Chapter 5- The Policeman

You can read the previous chapters here:
Chapter- 1
Chapter- 2
Chapter- 3
Chapter- 4

Dawn has just broken and the velvety neonate rays of morning Sun have just started nudging the surface of the earth gently. The golden simmer of the sunrays is being disbursed to every inch of earth, in sight, impartially. The rapturous gush of cold breeze is alleviating everything and everyone who is crossing its path of sway. Chirping of birds can be heard clearly from a distance and the asphalt of Bangalore’s roads is enjoying a moment of solace, before the onslaught of black rubber on it. It almost appears to be a scene of a sleepy town, away from the hustle and chaos of a city. But in reality, it is just the moment of calm before the storm strikes.

All that the human eye is being presented with, is a bunch of people in their janitor dresses, cleaning up the mess created by the “civilized” citizens of this city. Also can be found, is a pack of stray dogs, guarding their territory from the rival gang of dogs from the adjacent street. Midst of all this, are there a few vehicles on the roads, twirling their way through towards their destinations. Amongst those vehicles, there is a wobbly motor bike which is screaming for euthanasia, as it tries to carry its 67 KG payload, also officially known as Calvin Pritish, home. Calvin is leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, in the form of a thick black smoke, coming out of his bike’s exhaust pipe. He is finally returning back from his night duty of keeping the Bangalore city streets safe from the fringe elements of the society. He is a trafic policemen who has served the “Bangalore City Police Department” for the last 22 years.

Last night has been long & hard on Calvin, as he has patrolled the city streets right up till dawn. And now he is heading towards his house, only to take bath and have a bite or two, before he reports back to the police station for the day’s duty. The Bangalore Police is working round the clock, these last few weeks, in preparation for the presidential visit to the city. And Calvin hving gotten no exception here, has been asked to takeup extra responsibilities and three night duties in a week, along with six regular days, comes as a part of the package for the time being. Calvin’s journey is finally coming to its end as he takes the right turn to enter into the police quarters.

Calvin enters the house and exclaims, Donna I am home! Where are you? Come and see I am here. As Calvin unknots his muddy police boots, Donna comes running from the balcony where she was laying the washed clothes for drying. Donna shouts on top her voice, What the hell Calvin!! Thousands of times I have told you to leave your dirty shoes outside, before entering the house. I have waited for the last 20 years of our married life, for that one day when my husband would listen to me, for a change. But my fate has only left me waiting till date. Calm down dear, says Calvin in his calm voice, I will come back in the night and that’s when I will give you plentiful opportunity to bombard me with all your grumble. For now, please give me some breakfast as I need to be heading back to the station in an hours time from now. Yeah yeah, why would you have time to listen to me now, blabbers Donna in a sarcastic tone. You know very well that whatever I speak is a truth, a hard hitting one, and your ego does not allow you to take that up so easily. As soon as I begin to say something, you would start taking evasive actions, just to dodge the moment. But today, no one can stop me!

Donna continues; Every month I struggle to sustain & manage the ever increasing expenses of this house with your paltry salary. With Laura, their 18 years old daughter, having entered the university this month, the race of hand to mouth is going to only get worse from here. And for your information its just 17th of April today, and that is we are only in the middle of the month and I am left with just 2000 Rupees (circa- $31) to manage with, with close to two weeks to your next payday. Tell me now, how am I supposed to remain calm and cheerful when all I do since dawn to midnight, is to pray to god, to show me a day when I will have my own house, I will have the freedom of buying a dress for myself wothout thinking twice, I will buy a scooty for my daughter so that she can go to college comfortably, without getting pushed in the mad rush of public transport. If nothing else, take a cue from our naighbour Matthew family. He is also on the same post and rank as you are, but see how extravagantly they lead their lives and here we are, only trying to endure, one day at a time.

I do understand everything you say, says Calvin. I am not trying to defend myself here, but Matthew can afford to lead a lavishly live because he is not a man of honour & principles. He takes bribe from lawbreakers and is involved in many under the table transactions. And for me, I am happy to lead a simple, underprivileged life than accepting bribe while killing my conscience. The day I die, I want to be remembered for a man who always held his head high, and not for a person who sold his soul to the devil and died without a conscience. Look Donna, I am all ears for all your complaints, taunts and sarcasm, but I just cant compromise on any of my principles, at any cost.

Calvin leaves for the bathroom and Donna goes into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for the family. Having lost much of the available time in the altercation with Donna, Calvin quickly takes bath and gets dressed up in his police uniform. He leaves the house without breaking fast, due to lack of time on his hands and reports to the police station just in time.

Question: Do you think Donna is right, on her part, for being harsh and complaining?

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