Mid life - part 2, Pursuit of inner peace

Narrated till now

Pramod meets Ipsita in a flight and is awestruck by her beauty. He loses her business card and feels disappointed about it . His wife Susan asks him to attend yoga classes to cut his waist size and to maintain fitness.

Narration continues

“Gently close your eyes and relax” the yoga instructor said and continued “ Your yoga session for the day is over and let us now practice guided meditation. Stretch your lips and smile . Do not think of anything and keep listening to the voice you will hear in few minutes time”.

Pramod had joined yoga classes and was determined to reduce his tummy and become more fitter. The guided meditation went on for about ten minutes.

Towards the close the instructor said “Keep breathing and be aware of it. Take deep breaths and relax. Do not open you eyes until told to do so. You will realize at the end of this session that something different will happen and you will experience a new feeling”.

Couple of minutes later the participants were asked to open the eyes slowly.

Pramod initially rubbed his palms , carefully pressed the closed eyes with them and opened the eyes.

He looked around and a surprise was in store for him.

He say Ipsita sitting in the row ahead of him. He could not believe his stars. It was like a new hope rekindled and he realised that it was indeed a new and welcome feeling.

For a moment he lost sense of the place and caller her loudly “ Ipsita”. Everyone looked at him. It was not expected of any participant to speak out loudly in the session.

Ipsita turned back and with a big smile on her face said in a feeble voice “Hi”.

Pramod felt embarrassed, looked at the instructor and said sorry.

“So you also started yoga” Ispita said to Pramod. They were walking back to the car parking area after completion of the session.

“My wife felt that I needed the classes as my waist size was not reducing” he replied. Ipsita laughed and said “ Your wife is very wise lady”.

“Let us have coffee” he said and she nodded. They walked to the coffee shop and ordered for coffee.

“I thought you would call me” Pramod said. She was silent. He wondered if he had said anything wrong. She replied “ Was I expected to call?”

Pramod smiled . She continued “ You could have called me”.

He continued smiling and thought “ Well the game is on”.

He replied “ I wanted to call you but I misplaced your business card”.

“Save my number in you mobile memory” she said and showed her contacts wherein she had saved his name as ‘Pramod plane’.

The next few days were the most memorable ones for Pramod as he met her daily and after the classes they would spend some time either in coffee shop or walk together in the nearby park.

The course got over in a weeks time and the instructor told them to keep practicing and requested all the participants to attend weekend followup sessions every Sunday morning. Pramod and Ipsita were chosen as volunteers having the responsibility of calling people reminding them of the Sunday sessions. They both would meet in the coffee shop every Saturday evening and call all the participants on their mobiles.

“Pramod the phone is ringing” Susan shouted from the living room. She got up and went to the bedroom and realised that Pramod was in the wash room. She took the phone and answered the call saying “Hello”.

“Hi this is Ipsita” the reply came. Susan was surprised as she heard her name for the first time. She said “ Pramod is not here right now .Will you please call after five minutes”.

“Is it Susan?” Ipsita asked. Susan was surprised again and said “ Yes it is Susan here”.

“Hi Susan” she continued “ I am Ipsita , Pramod’s friend. I had gone out this evening and therefore could not meet Pramod in the coffee shop as usual to call all the yoga followup participants. Wanted to check if he had done it. By the way how is Bharati, your daughter? She looks very cute like you”.

Susan went silent. Every sentence she heard was news to her. She started wondering how come her husband has been meeting another lady so regularly and she was not aware of it.

Susan went back to the living room and closing her eyes started joining the dots to get some story out of it.

Pramod was not particular about his hairstyle and had poor dressing sense. But of late things were different. He would dress perfectly, sport well trimmed hair and shave regularly . Earlier the things he hated were flowers and flower bouquets. But of late he would get roses to her on every alternate day and appeared more romantic than before.

“hello Subha” Susan said answering the phone call. Subha Despande was family friend of the Kulkarnis and she knew Pramod for more than three decades as she was his neighbor in Hubli.

“Hi Susie how are you? You sound a bit upset. What happened?”Subha replied.

Susan told Subha about the phone call from Ipsita. Subha did not miss the chance to feed negative thoughts in Susan’s mind. She said “I know Pramod since three decades Susie. He is like that only.Before falling in love with you he was flirting around with Vandana Joshi in the college. He had a crush on me too” and she went on and on and hit the final nail  by saying “ Many men flirt. The rest want to”.

Pramod walked into the living room and next few minutes was at the receiving end as Susan fired him nonstop. She continued “ Pramod I am not so mean to question when you meet other women. You always share with me about the people you meet and interact. Only in this case you have kept me in dark. Should I believe that something is going on unnoticed?”.

