Shala (20 page)

Shirodkar stood with a smile playing on her lips. Had it been Shirodkar instead of Mirikar, I would have sacrificed everything!

Chitre realized I was whiling away my time and said,

‘Joshi, come on. Let us finish the game. We have a match with Eight-B at three p.m. Do you want to come or shall I take Shembe along?’

‘You go ahead and take the toss,’ I said. ‘If you win, opt for batting. I will join you soon. If you lose, take Shembe for fielding.’

But the girls caught on and told Mirikar, ‘Enough of this game now! He has allowed you to survive many times now.’

‘Wait, wait,’ Mirikar said, ‘My game is improving. Isn’t that so?’

I just smiled and looked up to see Shirodkar too smiling quietly. I played along for a while but then realized everyone was getting bored. Then I decided to checkmate her. Mirikar took the defeat sportingly.

‘Congratulations,’ she said, jutting her hand out for a handshake.

The birdies too chorused, ‘Congratulations!’ Shirodkar did not say anything. But that hardly mattered. She had conveyed what she had to.

I moved out, floating on air. As expected, we won the cricket match. The other team was good, but we were at our best. All the girls had come out and were standing in a shaded area cheering us. I was moved to a slip position during Surve’s spin bowling and managed a catch that had eluded Chitre. I also managed to score six runs—a record for me.

I played the rest of the chess games with zeal. I
had
to win. Bibikar was against me in the semis. There were no girls to watch the game.

‘I read Bobby Fischer’s book recently,’ Bibikar said, trying to impress me. ‘I am going to use some of those techniques.’

I was silent. I knew that Bibikar was not Mirikar. He had brains. I played with white. I started with Baba’s favourite opening moves, allowing the game to progress at a slow pace. Bibikar was impatient and made the mistake of exposing his knight early in the game. I was ruthless and decided to rout him. I had many chances to challenge for a checkmate, but I deliberately allowed him to escape in order to trap him at some other place. I wanted to destroy his entire board and let the king run for his life. I won with a loss of just two pawns, a bishop and a knight. Bibikar somehow managed not to cry.

I played against Mehendale from tenth standard in the finals. He was a bright lad and was expected to get a board rank. But I was in form, on my way to becoming the chess champion! I could clearly see the crown. I could have defeated Fischer and Spasky had they played against me that day! Mehendale made the mistake of attempting the Nimzovich defence. I routed him in less than twenty minutes.

Our classes continued while the sports meet was on. But I bunked most of the times much to chagrin of Ambabai. ‘All this is fine only this year, okay?’ was her constant refrain. They would not allow me to be anywhere near the sports meet next year. I told myself I would cross the bridge when I came to it.

I went to the class the next day because I knew they would announce the names of the winners of individual sporting events on the huge board at the entrance. Anyone entering school could see my name written in large letters. I also went to the tuition classes that evening, but Shirodkar was absent.

She came in the next day and I thought she smiled shyly on seeing me. I caught her watching me again after some time. Naru mama says girls speak with their eyes. I knew she was watching me. For the first time, the tuition classes seemed worth the effort.

Deshmane sir announced tuitions the next morning. He was taking some extra classes. It suited us as the next day was a Saturday and we were to be handed out our prizes that evening. There was no school that morning. I went back home chatting with Pingle, but then an idea struck me.

I reckoned Shirodkar may not be comfortable talking to me under the peepal tree in the late hours of the evening. It seemed inappropriate. But then she may not mind talking to me in the morning. I could bunk the tuition class and wait for her. But then she might guess I would be waiting for her and take a different route back home. I had to think of some other plan.

I went over to Deshmane sir and requested to be allowed to leave a little early. ‘Sir, we have a puja at home. Can I leave a little early?’ He agreed saying, ‘You may leave fifteen minutes early, but be careful not to disturb others.’ I ensured Shirodkar saw me entering the class and then left quietly without anyone noticing me. I walked slowly towards the peepal tree.

I had never been there in the daytime and noticed the tree was quite green. There was a lot of greenery around. The sun was bright and I realized I should have carried a cap, but the tree’s shade was adequate. The lane was quiet and I did not see anyone passing by. Winter was setting in and the air was cool.

