An Encounter

  The story so far:  A stranger meets a tenth std. boy in the temple. In conversation with the man the boy developed some attachment towards that man. One day when he comes with his mother, the latter turns furious.   Now pl. read……. 

Part-5

Something fishy Kishore sensed after the mother’s exit, but he didn't know what or where the wrong was. He stayed in the happenings for a while and then he himself digressed from the incident. He joined his face book friends and chatting with them came on track, eating away his time. Of course meals and nature’s call took their freedom as small-small breaks in between.

When the hour- hand of the clock struck six times, he remembered that for a couple of days he had no contact with his grandparents. Purposely he kept aloof from them the recent goings-on. They enquired about their welfare and looked forward to the presence of their very beloved progeny and grand progeny at the weekend. “Next week we will be there grandma! This week I don’t know if amma will be free.” He  replied.  

The next day morning he took his amma’s okay  and strode off for recharging his mobile device.The road to the shop enjoyed the company of  a few almond-trees. They  stood by the side of the road proudly holding their heads high, as they aided a large number of people with their shade in the hot sun. As he progressed ahead, to his surprise he noticed Hariprasad standing in wait for the former enjoying the shade of the tree..

 “While coming out of the shop I recognized you from a distance and I lurked at this point,”  Hariprasad.

“I am sorry, since amma dislikes you, I can’t offer to talk to you,” Kishore.

“Wait, you are my son, my sole son. I have bought a special gift for you. Will you wait here or accompany me to my residence? It isn't far at all.” Hariprasad.

“Sonnnn…me!,” thunderstruck turned he. “ My amma had told me that my father had deserted both of us on some misapprehension between them. And he is abroad and would never return. More over she doesn't want to touch that topic” Kishore retorted.

“Yes, the indiscreet act was from my side. And I have been remorseful all these years. I had decided to be away from this country forever, but destiny has brought me here to be with my beloved lone son.” Hariprasad.

“ No, I can’t acknowledge any gift from you. I am not for deceiving my amma.” Kishore.

However the glee in him got evicted and provided room for gloom. He immersed his mind in some confusing state of thoughts. At home he straight away raised the question in a repulsive way- he never acted so before-, “ Is that man my father?”

“Yes, he is your father, now you are grown up to accommodate what I am going to divulge.” Vasanta’s sound was soft and solid.

 She elaborated everything the verve for love marriage, the strong bond between them and the attuned behaviour, the compatible stay and all the positives in the first phase of their life. ‘*He that makes a thing too fine breaks it’. At some stage after the initial segment, strife due to doubt about the female's faithfulness had its share between them feebly in the beginning. But  soon it attained momentum for acceleration, when the clock rotated the hands repeatedly to complete hours and days. The more the involvement of each one, the higher was the vying. Words in anger and hatred flew in the air at elevated resonance from both the sides. Ego-clash triumphed over the domestic atmosphere. Perhaps a peaceful discussion or confession of their egoistic behavior would have unravelled the hitch or enigma and wouldn't have unravelled their couple-link.

 “I adjudged him to be a wolf  in a lamb’s coat, the feeling of wonder to be a wife  was a blunter in fact, ” she spoke to herself in between.

 The situation became so grave that Hariprasad travelled to the extent of raising mistrust about the infant’s fatherhood. Ho! Vasanta’s  forbearance fell astray. Mother is a fact, whereas father may be a fact. Relations rely mainly upon acceptance of the fact. In the couple’s case they were running short of that acceptance, rather it was at stake. A point, where both of them cracked the relationship ending in dissociation and divorce, approached them. She had even wiped off the name, ‘Anilprasad’ endorsed for the child by both and the name ‘Kishore’ was placed instead.

Belief is the adhesive

 that keeps in tact

the relation and

upholds  serenity

and unity among 

members of a family.

.

Vasanta didn't perspire much in her job-seeking for the reason that her academic records spoke sound.

Kishore’s mind though cloudy analyzed, evaluated, calculated and to conclude he touched only blankness.

 “But how he confirms that I am his son, when this place is new to him? The name Kishore is unfamiliar to him. I’ll meet him again for a solution,” Kishore’s mind pursued for an answer. He couldn't discern the pros and cons.

 In the evening he visited Hariprasad’s domicile, which along with its owner extended the former a grand warm reception.

“How could you perceive that I was your son, as you were suspicious about my birth? Amma disclosed everything in details,” Kishore went on weirdly.

“After untying the wed-knot I had prepared a questionnaire of my actions and  the response branded me wrong. I stepped down deep into my conscience and I found all that was the product of my over-possessiveness. Actually I was scared whether I would lose her. I could realize all that only when things slipped off from my hands.  Sleep bade adieu to me many a day. Every hue and happiness had faded and dripped down from my life. I just took leave of the place, never to return and destiny has dropped me here on a project-charge. The first day, at the first sight itself I recognized you-blood identifies blood-I deem. And now in looks, body form and every action I view an exact replica of my teens in you..”

Kishore covered kilometers walking repetitively between his parents. It was his childhood-cherished sweet dream to be with both the parents. He used to watch sadly his peer group speaking about their male parent with joy overflowed. He pleaded, begged, appealed, but nothing could rupture the rock of Vasanta’s verdict.

At last after a week’s melancholic disposition from Kishore’s side she said, “Ah, yes, both of you can meet each other and you can obtain gifts or edibles from him. Not me and not at all. ‘*I know him not, should I meet him in my pottage dish?’

*adage.

sarala                                                                                 [The End]