'Sir! our site office is ransacked...the glass front door is broken!'
Site manager Rajan almost yelled over phone out of anger and excitement to Vivek.
It was around ten thirty at night. Vivek was having a post dinner drink.
The tv was on. His eyes were glued to the scroll bar showing the stock result of the day.
'Who did that? That guy...what's his name?'
Vivek asked coolly, rubbing his forehead with his right palm a bit.
'Yes Sir! that man...that ruffian...he was yelling all the time...using choicest abuses against us...specially against you... '
Rajan talked with palpable animation.
'Lodged an FIR?'
'No Sir! not yet!'
'Okay...just beef up the security for the night...tomorrow morning I would be going there...by the way...send someone immediately with a written complaint naming that guy as the principal accused...has he got any other men with him?'
'Yes Sir only two others...I saw them...could identify them...but don't know their names...'
'Okay...what is the name of that strongman? I've forgotten...he had a tender submitted last week ...ain't it...and we rejected it? ain't so?'
Vivek asked, in between having sips from his glass of red potion.
'Yeah! Sir! his materials were inferior and below our marked standards...his name is Pritam..Pritam Dam...'
'Yes! Pritam Dam...don't be afraid...just send me the phone number of the local police station...and also fax me a copy of the complaint...no one is injured na?'
'No sir...not seriously...two security guards had a scuffle with them but they just threw stones at the glass doors and the windows...had minor cuts...but no major injury...'
Rajan informed...gaining breath...as it seemed his initial excitement was dying down.
'Okay...cool yourself off...take care...meeting tomorrow...don't worry...'
Saying this Vivek hung up and went up to the fax machine kept on the oak table by his bedroom window.
He looked at the remote of the air conditioner.
From twenty he pressed the temperature setting button twice down and upped the fan speed a bit.
Rupsha must be sleeping at her bedroom.
Vivek walked out of his room to the next room and peeped through the door. She was snoring. Her mouth was half open. The tv was on. He switched off the tv, put the covering neatly over his wife's shoulders and switched on the bedside lamp. The yellow glow fell on Rupsha's sleeping face.
For a brief moment Vivek stood there looking at her face. It seemed there was a pleasant calmness pasted on her face. Since their only son Aditya had gone to the States, Rupsha had become somewhat lonely. In fact they would be visiting their son next week. Hopefully Rupsha would get a much needed break then and also something to cheer for. He himself was also hoping that the visit would give him a scope to spend a quality time with his family alone...without interruptions...without deadlines and pressure of construction business which at times become too much for even him to bear...who had been in this trade for almost two decades. This project though not very big compared to his earlier ones, has an emotional significance for he is doing it at a place where he was born and got his schooling.He is doing it at a place which had bestowed him with a lot of bitter sweet memories.Here he tasted and experienced some things which would be forever etched into his memory.His first love for instance. He was initially pretty excited to move with the project but now, as it seems, the emotional tingling is getting waned gradually by hard feelings...hard feelings of facing real situations full of complexity, corruption, syndicates, bribe-prone officials...and what not?
Now this Pritam Dam...every time his tender is rejected, he will just create a furor...enough is enough...this time I would put him behind the bars...damn it!
Vivek cursed silently murmuring and went out of the room closing the door from outside.
The fax machine was ringing. He pressed the button to get the printout.
A paper started rolling out...a letter head of their construction company. Vivek looked at the sms that came ringing at the same time.Rajan was sending it.
'24967231/24967329/24967322...'
They must be the numbers of the local police station. Vivek looked at the watch. It was eleven five.
He called the first one.
'Hello duty officer? I'm Vivek Razdan from Springdale Constructions...'
The next morning when Vivek reached the site office it was ten fifteen.
The officials of an insurance company were there. Rajan took him to the inner sanctum.
'Sir...they are willing to pay for what we estimated as damage...they need your pat a bit...'
Rajam whispered.
'Okay send them in...'
Two officers of the insurance company came in. Vivek smoothed their palms with a bit of dough. They smiled broad and went away.
'Rajan...get the door and windows repaired by this evening...I want the front office spick and span...'
'Yes Sir!'
'Okay then...any updates?'
