CAT 2017 Aspirants often like techniques to remember words from Vocabulary, rules from Grammar and the pattern of usage in general. There is, however, nothing that even comes close to seeing things in context. That is why we started off this piece: to have fun while you learn and put all your learning in context and in perspective. Not going into intricate details, we start off with today's piece to help CAT 2017 Students: Here we go...
Please click here to go to Part 1 of the story; today's piece is the Final Part of this story.
The doctor nodded encouragingly while the patient leaned forward intently while his daughter’s unmoving eyes followed his actions intently. He then started unraveling the past, “I’ll not bore you with how beautifully my love story began and how it went on to become a success story, almost, till this she-demon called depression started to possess me” heaving to pause, having silence preside the room broken only by the rustle of the calendar and the gentle stroking of a pen against paper. “She was, no is a temptress and mistress built into one, save the difference that she possessed me.” Because I’ve thought of all the reasons which have bade me to come to this and I want to get my condition treated really quickly, I’ll get on with the symptoms. Well, I think everyone has a weakness which can be exploited by your dark side and mine was…” hesitated Rishi with the air of a man who is just about making his mind up. “He’s addicted to morphine!” said a voice which Rishi wanted to believe was Aishwarya’s but realized was his daughter’s.
His face suddenly became grave and his heart lurched with fervent hope when the door opened to reveal Divya, Rishi’s mother. “You know she’s married Rishi and she’s not going to come out of the blue to save your back. Sorry for the intrusion doctor, I wanted to come.” said Divya, as she helped herself to a chair. Rishi wondered what was ruder- the thud of the door or the sudden dawning of what they called “the truth.” Acceptance had never been his forte’. He wanted to be many things but he believed he was a natural actor not only on stage but off it too. Many times he’d felt on retrospection that his acting off-stage was better. He wanted to appease everyone who mattered to him and therefore twisted facts to appear within the purview of their goodwill. Sometimes, he cried in silence ruing that he couldn’t be truthful even to himself. Was he really living in denial like Chito pointed out so many times? He was scared, shit scared to face that one question. He was sure that any answer would drive him nuts. He smiled wryly-he had come here because he was nuts-well, at least a little. When he looked up, his eyes were moist and his brain was fighting to put a mattress of smile over the naked sorrow on his face.
And then it started, the confessions, the memories about how they had fallen in love, all the beautiful moments at the hangouts, how they made love and how Chito was a love child, yes, a love child! At this moment, he paused and the three generations of the family wiped their eyes together. 'It was a shame to all of us-having a child before marriage! I had to accept moral responsibility-he’s my son first' Divya sobbed, 'well, that wasn’t the worst yet; it was only the beginning. When they decided to elope they should have bloody well got married. But all this neo-modern attitude, is it? And, to top it all, he still thinks he’s married!' she finished with some bitterness. 'In a way I still am' started Rishi while Chito shot it down with an 'and how is that?' look. Nevertheless he began again, 'When we decided that we were made for each other and lived together for that one year, we really were married.' 'And she left you when Chito was six months old!' protested Divya. 'That’s because I had…' began a reply and “Bipolar effing disorder, yeah we know!” Chito finished it fiercely. The fact that Chito had sworn for the first time in twenty three years almost tickled him while the heat from his mom’s stare belted it out.
'Well, both of you do not know what happened between us during those six long months before Chito was born which included losing my job, my virginity and some of my hair in that order. I’ve not seen in my head what I saw during those moments of hell, I’ve not cried more loudly than in the bathroom of our tiny apartment in Electronics City and I’ve not felt more dead than I had felt in those six bloody months and at the end I thought it better to bring this to a close one way or the other. 'It is a sin to commit suicide. You can do no more dead than you can do living' said my mom. Also, I was too much of a coward to take my life. So those twelve days, which felt like years, I continuously thought of suicide. I hyperactively thought of some solution to the turmoil.
Well, I never thought it would come to that but that is what happens when you suddenly realize you’ve got a brain when all you could feel was a heart, rather two. Then came the worst part-pushing her away to a safe distance from me. No other girl could have tolerated what Aishwarya did and I’m grateful to her, for half of what I am I owe it to her. And from the moment I pushed her away, one part of me died and I think it will remain so. But I will live for my mom and Chito, for they’ve always been there for me. My mom tolerated being spat upon behind her back by my family. I now know what disgrace really means. For Chito,' he continued, brushing her hair with his hands and kissing her head gently, 'I’ll live all my life for you darling, for all that you endured because of my stupidity. I’ve stooped so low that I have no low to stoop to, Doctor! Thank you for patiently bearing with me through all the three sittings.' The three stood up handing the fees of Rupees 500 to the doctor. Rishi remembered Aishwarya’s birthday was on the fifth but consciously removed it from his head.
Back home, the doctor went to the bathroom and cried all his bad memories down the drain of the wash. He knew that his name was not Naman, that he wouldn’t confess to any Naman and that his name started with an ‘R’.
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