Assam 2009 - Posoowa

We will leave, see you again later.’ Kakoti’s
friends depart. Malaya is expected in the
room soon. Kakoti previews the impending
meeting when he would ask his wife to sit
by him after a dreadfully long time. There
is no reprieve from household work,
prayer room and the kitchen to allow
Kakoti to ask her to sit next to him.
In comes Malaya, holding the cup of tea.
Kakoti scans the vermilion mark on her
forehead, and then, silently arranges his
words.
-‘Malaya ….’
-‘Yes’
-‘Tell me about you. Are you OK’
Malaya bends forward to place the cup of
tea in Kakoti’s palm.
-‘Please sit here.
Kakoti sips tea and makes his plea.
Malaya loyally looks around to find a place
to sit. She proceeds to the sofa, feet away
from Kakoti’s bed. An earnest look at his
wife makes Kakoti appreciate the enduring
beauty with a spotless complexion. She
would still match a twenty year old damsel,
only with a little cleansing of her face.
-‘I hope you are not busy today.’
-‘We have a program at the community
prayer hall, so I am expecting some of my
neighbors.
This was what Kakoti did not want to hear
from his wife. He finds his wife’s schedule
irksome as it shows Malaya as a most
sought after woman in the neighborhood.
-‘Is that so But I wanted to tell something
important. I need to talk to you.’
-‘Definitely we can talk, but at some other
time. It is better for you to take rest now.’
Kakoti finishes his cup of tea and Malaya
leaves the room unworried with the
utensils in her hand. The calling bell ringsmust
be the neighborhood women. These
neighborhood womenfolk hardly leave
Malaya alone, not even for Kakoti. Then
again loyalty of the three friends of Kakoti
is always suspect. Kakoti is unsure of their
help in times of trouble. Yet, Kakoti can’t
return to the family citadel. He wants to
go back to his wife and son, but the path is
blocked. Kakoti contemplates stepping into
his son’s library, but gives up the idea as it
is too late to pick up the habit of reading.
Kakoti gets up from bed, switches off the
light and returns. The hoary old escapade
with the pretty maidservant haunts him.
Malaya and Rubul were not with him at
the time, on vacation at the mother-inlaw’s.
Strikingly beautiful, sixteen year old
maidservant Kanchan was looking after
him and she lost virginity. Kakoti
compensated with a hefty sum of money
9
and told her to leave. Malaya was later told
that the maidservant went missing, no clue
to her whereabouts.
Kakoti cannot help recalling the old dying
man’s confessions. He remembers the
village headman, standing by the dying
man’s bed, whispered to confess any
misdeeds; the dying man, in response,
uttered a few words to the village
headman’s ears and died. Kakoti was a small
child when he witnessed this incident. He
can’t erase it from his memory. Yes, it is
time for him now to replicate the dying
old man’s confessions. He ought to make
the confession to Malaya.
Would she be strong enough to bear this
She has lately developed a cardiac problem.
-‘Hey, are you asleep’
Malaya wakes up Kakoti for dinner. She is
holding a bowl in her hand.
-‘I don’t want any food. I want nothing.’
-‘But it is just a bowl of soup, please take
it.’
Malaya helps him with a spoon.
-‘Ah, I can eat myself.’ Kakoti gins and
clutches the bowl. Malaya is indeed in a
good shape though the doctor had to warn
her of a possible cardiac problem. The
warning did not upset her, and she leads a
normal, confident life. She has never cared
to dye her hair, despite frequent pleas from
Rubul to go for it.
-‘You said you wanted to say something..’
Malaya reminds Kakoti with her soft
words, soft but strong enough to shake
his heart.
-‘Yes, yes. I must tell you. I must tell you
something very important. It is very
crucial. But why don’t you come to me
after you finish your dinner That way it
will more convenient.’
Malaya obediently leaves for dinner with
Rahul. Certainly she would return. With
her departure, Kakoti’s mind returns to
the dying man’s confession scene. Kakoti’s
mind races to review his achievements and
rushes to have a final look at his house,
the backyard, the kitchen, the prayer room,
and Rubul’s library. Kakoti leaves his bed
and walks carefully downstairs. Silently he
stands at the dining room entrance and
stares meekly across at the happy pair of
mother and son sharing dinner. Rubul’s
eyes suddenly meet his father’s.
-‘Father, you there’
Rubul exclaims with surprise. An
astonished Malaya pushes her chair back
and enquires why he was not in bed.
-‘I need a glass of water.’
-‘But there is drinking water at your
bedside. Anyway, please go up and wait for
me. I am coming soon.’
Malaya hastily washes her hands. Kakoti
somehow felt sorry for disturbing them
over dinner. He walks back to his room.
They used to share a bedroom until Kakoti
moved to another. He no longer wanted to
sleep with an ageing wife, instead porn film
cassettes in the separate bedroom was a
better substitute. Kakoti returns to his
room and reclines.
-‘Do you want the lights on’ Malaya asks
him.
-‘No. You sit here.’
A docile Malaya sits in that part of the bed
where her husband spreads his feet for
comfort. Intermittent rays of light from
the corridor caress Malaya’s face. Kakoti
notices anxiety in her eyes.
Malaya bends over to feel Kakoti’s brow.
-‘Are you still feeling unwell’ She tenderly
asks.
-‘I really want t0 tell you about an incident.’
-‘Go ahead.’
-‘It is about Kanchan.’
- ‘But I know it. She, herself, came by here
once to tell me know everything’ Malaya
remains her usual self. Least bothered she
is.
-‘It is time for your medicine. Take it, and
here is also the glass of water.
Malaya aborts the hallowed confession with
medicine and a glass of water for her
forlorn husband.
____________________________________________
Assamese original story- Edin Kanchan
Ahisil.
Translation- Dhruva Saikia
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POSOOWA • June 2009