Nisha

NISHA

A “Hate” Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE  

It was “hate at first sight”.

Strictly speaking – it was not “hate at first sight” – because – I hadn’t even seen her.

In fact – I hated her even before I saw her.

And – when I saw her – I hated her even more.

Yes – the moment I saw her – I was filled with hate towards her.

Now – Dear Reader – before I continue this “Hate Story” – let me give you a bit of the background – and tell you why I hated this woman even before I saw her.

This happened almost 40 years ago – in the 1970’s – when I was a young Lieutenant in the Navy.

Everything was fine – till I got married.

As a bachelor – the Navy looked after all my “boarding and lodging” needs.

Once I got married – I realized that getting a house was a huge problem for Naval Officers – especially those serving in Mumbai (then known as Bombay) – where most of the Navy was located those days.

The waiting time for Lieutenant’s Married Accommodation was more than one year – sometimes extending to even 2 years – after the marriage season – or – following a sudden influx of officers transferred into Mumbai (Bombay).

On the average – the waiting period for married accommodation was one and a half years.

The reason was clear – you were allowed to marry at 25 – when you were a Lieutenant (equivalent to an Army Captain and Air Force Flight Lieutenant).

Those days – after commissioning – it took you 3 years to become a Lieutenant – and then – you remained a Lieutenant for 8 long years – before being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander after a total of 11 years of commissioned service.

By the time you became a Lieutenant Commander – you were above 30 – well past “marriageable” age – so – if you wanted to marry – you did so in the early part of the 8 long years when you were a Lieutenant. 

[Yes – those days – in the Navy – it took 11 years of commissioned service to become a Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) – unlike today – when you see greenhorns – who haven’t yet fully grown their whiskers – strutting around wearing “two and a half stripes” of a Lieutenant Commander – thanks to the benevolent Ajai Vikram Singh Cadre Review Report (aka AVS 2006) – which has reduced the value of senior ranks to subaltern status…]

Also – in the Navy – the “Rank Has Its Privileges” concept – RHIP – was extended to family life too – and – newly married Lieutenants – bursting with “marital passion” – who were desperately in need of houses – were kept waiting for the longest time – whereas – “over the hill” Admirals and Commodores – “spent forces” – who were well past their prime years of “marital passion” – these “bigwigs” were given houses immediately.

So – newly married Naval Officers had a long wait before they were allotted married accommodation in Mumbai (which was the premier Navy Base those days – where most Naval Officers were located).

Of course – there were “alternate” arrangements – where they gave you a horrible shoddy dwelling in some dilapidated barrack or derelict crumbling building – euphemistically called “Type ‘B’ or Type ‘C’ accommodation”.

I did not want to ruin the “honeymoon period” of my marriage wallowing in such a shabby rotten decrepit environment.

So – I decided to let my wife stay at her parents’ place in her hometown – while I stayed on board my ship as a “married bachelor” eagerly monitoring the accommodation roster – desperately waiting for my “entitled” house to be allotted to me.

There was another option – I could “share” accommodation with a “course-mate” or a fellow Naval Officer who had been allotted a house – but – having seen some cases where the “sharing” went beyond accommodation – I decided not to explore the “sharing” option.

So – we – my wife and I – we spent the first year of our marriage living apart – me – on board my ship – and she – at her mother’s place in her hometown.

Then – one day – after a wait of more than one year – I was lucky to be allotted married accommodation.

I called up my wife and gave her the good news.

She was delighted – even her parents were delighted.

In fact – my wife’s parents were so delighted that they decided to come along with my wife to help set up her first house.

So – my wife arrived with her parents – and – her parents left after a week after setting up our house.

Sadly – I had to sail out to sea the very evening her parents left for their hometown.

When I returned to Mumbai a month later – I was happy to see that my wife had settled down well – she had already made friends – and – had attended a coffee morning of NOWA (Naval Officers Wives Association).

[Yes – those days it was called NOWA. Later – sometime in mid-1980’s – NOWA was “democratized” – and renamed Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA)]

My wife was happy to see me.

Then – she dropped a “bombshell”.

My wife told me that one of her friends was going to come and stay with us as a “house guest”.

“Who…” I asked.

“Nisha – she is one of my best friends – in fact – she is a distant relative…” my wife said.

“Nisha…? I have never heard of her – did she come for our marriage…?” I asked my wife.

“No – she was studying in Business School – for her MBA – and – her exams were at the same time as our marriage…”

“Oh – is she coming on a holiday to Mumbai…?”

“No – she has got a job here…”

“But – why is she staying with us…?”

“The waiting time for the ‘Working Women’s Hostel’ is around 6 months – so – till then – she will stay with us…”

“6 months…? Are you crazy…?”