He tried his best to defend himself but in vain. Things calmed down after couple of hours once he assured Susan that he would stop interacting with Ipsita stealthily.

“Get some bread from the supermarket” Susan said to Pramod.

Susan saw him walking slowly towards the supermarket which was about half a kilometer away. She had tears in her eyes. She was never so rude to him earlier. She felt that she had misjudged him in haste and he had no time or intent to think of any other woman.

Pramod stopped near a tree and called Ipsita “Hi Ipsita I called all the participants for the followup yoga. I will be at the place by 5.30 AM sharp in the morning”.

“Nice of you” she replied and continued “ I spoke to Susan today”.

“I know” he replied “ She was very happy to speak to you. Earlier she had heard about you from me. One more thing. She is going out early in the morning tomorrow. I should have breakfast outside. Shall we have it together?”

Men will be men. Always ready to flirt. 

Mid Life –Part 1, turbulence @ 30000 feet

Susan Dsouza and Pramod Kulkarni fall in love during engineering study days, get married against all odds and live happily ever after until….

Two decades later…

“I could not hold my tears back Susie” Pramod said to Susan and continued speaking to her on his mobile “ Raghav was the toper in all the eight semesters, neither smoked not touched alcohol but strange are the ways of fate that he died so early leaving behind his wife and the kid”.

Susan replied “I know Raghav well as he was my batch mate too”.

Pramod had rushed to Pune to attend the cremation of his friend Raghav who died of a massive heart attack.

They continued for few more minutes and after finishing the call Pramod leaned on the window shade of the plane and looked outside at the runway lost in thoughts.

“Excuse me, I think you are sitting in my place” said a female standing near his seat.

Pramod looked up at her, wiping his eyes got up and said “Is it so, I am sorry”

“its ok” the lady replied” you look quiet disturbed. I shall sit in the aisle seat”.

Within few minutes the plane took off and soon the announcement for loosening the seat belts was made. Pramod did not bother and continued to lean on the window looking at the shining clouds outside.

“You look like you are in pain” she said.

Pramod replied “I am coming back from the cremation of my dear friend”

“I am sorry to hear that. Sometimes dearest people part early” she added.

“True” Pramod replied.

They continued to talk to one another for next few minutes.

“Ipsita, I am Ipsita Chakraborthy” she said extending her right hand.

“My name is Pramod Kulkarni” he replied and shook her hand.

A jolt went through his body. She looked no less than a Bollywood heroin. Draped in a pink saree, long hair tied tightly at the back, few curly strands of hair left hanging deliberately on either side of her face, thin coat of makeup and in totality she looked stupendous.

“Maharastrian?” she questioned.

“I am from Karnataka and Hubli is my native place” he replied and continued “You are from Bengal?”

“Not from Bengal” she added “Am from Agartala”.

With a surprised look he said “You do not look like from North east”.

She laughed and said “It is not necessary that people from north east should have mongoloid features”.

Next fifteen minutes they spoke to one another.

“It is nice to see you talking with a smile. At the start of the flight you looked so depressed” she said.

“Thank you for changing my mood” Pramod replied thanking his stars for having come across such a good looking woman. He continued “You look very fit”.

She replied “I do yoga regularly and planning to attend some yoga classes to learn more”.

Soon the plane started descending to Bangalore airport.

Ipsita looked at Pramod, smiled and said “It was nice talking to you”

Pramod took out his business card and gave it to her. Ipsita smiled and opened her bag. She took one business card and with a pen wrote her mobile number and gave it to him.

He looked at it and said “Florist?”

“Yes I run a flower boutique in Bangalore and my husband works in a software company. I came to Pune to attend a floral exhibition” she replied.

“You stay in Bangalore?” was his next question.

“You can say that we are settled in Bangalore for good “she replied.

Pramod was ecstatic and he thanked his stars as he had ample opportunities to meet her in future.

The plane soon touched down and after exchanging pleasantries with Ipsita, Pramod hopped into a cab and went to his house.

“Pramod do some workout at least on a Sunday” Susan shouted from the kitchen. She rushed out to the living room and finding him lying down watching TV, continued “Early forties should be lived carefully. Since the time I heard of Raghav’s death I am worried. You have developed a big tummy and do not bother to exercise”.

Pramod smiled and said “What should I do now?”

Susan replied “Mini was telling me about yoga classes. Why don’t you join?”

The mention of yoga made him remember Ipsita. He ran to his bedroom and started searching for her business card in his bag. Disappointment was followed by frustration as he had lost her card. He cursed his stars and came back slowly to the living room.

“Mention of yoga made you feel depressed?” Susan laughed.

 “I am fed up of people telling me that you look much younger to me” he said.

