Stories / Novel – The Halo Reams      
The Change
by TA Ramesh

The next day evening a Fiat car with the illumination of the word Taxi on its top started from the LIC building, moved straight to the Anna statue in the Mount Road of Madras, turned to the left heading towards Egmore, turned again to the right and crossed a bridge in the left and moved smoothly in the Poonamalai High Road and stopped before the Aroma Hotel. Kannan got down from the taxi, paid the fare and went to the escalator.

After reaching the terrace he settled himself near a table. It was a roof garden and the air was cool there. He ordered for a light dinner and was observing the star lights of the hotel. The butler brought the soup, bread, water and placing them on the table went away. The soup seemed to be a tasty one for Kannan. After two or three sips he immersed a slice of bread with the butter in the soup and ate it.

“Excuse me Mr. Kannan,” interrupted The Treasure receptionist lady.

“Oh, Sure!” said Kannan, “Please have your chair.”

She occupied the chair opposite to him. He called for the waiter.

“What do you like to have, Miss? By the by, may I know your good name?”

“Meena is my name. Thank you very much for your kindness. I like to have just a cool drink.”

“What fresh cool drinks you have here, waiter?” asked Kannan to the pleasantly dressed waiter.

“We have lemon, grape and orange juices, Sir,” said the waiter.

“Which one do you prefer, Miss Meena?” asked Kannan.

“I like orange juice, Mr. Kannan.”

“Waiter, please bring a glass of fresh orange juice!”

“Sir, I shall bring it soon,” said the waiter and went away.

“Mr. Janakan told me that he would be meeting me here, Miss. Meena. Is he coming?”

“Our company auditor suddenly came to our office to meet our proprietor. So, he instructed me to hand over The Treasure magazine of next month, just now came out of the print and a letter to you. I used to leave the office by 5 p.m. There was a little bit of work today. Probably he wanted your article to be added in this issue itself. That is way there is a little bit of delay. Anyway, it is over.”

“Thank you very much for your stay a little longer. My double sorry to you for staying long and delivering these materials to me in person.”

“Our proprietor is a good man. I am only too glad to do this personal service for his sake. Anyway, it is a new change for me today from my usual work.”

“So, you are with me. I have a good company for tonight’s dinner. Thank you very much… and may I know about you, Miss Meena if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, Mr. Kannan. I am the only daughter to my parents. Next to me there is only one brother. My brother is a spend thrift. He cannot settle himself in any work and support my parents. He is like that. I am the only earning member in our family. My parents once very rich have lost all their wealth, properties and connections with friends and relatives. They are very much gone down. We have a small house left with us. With my earnings, days are passing for us. Three or four times my marriage alliance came almost to fulfillment and broke away. I am minding my works and living a contented life with my humble parents…”

“Life is neither too good nor too bad for you, it seems. Miss. Meena my story is this one. I am a widower. My parents and wife were dead in a car accident some time back. My relatives are just relatives. That is all. I like friends. But my friends are having their own problems. I am having properties more than sufficient for me. To forget my early tragedy, I have entered into the writing profession to forget my unhappy past. I was a business man. Now I am a writer. I am getting income from house rents too. Good friends, peace of mind and simple life are the things I long for. My life is okay outside my home town. Today I am here. Tomorrow I shall be some where else! A change in life is the thing I seek for.”

“Mr. Kannan, you are an independent person. You are well aware of the way to manage yourself. It is a quality to be cultivated by everyone. It is perhaps the result of other virtues you have. It will be difficult for others to be like you.”

“Enough Miss Meena! This is too much for me. I am also a human being. Neither a God nor a devil! It is all dependent upon the knowledge we possess. It is a question of mind only. What I am doing is not a great thing. What is possible within my range, I am trying to do as perfectly as I can. That is what I have learned. I am just trying to put it in practice….”

The waiter appeared before them. He took orders for two meals. The sound of light music started coming through various loud speakers fixed around the place. Every mind was captured by music. Time went fast without the knowledge pf everyone there. It was 9.05 p.m. the dinner was over. Soon they left the hotel and were walking on the pavement. An auto-rickshaw appeared before them. They waved their hands. The auto stopped before them. They got into it and left the place.

The auto stopped before a small house. Miss Meena got down from the auto. She thanked Kannan and went into the house. Then the auto speeded off from that place and stopped before the Ajanta Hotel. Kannan opened the door of room No. 203, switched on the lights, closed the door and locked it.

After changing his dress he lay on his bed. He opened the letter received from the proprietor of THE TREASURE and started reading it as carefully as he could. Then he folded the letter, thought a while, took up the telephone receiver and dialled No. 365091.

“Hello, I am Kannan speaking. Mr. Janakan, I think you have changed the programme. In stead of going to THE TREASURE office I have to meet Mr. Sekariah in the Majestic Circle. Is it so?.....It is all right, Sir…I prefer a change. I like journey rather than the office work immediately on reaching Bangalore…. Thank you, Sir. I shall contact you over phone after reaching Bangalore.”

Again Kannan opened the letter, took out the new programme chart and placed it near the phone with a paper weight on it. He opened a letter pad and wrote a statement with a little thought. Then he took the phone receiver and called for the Ajanta Hotel receptionist.

“Hello, I am Kannan of room No. 203. I would like to send a Telegram to Pudhu Town. I shall give you the message. Please take down. Yes, Gopal, South Boulevard, 1st Cross Street, Pudhu Town - Coming There Ten O Clock Morrow Bus - Kanan Madras. That is the message. Please send it immediately. That is all.”

He placed the phone receiver on the holder, closed his pen with its cap and lit a cigarette. He thought about something for a while, took the phone receiver again and called for the Hotel Manager.

“Hello, gentleman… Room No. 203. I am vacating the room at five tomorrow morning. Prepare the Bill and make it for settlement. Yes,…Okay.”

He packed all of his materials and neatly placed them on a bench. Then he switched off the lights and lay on his bed for a good sleep.

– Continued

October 28, 2007

The Halo Dreams : A Novel 
Writing a Novel | The Park | Philosophy | The Confusion | The Conversation
The Appointment | The Journey | The First Publication | The Change
The Secret | The Painted Veil | The Halo Magazine | The Debts | The Break
A Letter | A Surprise Letter | The Literary Muse | The Souvenir | The Questionnaire
The Reconciliation | The Lake | The Final Meets | The Surprise | The Settlements
The Result 

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