“Why…?”

“This is the first time we are living together after our marriage – and – you want to ruin our privacy…”

“The house is quite big…”

“Big…? There is just one living-cum-dining room and two rooms in this flat…”

“It is a 2BHK flat – we will sleep in the master bedroom – and – she can stay in the other bedroom…”

“No – she cannot stay here…”

“My parents have already committed to her parents – I can’t say “NO” now…”

“Your parents committed…?”

“Nisha’s family has done a lot of good to our family – her grandfather helped my father financially so that he could complete his education – her family has helped my parents in many ways – we are obligated to them – so – my parents could not refuse…”

“Isn’t her company giving her a flat…?”

“No – but – they are giving her HRA…”

“Okay – I will help her find a good flat within her HRA – or some PG accommodation…”

“No – why should Nisha live as a Paying Guest in some PG accommodation when she can live with us…? She even offered to pay for her stay here – but – of course – I refused.”

“I don’t want her money – I want privacy…” I said.

“Please don’t argue with me – Nisha is coming here – I have already said “YES” – so – how can I say “NO” now…” my wife said – and – she started crying.

I had come back after a month’s sailing – and – I did not want to ruin the evening – so – I said to my wife: 

“Okay – let her stay…”

Next morning – along with my wife – I waited on the platform of the Railway Station waiting for Nisha’s train to arrive.

As I said – I hated Nisha even before I saw her.

And – when I saw Nisha – I hated her even more.

I thought Nisha would be “good looking”.

But – my hopes were dashed.

Nisha was the most “unappealing” woman I had ever seen – and – I am putting it politely.

After her arrival – life was hell.

I dropped them home – Nisha and my wife – and – I went to my ship since it was a working day.

Trouble started in the evening.

As was customary – after returning home from work – I changed from my uniform into a “lungi” – and – bare-chested – with my “lungi” at “half-mast” – I entered the drawing room for my evening “tiffin” and cup of filter coffee. 

Nisha – who was sitting in the drawing room – looked at me curiously.

The moment my wife came out of the kitchen – she looked at me with bewilderment – seeing me dressed only in a “half-mast lungi”.

My wife angrily asked me to come inside the bedroom – and she scolded me: “Have you no decency…? You came out in your “lungi”…? Why are you not wearing a shirt…? Please dress properly – remember – Nisha is staying with us – what will she think of you…? I don’t want to see you wearing a “lungi” again till she is here…”

So now – even in my own house – I had to be “decently” dressed.

Of course – I had to forego my evening pegs of “Rum–Pani” (Rum-Water)

This decision not to drink was my own.

Yes – I took the decision to avoid drinking at home of my own accord.

If my wife did not like my wearing a “lungi” in front of Nisha – I was sure she would throw a tantrum if I started boozing in front of our “hallowed” guest.

Worse was to come at night – when we were in our bedroom.

My wife refused to get intimate – yes – my wife wouldn’t let me get near her.

“Keep away – Nisha is in the next room…” my wife said, rejecting my advances.

“So what – the door is closed…” I said.

“The walls are thin – she can hear everything – and – you make too much noise…”

So – that was the end of my “honeymoon” – and – it looked like there were going to be many days of “abstinence” ahead – at least till Nisha was around.

A few days later – our ship sailed out again – and – when I returned – I realized that Nisha was well entrenched in our house.

Nisha’s routine was set – she would leave for work early in the morning – at 8:30 AM – she would catch a bus from RC Church to her workplace near Churchgate – and – she returned around 7:30 in the evening – just in time for dinner.

Nisha was working for a top MNC – and – she was getting a hefty House Rent Allowance (HRA) – so – I wondered why she was interested in staying in a working women’s hostel – rather than rent her own flat.

“For security – and – convenience…” my wife said, “Besides – even if she rents a flat – it will be in some suburb – and – she will have to travel by local train – and – she is not used to it – since – she has never lived in Mumbai. The Hostel is on Marine Drive – quite close to her workplace – like it is from here – there is a direct bus from the hostel – and – she can even walk down to work…”

“So – your friend Nisha stays put here in our house ruining our married life till she gets a room in the hostel…”

“I told you that she offered to pay for her expenses – but I refused…”

“Ha Ha – no amount of money will compensate the nuisance she is causing to us…”

“Don’t say such things…” my wife said angrily to me, “She is not a nuisance – I told you that my parents have an obligation…”

“I have heard that many times…” I said – and – I headed to the Club to drown my sorrows.

Thereafter – every evening – before Nisha arrived – I would go to the club for a walk on the seaside promenade – followed by a drinking session with some “regulars” – most of whom were bachelors – or – “married bachelors”.

