The “Tomboy”

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The “Tomboy”

Story By Vikram Karve

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THE “TOMBOY” – PART 1

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The doorbell rings.

It must be my husband.

Hope he is not drenched.

It is raining heavily – a sudden unexpected shower – so – my husband must have gone out without an umbrella.

I open the door.

I am taken aback with surprise.

Instead of my husband – I see a horrible looking creature standing outside the door.

Actually – it is young woman – but – she looks so disheveled and dirty – that “creature” is an apt word to describe her.

She is totally drenched – and looks horrible – covered from head to toe with filthy wet mud – as if she has had a “mud bath”.

“Hello Aunty…” she says.

Why is this girl calling me “Aunty” – I wonder to myself.

“Who are you…? What do you want…?” I ask her rudely.

“I am Tanya – Rohan’s friend…” she says.

For a moment – I am perplexed.

My son Rohan – he is such a nice well-groomed boy.

How can he have such scruffy uncultured girl as a friend…?

I decide to call up Rohan and ask him.

But – before I can do that – the girl says to me: “Aunty – aren’t you going to ask me to come in…?”

And – she brazenly pushes her way into my house.

Shocked by her impertinent behaviour – I feel very angry at her.

I want to throw this filthy woman out my house.

“Should I call the police…? Is she some sort of criminal – a thief who has come to burgle my house…?” I wonder to myself.

But – before I can react – she speaks again.

“Aunty – I didn’t think it would rain today – I was caught off-guard by a sudden heavy shower – and I got all drenched – I even got sprayed by a shower of mud as a passing car drove over a puddle…” she says – and – she walks past me towards the bedrooms.

While walking – she looks at me – and she says to me: “Aunty – I will go and dry myself – maybe I’ll have a nice hot shower – and put on some dry clothes…”

And – she walks towards Rohan’s room.

“How does she know the layout of your house…” I wonder to myself.

So – I ask her: “Have you been here before…?”

She says: “Yes – Rohan had brought me here once – when you had gone a tour to Europe – in fact – we spent the night together…”

“What…? You stayed here with Rohan the whole night…?” I ask, scandalized.

“Aunty – it’s not what you think – we didn’t do anything improper – he had brought me here to show me the house – we were just planning to spend the evening together having pizza and beer – and – it suddenly started raining heavily – just like today – so – Rohan asked me to stay here – it rained heavily the entire night – so – I went back in the morning…” she says to me.

Then – she opens the door of Rohan’s room – she goes inside – and she closes the door.

I stand there – totally flabbergasted – by her insolent behaviour.

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THE “TOMBOY” – PART 2

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I feel angry – very angry – at this ill-mannered girl – the way she has barged into my house and behaved in a most brazen manner.

Just imagine – she is in my son’s bedroom – probably in his bathroom having a hot shower.

For some time – I sit on the sofa – wondering what to do.

Then – I decide to call my son Rohan – but – as expected – his mobile phone is switched off – as expected – he always keeps his mobile phone off when he is working.

Hopefully – he will see my missed call and call me back during his lunch break.

I call my husband – he says he is stranded in the market because of the heavy rain – and he will come back after it stops raining.

I tell him to come home at once – take an autorickshaw or taxi or something.

“You want me to come home immediately…? Is there a problem…?” he asks me.

“Yes – there is a “intruder” in the house – I want you to come immediately and throw her out…” I say to my husband.

“Intruder…? Her…? Is it a woman…? Should I call the police…?” he asks – with anxiety in his voice.

“You just come home immediately…!!! Do you understand…?” I shout at my husband – and – I disconnect the call.

The door of Rohan’s room opens – and – the girl called “Tanya” – she comes out.

She is wearing Rohan’s clothes – shorts – and T-Shirt – they look quite baggy on her.

Her face looks presentable – and her short hair is combed like a man’s hairstyle – giving her a “Tomboyish” look.

The girl smiles at me and says: “Come on, Aunty – I am not an intruder – I told you I am Rohan’s friend…”

I give her a quizzical look – was she eavesdropping when I was speaking to my husband…?

“You were shouting so loudly on the mobile that I could hear everything in the other room…” the girl says with a smile.

“You can go now…” I say to her.

“Please, Aunty – let it stop raining – and let “Uncle” come home – I want to speak to both of you – that’s why I have come here – without telling Rohan…”

“Without telling Rohan…? I will call him right now – and tell him to come home and take you away…” I say to her.

