STORMS- BIG AND SMALL

It was 6 p m in the evening. Sameerpur town had witnessed a terrible storm followed by heavy rains.  Just before the natural calamity, the hectic activities were going on in the town.  The river Karuna passes through the Sameerpur town. Many houses were collapsed taking the toll of hundreds of people.  The umbrellas used by people were smashed into pieces due to the fast wind.  Old trees, electric poles, towers and roofs of old houses were washed way.  The entire town was in the dark due to power failure.  The life of the people was virtually miserable.

I was in the home, narrating my unforgettable memories to my wife Padma, when the terrible natural calamity happened.  I became little scared and abruptly stopped the memories. I was in a position to continue after everything became normal. Luckily, my house was safe with minor damages.

Six decades back, I was born in Sameerpur. I belonged to a rich family. My father was a local whole sale cloth merchant. My mother was a musician and dancer. She was conducting music and dance classes for girls.  My father lost everything in the business due to his cunning partner.  He could not survive long and died. Thereafter my mother passed away.  I lost my parents including wealth at the age of fifteen.

I was a bright student right from class one.  The local college, where I studied arranged a felicitation  for me.  I had secured  highest marks in Pre-University course (Science) 2nd year. The speakers appreciated my other habit of maintaining diary  since my childhood.  These diaries were preserved year wise with date wise and suitable caption. I had cultivated habit of writing diary before going to bed in the night.

I left Sameerpur to join an Engineering college at Hyderabad. When I was in the college, I was doing a part time job in the whole sale cloth store. The owner of the store was the childhood friend of my father. He was kind hearted to me.

Out of curiosity; I asked the store owner, “Sir, you have given me a job, shelter and all other facilities without asking about me.”

“Pavan, you are like my son. You know of my close friendship with your late father.  I felt very much to hear the sudden demise of my friend and loosing everything. I had decided to help you to come up.”

“Thank you very much sir. I will always be obedient and remember for your timely help.”

There was no fixed hours of working. I spent most of the night studying hard for my course. Due to my hard work and dedication to study,  I had completed B.E. (Computer Science) with distinction. I was receiving scholarship from the Government. The store owner was magnanimous and helped me financially, whenever I need money.

When I was studying in final year B.E., a Hyderabad based software company conducted a campus interview. I was selected on the basis of meritorious record and quick replies to difficult and tricky questions. The members of interview committee were impressed the way I was giving answers and offered me good position in the company. I joined the company after the B.E. final results were out. Within a span of two years, I showed company’s profits from 200 percent to 400 percent.

Babita was the CEO of the software company. She was young and the only daughter to her parents, who were the owners of the company. She lost her parents just a year back in a tragic air crash; she took the responsibility to head the company. Babita did her Master of Business Administration  from USA.  She was straight forward and outspoken. She never compromise with the principles of business. The only drawback with her was whatever she desire, she must get it. Otherwise, she was prepared to do anything irrespective of the outcome.

Babita was very much impressed my performance. I was young, smart and intelligent. She was closely observing my way of handling the complicated issues. Some of the complicated issues, which were pending during her time, were solved by me. Under my able management, export business was increased. She had very good opinion about me due to my capability to handle any project right from initial stage to final stage. Babita was happy that her company was in the list of top companies. I went to USA as a team leader for taking up a company’s  prestigious project. I was in a position to complete the project successfully within the schedule.

One day, Babita expressed her desire.

“I love you Pavan. You are my amazing man.”

“Babita, I respect your feelings. My elders have taught me some principles in my life.”

“May I know, what are your principles?”

“Madam, I will tell you everything at the right time and at the right place.”

Our conversation was stopped at that point. Babita expected positive reply from me.  She was very much disappointed and expecting positive response from me.

Rahul was a general manager in the company. Being a relative of Babita, he was one of the earliest employees of the company and had risen to the top post by his  hard work. He had a crush on Babita and had expressed it long back which she had rejected it outright. After some time, Sangeeta a young beautiful lady joined as a Manager, Human Resources. She was well qualified for the job with the excellent skill of presentation.  Due to her hard work, during the first year  the company was in a position to reach the business target.

A party was arranged by the company in a resort situated at the hill top in view of the successful completion of my prestigious project. The gathering includes the company staff and selected few guests.  Everybody was exchanging pleasantry. Babita was waiting for me. The delay of my arrival created uneasiness to Babita. She moved from her seat to search me. She stopped at a little distance, where I was with Sangeeta at the other end of the banquet hall.  Sangeeta was coming very close to me with an intention to tell something in my ear.

Babita was standing a little away  watching our conversation. She called Rahul and told him to observe me and Sangeeta. She felt uneasy and lost her tempera ment and  misunderstood me.

“Rahul, what is going on between Pavan and Sangeeta? You know Pavan is going to marry with me shortly.  I will not tolerate her hobnob with Pavan.”

