MY MARRIAGE COUNSELLOR
Short Fiction Story
A Romance
By
VIKRAM KARVE
“Thanks for the lift,” I said.
“Come on – it’s okay. The University is on the way to Hinjewadi,” he said.
“I never knew it rained so heavily in Pune. Luckily I met you on the flight. Otherwise – I would have been stuck at the airport.”
“Coming to Pune for the first time?”
“No. But I am visiting Pune after a long time. I lived here more than twenty five years ago. I taught at the University.”
“Oh. So you were a Professor...? No wonder you are so knowledgeable. I must say your research paper at the IEEE Conference was really impressive.”
“Thanks. It’s good they had the conference in Delhi India Bangalore
“So you are going to the University for delivering a lecture there on Signal Processing is it...?”
“No. No. Actually I have come to Pune to meet a lady. I lost contact with her ever since I left Pune – you know those days there was no email, no internet, nothing – and I am quite poor at letter writing.”
“This lady – does she work in the University...?”
“No. She lives in a bungalow off Ganeskhind Road
“I doubt it. The whole place has changed. There are hardly any bungalows now – there are high rises and malls and multiplexes there now. You won’t even recognize the place. Have you got her name, her address...?”
“Yes...” I said – and I gave him the piece of paper I had in my pocket.
The man looked at the paper in a curious sort of way and asked me: “You want to meet her...? After so many years...?”
“Yes – I want to meet her to express my gratitude – she saved my marriage...” I said.
“She saved your marriage...?” he asked, looking curious.
So – I told him the whole story:
“Yes. Me and my wife – we were going to divorce – our differences had become irreconcilable – our relationship was beyond repair – it was an irretrievable breakdown of marriage. That’s what everybody said – all the marriage counsellors we consulted – our relatives – our friends – everyone said that our marriage had broken down beyond repair – till we met her. She was the best marriage counsellor we ever met. She saved our marriage. She is the one who advised us to leave all our unpleasant baggage behind and relocate to a new place and to start a new life afresh. It worked. I have to meet her this time. God knows when I will come to India
“Well – this lady does not live at this address anymore. She lives in Aundh...” the man said.
“How do you know...? You know her...?”
“Of course I know her. She is my wife,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What...? But how can she be your wife...?”
“She and her husband – I mean her ex-husband – they got divorced a few years ago. And – after her divorce – she married me...” he said, matter-of-factly.
I did not say anything.
I was dumbstruck.
She was such a good marriage counsellor.
How could she have got divorced herself...?
I could not believe it.
“I know what you are thinking and what’s going on in your mind,” he said, “If she was such a good marriage counsellor who saved so many marriages – then how could she not save her own marriage...?”
“Yes…” I said incoherently.
“Why don’t you ask her that when you meet her...?” he said.
“Meet her...?”
“Of course. Aundh is on the way. I will take you to my home. I had told my wife that I would be driving straight to work from the airport – but let’s surprise her. I am sure she will remember you. You two can meet – you can talk about the good old days – and I’ll try to finish off my work early and be back in time for lunch. And then – we will drop you off at the airport for your evening flight.”
“No,” I said, “I better not meet her.”
“Come on – be a sport. Don’t tell me you don’t want to gift her the diamond necklace you have brought with you all the way from America
“Okay...” I agreed reluctantly.
“Good...” the man said to me with a smile.
He was silent for some time.
Then the man turned towards me and he said: “By the way – let me warn you – she has given up marriage counselling.”
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in this story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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