'O Sir...last night the police picked up Pritam from his house and two of his accomplices as well from a bar...thought there would be repercussions...locally...but heard from a reliable source that the leaders of the locality are actually happy and they are not even trying to bail him out...heard that some leaders of the ruling party are actually so agitated by Pritam's sudden rise that they are feeling happy actually...now that he is in the custody...'
'Good!'
Vivek only smiled, without showing any hint of his mind.
That he had done all the necessary arrangements to keep the leaders at bay....that he had also taken the Inspector in charge of the police station into his confidence...all these were kept concealed by him and they would forever be, hopefully.
'I would be leaving soon...if anything crops up...just call me...'
Saying this Vivek stood up.
Next three days, Vivek got busy with his other works. Rupsha seemed very excited about the tour to States. She remained busy with shopping. Day after tomorrow they would catch the flight to the States. It would be a long journey. They would first go to Mumbai, from there they would catch another flight to London. From there they would be taking off for the States.
It was seven in the evening. Vivek was sitting in his office at Little Russel Street, checking payment details made to a building materials conglomerate, on his laptop.
His cell rang. Rajan was calling.
'Hello...'
'Sir Rajan here...good evening...'
'Good evening...what's the matter?'
'Sir...a woman is willing to talk to you...she's Pritam's wife...she's waiting for you at our site office for the last half an hour...I told her that you would not come today...but she is somewhat obstinate...she wants to talk to you...'
'What for? Pritam is still in custody? nah?'
'Yes Sir...day after tomorrow he would be produced to the court...Pritam's wife is pleading us to withdraw the case against him...'
'No! we can't do that! let the law take its own course! '
Vivek blurted, with suppressed rage.
'Yes Sir!...but this woman...she's here...crying and wailing...'
'Send her out of the office...take the help of female guards...I don't want a scene there...'
'Yes Sir!'
Vivek hung up.
Next morning, at the breakfast table, Rupsha asked Vivek if he would join her for shopping in the afternoon.
'What for? can't you manage?'
Vivek asked, taking a bite of the cheese sandwitch.
'Yes I can...but thought to buy a few warm clothes for you dear...so...'
Rupsha uttered, looking at him, kind of hurt.
Vivek looked at Rupsha's face. It had all the glow of morning freshness. She was wearing a pink dressing gown. Her face sans make-up looked quite charming and soft.
'Okay!...at what hour dear?'
Vivek asked softly.
'Preferably at five....I would be at the New Market...'
Rupsha said with a rise of enthusiasm in her voice. Probably she hadn't expected that Vivek would scrape time out for the shopping.
'Sure!'
Vivek quickly responded and got up, taking a gulp of the fruit juice from the glass tumbler.
'Oh! I'm so happy...'
Rupsha stood up and came near to him.
Vivek embraced her and planted a kiss on her forehead and cheeks.
'Its time to go to the site office...will come to New market straight from there...don't you worry...'
Vivek hushed.
From ten in the morning when he reached the site till afternoon, Vivek physically inspected the three blocks that were erected at the site. Too much of dust made him sneeze a lot.
He was sweating profusely. But to see the towers coming up was a pleasure...surely an inexpressible kind of pleasure. Standing on the top most floor of one of the towers, he could see the river flowing like a silver glistening ribbon.
'There at this river bank spent so many days...'
Vivek thought...becoming nostalgic.
At three, he and Rajan and few other engineers had a brief meeting at the office. Bookings are really going fast. Seventy percent bookings are already done by business houses.
Vivek was having a sense of fulfillment within.
'Sir...a health care group has sent its interest to set up a modern health care facility here...they need a few thousand square feet...'
Rajan said showing Vivek a letter from the Business head of a reputed Health care group.
Vivek read the letter.
'The basement and the ground floor of the third tower are not yet booked...right Rajan?'
'Yes Sir...'
'Then ask them if they are interested in buying them...'
'But Sir...'
A senior engineer engaged in the project, Achinto Sengupta,interrupted.
'Yes?'
Vivek looked up.
'Sir...the basement of each tower actually has services like fire safety gadgets, emergency generators, air conditioning equipments, parking space...you know that...'
'Hmmm...in that case we could extend the lower end of the third tower a few yards...can't we?'
Vivek asked.
Achinto Sengupta looked worried.
'Yes ...Sir...we can...but that would need some modifications of the plan outlay and it would also increase the input cost...'