I waited there in anticipation. There was a chikoo tree on the opposite side and I saw a lovely bird flitting by. I could not see it clearly, but I was sure it was the Bharadwaj bird. It was a lucky sign.

I did not need the lucky sign though. I was feeling very good despite the mild shivering. But soon an unknown fear gripped me. It was a strange, heady feeling, a mixture of fear and excitement. I was sure Shirodkar would come by this route. I glanced at my watch. The class must have got over and she would be seeing her friend off near the temple.

It was fifteen minutes to eleven when I saw her. She was wearing a buff-coloured skirt with a light yellow blouse. I had seen her in the class, but she looked completely different in the bright sun. I stood there, enthralled by her beauty, not realizing I should be walking towards her. Seeing me there, she asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ She did not seem surprised; her eyes, when they met mine, had a glint.

Not a word escaped my lips.

‘You were there attending the class, isn’t it? How did you reach here so fast?’

‘I left a little early,’ I said, finally finding my voice. My heart was beating hard.

‘Why?’

‘I wanted to speak to you,’ I said.

What for?’

I did not know how to answer that. What can you say to a question like that? I was scared she may start walking away. She stood there and glanced once in both directions.

‘You won the chess championship, isn’t it?’ she said.

‘Yes.’

‘Mirikar does not know how to play at all, isn’t it?’

‘She’s okay; not that bad.’

‘We had asked her to practise daily; but she wouldn’t listen. You must be practising daily, I suppose?’

‘Yes… No… I mean, sometimes.’ I wanted to tell her I won because she was there, but the words eluded me. I was unable to believe my eyes that she was still there.

She fumbled for words. She looked again at both the sides of the lane. I knew if I did not continue the conversation, she would walk away. My mind was whirling fast.

‘Who all are there at home?’ I asked.

She raised her eyebrows quizzically and said, ‘Aai, Pappa, two sisters and a brother. What about you?’

‘I have an elder sister. She’s in college.’

I knew, but asked nevertheless, ‘How old is your brother?’

‘He is in class four,’ she replied. ‘My elder sister goes to college. Little One is in class seven.’

Little One! That was a new term. We never use that word to address a younger sibling. But I liked it.

‘What does your dad do?’ I asked.

‘He works in a bank,’ she said and then started laughing. ‘Why are you asking all these questions?’

What could I say? Time was ticking by. I should have asked Naru mama how to take the conversation further. My chest continued to pound away.

‘The tuition teacher teaches well, isn’t it?’ I said.

‘Yes. But we don’t like him much. We feel sleepy in the class. I prefer Zende sir.’

‘Then why did you join this class?’ I asked.

‘It is close by,’ she said. ‘But it is so boring to attend classes in the evening. What made you join this class?’

I was tempted to say I joined because of her, but I was worried it may upset her.

‘Just like that,’ I said. But I knew that she knew. She smiled a sweet knowing smile.

‘What is the name of that girl? The one who walks with you back home?’

‘Oh, that one? She’s Juvekar. She’s at Subhash. What about her?’

‘No, I just wanted to know her name,’ I said. ‘Most of the students here are from Subhash, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. Deshmane sir is from the same school, you know.’

‘If any sir from our school starts a class no one will attend.’

‘True! No one knows how to teach well. Look at that Redkar sir and Bendre ma’am!’

‘Zende and Manjrekar sir are nice.’

‘Right,’ she said.

I did not know that the girls had the same opinion as the boys. The conversation was progressing well. I was feeling better and my chest had calmed down a little.

‘Why did you not participate in any competition?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know any games. I can play games like carrom. We have a board at home. Do you play carrom?’

‘Yes,’ I said confidently. I had played a few times with Ponkshe kaka. ‘People play carrom every evening in our building.’

‘How nice! We are forced to play at home.’

‘Our building is a lot of fun in the evenings,’ I said, warming up. ‘All the people assemble in the courtyard after dinner to play or watch chess games, carrom, and exchange some gossip!’

