The Gandhian Adventures of Raj & Iqbal by Zubin J. Shroff

Author:Zubin J. Shroff
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Fiction - General, Fiction - India, Fiction - Literary
ISBN: 9781937308018
Publisher: Four Circle Press
Published: 2013-11-07T18:30:00+00:00

20

But victory was not to be won so easily by me, even though there had been no shortage of people who had laughed at me on this first day of our Gandhian adventures. The wife was not happy to see me come late, and as she began to shout at me for causing her some worry, she noticed the unannounced house guests and so she had to put on a smiley face and pull back her shouting, which made her more angry in the way that only I can tell. And in all this I had not even thought of a good story to tell her, but that is just as well, because who am I to think I can get away with lying to my dearest wife? I cannot, and so I subconsciously knew it is better to not say anything than to say something that is not true, because the latter way will lead only to shoutings and beatings for me. And so I was concise and business-like in my dealings with dearest wife that night.

It is an important matter of business, I told her privately in the kitchen, and I cannot explain it all currently because it is complicated.

So I am a simpleton wife who cannot understand complicated matters of business, is it? she asked me.

No baby, I said, you know that it is me who is the simpleton in this family, and so it will give me a headache to try and explain it, and even if I explained it, it is not so interesting and you will possibly fall asleep while I explain, and I do not want you to fall asleep so quickly tonight, baby.

Why not, she said with a smile.

You know why not, I said with a smile and a nudge.

But what of your business colleagues, she asked, what if they hear us?

We will keep the TV on in the bedroom and they will not hear anything, I said.

The wife giggled and pushed me out of the kitchen, and I went back to the living room pleased at my double-victory. Not only had I handled the Bhatkoo-Shamoo situation without too much falsehood, but I would also be getting little bit of bedroom action. Good, I thought, because perhaps this will be the last time I see my beloved wife.

And this moment was the first time I truly contemplated the danger and madness of what we would be attempting the following night in the Arabian Sea beyond the sacred island that contains the Haji Ali darga. And although by now I was confident that Netaji and his people were not of violent nature, this actually caused more worry, because what is the use of having nonviolent people with you if the opposing group is bent on inflicting violence on the high seas? The worry was showing on my face when I walked towards the spare room where Bhatkoo and Shamoo were preparing their bedrolls.

RK-sahib, said Bhatkoo in a compassionate tone that I had not heard before, you do not need to worry.

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