage the situation, otherwise how could he had shown his face to his grandson!
Within a few days he grew tired of being in the house throughout the day. Though everyone watched television in the evening, he did not like to sit in front of that idiot box with an idiotic expression pasted upon one’s face. One day after breakfast he said, “I shall pay a visit to Raut Sahib. Haven’t met him for a long time.”
Utpal Raut was the personal manager of their company. Even after retirement, he would often drop in to visit Ambarish babu in his office chamber on some afternoons. He would spent a couple of hours talking to people, moving from one chamber to the next and then leave by sun down. A few years ago he had built his house at Khardah. If Ambarish babu could go there, he could spend some time talking to him.
That evening he returned quite late. It was almost 8:30 pm. As soon as he entered, Tinku accosted him, “Dadu, why did you go out without taking my permission?”
He was in quite a happy mood. At a loss of word, he said, “Oh, I completely forgot. Alright, I shall apply for leave tomorrow for sure. And henceforth, I shall never go anywhere without your permission.”
Tinku was very happy. Then he said, “And here, kakima went to visit her parents without taking your permission. When you were not at home this afternoon, she used that opportunity …”
– “Is that so?” Ambarish babu gravely said, “Alright, I am going to ask for an explanation tomorrow.”
– “Oh what fun!” Tinku clapped in joy. “Wait, let me pass on this news to kakima. What did you say the word was – ex…!”
– Explanation. It means you will have tell me the cause.
He had a good time at Raut Saheb’s house. Next, he thought he would visit his old friend, Biswa Saheb at Jadavpur. And another day, he planned to visit the Birds and Company to meet the GM Mr Sanyal at his office and ask about the state of export market. His interest in finding about the export business was just an excuse to spend another nice afternoon. While leaving the house he had forgotten all about Tinku. Suddenly he heard a sombre voice calling him from behind – “Dadu …”
Ambarish babu fumbled for a moment and said, “Yes sir, may I take leave …”
When he returned home that day, Tinku reported, “Do you know dadu, ma went for shopping today, without even informing you.” Another day he heard, “Do you know dadu, today kaku and kakima went to their friends’ place! You had said that you will return late, and they grabbed that opportunity.”
Ambarish babu nodded, “Understood. They are taking French leave. A typical Bengali habit, where will it go!”
One night when he returned home, Tinku complained in a very serious voice, “Dadu, baba and ma today went for a movie in the matinee show. I told them that I shall complain to dadu once he returns. But ma slapped me and said – go ahead and tell him. Let me see what your dadu can do.”
Ambarish babu was shocked. He said, “Is it! This is a complete violation of my order! And why shouldn’t it be so? Their union leader is instigating them from behind!
– What was that you mentioned, dadu? The word, ex …, won’t you do that to ma and baba? They have turned very naughty indeed.”
– Yes, I shall issue a stern show cause letter to them.
But he did not get a chance to do so. One afternoon he heard his wife’s voice right outside his room – since he is at home, why don’t you just tell him once before leaving!”
From the other side his elder son Rhiju said, “Well, even for going to watch a movie together once in a while, we need to take his permission! No, just leave it.”
Both the sons and daughters-in-law marched out of the house right in front of Ambarish babu’s eyes. They returned quite late too. When he sat down for his dinner, he came to know that they had dined out that day. Then one day they went off shopping right under his nose. That night he could not even eat properly. Sheela, his wife, had made his favourite steamed hilsa but he did not enjoy having even that. A few days later, at the morning tea time , he noticed that his younger son and daughter-in-law were not up by then.
Silently sipping his tea he noticed Rhik and Parna whispering among themselves. They were probably talking about him. Till now at least they were refuting his decisions behind his back, going out secretly, and he could pose to ignore. But this was open defiance. What had never happened in his long service period was happening then – indiscipline had made inroads in his family.
For a few days he brooded alone. Then one day he suddenly told Sheela, “I am not keeping well. Let us go for a short tour somewhere”.
Sheela fell from the sky, “Where are you planning to go?
– Our company has a guest house at Rajgir. I have booked that.
– But how can I go now! Younger daughter-in-law is unwell.
– Unwell! What has happened?
– Nothing much. She must be expecting.
– “Oh” Ambarish babu replied in a serious manner, “Okay. Then you take care of that, I shall go by myself. I am thinking of leaving early morning, tomorrow. No need to tell anyone anything about this now …”
Sheela was surprised, “You will leave tomorrow morning itself?”
The next morning, even before anyone woke up, Ambarish babu got ready. Picking up his suitcase he had just reached the end of the stairs when he suddenly heard someone saying from behind, “Dadu, where are you going?”
Surprised, he turned around. Tinku never woke up so early! Tinku came down the stairs with a serious look. As if caught red handed, Ambarish babu flustered and said, “Just here only, nothing serious.”
– Did you take permission before leaving?
Ambarish babu mumbled, “No, I mean, I had completely forgotten. But, okay, I shall submit an application on return,”
– No, that won’t do. First you have to take permission and only then you can go. Put down your suitcase. Leave not granted. You are not maintaining discipline, dadu!
Ambarish babu saw his sons, daughters-in-law and Sheela peeping from the staircase. All of them had conspired to send Tinku to prevent his going.
There was something in Tinku’s voice that Ambarish babu could not ignore. Momentarily stunned, he kept down his suitcase and held Tinku’s hand. He said, “Come, let us go for the morning walk together.”
Also. read Poems by Kofi Anyidoho, translated from Ewe by Patron Henekou and Mawuli Adjei, and published in The Antonym.
Follow The Antonym’s Facebook page and Instagram account for more content and exciting updates.
0 Comments