CHEWING GUM

I used to curse myself always when I had tough times in my professional career. I always thought there had been so many people who spent their lives so gracefully without working in corporate. I always envied the luxurious life style and personal orientation of some successful businessmen whom I came across in my career during professional meet but I was not ungrateful to my profession. Whatever I could achieve in my life it was because of this profession only. I could not keep my patience under control when I felt that after working 12 years in corporate I was still not settled.

One day my Boss’s comments on me fanned the flames of insecurity in me. I became very disturbed. I wanted to share my disappointments with someone who was very close to me. I called my wife but she did not receive my call. Might be she was in her teaching class and normally she did not take any call if that was not so important. There was a clear communication between two of us that one must pick up the call if got two consecutive calls. I did not dare to call again for sharing my story of failure. But I wanted some outlets to vent out my frustrations and this time who could be the best person than my child hood friend, Shahbaaz,. I called him but he did not pick up. Sometimes I became desperate and forgot my own understanding and ethics. He was so close to me that I never hesitated to call him again. This time it was continuously ringing. He received my call before my patience ran out.

“ Hello…..” I said in a low tone as I was assuming that he might be in a meeting or in some urgent work. But unusually he did not utter anything. I became worried because, that was not normal; if he was stuck in some important work he always told the reason and called me back once he became free. I could not hold myself back and said again“ Hello……” this time my voice went louder but still he did not utter anything. I hung up the phone and assumed there must be some network problem. I became more disturbed. So many unusual thoughts started squirming in my head. I again dialed his no. This time his wife received the call and said “ Just see Shakil Bhai…….your friend is not talking to any one……I don’t know what has happened to him…….he is behaving in a very strange manner since morning…………..”.

I could not understand anything. I used to share a very healthy relationship with his wife also in fact I called her sister and I knew her since college days. I asked her to pass on the phone to Shahbaaz Bhai but he did not respond and hung up the phone after few seconds. After experiencing such behavior it would have been crime not to visit his house. Immediately I decided to reach his house to understand the matter properly but my current job profile did not allow me to move from the office in office hours. It was hard to waste the entire day. Somehow I spent the office hours and in the evening took the metro rail nearby from my office. Usually I did not prefer to go someone’s house without prior intimation but this time I did not care to intimate. Throughout the way I was straining my brain to figure out the reason of his unusual behavior. And then I thought it must have the quarrel last night between them and might be they were not on speaking terms. I was sure that I could bridge the gap between them. I pressed the bell.

Shahbaaz Bhai opened the gate and, without saying anything, he signaled me to sit on the sofa and went into the room. His little daughter rushed towards me from her room and chanted “ Chahcha Shakil …..chacha Shakil…….”. I immediately filled her in my arms and kissed on her forehead. She went back to her room and brought her bag in which all her toys were stuffed. She overturned her bag in front of me and demanded me to play with her. Though I was playing with her but my mind was stuck in theirs. This was the first time when I was left unattended for such a while. After waiting for some time I called him loudly.

His wife, Zaara, came out from her room and said “ See Shakil Bhai……from the last night he is behaving very differently……neither talking to us nor going outside…..just sitting on the sofa and not responding to any one………..If you push him hard for something he is reacting like anything……..yesterday he threw the glass on the wall so forcefully that it splintered into uncountable shreds……..God knows what happened to him……..I am just fed up………..”.

I silently walked into the room. A fine bedroom set with beautiful lights. There was a bed placed in the corner. I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him. His gaze was down as if he was examining the design of the bed sheet. He seemed genuinely upset. I broke the silence and said “ Shahbaaz Bhai….what happened……”. He did not respond. His gaze was simply down.

Zaara entered into the room and placed the prasad infront of us which she got from neighbour and said “ Just ask him…….why doesn’t he speak clearly….what is his problem………From last night he has become DEVDAS……..”. She chuckled.

Shahbaaz’s anger upsurged again. He lifted the plate and threw it against the wall. He stood up and darted out the room.  Some portion of the prasad splashed over her face. I could observe her facial expression. Her face transformed from normal to serious. This was the first time when she had to bear the humiliation in front of me. She could absorb her emotion only as I was very close to her. She asked her maid to clean the room. I understood that it was not a normal quarrel between husband and wife. I needed to understand everything in fact I had to go into the depths of the matter.

