Limit of Tolerations- a Short Story
Limits of toleration
Dalip Singh Wasan, Advocate.
Professor Cheema was the only person who could attract me and therefore, I started coming near to him. I had learnt that he is a married person having five children and in spite of all this I wanted to be near to Cheema so that I could spend off hours in the college with him. Though I could not marry, I was still having a desire in my mind to have a man very close to me so that I too could have some sort of married life. And within a few days I could attract Mr. Cheema and he was often seen with me in the library, in the canteen and we had been sitting together in the staff room too. We had been having our lunch together and thus within days, everyone in the college was having information about our relations.
Mr. Cheema was never desiring that I should visit his house, because he knew that his illiterate wife would not tolerate that her husband could have a lady friend and that too who is still un-married. But somehow I could meet his wife in a marriage of one of our colleagues. Though Mr. Cheema could ignored me during the gathering, one of our friend introduced me to the wife of Mr. Cheema and in spite of all reservations, he disclosed to her that Mr. Cheema had been a close friend of mine. She laughed away all this, but on the next day Mr. Cheema explained to me what had been there in their house and happened because his wife could not tolerate that her husband is having friendship with a beautiful lady. He told me that he had been explaining that he is clean and has not developed relations which could go beyond marriage bonds, but she was not tolerating all this and she had warned that, “ If I hear that you had been with that woman in the canteen, in library or at any other place, I would leave this house and shall also leave all the five children with you. If you so desire, then bring that lady to your house and then she shall have to bring up all these small children which all are your product and I have got no relation with these people.”
I took all these things easily because I knew the psychology of women in India. They may suffer in poverty and may face other difficulties, they shall not be sad, but when they hear that their life partner has developed relations with an other woman, then they would not tolerate and in such circumstances, they can commit suicide or may kill the woman who is taking away her husband or even they can kill her own husband.
One day Mr. Cheema did not reach his house and late at about 11.00PM wife of Mr. Cheema reached my house. I was very much present in my house, but she could not find Mr. Cheema at my house. She searched the whole house and while coming out she enquired, “ Would you please tell me where you had left Mr. Cheema?” I replied without any hesitation, “ He was in the college today. He had taken his tea with me. Then we had left the college together and then from Hanooman chowk, he parted and started walking towards the house. I do not what had happened with him. If you so desire, I can accompany you and we both shall trace him out. I know who are who are his friends and I also know with whom he could be at this stage. He had been called from another college to deliver a lecture on Heer of Waris Shah and he had been having some discussions with Mr. Khuraana today because this Khuraana has written a book on Waris Shah.” She started crying, “ Now this man of mine shall be delivering a lecture on Heer Waris Shah a love story and while delivering lecture on the subject, he shall be having you in your mind. I had not read Heer Waris Shah, but I had been hearing some portions of this Heer when I was unmarried. This is a love story and I had been told then that Heer was the most beautiful woman of the time. I could say today that you are also Heer which has taken birth in mind of my husband. I have seen you only once and from that date I have been of the considered opinion that a lady of your beauty could attract any man, though he may be having a wife and his own children. Men would not be on the right path till women of your standards are available by their side.” She was still speaking when I went in side to listen to the phone, but when I came back she had left the house.
I had phoned some of our colleagues for tracing Mr. Cheema and ultimately I could trace him and directed him to reach his house. I objected that he should have given information to his wife if was not reaching home on the fixed time. I informed him that every wife wants her husband back at the house in time.
At about twelve in the night Mr. Cheema was knocking at my door. I was informed that Mrs. Cheema had left the house and is no more available in the neighbourhood. I prepared myself and we both started towards the railway station. This town had a small railway station and there was no train available within the next four hours. In spite of this information, I started tracing Mrs. Cheema on the long platform. I started locating her on one side and I deputed Mr. cheema on the other side. There was not light arrangement at the railway station and therefore, it had become more difficult to trace her. In spite of all these hurdles, I could find something lying on a bench. It was the month of late November and therefore, something was there in a warm cloth. On touching this article, I could find that it was a human being. I called, “ Bhabiji Bhabiji Bhabiji” She started sitting and I could find that she was Mrs. Cheema. I raised a high voice and Mr. Cheema responded. I informed him that Mrs Cheema was there. He started running towards this side.
She had a look on me and said, “ You tried to destroy my house and now you have come to trace me. You had been making friendship with my husband and now you are calling me as Bhaabiji which means my husband is your brother. You have called him as your brother. Please do make it sure that from today you would take my husband as your brother. If you have something different in your mind, then I shall not go to my house back. I shall go to my parents who too would not be accepting me. Therefore, there are chances that I may commit suicide when the next train passes this railway station.” Before Mr. cheema could reach us, I replied, “ Bhabiji, your husband is like my brother. I had not developed any bad relations with him.” And she started walking with me and near the gate we met Mr. Cheema who took up hands of his wife and then took her in his arms having so many kisses on her face, on her neck and on her hands. He was speaking, “ You had been with me for so may years and we have got five children. All these products show that we had been good friends. How could you calculate that I could develop relations with another woman and shall be giving the same place which I had given to you.” And I noticed that they both had a rickshaw and went away and I had been walking towards my house all alone and for the first time I could collect that men who are already married cannot be won completely. A portion of their heart remains with the family and a portion of their heart could be shared with other ladies. And I wanted a full person and from that fateful night this Mr. Cheema was no person in my life.
- Dalip Singh Wasan
