Thursday, December 5, 2013

Chapter 18


“Cowards like you will make such a choice. I am not the one to be intimidated like that.” Arjun replied.

“What did you do then Arjun?” Uncle asked. His face still had a look of disbelief.

“I started to engage him in conversation. I felt that I should not make him defensive or worried. On the other side he was trying convince, rather seduce me“ Arjun started his play acting.

“Arjun, why are you worried? Let us just have some fun. If you don’t want to go to the beach we will go to my farm house. There is no body there” D’Souza was trying to convince Arjun

“D’Souza uncle. It is not that I am worried. It is just that this is not my taste or my preference. I am not making judgements about right or wrong or about your character. “ Arjun replied

“ But Arjun, you don’t have to do anything. I will do everything for you. When we are back from my farm house, I will let you drive this car. In fact any time you want have a spin on this car, you have the freedom to ask me”

“D’Souza was trying to entice. He even tried to reach across and feel my thighs. I kept my duffel bag in my lap and moved away” Arjun continued

“Uncle, I don’t drive any way. I have heard that you enjoy all kinds of fun. That is your life and your preference. It is just that what you suggest is not my cup of coffee. I am not making a big issue of what you suggest to me. Neither will I go around telling this to anybody. Just like you are a non-smoker I am not a homo-sexual. You made an offer and I declined it that is all.” Arjun proceeded with his play acting.

“Uncle I heard that your club won the national boxing championship” Arjun changed subject to distract the attention

“Oh God this is scary” Fernando Uncle remarked

“Of course, I was shit scared. I veered the conversation to other subjects, especially about his boxing. I made my resolve clear. At the same time I also made clear that I am not going to be a threat to his reputation. I made joke about the stories that I have heard about his escapades. I talked in a tone of friendship and not that of a scared lamb. He gradually realised that I was not going to play ball. Further he realised that I am not even giving him the perverted satisfaction of overwhelming an innocent pray.  As I was not even trying to protest or make threats that I would tell others, I managed not to rouse his defensive behaviour or his animal instinct of overpowering a pray. Eventually his heat subsided. But I had to talk non-stop for more than half an hour”

“Ok Arjun. You are a spoil sport. I will drop you home” D’ Souza Uncle replied despondently. 

“Ok that makes sense. Next time when you get horny don’t waste your time on me. You are better off with David” Arjun replied in a joking manner

“He turned the car towards my house. I continued talking to him and narrating stories. I wanted make sure he does not get further ideas” Arjun continued

“You are behaving like a saint and you talk like of these priests in the church. Now onwards I am going to call you Archbishop” D’Souza replied in jest. He realized that Arjun was not going to be threat to him

“Who is this David” Chandy Asked

“Oh he was a regular at the pool and a confirmed homo”

“I am impressed by how you managed to control this beast on heat. But I have not yet got the connection of Mrs Chandrasekhar or Ramya”

“I am coming to it. As I told you, Ramya and her brother Rajesh used to come to the pool on and off. They always came with their mother. We kids used to play together. D’Souza uncle was their family friend. He even used to discipline all of us kids to ensure that we do some serious swimming first and only then go and play. “

“It was a Saturday. I was already at the pool. Then I saw Ramya and Rajesh coming in with D’Souza uncle. When they jumped into the pool I asked” Ramya

“Where is your mom?”

“Oh she could not come today. Uncle D’Souza offered to bring us and drop us back”

“Come on guys. No playing around till all of you complete 10 laps” D’Souza uncle rounded us up.

“We obediently went about doing our laps. D’Souza uncle kept pace with us. As we finished 10 laps I moved away for some diving practice. Then I saw Uncle and Ramya at the far end of the pool. I realized what he was up to. Then I thought ‘What I am to do about it. If she likes to have fun like this it is her problem. If she did not like it she could just move away. There are lots of people in the pool’”

‘”But I was not feeling comfortable. I moved near to them and I realized that Ramya was upset. When I reached near Uncle turned towards me and told”

“Arjun Ramya seems to be upset. Just talk to her. You are good at storytelling and that will cheer her”

“You give me enough opportunities to tell stories” I replied mockingly.

“Don’t act too smart. Just settle her” he wanted an ally to control the situation

“Come Ramya, I will teach you diving” I caught her hand and  moved over to the shallower region

“What happened Ramya, why are you upset?”

“D’Souza uncle is a bad man. He was trying to feel all over me. I am so upset.”

“Why did you not move away?”

“I was so confused and taken aback”

“Ramya, D’Souza uncle is like this. He is infamous in the pool for such behaviour. He is what we call a paedophile. He does not care if it is a boy or girl young or old. He is a compulsive sex maniac. The only think you can do next time when you come to pool is to make sure that you are not alone with him” I tried to comfort her

“I told her what happened to me. She was taken aback. We stood at the side of the pool in the shallow end till the closing time. We talked about lots of things; about our school, studies, what we plan to do after school and so on.  She clung onto my hand. I felt very protective about her like a little sister. I promised that I will be there to protect her when she comes to the pool. We felt very close”

“How sweet! Then what happened” Chandi asked

“Next week when we came to the pool we heard the news that Mr Chandrasekhar died. Apparently it was an un-natural death. The family moved back to the town from where their father hailed from. I felt miserable”

“Ah I remember Chandru’s death. It was a tragedy. The whole life just turned topsy-turvy for the family.” Uncle butted in



“Did you never meet her after that?” Chandy asked

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