Short Story Family – The Music Teacher’s Husband
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
“ Sa Re Ga Ma Pa …………” a hoarse voice woke Mr. Rao who was sleeping soundlessly in the master bedroom on the master bed.
“Not again ! Shardha, Shardha” Mr.Rao called out for his wife. Mr.Rao recently retired as a Professor in Automobile Engineering from a not so prominent engineering college.
As usual no response came from his wife Mrs.Shardha who was busy teaching some over enthusiastic 8 year olds who wanted to become like the legend M.S amma so they chose Mrs.Shardha Rao who did her graduation in Carnatic music with a little Hindustani touch and who also was retired from a private school.
“ I just can’t bear all this daily ! Don’t they go to school ?” cursed Mr.Rao getting up from his master bed.
As he entered the hall he saw his wife with a pack of students both girls and boys with a harmonium. All the students became silent; this signal was enough for Mrs.Shardha to know that her husband woke up. She signalled the students to continue singing the Sarali Swarams once again and she got up and hurried to the kitchen to prepare coffee for her husband.
She knew her husband did not like her teaching but he never objected her and now that he was retired he spent most of his time at home and this became a problem for Mrs.Shardha who now did not have the freedom she had when her husband was working. Apart from school she worked in, Mrs.Shardha taught classical music at her house and named her institute ‘ Shastriya Sangeeta Patashala’ Mr.Rao was first reluctant to allow her teach but later agreed reluctantly. He agreed to this on the condition that she would not teach when he was around as he told her that he did not have an ear for music.
Mrs.Shardha took the cup of coffee along with some biscuits and the copy of the daily to the study. She knew he would be there as it was a closed room and he spent most of his years doing research work on something she could not recollect now.
“ Here! have your coffee… I made it strong the way you like it” said Shardha trying to act naturally but she knew he was not in his usual self.
“ So when are they leaving?” asked Mr.Rao
“In about 15 minutes. So you have some work?” asked Shardha looking at the watch hanging on the clock it was a gift from her son now living happily with his family in Canada.
“No!” shoot back Mr.Rao
“Okay! I made masala dosa your favourite with coconut chutney have your bath and come down” said Mrs.Shardha cutting the talk as she heard the ‘shruthi’ of her students changing.
“Hmmm !” murmured Mr.Rao
After the ‘pack’ left Mr.Rao went to the dining where he saw his wife waiting for him. He felt happy seeing her. Mrs.Shardha didnot change much he thought at least she did not eat before her husband ate. With a satisfied look on his face Mr.Rao sat for his breakfast as his wife dumped 2 dosa’s into his plate and covered them with coconut chutney.
“Shardha ! I was thinking about visiting our son in Canada what do you say ?”,
“ Yes ! it would be good he asked us to come remember the last time he came I already miss our granddaughter even a month did not pass but still I miss her a lot!” said Mrs.Shardha trying to remember all those wonderful moments she spent with her granddaughter Kirtana she loved the most.
“Hmm.. !” Mr.Rao gave an agreeing nod he too remembered how his granddaughter played with his books and how she scribbled on all the papers of those big books on thermal engineering he adored the most but not more than his granddaughter.
“Yes! I will book tickets for us we will try to leave in 10 days okay?” questioned Mr.Rao
“NO!” suddenly shoot back Mrs.Shardha
“Why?” asked a puzzled Mr.Rao
“Look, the Tyagaraja aaradhana is coming and this time I am participating in Thiruvayur, Tamil Nadu so let’s go after the aaradhana please!” answered Mrs.Shardha.
“Look Shardha I know you love music but I can’t stand it anymore. I have become frustrated with all the singing from morning to night but I accepted thinking you’ll be happy with it and it will engage you but now it has become too much you are not even willing to spend time with your family. Look ! enough is enough no more singing in my house that’s final” voiced Mr.Rao he really like the last part he just said ‘that’s final’ he just heard that word in a movie he recently saw.
Mrs.Shardha was shocked she did not move for some time she never heard her husband talk like this way all these years she did what her husband liked and now he was interfering in all her work she considered worship. Tears rolled from her eyes but still gave an understanding nod.
All this did have effect on Mr.Rao “Shardha?” he just took out her name. His wife wiped her tears and gave a faint smile and rushed back to the kitchen from which a smell of a roasted dosa was coming from.
Mr.Rao in no time understood what he said was completely wrong but still ate his dosa’s and went out saying that he will go to the market. After an hour he came back but was shocked to see the name plate ‘Shastriya Sangeeta Patashala’ removed from the wall. He felt bad he knew that his wife was completely devoted towards him and was really sensitive but he did not know that she was this sensitive and took every word coming from his seriously. He felt really guilty and went inside his house, to his dismay he saw the harmonium his wife’s best friend not in its position. He searched for it and at last he saw it in the store room. Now his throat had a lump of guilt of the size of a table tennis ball.
He went into the kitchen and put the vegetables down and asked his wife a glass of water just to check her mood was. He saw that his wife was trying to act normal but he could see that her face lost all the charm!
“What do you want to eat for lunch?” questioned Mrs.Shardha
“Anything you like” answered Mr.Rao he was in no mood to eat.
“But, I won’t be here for lunch remember I will have lunch at my sister’s house. My aunt living in Russia has arrived and you said you won’t come right”said Mrs.Shardha
“Do you want to switch your stand?” she questioned him.
“Ohh ! no you go along with your program just convey my regards to her and make an excuse that I had to go for an alumni meet” Mr.Rao answered back.
“As you wish, I have prepared rice and dal the rasam is in the fridge so is the curd. Put the rasam in the oven for 2 minutes it will heat and don’t forget to take you medicines after you have your lunch. I will go now and don’t worry I have my keys so it won’t be a problem if you go out” said Mrs.Shardha leaving.
“Okay!”Murmured Mr.Rao
Mrs.Shardha came back around 8:00 pm and was not at all surprised to see a lock. She opened her purse and took her keys and opened the door and went inside. She felt a bit unusual to see the lights off as her husband would never switch off the lights and would always insist that the lights should always be on. She switched the lights on and she saw a large parcel with her name written on it.
She was surprised as not every day one gets such a large parcel having your name on. As soon as she opened it her eyes became moist there was a 1st AC ticket to Thiruvayur for her and her husband and also she could see ‘Shastriya Sangeetha Patashala’ written in a large font on a large name plate.
A month later on board a flight to Canada Mr.Rao was reading a newspaper while his wife was sleeping and snoring. His eye’s caught an article about his wife and her school with all their photo’s and he was surprised to see his photo and he gave a smile as he read the caption ‘The Music Teacher’s Husband’
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