The Single woman
As the single woman with a little child,working as a glamorous receptionist in a five star hotel,the tall and attractive Monica spent a great deal of time in fending off men of different ages, positions and status desiring a good time with her. It was an art she had perfected over the years, being constantly called upon to protect herself from the predators who came camouflaged as friends, sympathisers, co workers and even distant relatives, particularly after she broke up with Sanjeev and choose to be the single mother to Rinku, her little daughter. Her taxing job at the Hotel, where she was called upon to manage the reception with a real or made up pleasant smile on her face, rushing back home to her daughter,attend to her many whims and fancies and play with her was her typical day. Monica at thirty two had her hands full looking forward to a grand future for her daughter.
“You looking nice and chirpy today “,quipped her friend and colleague Seema as they had lunch in the Hotel canteen for staff. “Oh I tell you its such fun with a three year old” she said referring to Rinku and then went on and on in describing the little pranks of her daughter in great detail and laughed her heart out. She would seek moments of invitations to talk of her child and would be difficult to stop thereafter. “Are you going for Manish’s bash “,asked Seema changing the topic. Manish was the front office manager and their direct boss. “Who me, no way. No time for parties for me . I am a mother now.” she laughed. She enjoyed her role.
Monica’s only brother Vinay called her one Friday informing her that their father was no more having breathed his last on Wednesday. “Why couldn’t you inform me earlier she asked her brother wiping her tears. He was quite. She quickly packed,picked up Rinku and off she went to Jaipur her home for many many years. Monica was born and brought up in happy circumstances at Jaipur,where she went to a well known school and also graduated from a famed college,from where she was recruited by a large five star hotel chain. She met Sanjeev a medical doctor by profession , working for a hospital, at a friends, fell in love and after a brief affair lasting seven months,married Sanjeev with the consent of both their parents. The marriage however was in troubled waters soon when Sanjeev found it difficult to stomach the independent traits of his wife and even suspected her of infidelity and finally sought solace in the arms of a nurse at the hospital. Monica was too proud a woman to withstand a husband two timing her and walked out with the two year daughter Rinku, much to the dismay of her father who forbade her from coming anywhere near to them, forcing Monica to seek a transfer to Delhi where she set up home all alone with her little daughter. Now four days after her father’s demise she came back home to grieve along with Vinay. After a few days as she was about to leave to get back to work Vinay told her quietly “Didi Dad was unfortunately too angry with you. You see he made a Will expressly prohibiting you from any share in his movable or immovable property,” he told her quoting the lawyer who had informed him likewise a few days ago. As Monica looked on Vinay continued, “However I have decided that you must have at least half of all the FD’s in his Bank”, he declared. She smiled, “No Vinay I don’t need it. Even if I needed it I won’t touch anything that is his since he deprived me in writing.” she said. “And all because I wanted to live my life on my terms, “ she wondered.
Hurt,but not defeated Monica with her child soon earned the admiration of many as a beautiful single parent,a rare commodity during the early 80’s at Delhi. Of course there were the envious lot ,particularly women who speculated with certainty that she must be having a secret man hidden somewhere.
She did have a few men hovering around her though including the handsome manager Manish who as per the requirements of his job was always impeccably dressed and smelled good with all the deodorants and imported perfumes and wore shining shoes. He reasoned and perhaps rightly that the way to Monica’s heart was through her child and accordingly showered Rinku with the choicest of gifts, games and even candy’s and chocolates and would keep looking for such opportunities time and again. Monica protested once in a while, but when her friend Seema told her “You should not be so defensive just because you are single .He may be genuinely liking Rinku for all you know,” did Monica start accepting Manish’s acts as one of affection towards the child. That however did not move her heart towards Manish. She was used to meeting too many men ,well groomed and well dressed to be impressed. Nevertheless she maintained a healthy friendship with him.
And then there was the joker of the pack, Sebastian Gomes her neighbour,living right opposite her apartment, a dark and romantic man in his early thirties all the way from Panaji, working as a creative artist for a leading Ad agency, who was very popular with the kids around as the guitar uncle. He would come to the neighbourhood park every evening and regal the children with songs, jokes and stories. Rinku raved about him to her mother one day “ Mama guitar uncle is my best friend. He is so nice”. Monica searched him out at Park one day surrounded by the kids asking him to play the instrument while they danced.”Rinku is very fond of you” she told him. “ Thanks ma’m. She’s a lovely child “ he replied. He was dressed in simple jeans and a blue shirt with floaters on his feet. There was an energy about him and his eyes had a softness and deep intensity about them.With a well trimmed beard and flowing dark curly hair which ran till the nape of his neck his look matched his temperament and profession. “You really play well” she said referring to his dexterity on the instrument.”Thanks ma’m. I too love it. It’s a hobby you know” he laughed. “Stop calling me ma’m. You make me feel like your aunt” she protested. “ I am Monica “ He laughed. “ Ya ok. Thanks Monica” he said.
One thing lead to another. Sebastian Gomes the artist, the singer, the down to the earth visionary made a quite entry into the lives of Monica and Rinku. He turned out to be well read and would quote off hand from the classics or could discuss Camus and Russell with ease in their many interactions that took place in the evenings at Monica’s apartment where he would go to teach the rudiments of the guitar to an enthusiastic Rinku now six. Monica rushing back home after work would enjoy the jokes, the songs and serious philosophy that Mr. Gomes reeled our effortlessly.
“What are you afraid of” he once asked Monica. “Open up. It’s one life you got” he said. She was taken aback but smiled. Then on another occasion he offered to make crabs insisting that they must taste culinary delights of his native place. And he sat down on the carpet as he showed them how to break the crab shells and enjoy them with his hands. Monica too enjoyed the event and remembered to describe it to her friend Seema the next day. Gomes’s energy brought life into the prim existence of mother and daughter. On Rinku’s Birthday, attended by many from the hotel including Manish, Gomes was a hit. His dynamism and raw intelligence coupled with his singing abilities caught everyone’s attention and when he rendered the Jamaica Farewell late on that cold November evening, he touched many hearts including Monica’s.
“Oh you know what Saby did” she would tell Seema every other day. So much so that Seema told her one day “ Mona I think you are in love”. “Oh come on Seema he is five years younger to me” she said. “ So so what. Age is just a number “ Seema continued. “ I don’t know. I have been married once you know” she quietly replied.
And then one day late in the evening of another cold December day after Rinku had dozed off ,Monica told Gomes her story. Gomes insisted he didn’t want to hear the past but she persisted. After she had finished he just smiled. “ it’s time to begin again. Nothing is lost. Come with me. Not for Rinku, not for me, not for anything or anyone else but for yourself for your life. You got one you have to live it to the full” he declared. As for me he said, “ I lost my father at ten, my mother at nineteen, my only sister at twenty four and I want to make the most of what’s left of me” and in his own way took care of the question of age and the past.
