HOW TO GET A HOUSE IN DECCAN GYMKHANA

HOW TO GET A HOUSE IN DECCAN GYMKHANA

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

This story is a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

“My wife wants a house in Deccan Gymkhana,” Shekhar said.

“Are you crazy?” I said.

“Why?”

“No one sells a house in Deccan Gymkhana. There are no houses for sale in Deccan Gymkhana.”

“There is one.”

“How do you know?”

“My wife found out.”

“And what is the cost?”

He told me the price of the house in Deccan Gymkhana. 

The high price was much more than what I had expected.

“Tell me, from where are you going to get the money to pay for this house in Deccan Gymkhana?” I asked Shekhar.

“I will take a loan,” he said.

“A loan? Who is going to give you such a big loan? And even if they do, can you afford it? The bloody EMI will be more than the salary we earn here.”

“I know all that. That’s why I am quitting this job.”

“Are you mad to quit such a good government job? Where will you get such a safe, secure, stress-free, comfortable job with so many perks and benefits?”

“But I won’t be able to buy the house in Deccan Gymkhana.”

“Why are you so obsessed about buying a house in Deccan Gymkhana? What’s wrong with this place?”

“My wife says that this place is too middle-class – she wants to live in a posh locality.”

“But she has lived her full childhood and her entire life right here in the heart of this very peth.”

“Yes. That’s why she is fed up of this place and does not want to spend the rest of her life living a lowbrow existence over here. She wants a high-class standard of living.”

“Oh. So what do you intend to do?”

Shekhar showed me the job offer letter.

“Are you crazy? This is a war ravaged country,” I said.

“That’s why they are paying so much. Look at the figure,” he said.

Yes, the salary was indeed substantial, very substantial, and with this kind of money he could easily afford the EMI for the house in Deccan Gymkhana.

“Hey, all this is fine, but you are newly married. This is a 3 year contract. You won’t be able to take your wife over there. I hope your wife is ready to stay all alone. Is she ready for a long distance marriage so early in your married life?”

“Of course she is. She is the one who found out about this job. In fact she told me that I should even work overtime and encash the one month’s leave and LTA I get every year and come back straight after 3 years. Then we will have so much money that we will able to live comfortably for the rest of our lives. Here, look at the pay, the incentives, the allowances, the bonus, the perks …” he said pointing to the job offer letter.

He was right. 

The pay packet was very generous – in fact I had not seen such an attractive salary package before. 

With this kind of money he could easily afford the house in Deccan Gymkhana.

And after just 3 years Shekhar would be able to pay off his loan and still have so much money to spare that he could just live off the interest. 

But then money earns more money, and I was sure that with so much money and an astute wife egging him on, he would go places. 

Maybe Shekhar would start a business, maybe … but one thing is sure - he would certainly be a wealthy man.

“Hey, what are you thinking…?” Shekhar said, interrupting my train of thoughts.

“Nothing,” I said.

“So?”

“Your wife is right. You must take this job.”

“And buy the house in Deccan Gymkhana.”

“Of course, that goes without saying,” I said.

And so, my friend Shekhar took up the lucrative foreign assignment.

But before he left, he shifted his wife into their plush newly bought house in the posh locality of Deccan Gymkhana.   

Shekhar’s wife was overjoyed. 

She personally got the interiors done to her liking in a very classy manner. 

Every time I met her she seemed happier and happier. 

She truly flourished. 

She had realized her dreams of living in a house in Deccan Gymkhana and the glow of joy showed on her.

Shekhar would ring up me up from abroad once in a while.

He was happy because his wife was happy.

I knew Shekhar was living a tough and dangerous life. 

From time to time, I saw news reports on TV about incidents of violence in the desolate strife-torn land where Shekhar was posted.

I was worried about his safety. 

But whenever we spoke on phone, Shekhar always seemed to be full of cheer.

Maybe, the very thought that he had made his wife so happy, made Shekhar happy too.

One day my worst fears came true.

Shekhar was killed in cross-fire during a skirmish when rebels attacked the project where he was working.

I thought his wife would be devastated. 

But she coped with this enormous tragedy with remarkable courage and composure.

At least financially, she was not that badly off. 

Shekhar’s company had insured their employees heavily.

So Shekhar’s wife received a huge amount of insurance money.

With this money, Shekhar’s wife could pay off the remaining home loan.

Even after this, a very substantial amount of money was still left with her.

This huge amount of money she invested in a monthly income scheme which would ensure her a decent income for her entire life.

A few months later I married Shekhar’s widow and moved in with her.

I now live in the house in Deccan Gymkhana.

This is how I got a house in Deccan Gymkhana.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

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 2013. All Rights Reserved

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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