Social Short Story – Family pride
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
“It was hard earned money inspector. I brought it from the bank yesterday morning. Time is running out for planting the seed in our fields. Today I wanted to go out and buy seed. And the money is gone. The Iron safe is not broken. Only the money is gone”. Ranganath complained to the policemen
“Inspector this is a big amount. Whenever we lost small things, we never gave any complaint. Now you have to catch the thief”. Vinod pleaded with the police
“We cannot afford to lose that much money”. Ranganath was pleading the police.
He brought 30,000 rupees the day before from bank to buy seed. He was about to go to seed market and the money was gone. Ranganath and his son Vinod went to police station and wrote a complaint.
Two Policemen went to their house and checked everything. Ranganath’s wife Uma and daughter in-law Sheila were there at home. Everyone was questioned and photos of the iron safe were taken. Just as they were leaving something caught the eye of one of the constables. A little white plastic bag tucked behind a flower pot. He went to check it out.
“Oh don’t bother about it sir, It is trash” mumbled Vinod’s wife Sheila
”No, Let me check” He went to check it.
“No need to check sir”, Sheila grabbed it.
“Madam Let I look at it” policeman snatched the bag from her
“Let them check it Sheila, what’s wrong with you?” mother in law Uma chided her.
Constable took the bag from Sheila, opened it and took out the money bundles.” this is it, it is a house thief”
“Oh god? What is it? Why? Did you know it Sheila, did you steal the money? Hey Ram, why am I still alive? I treated her like my own daughter and she steels our money?” Uma started wailing
“You can arrest her.” Ranganath told the police.” I don’t ever want to see her face”.
“Why did you do it Sheila?” Vinod asked her looking in other direction. “What did you want? You could have asked me. Why steel our own money?”
No answer from Sheila. She just hung her head down.
“Because you guys gave a complaint we have to arrest her.” the police handcuffed and took Sheila in the police Jeep as all the neighbors watched the spectacle open mouthed.
“God! What a world this is”,
” Vinod, my boy, Don’t you worry I will look for a nice girl for you. You can remarry; after all you are only 30. I never wanted you to marry this one in first place. She was no good. Did not bring much dowry and now look what a disgrace she brought to our family.”
“I knew from the beginning, we lost so many things. Remember that silver plate and lamps in god’s room, I always suspected that moron. She was a thief. Good that we finally got rid of her. Now we will have peace”. Uma consoled her son.
“I think that wife of yours was a bad woman. She had no character. May be she had a lover or wanted to run away with someone or whatever. She is a disgrace to our family. No one ever could point a finger at our family until now. Now we are doomed because of her” Ranganath lamented.
“Vinod listen to me. You just divorce her when she is in jail. Don’t even bring her home back. I cannot show my face to the society. What will the neighbors think of us? Let us move from this place. We will start a new life somewhere else. You can remarry. Girls and their parents will stand in queue to marry you. You are handsome, educated and we are a respectable family” father gave assurance to the son.
Vinod never said a word. He did not lift his head nor moved. He just sat there and listened to them.
After a few days the family moved from that place, and Vinod remarried and then after a few months died for unknown reasons.
After a year there was a small news item in the local news paper. A mentally unstable inmate in ladies jail died of unknown reasons.
No one ever knew that two years ago Vinod came to know that he got AIDS. His doctor confirmed that he was HIV positive. This was the result of numerous irresponsible outings he had with cheap sex workers on his official trips. He never wanted his parents to know of this. He did not want to come out and tarnish the family name. But he wanted money for treatment and the loyal wife cooperated with him.
She loved him so much!
She did not want her in-laws to know of their son’s weakness and she wanted her husband to be alive. She worried about his health and his image. Whenever she could, she sold things including her jewels and managed money for his treatment. The big robbery, they planned together and she was caught. The truth was buried with Sheila’s body and no one came to her funeral as everyone she knew or related was from a respectable society.
__END__