'Okay...make a design and present it to me next week...oh no...not next week....next week, I would not be here...going to States...will stay there for three weeks...okay...do one thing ...make the presentation, the estimate and mail them to me...I'll check it and then decide upon selling it to the healthcare group...meanwhile, just send a letter of thanks to the group and keep them hooked on...ask them to pay a visit to our site...show them around...even tell them we are ready to bend the rules a bit if they are really willing to make a deal with us...okay Rajan?'
'Okay Sir!'
Rajan nodded.
'Okay then...lets call it a day today folks...'
Vivek smiled.
All went out, except Rajan.
'Yes...Rajan...want to say anything?'
'Errr...Sir...actually that lady...Pritam's wife...she's here today since morning...waiting at the lobby of the front office...wants to meet you...her husband will be produced to the court tomorrow I heard...and she is asking for a few minutes only...'
Vivek looked at his watch. Three forty five already and he would have to be at New Market before five.
'Okay... half an hour max...send her in...'
Rajan wentout.
A few minutes later a middle-aged woman in a white cotton printed saree came in, knocking the door.
'Can I come in?'
'Sure...'
Vivek uttered without looking up from the screen of his laptop.He was checking the financial reports of the company.
'Sir...My husband...'
'Yes yes I know your husband very well...we can actually do nothing...he's guilty of several misdeeds...on several counts...'
Vivek said interrupting her, still looking at the screen of his laptop. Finance was looking good.
'Sir...I'm Sweety...Sweety Saxena...remember?'
The woman asked in a tender tone...kind of hesitant.
The voice appeared quite familiar to Vivek, as if he heard the voice somewhere. He looked up.
'Sweety...'
Vivek uttered with a sense of incomprehensible idiocy, staring blank at the woman's face.
'Yes...here I'm ...at your door step...now you can do whatever you can...to take a revenge on me...'
The woman said, her eyes glistening.
Vivek was not actually looking at he woman.
He was seeing a woman...not a woman...but a girl of eighteen perhaps...in peacock green salwar...and deep blue dupatta...sitting by his side...quite close...somewhere near the banks of the river...talking softly...exchanging her ideas of love...and then that picture collapsed suddenly to usher in another one....Sweety...the girl...telling him harshly...that she's quitting...for better life...for better opportunities...Vivek saw himself standing in front of that girl...trying hard to prevent tears from rolling down...please please...don't do that to me...he was perhaps pleading...
'Please...please...withdraw the case...take revenge on me by any other means...but...not this way...my kid is in class ten...his board exams are near...he is crestfallen...please have pity...if not on me or my husband...at least on my kid...please...'
Sweety started to cry, profusely.
Vivek just kept on looking at Sweety for a while. His vision was getting blurred.
However, he collected himself, brought out a handkerchief to wipe his glasses and coughing twice, cleared his throat.
Sweety was still sobbing. Her head was down. She was looking at the floor.
Vivek looked at the gold ring on her right hand finger.
A simple gold ring.
'Got any picture of your kid?'
Vivek asked suddenly.
Sweety was not expecting such a question. She looked up teary eyed, bemused.
'Yes...yes...got one in my cell...'
Sayng this she brought out her cell from her purse and clicking on a photo, handed it over to Vivek.
He looked at the photo...a young boy dressed in a cricketer's uniform, all padded...smiling at him...
'Plays cricket? huh?'
'Yes...he wants to be a cricketer...'
'Hmmm...what's his name?'
'Saurav...'
'Saurav? really? Saurav Ganguly he wants to become?'
Vivek smiled, taking a second look at the photo.
A few moments of silence ensued.
'Okay...we would be withdrawing the case before tomorrow...go home...have peace...'
Vivek sighed and said.
'Thanks...thanks a lot...don't know how can...'
Sweety failed to complete the sentence.
She was sobbing again.
Just then Vivek's cell rang.
Rupsha was calling.
'Got married?'
Sweety asked.
'Yes...my wife is calling...need to go out...bye bye...'
Vivek said, standing up.
Rupsha stood up as well.
She took up her purse from the table and walked out silently.
'Yes...yes...I'm on my way...'
Vivek said, over phone...but his eyes were on the silhouette of the lady...drifting away from his vision...softly and slowly...as if she was a dream.
