Scattered Fates by Ram Garikipati (best affordable ebook reader txt) 📕

‘They are my party members, and will stay with us tonight,’ he told Moon. ‘Please switch off all the lights in the house, we need complete darkness.’

As the entire house dissolved into the night, Subbaiah guided the other two to the living room towards the sofa, their eyesight slowly adjusting to the darkness, while Moon stood in a corner of the room.

‘Sir, I heard there was more violence today,’ he said in a low voice.

‘The situation is out of control now. Many policemen have joined our movement, Anna is secretly meeting some Army officers tonight’ Subbaiah whispered.

‘BBC said that North Indians are being targeted in Madras.’

‘Yes, it is very unfortunate. My party is divided; one group wants to target Brahmins and North Indians. But I am totally opposed to it, as is Anna; our fight is against the government, not fellow citizens.’

‘Why doesn't Anna make an announcement and stop it.’

‘He cannot come out in the open; there is a warrant for him, and the moment he is spotted, he will be arrested. Luckily, the City Police Commissioner is a friend and alerted us, so he was able to go underground. If it gets worse, he may have to relocate to Ceylone for a few weeks.’

‘Are the police helping you?’

‘Yes, they have refused orders to fire on other Tamilians. We are now directly in combat with the Indian army. These two young men are from Andhra and Mysore, they reported that a similar situation is unfolding in their states.’ he replied. ‘Moon if you don't mind, can you wash some rice? We haven't had dinner, and can have some curd rice with avakaaya.’

‘I don't know how to make this rice, in Corea we eat a different kind of sticky rice.’

‘Don't worry just wash three cups of rice in water. I will take care of the rest.’

‘I can do that,’ Moon said, heading to the kitchen, as Subbaiah plunged into a discussion with the visitors.

When he came out a few minutes later, Moon noticed them pouring over a map in candlelight. It appeared to be a map of India, with lots of scribbling and markings. He could not understand their conversation, which was interspersed with a few familiar words: army, barracks, grenades, and rifles.

Not wanting to disturb their flow, Moon sat down on a corner chair and watched.

They were getting quite animated now, and frequently raised their voices. After 20 minutes of heated discussion, Subbaiah folded the map and turned towards Moon.

‘We will show them!’

A sudden loud knock on the door made everyone gasp.

‘Young man! Are you awake?’

‘It is Ganapathy,’ Subbaiah whispered, as he motioned the other two to follow him into the bedroom. ‘Don't allow him inside.’

A few more knocks later, Moon slowly unlatched the front door, while Subbaiah and his friends safely locked themselves in the bedroom.

‘Is everything okay with you? Why have you switched off your lights? I heard some voices.’

‘That was the radio sir. I was listening to BBC News.’

‘In candlelight?’ Gananpathy asked suspiciously, poking his head through the open gap in the door.

‘Oh that? I was not able to sleep, so decided to meditate for sometime, it is a very effective remedy in my country.’

‘I thought I heard Subbaiah's voice.’

‘He is in Hyderabad sir. How can it be possible?’

‘Anyway, Vijaylaxmi, told me to remind you of breakfast at my house tomorrow, she is very worried about your food. Did you have dinner?’

‘Yes, I made some noodle soup.’

‘Poor boy, why don't you shift to my house till Subbaiah returns? You may be lonely and hungry all by yourself.’

‘No sir, it is OK, I am able to do a lot of reading. It is good for me.’

‘Suit yourself, if you have any problems just come next door. Don't forget breakfast at 8.30 tomorrow morning. Vijaylaxmi is making upama.’

‘Thank you sir, I will be there.’

He waited until he saw Ganapathy enter his own compound, before latching the front door once again.

‘What did he want?’ Subbaiah asked, coming out of his bedroom.

‘He invited me for breakfast tomorrow.’

‘I suspect, it is not the only thing that was on his mind, he was definitely snooping around. We have to be very careful, as he will definitely inform the police.’

‘That reminds sir, he had a phone call from an inspector in the afternoon while he was chatting with me here.’

‘Inspector Bala?’

‘Yes, the inspector who helped you find me after the stampede. Is he Professor Ganapathy's childhood friend?’

‘Is that what he told you? Of course not, he has been very secretive about this association even before,’ he replied. ‘Why don't you go and sleep? I will make rice for us, and we have more work to do. We will leave at dawn, remember to keep the backdoor unlocked.’

#

When Moon woke up the next morning, all the three had disappeared. First things first, he had to make some coffee. He had observed Subbaiah making filter coffee, and memorized the Indian technique. He limped towards the backdoor which was unlatched. A few minutes later, cup of coffee in hand he opened the front door, allowing the fresh morning air to rush indoors and drive the stale smell away. No newspaper today either.

He went back indoors, with the door still open and switched on the radio, just in time for the morning news.

American President Lyndon Johnson has kicked off a broad-based review of the country's involvement in the Vietnam conflict...

With 75,000 American troops already stationed in South Vietnam, the President is weighing the options of either increasing combat strength or pulling out completely...

There are reports that USSR and Communist China have sent troops to help defend the northern reaches of North Vietnam...

In another interesting development, there is more trouble in the Asian region.