‘Aiyaa! How nice!’ she repeated. ‘It must be fun. We don’t have any neighbours.’

‘Who stays on the first floor then?’

‘Our landlord,’ she said. ‘He is a grumpy, old fellow, can’t tolerate even a little noise from our house. Immediately comes down to complain.’

I was enjoying the talk. No one had passed by—it was as if they had wanted us to be alone and had made a collective resolution not to come this way. Not that I would have bothered if they did. She had stayed back and spoken to me. That was enough. I was floating in the air, and all I could see was the blue sky with pure white clouds.

But this could not go on for eternity. She must have seen someone enter the lane when she said, ‘May I go?’

I wanted to ask her to stay back, but then I realized this was enough for one day.

‘When will you meet again?’ I asked, steeling myself.

‘Na re baba. I cannot manage all this.’ She started moving away. ‘And don’t wait for me over here. There are a lot of people who know me in this area.’

‘But will you meet me again?’

‘Let me see,’ she said, but I could see her eyes had a flicker of a smile.

I could have spent my entire life standing there, but I saw two plump ladies coming my way. One of them looked like the one staying in the Devgiri bungalow and I quickly walked away with rapid steps. Once out of the lane, I spread my wings and gently floated all the way back home.

T
hat evening we had the prize distribution ceremony. It was the happiest day of my life. We had an ex-student as our chief guest. He regaled us with stories of his school days, which were not very different from ours. We doubled up with laughter hearing them. He said those who shine on the school playground would shine in the playground of life too. We loved that statement. Phawdya said we should use that as our school’s motto. We got our medals—Phawdya received one for the best bowler and Surya for this two hundred metre sprint. Chitre got the second prize in the science exhibition and I got an award for the chess championship. The girls received a shield for the kabaddi match.

Holding the silver cups in our hands, we congratulated each other. Chitre had a certificate of appreciation too. We congratulated the girls. Surya and Phawdya did not want to let go of their cups. My cup was larger than theirs. Chess has a special place of honour in our school. The cup exchanged many hands as it went around the crowd. The lid fell off a few times, but I did not mind. I had received my prize in the morning itself! It was bigger than all the cups and shields, and much more beautiful. I was not going to show it to anyone, and no one could take it away from me.

I felt there was no need to meet Shirodkar again. I was happy and contented. I would meet her whenever the situation arose naturally. There was no need to try hard for it. I started attending the tuition classes again. She would look straight ahead, as always, but I knew she would be watching me now and then. I kept a straight face and did not try to catch her. We had some sort of a secret pact now and both of us had to adhere to it without fail.

But I got restless after five or six days. I was desperate to meet her. Her memories were as strong as before—from the moment I woke up till I dozed off in the night. But they were not sufficient, afterall. I had to meet and speak to her.

I could have bunked the tuition class but was not sure whether Shirodkar would take the same route back home. Also, she may not stop and talk at that place in the dark. It was not a convenient spot for us to meet. I would not have agreed to meet someone in the lane next to our building. In fact, I would have found it difficult to stand there for more than five minutes. I would have been mortally scared of coming across someone known to me.

I needed to find another place for us to meet, where we could sit and chat undisturbed. There are a few places in our town where girls and boys stand and talk—the lane near Shrinath Laundry, the lane near Korde ma’am’s crèche or the road leading to the Municipal Hospital. These places are quiet with lots of trees and the houses are spread apart. The boys who meet girls there are older to us, but sometimes there are school boys too. The boys come on bicycles and the girls walk alongside. The boys then sit on the front rod holding the handle with their hands. They don’t look around; they are busy staring at the girls’ face, but the girls are conscious and keep glancing this way and that, lest they see a known person. Or sometimes, they fiddle with a pebble lying on the ground with their toes. Most of the times the couples are giggling to themselves, but once in a while one can see the girl sulking while the boy tries to humour her.

Last year, Surya had taken it upon himself to tease these couples. We would pace the lanes a few times. Some of the timid ones would push off, but the shameless ones like Sukdi-Mahesh would not bother. We would tire and leave, without any success. But since Surya began lusting after Kevda, he had not found time for anything else.