Site manager Rajan almost yelled over phone out of anger and excitement to Vivek.
It was around ten thirty at night. Vivek was having a post dinner drink.
The tv was on. His eyes were glued to the scroll bar showing the stock result of the day.
'Who did that? That guy...what's his name?'
Vivek asked coolly, rubbing his forehead with his right palm a bit.
'Yes Sir! that man...that ruffian...he was yelling all the time...using choicest abuses against us...specially against you... '
Rajan talked with palpable animation.
'Lodged an FIR?'
'No Sir! not yet!'
'Okay...just beef up the security for the night...tomorrow morning I would be going there...by the way...send someone immediately with a written complaint naming that guy as the principal accused...has he got any other men with him?'
'Yes Sir only two others...I saw them...could identify them...but don't know their names...'
'Okay...what is the name of that strongman? I've forgotten...he had a tender submitted last week ...ain't it...and we rejected it? ain't so?'
Vivek asked, in between having sips from his glass of red potion.
'Yeah! Sir! his materials were inferior and below our marked standards...his name is Pritam..Pritam Dam...'
'Yes! Pritam Dam...don't be afraid...just send me the phone number of the local police station...and also fax me a copy of the complaint...no one is injured na?'
'No sir...not seriously...two security guards had a scuffle with them but they just threw stones at the glass doors and the windows...had minor cuts...but no major injury...'
Rajan informed...gaining breath...as it seemed his initial excitement was dying down.
'Okay...cool yourself off...take care...meeting tomorrow...don't worry...'
Saying this Vivek hung up and went up to the fax machine kept on the oak table by his bedroom window.
He looked at the remote of the air conditioner.
From twenty he pressed the temperature setting button twice down and upped the fan speed a bit.
Rupsha must be sleeping at her bedroom.
Vivek walked out of his room to the next room and peeped through the door. She was snoring. Her mouth was half open. The tv was on. He switched off the tv, put the covering neatly over his wife's shoulders and switched on the bedside lamp. The yellow glow fell on Rupsha's sleeping face.
For a brief moment Vivek stood there looking at her face. It seemed there was a pleasant calmness pasted on her face. Since their only son Aditya had gone to the States, Rupsha had become somewhat lonely. In fact they would be visiting their son next week. Hopefully Rupsha would get a much needed break then and also something to cheer for. He himself was also hoping that the visit would give him a scope to spend a quality time with his family alone...without interruptions...without deadlines and pressure of construction business which at times become too much for even him to bear...who had been in this trade for almost two decades. This project though not very big compared to his earlier ones, has an emotional significance for he is doing it at a place where he was born and got his schooling.He is doing it at a place which had bestowed him with a lot of bitter sweet memories.Here he tasted and experienced some things which would be forever etched into his memory.His first love for instance. He was initially pretty excited to move with the project but now, as it seems, the emotional tingling is getting waned gradually by hard feelings...hard feelings of facing real situations full of complexity, corruption, syndicates, bribe-prone officials...and what not?
Now this Pritam Dam...every time his tender is rejected, he will just create a furor...enough is enough...this time I would put him behind the bars...damn it!
Vivek cursed silently murmuring and went out of the room closing the door from outside.
The fax machine was ringing. He pressed the button to get the printout.
A paper started rolling out...a letter head of their construction company. Vivek looked at the sms that came ringing at the same time.Rajan was sending it.
'24967231/24967329/24967322...'
They must be the numbers of the local police station. Vivek looked at the watch. It was eleven five.
He called the first one.
'Hello duty officer? I'm Vivek Razdan from Springdale Constructions...'
The next morning when Vivek reached the site office it was ten fifteen.
The officials of an insurance company were there. Rajan took him to the inner sanctum.
'Sir...they are willing to pay for what we estimated as damage...they need your pat a bit...'
Rajam whispered.
'Okay send them in...'
Two officers of the insurance company came in. Vivek smoothed their palms with a bit of dough. They smiled broad and went away.
'Rajan...get the door and windows repaired by this evening...I want the front office spick and span...'
'Yes Sir!'
'Okay then...any updates?'
