An Intriguing Story – Jayashree

 JAYASHREE

AN INTRIGUING STORY

Short Fiction

By

VIKRAM KARVE

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Pune – circa 1985

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This story happened 36 years ago – when I was appointed as faculty at IAT Pune – a premier tri-service post-graduate training institution in advanced technologies.

A young lady scientist was appointed to my department to work with me. She was a graduate in electronics and communications engineering from a prestigious institution – and – was appointed to IAT immediately after her induction training. Her name was Jayashree.

I had taught Jayashree during her induction training and found her to be very keen, diligent and intelligent. Once she started working with me – I realized that she was brilliant – and she was very beautiful too – a true “beauty with brains”.

Normally – scientists were appointed to various Research and Development (R&D) Labs after their induction training at IAT – but Jayashree had requested for a posting to Pune – and she was appointed on the teaching faculty of IAT Pune – and – since there was a vacancy for her specialization in our department – we had agreed to accept her – though she was quite young (she was just 24 when she joined my department)

Dear Reader – as I told you – Jayashree was professionally proficient and conscientious by nature – a good Teacher – and creative research scientist. Within a few months of her joining – we had completed a small research project – and published a research paper.

One day – the Dean summoned me to his office.

He asked me about Jayashree.

I was all praise for her and told the Dean that her performance was excellent.

“Why aren’t you giving her leave…?” the Dean asked me.

I was taken aback by his question since I didn’t recall Jayashree having applied for leave.

“Sir – she hasn’t applied for leave…” I said to the Dean.

“I was told that she applied for 10 days leave – but – you refused to give her leave…” the Dean said.

“That is not true, Sir. Who told you all this…?” I protested.

“Her father…” the Dean said.

“What…? Her father…?” I said, confused.

“Jayashree’s father and I were classmates in Engineering College. Now – he is a senior officer in a PSU in Bangalore – he called me up this morning – he wants Jayashree to go to Bangalore for some important family function – he had asked Jayashree to take 10 days leave and come to Bangalore – but he said that Jayashree told him that you had rejected her leave application. Why are you refusing just 10 days leave to her – is there some important work…?” the Dean said to me.

“Sir – she hasn’t even applied for leave – I will tell her to submit a leave application immediately – and I will grant her whatever leave she wants today itself…” I said to the Dean.

“You do that…” the Dean said to me – and then – he started talking about the courses I was conducting and the research projects I was doing.

The moment I returned to my office – I called Jayashree.

I told her what had happened in the Dean’s Office.

“I am sorry, Sir…” she said.

“Please submit your leave application right now – I will approve your leave immediately – and – you can leave for Bangalore in the evening…” I said to Jayashree.

“Sir – I don’t want leave…” she said.

“What do you mean…? Your father called up the Dean and told him that he wants you in Bangalore for some important family function…” I said to Jayashree.

“Sir – I don’t want to go to Bangalore…” she said.

“I just don’t understand what’s going on…” I said, exasperated.

“Sir – it’s my private matter…” Jayashree said to me.

“See – Jayashree – it may be your private matter – but – you have involved me – you have told a lie to your father – that I refused to give you leave – which is not true – and – he has complained to the Dean – and – you have put me in a very awkward position…” I said to her.

“I am sorry, Sir…” she said.

“No. No. Don’t be sorry – just tell me the truth – and – I will try to help you…” I said to her.

“Sir – I can’t tell you – it’s very personal…” she said.

“Okay – I will call up your father and talk to him – I will get his number from the Dean…” I said to her.

“Please don’t call up my father, Sir…” she said, in a beseeching voice.

“Then – please tell me the truth – I deserve to know…” I said, “Why are you firing the gun from my shoulder…?”

Jayashree remained silent – she averted her eyes – to avoid looking at me.

I picked up the telephone on my desk and called the Dean’s Personal Assistant (PA).

“There is a scientist Jayashree in my department…” I said to the Dean’s PA, “her father had called up the Dean in the morning – I want his telephone number – it is a Bangalore telephone number – Dean has asked me to speak to him…”

“Please, Sir…” Jayashree implored me.

The PA said he would ask the Dean and tell me.

I put the telephone back on the receiver.

“Sir – I will tell you everything – but – you must promise to keep it to yourself…” Jayashree said.

“Okay…” I said to her.

“Sir – my parents have called me to Bangalore to “see” a Boy…” she said.

“For marriage…?” I asked her.

“Yes, Sir…” Jayashree said, “the Boy has come down from the US…”

“Oh – I see – and you don’t want to go to America…!!!” I said to her.

“It’s not that, Sir…” she said.

“Is there some problem with the Boy…? You don’t like him – even without meeting him…?” I asked her, “Do you know anything about him…?”

