Tuesday, October 4, 2016

“Teddy Bear” and “Sugar” – A Love Story

“TEDDY BEAR” AND “SUGAR”
A Love Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE

From my Creative Writing Archives:

One of my early pieces of Short Fiction – a story of changing relationships.

I wrote this story more than 13 years ago – in the year 2003.

I have updated, edited and abridged the story for online reading.

Do tell me if you like this simple love story...

“TEDDY BEAR” AND “SUGAR” – A Love Story by Vikram Karve

“Your relationship has become so demoralized by distrust that you two better break up rather than try to patch up...” I say to the man sitting in front of me.
 
“What...?” he says, looking surprised.
 
“Yes. It is better for you to divorce your wife – instead of living in perpetual suspicion like this. Why live a lie...?” I say.
 
“How can you say this? You are a marriage counsellor – you are supposed to save marriages – not break up marriages...” he says.
 
“But then what can I do if you don’t change your attitude?” I say in desperation to him, “You have to learn to trust your wife – and just stop being jealous, suspicious, possessive. Mutual trust is important in a marriage – especially a long distance marriage like yours.”
 
I look at the man sitting in front of me.

He is incredibly handsome – mid 30’s – maybe 40 – well groomed – sharp features accentuated by a smart neatly trimmed beard – clean brown eyes – he looked strong and confident – and his outward appearance betray no sign of what is going on inside him.

He looks at me longingly – in a lingering sort of way – that women secretly want men to look at them.
 
I blush.

I feel good at being admired by a handsome man.

But – I quickly compose myself.

In such vulnerable situations anything could happen – and I have to be careful – so I say to him in a firm dispassionate tone: “I think you better go now. It’s time for your flight to Singapore.”
 
“The Flight is delayed...” he says.
 
“You’re sure...?” I ask him.
 
“Of course I am sure. I am the pilot – the commander of the aircraft. I have to report after an hour...” he says.
 
“But I have to leave. It is almost check-in time...” I say.
 
“No! No! Please stay. There’s still 2 hours for your flight to London. Don't worry – I will get you checked-in – and I will have you upgraded to Business Class too. I will order some more coffee. There is something important that I want to tell you...” he pleads.
 
The airport restaurant is deserted at this late hour – the place wears a dark, eerie look – with just a few people huddled in muted whispers.
 
“I want to thank you for giving me this special appointment – agreeing to meet me here at such short notice,” he says.
 
“It’s okay. It was quite convenient for both of us to meet here at the airport – rendezvous enroute – catching our flights. A nice quiet discreet place – this airport restaurant...” I say.
 
He pauses for a moment – and then – he speaks in a guilty tone: “I did something terrible today.”
 
“What...?” I ask.
 
“I stole my wife’s cell-phone...” he says.
 
“Stole...? Did you say that you stole your wife’s mobile phone...?” 

“Yes.”

“I cannot believe it. You stole your wife’s mobile phone...? When...?” I ask him.
 
“Yes – I stole my wife’s mobile phone just before I left for the airport. I took her mobile phone from her purse. She was fast asleep. In fact – she must be still sleeping even now...”
 
“This is too much! Stealing your wife’s mobile. That was the most despicable thing to do. I don’t think we should talk any more. You need some serious help...” I say angrily.

I gulp down my coffee – and – I start to get up.
 
“No! No! Please listen. It’s those tell-tale SMS messages...!” he says.
 
“Tell-tale SMS messages...? What SMS messages...?” I ask him.
 
“From ‘Teddy Bear’...” he says.
 
“Teddy Bear...?” I ask.
 
“Someone she knows – ‘Teddy Bear’ – must be a secret name. My wife has saved his number. She keeps getting these SMS’s from ‘Teddy Bear’ – which she erases immediately...” he says.

“Are you saying that this ‘Teddy Bear’ keeps sending SMS’s your wife...?” I ask him.

"Yes. I think they are having a good time right behind my back the moment I take off on a flight. This ‘Teddy Bear’ and my wife are making a cuckold of me – and – they are having a rollicking love affair. This evening my wife was bathing while I was getting ready to leave for the airport. Her mobile cell-phone was lying on the bed – and – an SMS came from ‘Teddy Bear’ saying: “I am yearning for you. SPST...”
 
“SPST...? What’s that?” I ask.
 
“I don’t know. I called the number. A male voice said: ‘Hi Sugar...!’ – just imagine – he calls her ‘Sugar’ – I got so angry – that I immediately hung up in disgust. Then during dinner she kept getting calls and SMS’s – must be the same chap: ‘Teddy Bear’...”
 
“Your wife spoke to him – this ‘Teddy Bear’...? Did she call ‘Teddy Bear’...?” I ask.
 
“No. She did not speak to him in front of me. But she kept getting calls – I am sure ‘Teddy Bear’ was calling her – but my wife looked at the number – and she cut it off. It happened 4 or 5 times. Then my wife switched her mobile to silent – and she put in her purse...” he says.
 
