Love in the Coffin Chapter Fifteen Today was the closing day for Eid vacation. Every body was very busy, answering to the buyer’s mail, updating status, sending sample to buyer for approval, confirming pending production sheets, writing emails to Korea and China, oh, a lot of works to do. There was no time for taking breath. Tengku had finished his work, and said good bye to his boss and colleagues. While he was going out, he saw Rima still busy with her work. He walked out of the office silently, lit a cigarette and started to wait at the place where she had kissed him, and his heart was stamped permanently, and there was no place left for any girl to enter. Rima rushed out of the office and saw him. ‘You finished so early?’ Tengku gave a smile. ‘Oh, I thought I’d go crazy I wouldn’t be able to finish. Last day is always pressure.’ Tengku was going to say something, but had to stop looking at the smart young man climbing up the stairs. ‘Rima! O my god, I’ve been waiting for hours. Let’s go.’ ‘Tengku, my brother. Last night he has come back from New Zealand. I couldn’t tell you, you know I was so busy. We’re going to India tonight. He has already bought the tickets without saying me anything. You know, this is our family tour.’ Tengku was surprised. He could not decide what to say. The smart young man came to them. ‘Vaia, Tengku. We work together.’ ‘Hi,’ he said. ‘ Kiron.’ ‘Tengku. Glad to meet you.’ They shook hands. ‘Rima, let’s go. We’re getting late.’ ‘Vaia, can you excuse us for one minute?’ Kiron went to a side feeling boring. ‘Have you bought anything for Eid day?’ ‘No, I thought we’d go shopping together.’ ‘Tengku, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would happen this way. You’ll stay in Dhaka or go to your village?’ ‘I don’t know!’ Tengku said sadly. ‘Don’t be sad. Ok. You’ve faith in me?’ Tengku nodded. ‘I’ll buy something for you from India. Enjoy your Eid day.’ Kiron was getting restless and fade up. ‘Rima, what are you waiting for? We can’t miss the plane. Come on’ ‘Tengku good bye.’ ‘Good bye.’ Tengku walked out of the factory slowly into the street. His heart was heavy. He had made up his mind to spend the bonus money for buying something nice for her. He would stay in Dhaka and on Eid day they would go to Sonargaon museum or some where else, but….her brother came from nowhere with plane tickets for touring India. Dhaka became a sad place for him. Tengku knew Rima was rich but how much rich he had no idea. Often he looked sadly at his heart stamped with a kiss and love, if there was enough courage to take her home. Tengku had no home really where she could go. Even, he had no money to make one. His eyes cast down shamefully; afraid to look up at her dazzling proud face, and then he would blame his begging mind. No. He must win. He needed only some time to get ready. Any one could see with his open eyes that there was difference of warmth in Rima’s behavior recently. The warmth that warmed the heart at the beginning, to climb mountain smilingly, was missing. She could not ignore, so she had to smile at him. She was acting technically. Her recent excuse was she was extremely busy; she had no time to talk, and she was partly true. Tengku touched his breast, at the location of his heart, with his finger point to feel the mark of the stamp. He could not let her go. She was part of him now. He started to make plans how to improve his over all condition. He needed only two years to reach the target. Yes, in two years time, he must win her. He must marry her. There were moments when Tengku would be really, really sad for being educated. His grandfather had pushed him to a world where his suffering was greater than the begging life. He could have been a beggar, a day labor with blunt senses and mind. He could have been happy but no, he was a lotus on a dunghill. People admired him, but could not hold him close to their heart because he was born on the dunghill. People never liked dunghill. He could not blame Rima or the others who walked away like a dog after excreting leave behind the goo. Tengku bought a sari for Ramisa auntie, Punjabi for her husband and dresses for their children. Yes, Ramisa auntie was living in his house. She was her relative now. In the whole world she was the one who really cared for him. She would remain busy as long as he would stay home. Her dishes were really delicious not because she could cook well, but because her heart was mingled with it like a sauce with a piece of bread. And her children were also very fond of him. Her husband, Mithu uncle would always scratch his bald head while talking with him. He treated him as if he was their boss. Tengku had always helped this poor auntie who was homeless. For her children’s education he used to pay them one thousand taka per month. Tengku got on the coach in the morning next day, and the coach started to move slowly towards an Eid day. On the occasion of Eid, going to the village home, to the relatives, to the roots to reconcile was a hazardous adventure. Many people vowed this was the last time, not any more. Yet, they would be the same fade up while going home for next Eid festival. The root always would be pulling them. When Tengku was a student, he had an opportunity to travel with Dr. Nasim. He was a famous person in the village. He knew him because he was his friend’s elder brother. Dr. Nasim had never seen him. He was traveling with his family, wife, son and daughter. He was extremely fade up and angry. ‘Eid means happiness, Eid means my phallus’ he declared in the crowded coach. Every body looked at him curiously. Tengku had to giggle. The owner of the bus would hike the fare double; schedule change and traffic jam was enough to make you go mad. How long it would take to finish three hours journey you could never say for sure. Tengku was caught in the most unexpected traffic jam near Kaliakair. It was as still as the painted road. He closed his eyes and started to think how to solve it. Just he wanted to keep his mind busy. ‘Factory idea’ flashed through his mind. ‘A loaded factory keeps it open twenty four hours’. He thought. ‘Three shifts duty. If the capacity of the factory is one thousand workers, three shifts make it three thousand. Three thousand workers cannot work at the same time but they can in three shifts. The over loaded Dhaka city must be run in at least two shifts like a garment factory. Government office and non government office. Government office at night. Non government office at day as usual. Government office will start at nine pm and close at five am. In this way the flow of the traffic will be divided into two. Only one half will ply on the street. As a result, the possibility of traffic jam will be less. Besides, the street and avenue will be divided into lanes- specific lane for specific traffic. For example, for bus one lane, car lane, auto rickshaw and rickshaw lane, and then one thing more, traffic must be painted with specific color. For example, all the buses painted green will ply on the street during day. Night bus will have different color-Yellow or orange or white. So night bus cannot ply on the street during day and day bus cannot ply at night. Two sets of traffic: Day: Green bus, white auto rickshaw, grey rickshaw. Night: Yellow bus, orange auto rickshaw, cream rickshaw. Cars will be as usual. Total traffic will come into disciplined order; any one violating the lane could be easily identified and punished. If possible Kamalapur rail station should be deserted. Tangi or Airport stationed should be extended. No train will enter into Dhaka city. Two shifts of Dhaka city with two sets of traffic. Traffic jam free Dhaka city.’ Tengku opened his eyes. The bus was as still as before. He got off and lit a cigarette. He could not figure out how long the jam was. Helpless passengers were looking at each other foolishly. A few curious were walking to see what caused the jam. A beautiful young woman was exchanging hot words with her husband. ‘I’ll kill you, if you ask me to go to your village anymore.’ Then the funniest thing happened. It was an empty space. There were no houses nearby, and she felt the natural call, big one. She started to run with her husband to the field. Luckily there was a corn field just a few yards off the road. She sat down. When Tengku reached his village it was past evening. At the rickshaw stand he met with genius Oku and other village friends. They took tea and smoke. Tengku couldn’t help telling them the funny thing that happened with the beautiful young woman. They burst into laughter. He came to know that he had come first among the friends from Dhaka. He was a little tired. He wanted to go home and take some rest. ‘Ok, friends, see you later.’ Tengku came home and found his room neat and clean, ready for living. That’s why he liked Ramisa auntie. She would always think a little advance. He gave them their gifts and went to take his bath.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 09:08:42 +0000
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