"MADE FOR EACH OTHER"

- P.Krishnamoorthy

             It was a Monday morning with mildly overcast sky, when Sunil entered the multistoried edifice of Comtech Inc., Mumbai. As per weather forecast the nature’s shower began as a drizzle. The receptionist, a beautiful and cute Sandya, greeted him with a soft smile that followed the customary greeting - “Good Morning. May I help you” The warm welcome was an indicator  of Comtech’s public relations policy to visitors and Sunil was overwhelmed by it. He was sent here by Comtech’s Headquarters in USA tentatively for a year to oversee a special project. “I am Sunil from US Headquarters”. Even before he finished his identity, Sandya was quick to respond him. “Your credentials preceded and we are looking forward for your arrival here. Our CEO is awaiting you”. She informed the CEO over intercom of his arrival, and  ushered him to his cabin. Sunil was highly impressed with the office set-up and very happy to see the well-dressed, aspirational and vibrant faces of youth in both genders of the working staff  He was enthralled by the aesthetic interior decoration of the office, conforming to international standards. After customary greeting exchanges and mutual enquiries, both of them came to the hall and the CEO introduced Sunil to all staff as  Special Director in charge of Innovative IT project. Sunil was informed that Sheila, who  should be assisting him in the project, presently  on vacation, would be joining back the next day. He found his cabin quite big and comfortable. He spent the day in getting acquainted with various systems and official set-up in the new office.

             Sheila reported for duty on the following morning as scheduled, and all her colleagues extended a warm welcome to  her. As a protocol, she called on the CEO who, after enquiring about her vacation, briefed her that she will be working with the Special Director from Headquarters. He took her to Sunil’s cabin and formally introduced him. But Sunil was dazed at the very sight of Sheila and equally she too was shaken  with Sunil’s presence. The power of silence prevailed that was broken with the intervention of the CEO who explained the nature of work between them. Even in confounded condition both had an individual stroll down in the memory lane.

             It was five years before, Sheila was a Master’s student in UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). Sunil was her college mate. To start with they were good pals mainly due to their affiliation to common Indian culture. Sunil excelled in sports also and he represented the tennis team of UCLA. Smart and handsome with both academic and athletic achievements, Sheila was very much impressed with his behavioral and interactive skills. He was always proactive, offering  a helping hand to others in times of need without any expectation in return. She liked his acumen in all facets of life even at that young age. In his company Sheila was able to forget her isolation agony  as she was more attached to her mother back home in India.. This made her to seek his company more. Sunil also understood her well, and gradually he too liked her. She accompanied him for his tennis matches and encouraged him. Her personal presence made a difference to act as a motivating factor to win the matches, and thus their intimacy had  blossomed into  mutual   love between them.  In any bash event   they were recognized as  ‘Made for each other”. As Master’s program came to a close and both came out creditably in it, they were seeking jobs to sustain their stay in US. Fortunately both of them got placements in a leading firm and their identity of ‘Made for each other’ was well endorsed by their new colleagues also.

             From their individual status and good money earners, they were contemplating to enter into the ‘marriage’ phase. Togetherness in long hours with better understanding of each other was mainly responsible to their decision to become life partners. Accordingly on a decided day, they became lawful husband and wife in a church in the presence of friends and colleagues. The admirers also uniformly acclaimed the couple as ‘Made for each other’  Initial fun and frolic connected to sensitive romancing prolonged with the couple for over a year. On the first wedding anniversary party,  Sheila had to weather a storm when Sunil, in extreme drunken status,  totally embarrassed her and the invitees. He was also in the company of a lady, equally drunk and exhibiting coarse and uncultured behavior. In spite of her personal and poignant pleadings to him to refrain from the unruly conduct,  there was no response from him.  Sheila whimpered over his behavior  and had to exit from the party with full of  tears in her eyes. The one year  understanding of each other was on the rocks and shattered to pieces. She felt this incident had left an indelible difference between them. The next day Sunil’s desperate and unqualified apologies for his behavior did not change Sheila’s irreconcilable deep differences. He failed miserably to convince Sheila over the presence of the damsel. The strong better impression she had on him was being shattered by this incident and any amount of pondering over this,  had not yielded any positive and favorable response within her.  Slowly she was drifting to a stage of solitude where she could avoid Sunil. Because of Sheila’s neglect towards him, Sunil found solace in drinking and thus became a chronic alcoholic. With this scenario they were ‘separately living together’. Months have elapsed and one fine morning Sheila proposed to Sunil, mutual divorce between them to put an end to the innovative concept of ‘separately living together’. She knew that  divorce is not  joy-inducing solution as it breaks the  sentiments built-in between them for months. Yet splitting up was preferable to her, than  staying together under a camouflaged concept  to keep the social status. Divorce option became the final solution to their problem.  Though initially Sunil voiced his reluctance  for this, finally he too agreed, as, according to Sheila,  it would provide freedom to her from the so called ‘separately living together’.

