PSYCHOLOGICAL `WASTE' (SHORT STORY)
Sixty year old, a practicing psychologist, Mr. Raman Menon loves sunny mornings of December. A special blend of mild heat and silent chill of the night before! I too love them during our morning walks.
“Good Morning Mr. Menon”, an aged couple in their sixties, glowing with happiness, wished him warmly.
“Good Morning Mrs and Mr. Nair”, he greeted back and they walked away happily.
“Who are they?”, I asked him.
“Two retired University professors.... whom I know from past six years. They both were lovers in their youth and are married for the past thirty years.”, the old man said.
“I think... you know a lot about them?”
“Yes... Premji... she was my patient”
“Fine!”
“Yes... he believes in neatness and she believes in carelessness... Whenever they used to come back home... that too after a journey or after the office... he used to fold his clothes properly... And she used to spread her Silk Sari all over the bed and floor inside their bedroom... And from the very day of their marriage, they have been fighting on the same issue.”
“Silly reasons”
“May be 'silly' for you.... They both retired on the same day and the real problems started. Earlier, they didn't have time to continue the fight... but, then they had in plenty! She stopped talking to him and they both started sleeping in different rooms... and their home became a virtual hell!”
“Their kids?”
“They don't have any kids... She didn't want to share her love for her husband with future children! So, she didn't bear a child wontedly!”
“Madness!”
“Can you imagine... they didn't talk for three years... then they thought of getting divorce.... My daughter was their pet student during her college days and she brought them to me at last....”
“Saris will get spoiled if you fold and keep them while wet with sweat... He doesn't understand that... After-all nobody is there at home other than us... nothing will happen if it lie there for a week or more! He likes to irritate me always on this silly reason... a neatness freak!”, Mrs. Nair poured out her own afflictions!
“Did you tell this to him?, Raman Menon asked her...
“No”
“This is not a genuine reason for divorce!”
“I doubt he has an affair... I saw him coming back, late at night, after meeting her... He thought that I might have slept off...”
“Did you ask him about that?”
“No... I didn't... I stopped talking with him much earlier”
“Did you see him actually closing the door?”
“No... I didn't... I saw only a shadow moving in...”
“Did you check his room after that?”
“No... I didn't... But, I still doubt him... There is something wrong in his actions... he behaves mysteriously.... I doubt something is wrong”
“Yes... there is something wrong with both of you... You both need medications for some time”, Raman Menon told her calmly. “You have only some minute problems... But, he needs more medicines and the real treatment”
“Is it? Can we happy again?”, she asked as if she was deeply hurt.
“Absolutely!”
Mrs.Nair joined her husband who standing outside his cabin and they both proceeded to the clinical psychiatrist. Raman Menon searched for his psychiatrist friend's mobile number immediately.
“Dr. Sunny... Mrs. and Mr. Nair will be meeting you soon...”
“Thank you Mr. Menon”
“She doubts her husband a lot and it has turned out to a psychic disorder now... He is alright... poor man still loves her a lot... Give her enough medicines... But, never fail to give him a bunch of Vitamin tablets, almost double that of hers!”
“You mean to make her believe that he is the patient?”, Dr.Sunny laughed.
“Absolutely!”
“I will prescribe some sexual stimulants also!”
“Then, he will make her untidy always!”, Mr. Menon laughed.
“Premji.... I am fed up of this stupid practice”, Mr. Menon started complaining. “Every day, I listen to lot of sad stories... they give me a lot of psychological stress indirectly”
“That happens with psychologists”, I said.
“You know... some of the world renowned psychologists had to end their life due to these psychological waste”, he became more and more uneasy.
“Doesn't she call you regularly from U.S.A?”
“Who?”
“Your one and only daughter!”
Mr. Menon looked pensive for sometime.
Four months earlier...
Mobile phone started ringing again and again while Mr. Menon was counseling a patient.
“Dad... I feel so bored here... I feel so home sick....”
“Sweety, this is the third time you are calling me today... See, I am in the clinic... Call me in the night”, he kept the phone.
One more minute... the mobile started ringing again... Mr. Menon felt ashamed as he could see a pale smile on his patient's face! Some-one's pain is another-one's enjoyment!
“Dad... I am coming back... I feel so sick... home sick...I miss you all a lot”, she continued her prattle.
“God! I must be in need of some counseling”, Mr. Menon told himself.... Then he started counseling her: “Sweety... Why don't you join for a Ph.D in English? See, you have a master's degree in English”
“Dad... that's a hopeless suggestion... even a porter speaks English in US!”
“Then you join for an MBA program in Kellogg's University... My friends are working there... They will help you and you can get highly paid jobs too!”
“That sounds sensible!”, she laughed.
Menon could feel her home sickness vanishing away like fog in the December Sun. What an instantaneous psychological impact! First time in his life, he felt contented!
But, her regular calls reduced drastically afterwards... The intervals between calls kept on increasing from weeks to months! No chat's over facebook... no video calls through skype!
Mrs. Menon became more and more uneasy, which reflected in her cooking skills! Poor man had to eat one more pill to reduce blood pressure as he had to taste curries more and more salty everyday!
“Why don't you call him, your son-in-law?”, she asked out of frustration one-day.
“Hello Dr. Ajay”, Mr. Menon called his son-in-law, a cardiovascular surgeon in US.
“Hi Uncle... I have told you earlier... not to call me in my hospital...”
“But... my son... she is not at all calling us now-a-days...”
“Uncle... why don't you understand her? You know that she is very weak in Maths... She has a lot to study and she will call you whenever she feels to call you”, Dr.Ajay cut the phone out of anger, who has already reserved a bullet for his father-in-law as he was so fed up of eating sweet bread with omelette, that too without onions and chillies, twice everyday from the very day she joined her MBA program! “Lousy psychologist! God! Why did I get married!”, he felt excessive heaviness on his loins! Maths and sex are eternal foes!
“Premji... what do you understand from this?”
“Life is so fast in US!”
“My foot! Children can postpone anything related with their parents! A phone call.. a message or an e-mail... or anything...", poor man stopped for a moment. "If we ask... then they will reply like this... “Dad... why don't you understand my situation!”, he felt so energy drained! "My son... every parent is the ultimate loser!"
I could see almost every parent on his face!
A story dedicated to poet friends Kesav Easwaran and Angelina Pandian
400th post!
Picture courtesy http://www.flickr.com/photos/starush/3884706631/
Wow. Congratulations on your 400th posting!!!! What a riveting, fascinating bittersweet tale of reality, beautifully conveyed. Aptly poignant, it is a genuine grief that modern society is so horribly selfish. Alas for all the varied individuals and relationships suffering in the story. Excellent and empathetically related. Lovely dedication as well.
Thanks Premji for the dedication on a memorable post and Congrats dear friend, on your 400th post! You've yet again depicted the unnecessary pain of self-inflicted loneliness, foolish fears etc - many emotions which scar human soul. I feel the pain... my own reflection... a pearl of salt peeps out to see my pain!
Some good lessons on life Premji.. and great dedication to worthy poets like Kesav and Agelina.
A typical page from life...every life produces its own psychological waste...good story Premji...thanks for your nice gesture
A GRAND DEDICATION PREMJI , WITH A FEW LESSONS FROM LIFE ITSELF ! -Raj
Congratulations on your 400th post, an expressive write, sure in life there are many lessons to be learned in every stage of our lives. well composed.