“My mother says that the Boy is from our society – he comes from a good family – he has done his B. Tech. from IIT – then – he has done MS from an Ivy League University in America – he has got a good job in the US and is planning to settle down over there…” Jayashree said.

“In short – he is a “perfect match” for you…” I said to her.

“That’s what my parents feel…” she said.

“Then – why don’t you go down to Bangalore and meet him…? You can always say “No” – if you don’t like him…” I said to her.

“Sir – I find this “girl seeing” ceremony very humiliating. I still remember that evening a few months ago when a “boy” came to “see” at my home in Bangalore. I was made to “deck up” and made to wear a fancy saree as if I was an “exhibit” to be “paraded” before the Boy and his parents and relatives. A few days later – I came to know that I had been “rejected”. I felt so terribly degraded and my self-esteem was hurt so badly that I decided that I was never going to allow myself to be “paraded” before a boy and his parents again. I hate this commodification. That’s why I don’t want to go for the demeaning “Girl Seeing” ritual again…” Jayashree said – I could see tears build up in her eyes.

“Come on, Jayashree – you don’t have to let one bad experience affect you so much – this Boy is from the US – he may have a modern outlook – you can meet him informally…” I said to her.

“If the boy was so modern – he would have got married to some girl over there in the US…” Jayashree said, “Sir – my folks are very conservative – and – so is our society – the Boy may be settled in America – but – his mindset will remain Indian – just like his parents – typical patriarchal – that is why he has come here to get married to a “back home type” girl…”

It was all very confusing to me – what was the real reason Jayashree was reluctant to “see” the Boy – was it due to the humiliation she had felt after being “paraded” and “rejected” – had her ego been hurt so badly by that episode – or – was it something else – that she wanted to get married to someone else – or – that she didn’t want to get married at all.

I looked at Jayashree and said to her: “I agree – it is your personal matter – and – I appreciate your being so frank with me. But – you have told your father that I refused to give you leave – and – he called up the Dean who is asking me for an explanation – so – I want you to talk to your father and clear the misunderstanding…”

“Yes, Sir – I will talk to my father…” Jayashree said.

“If you want – you can book a trunk call from my office phone…” I said to her.

“Thank you, Sir – but – I will talk to my parents in the evening from the STD Booth…” she said.

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36 years ago – in 1985 – when this story happened – there existed only landline telephones – and – mobile phones came much later – in the end 1990’s.

STD was the acronym for Subscriber Trunk Dialling for making Trunk Calls to various cities in India.

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I don’t know whether Jayashree talked to her father or not – but – I spoke to the Dean and cleared the misunderstanding.

From then on – I maintained a strictly professional relationship with Jayashree – and she continued to work in a most exemplary manner.

This episode was never discussed between us again.

One year later – I was transferred to a frontline warship – and I lost touch with Jayashree.

In fact – I never saw Jayashree again – because when I visited IAT nine months after joining my ship to pick up my family at the end of the school academic session and move them to Vizag – I learnt that Jayashree had been transferred to Bangalore soon after I had left.

A few years later – I learnt that she had resigned her job and gone to the US for higher studies.

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EPILOGUE

30 Years Later – circa 2015

Incheon International Airport

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I ran into Jayashree 30 years later at Incheon International Airport on my way from Mumbai to Auckland.

“So nice to see you after so many years…” I said to Jayashree.

“Yes, Sir…” she said, “please sit down, Sir…”

I sat down next to Jayashree.

“I am on my way to New Zealand – for a vacation…” I said to her.

“That’s great, Sir. I am going back home after a vacation in Thailand…” she said.

“I heard that you had gone to the US for higher studies…” I said to her.

“Yes, Sir – they transferred me from Pune to Bangalore. Within one year – I resigned and came to the US for my Masters. Now – I have permanently settled down in America…” she said.

“Married…?” I asked her.

Jayashree smiled at me.

Then – Jayashree shifted her gaze over my shoulder – as if she was looking beyond me – and she said to me: 

“My partner is coming…”

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I turned around – and – I saw a woman walking towards us.

The woman was carrying a cup of coffee in each hand.

Jayashree introduced her partner to me.

I smiled at the woman and introduced myself.

The woman smiled and she said to me: “Want a cup of coffee…?”

“Thank you so much – but I’ll go now – it’s time for my flight…” I said to the woman.

Then – I turned to Jayashree and said: 

“Goodbye, Jayashree – wish you all the best…”

“Thank you, Sir…” Jayashree said, “It was a pleasure meeting you after so many years…”

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I walked towards the departure lounge.

After a few steps – I turned around and looked – Jayashree and her partner were engrossed in each other – oblivious of me.

I never met Jayashree again after that day.

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VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, 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. This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the 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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