I asked Zaara“ What happened sister…….please tell me everything….why such friction……I know him since child hood…….he is not a ill tempered guy……..in fact…..first time I am seeing him behaving like this………..”

She stalled for a second and then forwarded her mobile and asked me to read a message. I went through the sms and understood the message was sent by Shahbaaz to some lady colleague. The message indicated the relationship which was more than friendship.

She looked at me and asked “ now you tell me ShakilBhai…….what did I think after knowing this………”

I did not have the words to console her.

“ You were asking me ….nah…..why he is behaving differently…….this is the reason……I just wanted to know up to what level he is serious……whether he has committed anything to his girlfriend……….If  he is really serious than I need to think of my future also………I cannot stay with him like this Shakil Bhai……After coming back to his office he remains engaged with his phone continuously…….I keep on hearing the alert tone of sms till I drift off into the sleep………Forget about me Shakil Bhai…..He doesn’t give time to his own daughter……….Just for formalities he comes back from office but mentally he is somewhere else………..For the last one year we are staying together but don’t carry any husband-wife relationship……..we speak only when it is required. This is his regular practice…….” She broke down and put her gaze down. Her tears were rolling down from her cheeks.

I held her chin with my hand, raised her face and looked straight into her eyes and said “ Don’t worry sister…….nothing has happened…….I am sure there must be some misunderstanding…………”

She wiped her tears and said “ If he doesn’t have anything to hide then why he doesn’t allow me to use his mobile rather he bought the new one for me with the same features what he has in his mobile….why he did put codes in his mobile…….I have never seen him so possessive about his gadgets………”

I could also understand there was something fishy but without knowing the entire thing it would not be fair enough to be prejudiced against him.

Till now I came to know about one side of the coin and it was imperative to know the other side of the same. I had gone there with the purpose to bridge the difference between them. I wanted to hear Shahbaaz’s version also and his flat was not the suitable place for it so we went down to the streets. We moved into the local restaurant and ordered tea.

First time I was feeling hesitation to ask about the matter but I did not bother and asked “ What happened Shahbaaz Bhai…….why are so upset…….I have never seen you in this mood……..what happened…….”

He was looking really disturbed. He was sweating in buckets. He seemed to be a different man. He kept splashing water on his face. I was not getting what was the purpose behind it whether he wanted to hide his tears or ease his temper.

I again asked “ ShahbaazBhai……please tell me……..”

He halted for couple of seconds and then blurted out “ My wife thinks I am having an extra marital affair………” and exhaled a long breath.

After seeing his condition and the reason of his disturbances I felt bad. I thought Zaara should not be so harsh in accusing Shahbaaz Bhai. In fact in the corporate sometimes you got closer to someone but that did not mean you had an affair. I immediately ridiculed to lighten the mood of ShahbaazBhai “ women will be women……less brains……more talk…….somebody has rightly said……..the last time they weep on their marriages because they know from now onwards they will make husbands cry…….”.

But ShahbaazBhai’s mood did not change an inch. His face was flat and did not bear any expression. He looked at me and said “ You tell me Shakil Bhai……..what do you think…….”

We had a friendship from child hood days. We shared our secrets. Nothing was hidden between us though it was family matters or professional affairs. We both were transparent to each other. I did not think for a second and just blurted out “ Impossible……You can’t……..”

“ This time you are not right Shakil Bhai………..” he said with a stern voice.

I could not believe what I heard. I shrieked “ What………”

“Yes……You have heard correctly……..I am having an extra marital affair for last one year……Zaara is right in her suspicion……..” Shahbaaz Bhai said.

It was really shocking for me not because my friend had an extra marital affair but I knew he was someone who did not carry this type of character. He was the person who never got attracted with beautiful faces. He was very loyal to his spouse. Was it the case of seven years itch? Personally I never believed in this kind of statistics. In my eyes it was rubbish. I was not getting from where to start the discussion. His bold statement made me forget everything. I simply asked “ Now what……….” Because I was like PITAMAH BHISM in this relationship where I decided to be with him although he was not in right path. But I was feeling bad for Zaara also. I never wanted to have more damages in their relationship.

What I realized that after confessing to me his restlessness went down. I analyzed that why such restlessness if you did not have any feeling for someone. This showed that he still loved her but might be the intensity did not remain as strong as it had been at the time of marriage where both their parents were not agreed but they decided to tie the knot out of their intense love.