'O Sir...last night the police picked up Pritam from his house and two of his accomplices as well from a bar...thought there would be repercussions...locally...but heard from a reliable source that the leaders of the locality are actually happy and they are not even trying to bail him out...heard that some leaders of the ruling party are actually so agitated by Pritam's sudden rise that they are feeling happy actually...now that he is in the custody...'
'Good!'
Vivek only smiled, without showing any hint of his mind.
That he had done all the necessary arrangements to keep the leaders at bay....that he had also taken the Inspector in charge of the police station into his confidence...all these were kept concealed by him and they would forever be, hopefully.
'I would be leaving soon...if anything crops up...just call me...'
Saying this Vivek stood up.
Next three days, Vivek got busy with his other works. Rupsha seemed very excited about the tour to States. She remained busy with shopping. Day after tomorrow they would catch the flight to the States. It would be a long journey. They would first go to Mumbai, from there they would catch another flight to London. From there they would be taking off for the States.
It was seven in the evening. Vivek was sitting in his office at Little Russel Street, checking payment details made to a building materials conglomerate, on his laptop.
His cell rang. Rajan was calling.
'Hello...'
'Sir Rajan here...good evening...'
'Good evening...what's the matter?'
'Sir...a woman is willing to talk to you...she's Pritam's wife...she's waiting for you at our site office for the last half an hour...I told her that you would not come today...but she is somewhat obstinate...she wants to talk to you...'
'What for? Pritam is still in custody? nah?'
'Yes Sir...day after tomorrow he would be produced to the court...Pritam's wife is pleading us to withdraw the case against him...'
'No! we can't do that! let the law take its own course! '
Vivek blurted, with suppressed rage.
'Yes Sir!...but this woman...she's here...crying and wailing...'
'Send her out of the office...take the help of female guards...I don't want a scene there...'
'Yes Sir!'
Vivek hung up.
Next morning, at the breakfast table, Rupsha asked Vivek if he would join her for shopping in the afternoon.
'What for? can't you manage?'
Vivek asked, taking a bite of the cheese sandwitch.
'Yes I can...but thought to buy a few warm clothes for you dear...so...'
Rupsha uttered, looking at him, kind of hurt.
Vivek looked at Rupsha's face. It had all the glow of morning freshness. She was wearing a pink dressing gown. Her face sans make-up looked quite charming and soft.
'Okay!...at what hour dear?'
Vivek asked softly.
'Preferably at five....I would be at the New Market...'
Rupsha said with a rise of enthusiasm in her voice. Probably she hadn't expected that Vivek would scrape time out for the shopping.
'Sure!'
Vivek quickly responded and got up, taking a gulp of the fruit juice from the glass tumbler.
'Oh! I'm so happy...'
Rupsha stood up and came near to him.
Vivek embraced her and planted a kiss on her forehead and cheeks.
'Its time to go to the site office...will come to New market straight from there...don't you worry...'
Vivek hushed.
From ten in the morning when he reached the site till afternoon, Vivek physically inspected the three blocks that were erected at the site. Too much of dust made him sneeze a lot.
He was sweating profusely. But to see the towers coming up was a pleasure...surely an inexpressible kind of pleasure. Standing on the top most floor of one of the towers, he could see the river flowing like a silver glistening ribbon.
'There at this river bank spent so many days...'
Vivek thought...becoming nostalgic.
At three, he and Rajan and few other engineers had a brief meeting at the office. Bookings are really going fast. Seventy percent bookings are already done by business houses.
Vivek was having a sense of fulfillment within.
'Sir...a health care group has sent its interest to set up a modern health care facility here...they need a few thousand square feet...'
Rajan said showing Vivek a letter from the Business head of a reputed Health care group.
Vivek read the letter.
'The basement and the ground floor of the third tower are not yet booked...right Rajan?'
'Yes Sir...'
'Then ask them if they are interested in buying them...'
'But Sir...'
A senior engineer engaged in the project, Achinto Sengupta,interrupted.
'Yes?'
Vivek looked up.
'Sir...the basement of each tower actually has services like fire safety gadgets, emergency generators, air conditioning equipments, parking space...you know that...'
'Hmmm...in that case we could extend the lower end of the third tower a few yards...can't we?'
Vivek asked.
Achinto Sengupta looked worried.
'Yes ...Sir...we can...but that would need some modifications of the plan outlay and it would also increase the input cost...'
