Sunil & Madhavi walked around Walkeshwar Road, heading
towards the BG Kher Rd fork, Mumbai Municipality workers were briskly doing
their morning task of sweeping the streets, collecting garbage and spraying
sidewalks to settle in the dust… the poshest area of Mumbai was well
maintained….
Madhavi: You should have arranged for whatever she went to
Gujarat for…
Sunil didn’t say a word…. Continued to steer her to safety…
he was a tall athletic man… his sons inherited it from him, Madhavi was skinny,
slender and stylish… the three s’s Mumbai’s high society required….
Her face glowed from the various “treatments” she subjected
it to frequently…. Her Chanel sunglasses, costed more than rent for some
housing……
Madhavi:I worry about Shaan, Sunil…
Sunil:Not about THEM? (angry)
Madhavi: I am not sure how to answer that…
Sunil:A no would suffice…
Madhavi: He insisted he wanted to marry her
Sunil:We are back to that now?
Madhavi: It wouldn’t matter if she was…. (poor?)
Sunil: Poor?
Madhavi: She has a past… I mean…. Money doesn’t matter…
Sunil was agitated… he appreciated his wife’s concern, but
it showed him that she wasn’t any closer to loving the girl now, compared to
two years ago…. It was still the same for her…
Sunil:Do you feel at all for Khanak…
Madhavi: Ofcourse I do (defensive…. Lying?)
Sunil:that was too quick….
Madhavi: So we are dissecting me? Sunil?
Sunil:She is a brave girl… she needs time… Shaan will not
let go
Madhavi: What about HIM? WHO will care for him?
Sunil:Why are you all so suddenly clingy and mother hen
about him?
Madhavi grunted….
Sunil:He is smug and arrogant… his way or freeway…
Madhavi: So he should have accompanied her to Mansa?
Sunil was quiet…
Madhavi: You cant expect my son to be a saint
Sunil laughed out loud… shook his head and laughed out loud…
“Him?”
“Oh! No!”
Madhavi: He is faithful to her!
Sunil:Yes, he doesn’t listen to her, but yes, he is faithful…
Madhavi: Kya matlab?
Sunil:She wants a child… I can tell…
Madhavi rolled her eyes…
Sunil:THIS , THIS is exactly what I mean Madhavi… the
condescending attitude you display when it comes to her…. She is quiet but you
take that silence as arrogance
Madhavi looked away guilty…
Sunil:She talks to him!
Madhavi:Thank God! For that! (sarcastic)
Sunil: Pata nahi usko abhi bacha nahi chahiye ya kabhi nahi…
(worried)
Madhavi: Do you… do you… umm…. I mean…
Sunil and her walk quietly for 10 or so minutes…. Nod, and
smile at other high society types…
Madhavi approaches the subject carefully again “You think
mera matlab… there isn’t any challenge?”
Sunil is baffled”Kis baaremein”
Mad: He doesn’t want kids (sad)
Sunil laughs out loud…. Laughs for over two minutes…. “You
think…” he laughs again
Madhavi smacks him
Sunil: Have you seen the look on their faces? Have you ever
observed the two?
Madhavi: Nahi! (haughty)
Sunil: She is afraid to go near him… (smug)
Sunil exclaims proudly in Punjabi how robust, tough and
forceful their son is… Sunil laughs again at how Madhavi could even think their
son might have a problem…
Sunil: Nalayak hai aur kuch nahi… usko apne kaam ke alawa
kuch sojhta nahi… kaam and then her (grunts)
Madhavi:Stop! It Sunil (giggling)
Madhavi: Maybe Mom can talk to him…
Sunil looks at his wife… amazed… “So you actually want to
make a case for HER? Tum uske defense mein Dadi ko use karogi?” (proud)
Madhavi tries to avoid talking further, Sunil teases her
“I care about Shaan Sunil” Madhavi says
Sunil:She does too… as much or more than you…
Madhavi: She wouldn’t fight so much then…
Sunil: Does it look like it bothers either of them? Their
wars are like their life blood… they are a strange couple… (shocked tone)