“ Shakil Bhai I want to come out of this marsh……..I know it will not take me anywhere…..please Shakil Bhai…..help me…….” Shahbaaz Bhai’s tear brimmed in his eyes. I was so touched after seeing his intention to go back.

We both walked in to his flat and moved into the bedroom. We both sat. Zaara was sitting on the bed. It was a tough task to make a story in front of a learned and smart lady who had a suspicion about his husband’s extra marital affair and she also knew that I would be biased in discussion also. Every time I and Shahbaaz gave our best shot to make her understand that it was her misunderstanding and nothing else.

“ Don’t make story in front of me Shakil Bhai……..I know Shahbaaz very well……I know he has never been that type…..He never used to take the lift from my neighbors also…….my neighbour always used to tell me that……. your husband is very shy….tell me…..what that lady pleases you more which I cannot provide…. ………..” She said and broke again.

Our discussions went on and on. If sometimes Shahbaaz Bhai flared up then on the next moment her anger upsurged and I was putting my best effort to curb down their differences. When I got the confidence that the things had now settled down then I looked at my watch .It was 11:30pm and needed to push off from there because my wife called me thrice within this period. As usual, Shahbaaz Bhai accompanied me till his apartment gate from where I took the cab. He was grateful for my visit. I knew he wanted to say me thanks but this kind of words embarrassed me so I spontaneously asked “ Do you know what is chewing gum………..”

Shahbaaz looked at me in complete perplexity. He smiled at me and said “ Suddenly……chewing gum……”

I smiled and said “ It is a sweet that you keep in your mouth and chew to get its flavor but which you do not swallow………extra marital relationship is like this only……….”

Shahbaaz Bhai understood completely what I wanted to convey. He said “ I know Shakil Bhai…….and I have tried so many times for break up but failed to do so……pray for me……Every time I stopped myself for couple of days….and again either me or she initiates the sms and we break our commitments……..this time I have taken enough preventive measures which provokes me for initiating the relationship…….I have deleted all the message application also from my mobile………This fortnight would be my testing time.”

I could understand his condition. His reactions were genuine. After a long talk about her I started burning with curiosity to know more about that girl. Suddenly an idea cropped up in my head. I thought let meet that lady and prove her to be the culprits of breaking someone’s house. After probing deep into his extra marital relationship finally I came to know the name of that lady. At that point of time I decided to meet her.

On the next day I left my home to meet her in the bank. During the ride from my house till her bank I was just preparing myself for the hot confrontation. I was determined that I would tear her apart if she refused my request tobe away from ShahbaazBhai’s life. I reached the bank and asked the security “ I want to meet Mrs. Reena………”

“ OkaySirji…….you seat here…….I am informing Reena madam…….” The security went inside the room and after few seconds he came out and said “ You may go inside….Madam is waiting for you……..”

My face was swelled because of anger. I was breathing high to compose myself.  I stood up from the chair and moved towards her cabin. I pushed the glass door with a jerk so that she could feel my ill temperament. No sooner did I enter to his cabin than she smiled at me and gestured me to sit on the chair kept opposite to her. I fell flat after seeing at her. She was looking so innocent, so innocuous, so blameless and so harmless. My anger evaporated within the fraction of seconds. I was just staring at her but could not utter anything. How come such a nice lady would be responsible for such problems?

“ No..No…It can’t be true……..” I murmured.

She asked me “ Yes Sir………what can I do for you……’

I immediately changed the topics and jabbered out  “Actually Shahbaaz Bhai has sent me here……. I wanted to open an account but in the nationalized bank they are asking for reference…..and I don’t want to take favour from anyone for such small things………so he told me that you may help………..”

I realized the moment she heard the name Shahbaaz Bhai her face turned on. She started treating me very differently. She immediately offered coffee. She called his subordinate and instructed to open an account instantly. Thanks God I always carried my KYC documents. It gave me chance to talk more with her. I spent exactly 35 minutes in her cabin and it was really the decent time which a branch manager was supposed to give to her customer but I knew it was because of Shahbaaz Bhai only.

“ Sir….your account has opened….it will be activated within 24 hours…….” Her subordinate handed over the account opening kit to me. Now there was no reason left to spare some more time. I stood up with heavy hearts and asked hesitatingly “ Mam ….can I send you friend request in face book…….”

She smiled at me and flickered her eyes. I was overjoyed.

But I could not realize the other feature of chewing gum that it got stuck in the hand which tried to remove it.

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