The Saleswoman!

Part-2

 The loan amount though was a horrendous affair the regular payment in equal monthly installments took the weight off their minds. But their glee was short lived as the money lender quite often harassed them to clear the debt immediately. He was fully conversant that the couple couldn’t repay the amount at ease. He was one to ‘make hay while the sun shines’. So he started pestering them for clearing their debt. Many a time he threatened them to sue in the court as they had pledged a blank bank cheque for the loan.

   

 One day the money lender demanded back his amount that had expanded enormously. Despite the installments being paid by the borrowers, the interest gets compounded through some fetid means by this lender. But the innocent borrowers do not come to know about the money lender’s trap. Moreover he claims sizable amounts by intimidating them with the blank cheques, they pledge. Not only one person but many unscrupulous elements also triumphantly reside among the public. They suck poor man’s life in the form of interest resulting in suicide. Here Prakash and Ramani begged for a later date to pay back their debt. Two times they managed to get the date of clearance put off. But the avidity of the lender was proving his inhumanity. So he continued his harshness and harassment to the couple.

That day Ramani  and children had left home for their routines .Only Prakash was there, since his office time fell a little late. The money lender stormed into their house threatening to sue a case against them. Screeches and shouts from that brutal mouth had spoiled the tranquility of that little domicile. People from around didn’t fail to perform their peeping look into that house. So he, who had a good name among the neighbours, felt much disdained. Finding no means to settle up the crisis, that moment’s distress had conquered his wit and he without thinking anything sought the last solution. He swallowed the entire insecticide kept in their house for warding off the cockroaches.

Ramani and I rushed to the ICU, where the former’s beloved better half lay unconscious. Ramani’s mind became cloudy as if to shower heavily on viewing her loving husband lying out of sense. Her lips shivered, facial muscles shrunk, body numbed and words got blocked in the throat. Wiping the eyes, she had to evict herself from the ICU.

Waited Ramani mpatiently in the room allotted in hospital.  But alas! All her hope, ho! Turned into ashes. He did take leave of his affectionate partner and set off for the stay among the stars. Ramani’s grief found no bound. All her glory had vanished. She felt helpless and mourned and mourned over her dear one’s demise. She fell on her husband’s carcass violently and held it tightly, “Don’t take him from me, I will not leave him.”Their two kids-the teen and the ten-year-old- also struggled hard to stop their tears as it was their beloved father who lay there with no breath.  Ramani’s woes flowed through tears just like an outpour of rain.

Very mechanically she followed the instructions given by others during the funeral. And so also the young ones two. Slowly she rose to the reality as she had to nurture her children. It took a month for her to resume the routine. But the female in her, once dependant on her spouse for everything, broke the chain of timidity forever. Her body language attained a stature of audacity. She took the decision to fight for justice, “I will not leave him like that; I will go to any extent. I want him to be punished. Husband’s suicidal note will help me. If a few can escape from this peril, I will be happy."

Ramani remained not tight-lipped, but she did take the required steps. In a time of half-a-decade Ramani’s determination lit the lamp of stirring the society to speak and act against the beastly money lenders including the one indulged in Prakash’s case. Many a one was captured and legally punished. And a money lending act was also passed by the Government to curb the unlawful rise of the interest. People slowly have understood the noose that tightens their neck from free movement. And now Ramani has become a social figure fighting against the illegal activities exploiting the common man’s ignorance.