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The Pain

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by maalti, Apr 1, 2022.

  1. maalti

    maalti Gold IL'ite

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    The brave heroine of our story is named Bama.

    Bama was a very plain type of girl we find next door. She underwent a lot of struggles in her teens. She was the eldest in a family of five siblings. She studied well amidst the poverty in her house. She took tuitions to the neighbouring kids and used the money she earned for her own studies. After finishing her graduation, she wrote an exam and got a government job. She got a decent salary and she helped her brothers and sisters in their education. One by one, all the five children in her family, studied well and got good jobs. She was married to Babu, who was also well educated and in a good job in a private firm. She gave birth to a son and their joy was boundless. But since both of them were going for a job, the question of looking after the baby became a problem. One day Babu told her that there was a peon in his office and his wife Chella was willing to look after the child from morning to evening. Bama wanted to see the woman first. She came the next day. Bama spoke with her and they developed a friendship. She felt that it was ok to leave the child at the custody of Chella. Their son also didn’t have any problem with Chella. She not only looked after the child but also helped Bama in household chores. Bama was very happy. Since both of them earned well, they were able to get admission to their son in a reputed school. Soon Bama conceived again and delivered a boy again. At the same time, Chella also became pregnant and she too delivered a boy. Bama was greatly relieved as Chella returned to work very soon, as Chella had brought her mother from her native place to look after her child.

    Bama was very kind to Chella and whenever she bought dresses to her son, she also took a set of dresses to Chella’s son. She had also helped Chella by giving her money whenever she wanted for her son’s education.

    Time ticked very fast and Bama’s elder son went to Germany to pursue his higher studies. Her younger son was in plus two.

    One day Bama was returning from office. She missed her usual van that day as she had to sit late. So, she took an auto to her house. While she was travelling, the auto suddenly stopped. The driver tried starting the vehicle but it didn’t budge. He told her to get another auto and go home. She got down and looked around. She spotted Chella in the opposite side at the entrance of a house. She crossed the road and reached Chella and explained her problems. Chella asked her son to get an auto for Bama and asked her to sit inside her house till the auto arrived. Bama went into Chella’s house. Chella went inside to prepare some tea for Bama. Bama looked around the house. She was seeing the photos arranged inside a glass cupboard. Suddenly she spotted a small photo which shocked her beyond words. That small photo frame contained the photos of Bama’s own husband Babu and Chella with garlands around their necks. She looked at it again and again to confirm. She felt her heart was falling down. She fell down in shock and fainted.

    She woke up in her house to see Babu and her son with worry and concern in their eyes. She also saw Chella. “Amma, what happened? You fainted in our house. Didn’t you eat properly?” she asked.

    Bama got up slowly and sat in the bed. “Enough Chella. Don’t try to fool me anymore. I have remained with closed eyes and for almost 20 years, you have been cheating me. And you, Babu, I now know that she is not the wife of your office peon, but she is your second wife”. “Bama, what are you saying?” Babu asked her. She looked up at her son who was standing with confusion and shock in his eyes. “Come here, my dear son. Amma is alright. Go to your room and study”. Saying this, she sent her son. She then turned and looked at Chella. “Amma, please forgive me” Chella cried. “There is no question of forgiving. You don’t have to come for work from tomorrow”. She turned to her husband and said “Babu, you can also go and stay with Chella”. “But Bama”, said Babu. “No ifs and buts,” said Bama. The pain which she felt in her heart was too much that she turned away from her husband. She didn’t even want to see his face. “Please get out of the house. You don’t have any place for me in your heart and I don’t have any place in my house for you”. ‘Bama”, he pleaded. “I am sorry Babu. Of course, why should I feel sorry? It is you who should feel sorry. I know how to take care of my children. Atleast take care of her as she doesn’t have a proper education or job”. She turned towards Chella. “Chella, I will take care of your son’s education as well. After all, it is not his fault and I have been helping him all these years. I don’t want to deny him his education. I know the struggle I went through to finish my studies”. Saying this, she got up and showed them the entrance. Both of them went out looking down in shame. She locked the door, fell on her bed and cried her heart out. After crying, she felt a little better and the pain seemed to lessen a little.

    This is a real-life story. The names have been changed to protect identity. This woman is still financing the servant maid son’s education.
     
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  2. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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  3. beautifullife30

    beautifullife30 Platinum IL'ite

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    Why? Why do people cheat? Why do they think they can get away with it?

