Takkunu Oru Tale - 3

February 14th, 2009 - Ananth sat, unable to digest what was happening. It was okay if people ignored you - but to be completely mindless of your presence was carrying things too far. Vaishnavi was sitting right beside him, but was intently talking to Bharath, his closest friend at work (or so he had thought, as Bharath was also ignoring him). Even when they were driving to the restaurant, Vaishnavi had completely been silent. At his present state, Ananth knew she didn't even think of him once all the while she drove.

It had not been like this, always. Ananth had married Vaishnavi - the usual Tam Brahm style of advertising through astrologers (josiars) and priests (sastrigals) had led one thing to another which culminated in their marriage. He worked as a Strategic Advisor to one of those banks, advising them on potential investment opportunities worldwide. She worked as an executive with one of the advertising companies which had sprouted in the recent past. Things had worked out smoothly - they had bought a flat in Abhiramapuram, drove a Toyota Corolla and had plans to get a second car soon.

Nobody saw it coming, but, it did. Talks of recession in America left Ananth's company poorer by few hundred crores. And it was unfortunate that Ananth was one amongst the 3 advisors who worked with the NA operations. Ananth's manager was very sorry to have to tell him that he had no option other than to quit. Ananth was given the option to quit the company on his own, rather than be fired. Ananth took the easier choice. His terminal benefits and other investments meant he could afford to take time off to look for a job. But Vaishnavi did not take this easily. She freaked out and accused Ananth of putting her life in jeopardy too. She was scared about how they would pay the EMI for the flat next month and how they would put up a brave face to the society.

Two weeks passed and everyday, Ananth spoke to previous contacts, acquaintances and whomever he could touch for an obligation - but the efforts were futile. All companies were trying to draw their purse-strings tighter, anticipating a global recession and his baggage of having lost his company a few hundred crores meant he was a risky proposition. More than enduring the frustration of a futile job hunt, Ananth was unable to see the striken look on Vaishnavi's face. She had completely shut herself down - not talking to friends and relatives over phone as she was too ashamed to tell her husband's plight to them. He noticed that she looked physically weaker and felt helpless for her physical and mental state.

A month later, Ananth could take it no longer. He wrote a letter to Vaishnavi detailing his inability to find a job and so his decision to end his life. He placed the letter near the cooking range - where he knew Vaishnavi will notice it when she was boiling milk in the evening. He was walking aimlessly, thinking of his life in terms of a montage when his cell phone rang. He cursed himself for not leaving the phone behind and when he could help noticing the date on it when he was looking at it - December 24th, 2007 - 1 month since he had quit work. It was Bharath - he was sounding ecstatic - Bharath had managed to get Ananth a job - Ananth was not able to believe his ears. He was disoriented - and suddenly turned as he heard somebody shouting and saw the TATA symbol on a water lorry before everything went black.



P.S. All those who want to shout "copy-cat" or "cheater", YES! This story was a result of an inspiration - the source is the same which you thought of.