'Okay...make a design and present it to me next week...oh no...not next week....next week, I would not be here...going to States...will stay there for three weeks...okay...do one thing ...make the presentation, the estimate and mail them to me...I'll check it and then decide upon selling it to the healthcare group...meanwhile, just send a letter of thanks to the group and keep them hooked on...ask them to pay a visit to our site...show them around...even tell them we are ready to bend the rules a bit if they are really willing to make a deal with us...okay Rajan?'
'Okay Sir!'
Rajan nodded.
'Okay then...lets call it a day today folks...'
Vivek smiled.
All went out, except Rajan.
'Yes...Rajan...want to say anything?'
'Errr...Sir...actually that lady...Pritam's wife...she's here today since morning...waiting at the lobby of the front office...wants to meet you...her husband will be produced to the court tomorrow I heard...and she is asking for a few minutes only...'
Vivek looked at his watch. Three forty five already and he would have to be at New Market before five.
'Okay... half an hour max...send her in...'
Rajan wentout.
A few minutes later a middle-aged woman in a white cotton printed saree came in, knocking the door.
'Can I come in?'
'Sure...'
Vivek uttered without looking up from the screen of his laptop.He was checking the financial reports of the company.
'Sir...My husband...'
'Yes yes I know your husband very well...we can actually do nothing...he's guilty of several misdeeds...on several counts...'
Vivek said interrupting her, still looking at the screen of his laptop. Finance was looking good.
'Sir...I'm Sweety...Sweety Saxena...remember?'
The woman asked in a tender tone...kind of hesitant.
The voice appeared quite familiar to Vivek, as if he heard the voice somewhere. He looked up.
'Sweety...'
Vivek uttered with a sense of incomprehensible idiocy, staring blank at the woman's face.
'Yes...here I'm ...at your door step...now you can do whatever you can...to take a revenge on me...'
The woman said, her eyes glistening.
Vivek was not actually looking at he woman.
He was seeing a woman...not a woman...but a girl of eighteen perhaps...in peacock green salwar...and deep blue dupatta...sitting by his side...quite close...somewhere near the banks of the river...talking softly...exchanging her ideas of love...and then that picture collapsed suddenly to usher in another one....Sweety...the girl...telling him harshly...that she's quitting...for better life...for better opportunities...Vivek saw himself standing in front of that girl...trying hard to prevent tears from rolling down...please please...don't do that to me...he was perhaps pleading...
'Please...please...withdraw the case...take revenge on me by any other means...but...not this way...my kid is in class ten...his board exams are near...he is crestfallen...please have pity...if not on me or my husband...at least on my kid...please...'
Sweety started to cry, profusely.
Vivek just kept on looking at Sweety for a while. His vision was getting blurred.
However, he collected himself, brought out a handkerchief to wipe his glasses and coughing twice, cleared his throat.
Sweety was still sobbing. Her head was down. She was looking at the floor.
Vivek looked at the gold ring on her right hand finger.
A simple gold ring.
'Got any picture of your kid?'
Vivek asked suddenly.
Sweety was not expecting such a question. She looked up teary eyed, bemused.
'Yes...yes...got one in my cell...'
Sayng this she brought out her cell from her purse and clicking on a photo, handed it over to Vivek.
He looked at the photo...a young boy dressed in a cricketer's uniform, all padded...smiling at him...
'Plays cricket? huh?'
'Yes...he wants to be a cricketer...'
'Hmmm...what's his name?'
'Saurav...'
'Saurav? really? Saurav Ganguly he wants to become?'
Vivek smiled, taking a second look at the photo.
A few moments of silence ensued.
'Okay...we would be withdrawing the case before tomorrow...go home...have peace...'
Vivek sighed and said.
'Thanks...thanks a lot...don't know how can...'
Sweety failed to complete the sentence.
She was sobbing again.
Just then Vivek's cell rang.
Rupsha was calling.
'Got married?'
Sweety asked.
'Yes...my wife is calling...need to go out...bye bye...'
Vivek said, standing up.
Rupsha stood up as well.
She took up her purse from the table and walked out silently.
'Yes...yes...I'm on my way...'
Vivek said, over phone...but his eyes were on the silhouette of the lady...drifting away from his vision...softly and slowly...as if she was a dream.
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