“Aunty – you know that his mobile will be off now – you can call him after an hour – during lunch break…” she says.

“How do you know all this…?” I ask her.

“Aunty – Rohan and I work in the same office – we are colleagues…” she says, “in fact – we are more than just colleagues – we have been seeing each other for the last few months – and now – we want to take our relationship to the next level – we want to get married…” the girl says.

“What nonsense…!!!” I say – taken aback.

“I want to marry your son Rohan – and – I have come to take your permission to do so…” she says, with a smile.

“No. No. It’s not possible – Rohan has never told me about you – he tells me everything…” I say – when she interrupts me.

“I know, Aunty – Rohan wanted us to elope and get married…” she says.

“Elope…?” I say, stunned out of my wits.

This is a total shock to me – I thought my son Rohan was “Mamma’s Boy” – normally – he told me everything – but – Rohan had not told me about this girl – and worse – I never expected him to betray me and elope and marry this girl.

It is unbelievable.

The doorbell rings.

“It must be “Uncle”…!!!” the girl says excitedly – and she quickly goes to open the door.

The girl opens the door.

My husband stands outside – looks at the girl.

“Hello Uncle – I am Tanya – the “intruder”…!!!” the girl says with a mischievous smile.

My husband looks at the girl – he looks at the clothes she is wearing – Rohan’s T-Shirt and Shorts.

Then – he looks at me and raises his eyebrows as if questioning me.

The girl moves aside.

Then – she looks at my husband and speaks to him.

“Uncle – why don’t you go in and dry yourself up…? Then – we can sit and talk…” the girl says to my husband.

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THE “TOMBOY” – PART 3

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My husband nods at her – and – he goes into his room to dry up and change his wet clothes.

The girl – Tanya – she looks at me – and she speaks to me in a confident voice.

“Aunty – please make some Tea – Rohan tells me that you make lovely “Masala Chai” – and – make something to eat also – I am feeling hungry…” the girl says to me – as if she is ordering me.

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I am aghast at her behaviour.

But – I don’t want to talk to this impertinent girl – so – I go into the kitchen – and – start making Tea – and – I take out the pan to make some Pohe…”

A few minutes later – my husband comes into the kitchen.

“Who is this girl…? my husband asks me.

“She says that she is Rohan’s fiancée – they are going to get married…” I say to my husband.

“What nonsense…!!!” my husband exclaims in surprise, “have you to spoken to Rohan…?”

“I tried – his phone is switched off – like he does at work – he should see my missed call and call back at lunch time…” I say to my husband.

“What about the girl…? Why has she some here…?” he asks me.

“You go out and tell her to get out of the house…” I say to my husband.

“Let’s go out and speak to her – let’s she what she has to say…?” my husband says.

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I put 3 cups of tea and 3 plates of Pohe on a tray.

My husband picks up the tray, carries it out and places it on the table in front of the girl called “Tanya”.

I follow my husband and sit on a chair in front of Tanya.

Tanya picks up a plate of Pohe – eats a spoonful – and looks at me.

“Aunty – it’s so delicious – you are such a good cook – Rohan always tells me you make such lovely food…” she says excitedly.

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I seethe with anger at her impudence – how dare she make such condescending remarks…!!!

I can’t control myself any longer – so – I shout at the girl.

“Do you think I am your servant…?” I say angrily to her.

“No, Aunty…” she says, flummoxed, “why do you think that…?”

“You don’t bother to come and help me in the kitchen – you sit here like a “Maharani” – and – you comment that the food is “good” – as if you are a customer in a restaurant…” I say to her, indignantly.

“I am sorry, Aunty…” she says – I can see tears forming in her eyes.

My husband interrupts.

“Tell me – why have you come here…?” my husband asks her.

“I have come to take your permission to get married to your son, Rohan…” the girl says.

“Well – Rohan hasn’t told us anything about you – and – why hasn’t he come with you…?” my husband asks.

“He is afraid of you…” the girl says to my husband.

“Afraid of me…? My son Rohan is afraid of me…?” my husband says, surprised.

“Yes, Uncle – he is terrified of you – the way he painted the picture – as if you were an autocratic tyrant – even – I felt scared…” the girl says to my husband.

I feel totally appalled – so – I say to the girl: My husband – a tyrant…? What nonsense…!!! Would I have been living with my him for 30 years if he were a tyrant…? Yes – he is strict and very old-fashioned – but he is a good man…”

“I am sorry, Aunty…” the girl says to me.