He continued “I shall join the yoga classes immediately”.

To be continued in part 2…

The loser who won

1992, Barcelona summer Olympics:

Derek Redmond the favorite to win 400 meters race stopped after about 150 meters as his hamstring tore and fell to the ground in pain. He stood up and began to hobble along the track. His father joined him and helped him complete the race and the crowd of 65000 gave a standing ovation.

November 2015:

Daniel walked into the coffee shop and looked around. He saw Allice sitting on a chair in the corner. He wished her and took his seat. She ordered for coffee and soon the coffee was served.

He started “So Allice how are you? How come you remembered me after so many years”?

She replied “All these days it was not necessary to talk to you though we used to cross one another in business matters. Right now the situation calls for it”

Daniel with his trademark crooked smile said “I never expected that this day would  come. Allice the second topper in the engineering course and wife of Nitin Dixit the topper of the class wanting to talk to Daniel who took a year extra to complete the course”

Allice smiled and said “Nitin was the topper then and even now a topper in business and family matters.

You have been very successful in your business ventures and have diversified flourishing business units. We have only the effluent treatment plants supply business. I do not know why you are still upset with both of us. You are deliberately ensuring that we do not get orders at many places”

He interrupted “I am getting orders because I am able to control the input costs, design effective plants, supply the same to the customers at lesser prices and able to service them better after selling. I am not bothered about your company or the business you and your Nitin Dixit do”

She smiled “I know you very well. You are not undercutting in your other businesses and are doing so only in this line since we are there as competitors”

He looked at her and said “What did you find in him that was not there in me? Your father Mr. DSouza had met my father and discussed about our marriage. I was very thrilled at that time. You decided to get married to him. Today you are reaping the fruits of your decision”

She responded “I was in love with Nitin and am still in love with him. I am happy about my decision to marry him as he is gem of a person. He has a big heart and knows what keeps a woman happy”

Daniel said “OK if you are happy then there are no issues. Tell me why you wanted to meet me?”

Allice started “We have run out of orders and running the company in good shape is becoming difficult. The upcoming steel plant tender is the only one we are hoping to compete and we want to get the order badly. If we do not get it we will be in dire straits. You are the only person who can spoil our chances” saying so she started sobbing.

He looked at her and said “Do not cry. It is not fair on your part to ask me not to participate in the tender. We are in business and we should run our business with our acumen and not by telling others to step aside. Let me see how I can be of help to you” saying so he walked away.   

January 2016:

Daniel looked serious and grim as usual. It was the tender opening time at the public sector steel plant and comprehensive effluent treatment plant tender was being opened. It was a battle between Daniel’s company and Nitin Dixit’s company. It was a high stake game for Nitin and Allice and they knew that the result would either make or break them.

The official opened the price bids and to the surprise of everyone Nitin Dixit’s company bid was the least and they were awarded the contract. Nitin was ecstatic and he got up and hugged his wife. He looked at Daniel and with pride gestured that he had won.

Daniel smiled at Allice and walked out of the room. He went to the wash room and started walking towards the entrance. The long corridor was empty and he saw Allice standing in a corner.

He looked at her. She had tears in her eyes and with folded hands said “Thank you Daniel. You have helped us”

He replied “The moment I saw tears in your eyes in the coffee shop I felt I should withdraw from the race. I realized how important this order was for you and Dixit. I have many lines of businesses and one order lost will not matter much to me.

I did not withdraw. It was like a runner being hurt in the middle of the race. He will not with draw. Instead he will limp and complete the race. I also competed and completed the race but ensured that your company got the order. “

 She replied “I am sorry I was always rude to you during college days and during the past many years”

“It is OK for me. I meet many people who are rude to me. You have married a person who is very good at heart. He is intelligent, handsome and a good human. Be good to him”

She replied “Nitin is very good at heart but you are having a very good and kind mind”

Daniel replied “I knew your price and so quoted more than it. I have informers in your company. Please take care of your system. If they are able to tell me your prices, they will as well tell others too” saying so he told the name of the person who was leaking the information.

Allice nodded and said “We will plug the holes and I will tell Nitin that you helped us”

 “Do not tell him. Let him have the feeling that he could beat me.”

He took out his sun glasses and wearing them said “Allice this is the only order I lost to you because I wanted you to win. We shall keep meeting in customer’s places and fight it out. Daniel and Nitin are not friends”

Allice smiled and her heart was filled with respect for him.

Alex the great

5.30 AM January 1^st 2015, Vishakhapatnam…

Alex took his mobile phone, came out of the room and locked the door. He walked down the three floors of the hotel and on entering the lobby called his wife and said “Happy new year dear”.

It was midnight in London and Agatha was celebrating New Year with her kids.

