THE VISITOR
A Very Short Story
Blog Fiction
By
VIKRAM KARVE
A short story is a piece of prose fiction which can be
read at a single sitting.
In today’s technology-driven hectic times – the “span of
attention” of the reader is just a few minutes.
So now – a “single sitting” means just a few minutes.
Dear Reader – let me try to write a very short story
that you can read on your smartphone in a “single sitting” of a few minutes.
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THE VISITOR
Last year – as COVID cases started rising in my
neighbourhood – I shut down my office – and “escaped” to my farmhouse – just a
day before lockdown was imposed.
One morning – a man came to see me at my farmhouse.
“Sorry for barging in like this without an appointment –
I intentionally didn’t call – because – I felt you may refuse to see me…” he
said.
He introduced himself – he was a business tycoon – he
gave me his business card.
“How did you manage to come here…?” I asked him, “there
is a lockdown…”
“I managed an e-pass…” he said.
(Well – for the “rich and famous” – normal rules don’t
apply – and after reading his business card – it was evident that he was quite
an influential man)
“I heard that you are “No.1” in your field – I
desperately wanted to consult with you – so I have come…” he said.
“There was no need to come all the way here – I am doing
online consultations…” I said to him.
“I know – but this issue is sensitive – so – I wanted to
discuss with you in person…” he said, “I will pay you whatever fees you want
for your time…”
“Let’s go and sit outside on the lawns…” I said, “in
these COVID days – it is better to talk in the open air – and we can maintain
social distance – remove our masks – and talk freely…”
We sat down on the garden chairs on the lawn – with a
table in between – quite a distance between us.
I removed my mask and said to him: “Okay – tell me about
your problem…”
I started “audio record” on my smartphone – and kept my
smartphone on the table in between us.
“Are you recording the conversation…?” he asked me.
“Yes…” I said, “it will help me later to analyse and
make my notes…”
“Please don’t record our conversation…” he said, “I want
it to be totally private…”
“Okay…” I said – and – I picked up the smartphone – I
switched it off – and I kept it in my pocket.
“I have switched off my smartphone…” I said to him, “now
you can speak freely…”
“My wife wants a divorce…” he said – coming to the point
immediately.
“On what grounds…?” I asked him.
“She says that I am impotent…” he said.
“Are you…?” I ask him, “You’ve never had sex…?”
“Of course – I have had sex – in fact – I have had
regular sex with my wife for the last 3 years since we got married…” he said.
“Then clearly – you are not impotent…” I said, “if you
want – I will talk to your wife…”
“No. No. It’s not that – she says that I am the reason
that we can’t have children…” the man said.
“Oh – so your wife is saying that you are sterile…” I
said, “doesn’t she know the difference between impotence and infertility…?”
“I
don’t know…” he said, “she wants me to get myself tested…”
“It is
very simple…” I said, “you can get a sperm count test done – a semen analysis…”
“No – I
don’t want to do it…” he said.
“You
don’t want to get yourself tested…? Why…?” I asked him, curious.
“I am
scared that the tests may come true…?” he said.
“Tests
may come true…? Do you fear that you are infertile…?” I said to him.
“Yes…”
he said
“You
must get rid of your fears – get the fertility tests done…” I said to him.
“No…”
he said, “suppose the tests say that I am infertile – that I am sterile and
can’t produce a child – it will be a humiliating “loss of face” for me…”
“Loss
of face…?” I said, taken aback.
“Yes.
We come from a business community – mine is a business marriage – I must be
able to produce an heir…”
“Wait…”
I interrupted him, “what makes you think that it is you who are infertile –
what about your wife – has she done fertility tests…?”
“She
says that we should do the tests together…” he said.
“And –
you don’t want to do the tests together because you feel nervous that the tests
would show that it is you who is sterile…” I said to him.
“Yes…”
he said.
“Why
are you so worried…? It is not your fault if your sperm count is low. There is
no stigma attached to infertility nowadays…” I said.
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To be
continued…
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