             It is true in the past that people got married and stayed together for better or for worse as society frowned on divorce. Divorced people were likely to find themselves as social outcasts. With access to higher education and higher salaries, they are now less willing to put up with traditional roles and expectations. With the passing of time, individual freedom was outweighing family values and social options. The numerical count of these instances may vary based on the kind of culture they belong to. Though in western culture, divorce was the preferred option of the individuals, the couples that stayed together longer were well respected by the society. However, divorce proceedings were legal, and divorce was granted to them. At this crucial time, Sheila’s widowed mother was not in good health back in India, and she preferred to return home to be with her mother. With Sheila‘s departure, Sunil’s drinking intensified and he was hospitalized for a damaged liver. He gave up drinking only after attending a rehabilitation program that helped him to be free of alcohol dependency. 

              On coming out from this, he longed for a reunion with Sheila. He loved her passionately. His efforts to trace her whereabouts proved futile for which he sobbed alone many a time. He realized his mistake of his uncivilized behavior and his company with  a female stranger on the party day, was the ‘last straw’ that was responsible for their separation. He started living only on  his past memories that brought before him the best of times he had with Sheila. Hoping for a chance for a direct talk with her and with his present transformed personality,   he was  confident that Sheila would take him back in her life. When he was desperate  to be with Sheila again, he never thought  the Comtech assignment would providentially provide an opportunity to meet her again. She looked as beautiful as before and even with a five-year lapse, “age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety” He was enthralled to see her; and all the more, he was happy since she will be working with him.

             Since their separation, Sheila was meeting him for the first time  in Comtech’s place. In the ticking of ‘time’ five years have gone by and they were meeting unexpectedly.  In Sunil’s physical appearance, Sheila observed  a lot of transformation. He looked much smarter than before. She found his conversing differently and also more cultured and civilized. He was totally  in a new shape. After her mother’s demise, Sheila’s lonely life also made her yearn to have his company again. However Shila was still cynical about his habits and behavior. Though he looked totally transformed now;  she was unsure of  that conversion could stand the test of time!  Her negative thinking on his behavior did influence her decision in taking him back. Yet her hostile thought was outdone by  an unbelievable gravity pulling her towards him. She felt suddenly a revelation that she wanted to be with him again. But the question of accepting him as her life partner remained a bone of contention.

          As they came back from nostalgic memories  to present realities in Comtech, Sunil broke the silence by greeting her and enquiring into her welfares and recent vacation. Also he narrated his  past of his total alcoholic dependency after their split that led to his hospitalization for treatment of liver damage and later treated  in a rehabilitation center. Sheila uttered her subtle responses cautiously to his queries. In turn she made enquiry about his welfares, followed by the new assignment she would be working with him. With this initial dialogue, they felt at ease that set  the stage to proceed further.  The days that followed gave ample chances to exchange their feelings on  pre-divorce and post-divorce era, as well their future. His initial dinner invitation to her paved the way for her reciprocal one to him,  and Sunil was able to visit Sheila’s apartment. When he enquired for a rental apartment in the same building, her instant response to get one,  was a big surprise to him. By this both were inclined to have nearness between them. Accordingly  Sunil moved into the same building.. The vital agreement between them was not to divulge to outside world, their previous marital as well as divorce status. This proximity turned into a phase where both had wished for longer duration in each other’s company. Though Sunil was in a separate apartment, he was virtually had his physical presence in Sheila’s place. The new dimension in their relationship did Sunil long for Sheila’s approval to take him as her wedded partner again. Sheila had her own reservation on it, for, she was skeptical and  apprehensive about his future behavior as he could repeat his alcoholic  dependency any time. Even with  her negative thought,  she yearned to be with him after a long separation. To strike a deal between her inner desire and apprehensive outlook, she chose to maintain the present status than to get entangled in the old bonded relationship. But their togetherness made the onlookers to admire them as “Made for each other”.