“Happy new year” she wished back and continued “your yesterday’s meetings were fruitful?”

“Yes they were very fruitful. We have signed the deal with the local company and within months will be acquiring it. Our empire will now be present in four continents” he replied with pride.

After few more minutes he completed the talk with his wife and headed straight to the famous RK beach for a jog. The cool breeze, the crimson rays of the early morning sun and mild roar and crash of the surf from the sea was a far cry from the bustling city cacophony he was used to.

He started jogging on the track meant for walkers and joggers. He could not find many people on the beach or on the track as it was the New Year eve and people would have partied hard the previous night. Suddenly the track caved in and he fell down about six feet onto the beach. The fall was very painful and tears rolled from his eyes due to the acute pain. He tightly held his right leg with his hands and looked around. Not a soul was visible. He looked for his cell phone and was disappointed to see it in a broken state. He could not call anyone for help.

About ten minutes later he saw one elderly man walking on the beach. Alex waved his hand gesturing the elderly person to come closer to him. The person saw him and ran towards him. On reaching he said “what happened sir? Are you alright?”

Alex said “I fell down as the track caved in.”

“At many places roads are caving in and this is happening after the Hud Hud cyclonic storm landfall in this place on October 12^th” the elderly man replied.

Alex looked at the man and said “I am Alexander Kunnappillil and I am the MD of couple of companies with presence in four continents”.

The elderly man said “Nice to know you gentleman. I am Shiva Shankara Sharma and am a retired Sanskrit teacher”.

Alex continued “My mobile phone is broken. Please call the ambulance”

“I leave my mobile at home and go out for a walk” Sharma replied and continued “Please relax and I will go and call someone who can help you”.

Alex saw a strapped plastic water bottle around Sharma’s arm and said “Will you please give me half of the water in the bottle. I am very thirsty”

Sharma replied “I shall give you if you promise to give me half of your property”

Alex was not amused and he became angry. Recovering soon he replied “You are very greedy, my position right now is not good and I need to drink water badly. I shall part with my property. Please give me the water”.

Sharma did not give him water and instead engaged Alex in discussions about his transcontinental businesses. Another fifteen minutes passed and Alex was very thirsty and he lost his cool and shouted “Old man please hand over the water bottle to me. I want to drink all the water in the bottle”

Sharma was calm and he replied “Of course it is all yours provided you give me your entire property.”

Alex was almost mad and he replied “I shall give you but right now do not waste time and hand over the water bottle to me”.

Sharma smiled and said “You have wasted your life building an empire which is worth only one bottle of water”

Alex was stunned and did not have a word to reply. Sharma handed over the water bottle to him and said “Please drink the full bottle. I do not need anything in return from you. I only wanted to tell that you are not going to take all the properties with you once you die and you need just six feet of land. You remind me of Alexander the Great. Please read about him and your life will change”.

Saying so Sharma walked away only to return in couple of minutes with a policeman. Soon ambulance came and Alex was taken to a leading corporate hospital and got the best available medical treatment.

Couple of months later in London…

Alex looked at the heap of books he had bought about Alexander the great. The words of Sharma had great impact on him. He had already completed reading four of them. Alexander the king was ambitious and had expanded his kingdom across many places and his eyes fell on Bharat (India). Aristotle his teacher advised him to be careful as Bharat was the land of Karma and Dharma and had many learned scholars who were capable of changing one’s life by preaching. Alexander invaded Bharat, had discussions with many scholars in due course of time and unfortunately fell sick and realized that he came empty handed and would  leave the world empty handed and his empire would get transferred to someone else.

Alex realized after reading about Alexander the king that earning lot of money and building big business Empire was important but more important was to share it with the people who were in need of help. He and his wife started a foundation and pumped in lot of money to carry out social service activities in many African and Asian countries.

January 1^st 2016…

Alex called Sharma on his mobile and said “Happy new year Sharmaji. Do you remember me? Am Alex the guy you met on RK beach exactly one year ago?”

Sharma was delighted “What a surprise? Happy New Year Alex. I read lot about you in the internet. You are a very big business magnet”

Alex continued “Your words had big influence on me. I have started sharing my wealth with people who need it. I have started a foundation and we are investing money in developmental work for poor children and women in many third world countries. I thought that since your words triggered this change in me, I should share this news with you”.

Sharma could not hold his happiness back and said “My son I am just an ordinary retired Sanskrit teacher who leads an austere life spending the pension given by the government. People like me cannot do much. It is only influential people like you who can mold the society and bring about changes in it.

I am very proud of myself today. I could bring about a change in you. Let me take this opportunity to tell you that you are no longer Alex for me but you are now my hero and I will call you Alexander the great”.