Then she looks at my husband and says: “Rohan told me you both are conservative people. He said that you would never agree to our marriage. So – he wanted us to elope and get married…”

“Elope…?” my husband says, angrily.

“I think I mentioned it to Aunty…” the girl says.

“Are you threatening to elope…? Are you trying to blackmail us…?” my husband shouts at the girl, “go ahead and elope – you are both adults – do as you please…”

“No. No. Uncle. I feel that marriage must begin on a good note. I don’t want your ill feelings – I want your blessings – so – I told Rohan that I will marry him only if you give permission…” the girl says to my husband.

“And – if we don’t agree…?” my husband asks her.

“If you don’t give permission for our marriage – I will leave your son Rohan and go away forever. I have had no happy relationships in my life – this is my first relationship of love – and – I want it to begin in a happy note – I don’t want my marriage to start on a bitter note by annoying you – I want your love and blessings – not your hate and curses…” the girls says to my husband – and – she looks at me too.

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I can see my husband softening.

I fear the worst.

This “tomboyish” uncultured girl called “Tanya” – she is nowhere near the image of the ideal daughter-in-law that I wanted.

In fact – I had already started looking for prospective brides for my son.

And now – my dreams will be dashed – if my husband “melts” after hearing the girl’s sweet talk.

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I decide to call a spade a spade – and make things clear to this cheeky girl.

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I look at the girl – and – I speak to her in a firm voice.

“You – Tanya – you listen to me carefully. You have no manners, no culture, no upbringing – you barge into our house unannounced and behave in a most insolent manner – we should have thrown you out – but – we are cultured people…” I say to her in a rather angry tone of voice.

“Yes, Aunty…” she says, looking contrite.

“What “Yes Aunty…” I say angrily, “you want to marry our son – you want to be our daughter-in-law – you should have shown us some respect – though we don’t expect you to touch our feet as is the normal practice when one meets elders…”

“I am sorry, Aunty – I didn’t know…” the girl says.

“It is not your fault – you have not been raised properly…” I say to her.

“I am sorry, Aunty – I am very sorry if I have behaved improperly…” she says, apologetically.

“That’s okay – but – it is not proper for a girl to barge into her prospective in-laws house as ask them permission to marry their son – you ask your parents to come over and talk to us…” I say to her.

“I have no parents…” she says.

“What do you mean “you have no parents”…?” I ask her.

“I am an orphan – I don’t have any parents – both of them died in an accident when I was 6 years old – and I was sent to a boarding school – my whole life I have lived in hostels – I have never lived in a family – now – if you agree to our marriage – I will live with you – and you will be my parents – my first and only parents – and I will learn from you – manners, how to live in a family, culture, values – whatever you want to teach me…” the girl says – and she breaks into tears.

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On hearing her words – I am filled with remorse and pity for this girl.

I walk towards her – I take her in my arms.

She sobs – her wet nose touches my neck.

I console her.

“Don’t cry, Tanya – we are your parents from now on…” I say to her.

“Thank you, mother…” she says to me.

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Then she looks at my husband.

My husband smiles at the girl.

“Go and freshen up – we are going out…” my husband says to Tanya.

“Going out…?” she asks, confused.

“Yes – we are going to the Marriage Registrar’s Office…” he says to her.

“Marriage Registrar…?” she asks him, looking confused.

 My husband looks at the girl and gives her a loving smile.

“Yes – let’s go to the Marriage Registrar’s Office – we will come with you and submit the form together…” he says to Tanya, “the notice for your intended marriage…”

My husband looks at me – and – he gestures to me.

“Come on, get ready…” my husband says to me.

Then – my husband looks at his watch – and speaks to Tanya.

“I think it’s almost lunch break for Rohan – his mobile phone should be “on” now…” my husband remarks.

“Yes, Uncle – I will check…” Tanya says to him.

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My husband looks at Tanya lovingly and speaks to her.

“You tell your fiancé Rohan to take the rest of the day off – we will pick him up from his office…” my husband says to Tanya, “he has a lot of explaining to do…”

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VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. E&OE

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No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved) 

Link to my source blog posts in my Blog Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-tomboy-unfinished-story.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-tomboy-parts-1-and-2.html etc.

Parts 1 and 2 also posted in this blog at url: https://karve.wordpress.com/2022/01/05/unfinished-story-the-tomboy-parts-1-and-2/

Full Story posted in my writing blog at url: https://karve.wordpress.com/2022/01/08/the-tomboy/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2022/11/18/tomboy/ etc.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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