And then – I would return home late at night – when Nisha had retired to her bedroom.

Sometimes – Nisha would be watching TV with my wife – but – the moment I arrived in “high spirits” – she would excuse herself and go inside.

This routine went on for a week or so.

Then – one evening – when I was sitting by the seaside in my club – drinking with a “course-mate” – an unexpected thing happened.

I was stunned to see Nisha standing beside me.

I had been sitting facing the sea – and – she quietly approached me from behind my back – and – stood next to me.

My friend stood up and wished her.

I stood up too.

I introduced my friend to her – and – Nisha held out her hand to him and introduced herself.

Nisha looked at my friend – and – she said to him: 

“If you don’t mind – I want to talk something private…”

“Oh, sure – I was about to leave for the mess anyway…” my friend said – he gulped down the remains of his glass – he said goodbye – and – he left.

“Won’t you ask me to sit down…?” Nisha said to me.

“Oh – sorry – please sit down…” I said to her.

“Thanks…” she said – and – she sat down opposite me.

“Would you like something to drink – a soft drink – a juice…?” I asked her.

“What are you drinking…?” she asked me.

“Rum – I am drinking “Rum-Pani” – Rum with water…” I said.

“I’ll have Rum too – but – I’ll have Rum and Coke…” she said.

I tried my best to hide my surprise – but – she saw through me – and she said with a smile: “So – you smart Navy guys think that girls from the mofussil drink only fruit juice and soft drinks…?”

“No – No – not at all…” I said, “I’ll get you a Rum and Coke…”

“Make it large – a “double peg” – as they say in the civilian world…” she said.

“Cheers…” she said when the drinks arrived.

She raised her glass – and said: “I know you Navy guys don’t clink glasses…”

I was speechless.

Nisha had a sip of her of her Rum and Coke – and then – she said to me: “I knew you would be here – so – I came here straight from work…”

“Oh…”

“I wanted to talk to you…” she said.

“Regarding…?”

“I wanted to apologize for all the trouble I am causing you…”

“It’s okay…”

“No – it’s not okay – I can see that you hate me – ever since the moment you first saw me at the railway station you hate me terribly…”

“No…”

“And – my living with you is straining your relationship with your wife – and – I know you two are living together after a long time…”

“Yes – we got accommodation after more than a year…”

“I know – that’s why I decided to give you the “good news” first…”

“Good news…?”

“I have decided to shift out…”

“Oh – so you have got a room in the working women’s hostel…?”

“No – that will take 3 months more…”

“So – where will you stay for 3 months…?”

“I have found a “PG” – in Bandra…”

“That’s quite far…”

“No – it’s very convenient – I can catch a local train and come straight to Churchgate…”

“Oh…”

“So – let’s celebrate…” she said – and she downed her Rum-and-Coke in one gulp.

We sat – and – we drank – Nisha and Me – in the cool breeze by the seaside.

She was easy to talk to – and my words came tumbling out.

I told her about Navy life – she talked about her life at “B School” – and her work in the Corporate Sector.

As we drank and talked – I began to see her in a different light.

I realized that Nisha was very intelligent – and quite vivacious – and – she was not that bad looking – in fact – she may not be a beauty in the conventional sense – but she had a certain charm about her. 

I felt guilty at having thought badly about Nisha – and – I wanted to make up to her – so – I said to her: 

“Nisha – you need not shift to Bandra – you are most welcome to stay at our place for as long as you want...” 

“Are you sure...?” she asked me – with genuine joy in her eyes. 

“Yes...” I said. 

“Thank you so much...” Nisha said, “You are so kind...” 

“That calls for a drink...” I said – and – I ordered another round of drinks. 

And then – we had another round of drinks – and another...

Nisha and Me – we drank – and – we talked – and – we lost all track of time.

I do not remember how and when I returned home.

Next morning – I woke up late – with a terrible hangover.

I decided to go down to the telephone booth and call up my ship and tell the OOD that I would be “delayed”.

(In the Navy: Officers are never “Late” – they are “Delayed”)

I did not see Nisha around – so I asked my wife: 

“Has Nisha gone to work…? Or – is she still sleeping…?”

“She has gone to work…” my wife said.

“Oh…”

“I want to tell you one more thing…” my wife said – looking at me.

“What…?” I asked.

“I have asked Nisha to shift out of our house by this weekend…” my wife said. 

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories 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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Link to my original post in my Blog Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/10/hate-at-first-sight.html

This is a revised repost of my story HATE AT FIRST SIGHT posted earlier at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/10/hate-at-first-sight.html