    It makes me wonder if trusting anyone other than ourself is a wise thing. Just imagine trusting someone completely only to realise later that it was all for nothing.
     
  4. Thoughtful

    Thoughtful Gold IL'ite

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    I don't know if OP is looking for this kind of feedback, but amazingly written. Not going into the content itself, the story introduction, characterization, moving into the plot and the final twist, if there are any short story writers this is a great example to learn from.
     
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  5. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Such incidents happen very often in Indian homes where women are employed and they employ another 'take care' lady.Had Bama not sent the lady out even after knowing, the events could have continued normally with pain within.In a way that might have been better for her children.Once she has decided to live with pain, it does not matter if Babu is there or not.There are different ways of handling crisis.
    Jayasala 42
     
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  6. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:Dear sister @maalti ,
    Kudos to you for posting a credible heart wrenching story aptly titled. The narration is breezy as has been the trend always with your story-telling. It is enjoyable read. And you have narrated the real happening.

    What were the circumstances that made Babu to continue with both wives Bama & Chella for over twenty years?


    It is tad incredible that Bama had no occasion in that long twenty years to suspect Babu had already been or recently married/ relationship.

    Or was it after marrying Bama. Chella was happy that Babu sharing time with her and Bama as well; this behaviour looks queer and odd. If he was already in relationship with Chella, he was intimate with Bama too!

    But in a complex modern living, it is inevitable in large society young couple encountering such problems. It is offshoot of economic prosperity. This type of issue crops up irrespective of status and affluence.

    The chinna Veedu- Periya Veedu happens in cases where young maids (spinster or married or divorced or even widowed) are employed.

    • I am reminded of numerous Tamil & hindi films. One such my first Tamil film is thespian Shivaji Ganesan ‘s first movie viz., Parasakthi, where the business man ( VK Ramasami) coax his spouse ( Muthu Lakshmi) to leave for a particular theatre and enjoy matinee show there when the maid KalyanI ( Sri Ranjini) with infant live with them . Spouse suddenly returns home from the film, finding her husband attempting a matinee show in centre of hall grabbing the running crying Kalyani. Kalyani apologises to the lady of the home and decline to continue as maid and exits at once with her thumb suckling kid).
    • It reminds me of another box office tamil movie OOTI VARAI URAVU where it is slightly different.
    • Many matured women always make it a point to employ maid looking less attractive and bit old especially when they have valid reasons to suspect (fidelity of) their husband has such excess libido.

    However among reasonably educated from downtrodden - Women exposed to such situations, emerge very strong and live successfully and raise kid or kids as single parent.

    It reminds me also struggles of maid as domestic help in modern society a narration of which is available in link
    A Date With Domestic Help

    Regards.
    God Bless.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2022
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  7. DDream

    DDream Finest Post Winner

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    Very sad situation to be in.
    This reminds me of this real life story ( link below) of Maria Shriver- Arnold schwarzenegger. An independent, smart, beautiful woman, mom of 4, also from an influential family was unaware of the cheating for years by her husband & nanny! Hard to believe. Like Bama, nature revealed the truth to her too. Sad to accept.

    Cheating has nothing to do with the cheated. Its a conscious decision by the cheater and shows his/ her lack of ethics and integrity. Its one of most cruel thing that can done to a devoted spouse. Unfortunately, the cheated spouse will suffer more when she/he came to know about the faking, lieing and planning involved. Cheater will be sad just because its revealed. In Indian society, where divorce is still a taboo, finding a new partner is not easy especially with kids. It is devastasting experience to know that your family is broken and all dreams of married life has been shattered.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver finalize divorce 10 years after split
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2022
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  8. maalti

    maalti Gold IL'ite

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    Thank you Anna. As a matter of fact, Bama's job involved lot of field work and she had to be away from the family frequently. She held a very high and responsible post. Hence it was easy for Babu to play the double game. I didn't bring out these facts in the story as it will become lengthy and readers may not have the patience to read.
    Thank you,
    Regards
     
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  9. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Quite indeed. Long ones would be read only here and there and busy ones won’t even read. Generally Long ones, I begin reading from bottom to top. If last few paragraphs (or sentences) gives rise to curiosity, then I would continue with the backward reading.
    God Bless.
     
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  10. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Nicely narrated, Maalti. As noted by @Thoughtful, amazingly written. It's no mean feat to pack so much into a short story.

    Often the case with women... they are strong, do the right thing, kick the errant person out of their lives and then having taken action, cry their heart out, that lightens the pain a little, breathing come a little easier, and life goes on.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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