“Babita, do not loose your temperament. Their conversation is purely on official matter. Please take it easy.”

“I don’t want listen to your advice. Your friend has deceived me. I hate him.”

Babita left the place towards the dining hall. Rahul was in dilemma, whether to inform Babita’s unhappiness to me or keep quite. He thought it better to inform and came to the spot, where I was standing with Sangeeta.

“Pavan, why are you here? There is an important and serious message for you.”

“Rahul, what is the message?”

Rahul asked Sangeeta to leave the place.

“Pavan, Babita is unhappy with you for your close interaction with Sangeeta. You know pretty well that Babita loves you. I have tried to clear her misunderstanding. She is very much upset. I don’t know what is going to happen.”

“Rahul, there is no bad intention on my part. Sangeeta is my colleague and like a younger sister. She is doing excellent work. I have to encourage her. Being a general manager of the company, I have to discuss with her on business matters. I don’t know why Babita is looking in that angle. I will try to clear her doubt.”

I went to dining hall along with Rahul. To my surprise, Babita was not there. I enquired Babita’s personal secretary about her whereabouts.

“Sir, madam was terribly upset. She left without dinner.”

I had realized the seriousness of the issue. I knew my conscience was very clear. I also left the place without dinner. I straight away  went to my residence. I spent sleepless night. Next morning, Babita was in the office.  She was alone in her chamber without attending to any work. She had instructed everybody not to disturb her. I entered her chamber and sat before her. Babita didn’t even lift her eyes. There was a pin drop silence for sometime.  I realized the depth of her anguish.

“Madam, what is the problem? Why are you in tension? Let me clear your misunderstandings.”

“Pavan, please do not ask me any question. Please leave me alone.”

I left the chamber in a disappointed mood.

Sangeeta came to know the  real cause of Babita’s unhappiness. Being a subordinate officer, she was helpless to suggest solution to the problem. She wanted to meet Babita to clear the misunderstandings. She was not allowed to meet.  Sangeeta decided to quit  the company and submitted a resignation letter. Her resignation was declined and advised to appear before the disciplinary action  committee for the gross misconduct. Sangeeta became very much upset for the sudden development.

The cordial relationship between me and Babita disappeared. I  was aware of her disappointment. I wanted to clear the doubts of Babita. But she refused to give me opportunity.  She was very much upset on me.

All these developments prompted me to leave the company. After a long thought, I submitted  resignation. The resignation was declined and issued a memo calling explanation for the serious charge like misappropriation company’s funds. I was surprised to know the false charge and failed to reply within the time given.

Police arrested me for the criminal offence. Enquiry was conducted in the police station. I had to undergo lot of trouble at police station. The police inspector’s behavior towards me was  improper. I was calm and answering all the questions. I was kept in the lockup for whole night and released next day with an instructions report every day to police station. The case was handed over to local Magistrate court. It went on for six months. I was advised not to leave Hyderabad till the case was closed.

I had informed  all the events to my ex employer store owner. He assured me to take up the issue with his advocate to deal with my case. The company had also engaged a lawyer. The court had permitted my advocate to access the files in the company. While searching the files, my advocate detected fraudulent papers supposed to be prepared by me. The fraudulent payments to the extent of lacs of rupees made to the customers. All these were done by Rahul in the name of  Pavan. He took the copies of all these papers and Xerox copies of cheques from the bank to produce before honorable judge.

When the case was in full swing, my advocate argued that Rahul had prepared all the cheques and papers using his mind to defame me. Initially, Rahul refused to accept all the charges. He accepted his crime. He was unhappy with Babita for her love towards me and promoting me ignoring him. The court was convinced that I am innocent. The company’s advocate failed to argue. I went to store owner and thanked him for timely help. Rahul was sent out from the company. The court had given him punishment of one year in the jail. Sangeeta was frustrated to know her illicit relationship with me. Her case was also taken up in the court.

By the time Babita had realized the truth, it was all over. Sangeeta took extreme step of suicide for the false allegation of illicit relation with Pavan. In her suicide note had mentioned that she was very much hurt by the way she was treated without verifying the truth. No respectable person tolerates such mean mentality.  It was a major shock for Babita. She felt very much for Sangeeta’s suicide. She knew that she was responsible for it.  It could have been avoided, if she had applied her mind peacefully. Babita had disgraced herself. She had brought suspicion upon those she had loved best.  She was deeply thinking day and night and finally decided to join an Ashram at Hrishikesh and spend remaining life in a spiritual atmosphere.

I was fed up with the developments at Hyderabad and decided to return back to Sameerpur. While I was working in the shop, I met Padma, who was the only daughter of  store owner. I liked her sober nature and simplicity in life and married.

The storm had blown over. The rain stopped and the lights were on as the electric power was restored. The long story that Padma was listening to just before few minutes.

Padma became emotional and said, “Pavan, I am sad that you have gone through all these sufferings- that too no fault of yours.”

–END–