“Did you ask her who it was...?”
 
“No.”
 
“You should have asked her. It may have been a colleague, a friend. That’s your problem – you keep imagining things and you have stopped communicating with her. Ask her next time – and I’m sure everything will clear up...”
 
“No! No! I am sure she is having an affair with this ‘Teddy Bear’ chap. Had it not been for the last minute delay in my flight – I wouldn’t have been home at that time – and the coast would have been clear for ‘Teddy Bear’...” he says. 

I look at the man in front of me – the handsome Airline Pilot. 

For some time – he remains silent.

And then – suddenly – the man in front of me just breaks down – with tears pouring down his cheeks – his voice is uncontrollable as he says: 

“I hate my wife – she is a bloody cheat – the moment I take off on my flight – she starts cheating on me...”
 
It is a bizarre sight. 

A tough looking man looking totally shattered, weeping inconsolably.
 
“Please...” I say, “please control yourself. And  I think you better not fly a plane in this state.”
 
“I think you’re right,” he says, recovering his composure, “I am in no mood to fly.”

He takes out two cell-phones from his shirt pocket. 

He looks at them.

Then – he keeps one mobile phone on the table – and – on the other mobile phone – he dials a number – from his talk it appears that he is talking to the standby pilot.

Then – he calls a few other numbers – and – he tells them he is unwell – so – he is going off the roster.
 
He disconnects and keeps the mobile phone in his pocket. 

There is one mobile phone lying on the table.
 
“Your wife’s cell-phone...?” I ask – pointing to the sleek mobile phone he has kept on the table.
 
“Yes...” he says.
 
“She’ll be missing it...” I say.
 
“No. She’ll be fast asleep. I’ll go back and put it in her purse...” he says.

We sit for some time in silence. 

He looks as if he is in a trance – a vacuous blank look in his eyes. 

Years of counselling has taught me that in such moments – it is best to say nothing. 

So – I just pick up my cup – and I sip what remains of my coffee.

Suddenly he gets up and he says: “I think I will go home...” 

Then – he quickly turns and walks away.

It is only after he has gone – as I keep my coffee cup back on the table – that I notice that he has forgotten the cell-phone on the table – his unfaithful wife’s cell-phone. 

Yes – the Airline Pilot has forgotten his wife’s mobile phone on the table. 

An idea strikes me.

At first – I am a bit hesitant.

Then – curiosity takes charge of me – and – I pick up the mobile phone.

Hurriedly – I click on ‘contacts’.

Then – I press ‘T’

I scroll down – and – I quickly find ‘Teddy Bear’ – and – I press the ‘call’ button.

A few rings – someone picks up. 

I instantly recognize my husband’s baritone voice at the other end: 

“Hey ‘Sugar’ – where are you...? Why aren’t you answering my calls...? Did you get my SMS –  ‘SPST’ – ‘Same Place Same Time’ – and – ‘Sugar’ darling – why did you give me a blank call...?” 
 
I cannot believe this. 

My very own husband is ‘Teddy Bear’ – and – he is having a rollicking affair with ‘Sugar’ – the wife of my patient – the Airline Pilot. 

Yes – ‘Teddy Bear’ is my husband.

‘Sugar’ is the Airline Pilot’s wife. 

And – ‘Teddy Bear’ and ‘Sugar’ are having an affair. 

My own husband is having an extramarital affair with my patient’s wife.

It is happening right under my nose – and – I am totally clueless. 

It is unimaginable – incredulous.

I feel shattered. 

My very own world comes tumbling down like a pack of cards.
 
I cannot begin to describe the emotions that overwhelm me at that moment.

But – I will tell you what I do.
 
I put the mobile cell-phone in my purse. 

Yes – I “steal” the mobile phone belongining to the Airline Pilot’s wife (which he has stolen from her).

I pick up Sugar’s mobile phone, switch it off and put it in my purse.

Then – I walk briskly to the check-in counter.

And – without looking back – I quickly check in – and – I board my flight to London.

And – Dear Reader – as you read this – at this very moment – I am on my way to London to present my research paper on “The Efficacy of Marriage Counselling in the Alleviation of Marital Discord” at the International Conference of Counsellors and Therapists. 

Sitting in the aircraft – in my mind’s eye – I imagine the possible scenarios. 

Has ‘Sugar’ discovered that her mobile phone is missing...? 

Has the Airline Pilot found out that he has lost his wife Sugar’s mobile phone...? 

Finding Sugar’s phone “switched off” – did my husband ‘Teddy Bear’ rush to the Airline Pilot’s house to meet his lover ‘Sugar’...?

Did the Airline Pilot catch them red handed “in flagrante delicto”...? 

Or – will my husband ‘Teddy Bear’ keep waiting for ‘Sugar’ at their usual rendezvous (SPST – Same Place Same Time)...?

The possibilities are endless.

Better for me not to think about it.

Let things take their own course – why should I stew in suspense...?

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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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.

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