Confessions of a Failed Fratricide

And in the beginning, it was a good time, then the trivial jealousies slithered between us, and he scolded my wife in one of the volleys of rage as he could not repress it…

And my wife told me, I am here not as a domestic, but a legally wedded wife and should get respect. In the marriage, I asked a huge dowry, and her father was adamant, I will not give a copper from my poke. if he starves I will provide that son of a --.

And he told these words aloud in front of the Chaudharys next door and the lady was excessively laughing, and this I knew that I did not carry her vegetable basket while coming home..and I swallowed my anger like sugarcane juice and told her, very tasty and enlivening words, are they not, and my wife blushed…

And that night I was too spent with her and told her vehemently, I married without honour, now the fellow, meaning her father, will come to my home like a begga-. And as I predicted two of his shops were taken by the government as it was a road expansion, and I laughed from the depth of my heart, the fellow deserves, it…And I sent my mother in law rose bouquet and Kancheepuram saree with Bareilly zari embroidery.

Let her attire well, at least…

But to my dismay, my dad in law had great pull in high offices, and though he lost the shops in the cardinal area, he got two ones on another developing place in city…

But you see, his only daughter is with me and I thought to teach him a lesson. But to my consternation, that was the season my brother entered the household with a beaming head and a clean-shaven cast.

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I bucked him up, you seem to be quite handsome bro, you look nice without beard. Your zygomatic bone[I could have told cheekbone,this is my usual style,when the idea is poor I use high sounding words] shine like a man.

I know that. I just shaved from the Capitol.

You could afford it, I asked. Because Capitol was the best saloon in the city. Only rich people could afford it.

I go there twice a year just before the Board meeting, where I had to be present in Bombay with the top investors, and the Board consisted of a daughter of a film star who invested greatly in the company…

And this film actor was the matinee icon of my college seasons. I wanted to give a good impression before his daughter, and I paid huge for the hairdresser.

Any good news, I asked him

Not much, he said, I lost my job.

For that, you have dressed with so much charm and appeared on my gate? I did not hide my vexation.

You must dress well, chinna(little one), even though you are sinking, for this body you know is a divine instrument, vented the dauntless he.

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Then ventilated,don’t forget how I paid your fees in the last year of the M.B.A.course.

This made me humble. It was a well-known truth that he paid my whole year’s fee at the topmost business school in the country from where I received the M.B.A. degree…

Because my dad was dead then, and he was my godfather.

Come inside, I told in grateful tongue.

He strode into my McMansion like a monarch who had won a big war in the North.

………………………...

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