             On a weekend evening when they were in a Shopping Mall, Sheila was attracted by a tender baby girl in a Baby Show. She was cute and chubby, captivating, full of vigor and vibrant. An adorable darling angel, compelling one to own a similar sweetheart. Her childish pranks were innocent and harmless. Her dimpled cheeks discreetly exhibited a smile that reflected her innocence and unpolluted mind, that got indelibly imprinted in Sheila’s mind. This imprint blossomed into a thought of having a baby on her own.. Her desire to have a baby was not new  as even, after the earlier marriage, she wanted to have a child. But Sunil was against it, as he wanted to delay her wish. Now her earlier unexecuted wish had a sudden rebirth and became an obsession in her. In the spectrum of human feelings, obsession has a dicey dimension of passionate possessiveness. Human tendency was  always  to pardon the past unwanted incidents and individuals, when it had to accomplish  an incomplete desire. Now it was purely Sheila’s selfish decision to enter into wedlock solely for a baby. Though her apprehension on Sunil’s future behavior was a hurdle, her reluctance for a second marriage was more compromised based on  her selfish motive to become a mother for a baby, for which she had to  necessarily be a wedded wife to Sunil.. It was simply her obsession that tipped the scale for reversing and conceding.

           When they returned home, she reminiscended  to Sunil of  their visit to the Baby Show and broached her wish of having a baby on her own. He was thrilled at her proposal and agreed instantly for this,  that guaranteed his wedding again with her. Sheila knew that  instances of remarrying an ex-spouse were a rarity. Nevertheless she desired to go ahead with her proposal on promised assurances from Sunil that he will not resume his earlier alcoholic habit. The wedding in a big church on a suitable day was arranged in the presence of their well-wishers, who  repeated   their  earlier endorsement of “Made for each other”.  On the proposed day, the guests were gathered in colorful dresses in Mount Mary Church awaiting the bridal couple. Shortly the convoy of decorated cars arrived at the entrance of the  church. The bridal couple alighted from one limousine and walked to the center hall of the church. The church was well decorated in colorful festoons and the bright lights from the ornamental Italian heavy crystal chandeliers, were illuminating the central hall and podium of the church.

            The bridal couple was invited to the podium before for various rituals. The priest gave lighted candles to the bridal couple,  symbolizing  joy, warmth and purity. Then the ceremony of exchange of rings thrice was followed — first on the bridegroom’s finger, then on the bride’s.  After triple exchange, the bridegroom kept  the silver ring and the bride had  the golden ring. Accidently the wedding ring held by Sunil was dropped to the ground.  Though it was an accidental fall, apprehensions prevailed with some, due to a superstition connected to it. With choir singing, a chalice of wine was offered to the bridal couple three times. At the end of the ceremony  the newly wed stood  at the gates for the priest’s  benediction.  Sunil and Sheila walked towards the center of podium to complete  some more ceremonies. Then they were declared as divinely wedded husband and wife, that was followed by the customary ritual of ‘kissing the bride’- a symbolic gesture to seal the sacred matrimonial vows.  As Sunil was leaning  to kiss Sheila, there heard a crashing loud noise. The big and heavy chandelier hung over the bridal couple, came down right on their heads with a thunderous sound. The crystals and several branched light bulbs from the chandelier were splattered to pieces on the podium, instantly killing the wedded couple. Guests started running helter-skelter  out of the hall. In the commotion that followed, some whispered  ”old beliefs say if a wedding ring is even accidentally dropped or the flame of a wedding candle dies, it is a sign of various misfortunes, difficult married life or an early death of a wife or a husband or both”. Also another  voice was echoing that even for death they were ‘Made for each other’.