In the southern cities across India, the agitation against imposition of Hindi has intensified...

Following the lead of the police force, a section of the Indian Army appears to be sympathetic to their cause...

At midnight yesterday, a 200-strong crowd went on a rampage completely destroying a residential colony of North Indians in Sowcarpet. According to our correspondent, army soldiers present at the site refused to intervene and let the attacking crowd go. At least 12 North Indians have been burnt alive...

The top leadership of Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, Swatantara Party and the Communist Party of India, the main organizational force behind this agitation has gone underground...Additional army troops have been sanctioned, and will be reaching the affected cities by tomorrow afternoon...

The agitation was getting messier.

A sudden roaring noise alerted Moon, it sounded like a vehicle. He went out to the verandah, cup of coffee in hand. He was right, it was a police jeep.

The vehicle went right up to Ganapathy's house and the same inspector who had woken him the previous day stepped down, walked up to the house, glanced sideways at Moon and knocked on the door in front.

Ganapathy emerged smiling, they shook hands and went inside, carefully closing the door behind them as two constables came out of the jeep and stood watch.

Moon wanted to wait, but the coffee starting working on him and he had to rush back inside, clutching tightly at his lungi.

By the time he came out ten minutes later, relief showing on his face, the jeep had disappeared.

He decided to dig deeper during breakfast, but unfortunately, could not elicit any more details. Ganapathy avoided the subject and instead discussed the Vietnam War and its fall out in the Southeast Asian region.

‘So Moon, what is your reading of the situation? Do you think America will send more forces and defeat the North?’ Ganapathy asked, munching on a mouthful of upama.

‘I have not been following the Vietnam War sir, I am more worried about the situation here,’ Moon replied.

‘Young man, keep an open mind, you have to be aware of world developments. Listen to the radio and suck up information, it will help you sooner than later.’

‘I will try, but right now I just want the agitation here to end, so that I can go back to my own country.’

‘By the way, I just got a phone call from Subbaiah. You were right; he is in Hyderabad to organize the demonstrations there. He was inquiring about you.’

Chapter 13: THE MORNING AFTER

The alarm woke Naga up with a start. He had a splitting hangover. Under normal circumstances he would have hit the snooze button a couple of times before finally rolling out of bed. Not today. Maya was lying next to him, naked under the sheets. He felt her back with his morning stiffness and glanced over her shoulder, she was still fast asleep, a small smile wrinkling her lips.

She looks even more beautiful and fresh in the morning.

Naga turned to his side, and stared at the table clock, as it ticked away. He was no longer a virgin, and she had been very patient with his clumsy lovemaking the night before. However, he somehow did not feel right.

She may think I took advantage of her vulnerability.I better apologize.

He struggled out of bed, grabbed a pair of shorts from the closet, and hurried out of the bedroom.

The living room was a mess, and the dinner lay unpacked on the kitchen counter. Clothes were strewn all over the floor; two empty scotch bottles and half-full glasses lay on the coffee table.

He rearranged the living room, cleaned up the mess and picked up the newspapers and milk from the front door.

A hot cup of instant coffee should make me feel better.

Naga picked up The Hindu and scanned the front page. He could not focus, threw the newspaper on the floor, and opened the window for some fresh air. Feeling better, he kept staring at the distance, thinking of ways to apologize.

‘Good Morning’ Maya called out from behind him. She was dressed in different attire, a T-shirt and shorts.

‘Good morning,’ he said, without looking her in the eye.

‘What's the matter? Not feeling well?’

‘I have a terrible hangover; we had a little too much to drink last night. I am sorry for taking advantage of the situation, I could not control myself,’ he said, still staring out the window.

‘Thanks for last night,’ she replied, ‘there is absolutely no need to apologize, I needed your comfort.’

Relieved, Naga turned around, and saw a tear roll down her cheek. He rushed to her and held her in his hands, kissing her eyelids. ‘We have to call your son, remember?’

‘Yes, I do. Let me just freshen up.’

‘Take your time, I will take leave today, just cannot go to office with this headache.’

‘I have the perfect remedy for your hangover, haejangguk.’

‘What is haejangguk?

‘It is a pork-based hangover soup that Coreans have in the morning after a night of heavy drinking.The soup will warm your stomach, and you can feel the nutrients seeping their way back into your body.’

‘Can you make some for me? I can buy some pork from the meat shop downstairs.’

‘I too could do with some, but we need Corean spices for that and the preparation will take time.’

‘I have an idea. Why don't we go to Corea Town? I am sure the restaurants will serve haejangguk. I tasted different Corean meat and soup last night.’

‘Naga! Don't be naughty,’ she said give him a gentle punch. ‘That is a good idea, I can also buy kimchi and some spices.’

‘That's settled then, we make your phone call, and then go to Corea Town for brunch and shopping. On the way back I will drop you off at the University for your meeting with the old man.’

#

‘It is amazing, my hangover's gone,’ Naga said, as he pulled out of the parking lot of Yeongyang Center in Corea Town.

‘I told you so. Haejangguk has some amazing powers. Thanks for getting me here, I was finally able to taste kimchi.’

‘Maya, I have a confession