Dead man talking

First thing first; my sincere apologies to all my friends for keeping them waiting so long for my new blog. The only reason being that I finally got a job and since then life's been busy, hectic and good too. But even when I am travelling to my workplace, I only think about what next for my readers. And finally, I am ready with few articles which will hopefully keep you engrossed.

To begin with, the idea of 'Dead man talking' came to me when I was just pondering over a particular article published in a magazine at my workplace. However, that particular was article was real and mine is totally fictional with a pure intention of making you readers feel good at the end after reading it.

Anyways, I will let my work do the talking now. Hope you guys like it.

Dead man talking....

I died this morning in my sleep due to massive heart attack. It was about 4.30 am, but my wife noticed it after two hours. My neighbor, Dr. Satish declared me dead and said that he would have tried to save me, had he been called in time.

It is a Monday. By 10.30 am, people known to me got the news and started coming to pay their last homage. I am placed in the hall in a conspicuous location, with enough space for people to move around and have a closer look at me. I my self (you may like to read as ‘my soul’ which is still around) am standing in a corner of the room, looking at the events unfolding after my death. May be I will leave to heavenly abode, after the last rites.

I noticed my wife Aruna, still in her night suit, crying inconsolably, besides my body. Sitting next to her is Nitya, wife of my neighbor Satish, trying to calm Aruna. Satish and his wife were around since morning and made most of the arrangements. On a routine day, by this time, I and Satish would meet at the lobby on our way to work, after saying goodbyes to our wives, usually taking about sundry issues like the coming elections or unkempt corridors of our apartments.

I noticed Satish getting a little impatient. Poor guy, he is really in an awkward situation. He discreetly indicated his wife to come outside. When Nitya came out, he said in a low voice that he is getting late to his clinic. Nitya told him to go and get ready, and she would come in while, hoping some other women would come to stay with Aruna.

I could see my other neighbors coming in. I could make out that they were on their way to office, as they are dressed in formal office wear. As expected, they lingered on for a short while, made their presence felt, and left.

After a while, my office colleagues came in as a group. May be they have come by the office bus, which is generally used for such exigencies. My assistant Govind, my secretary Richa and my Driver Nandu, all stood mournfully by my body for a while, and came to the corner where I was standing, to let others pass by.

Govind said to Richa and Nandu, “What a nice man he was. Very untimely death. I was shocked to hear this. Can’t still believe.”

Nandu and Richa nodded sadly in agreement.

I felt glad to hear these kind words from Govind.

Wait, is this all? No.. Govind is saying something more. His lips are not moving, but I can hear what is being said by his mind. Govind is saying, “God has his own ways of dealing with people like this man. He tortured me for the past two years. He made me do his personal work, as if I am employed in this office to attend his private jobs. He made me run to his bank, which is half a kilometer away to deposit his cheques and check his balances. Made me chase the RTO office guys for his driving license. Had never let me use the office car even for his personal work, while this driver Nandu is smoking and gossiping throughout the day in the parking lot. What a sadist he was. Inspite of making me work like a donkey, he never gave good appraisal report about me. I would have got promoted last year, but for the poor rating given by this bugger in my confidential report. Good riddance. May be, Mr. Mathur will be my new boss. At least, he will not ask me to walk half-a mile to check his bank balance. As such he will be glued to Richa and will not have time to give me work. By the way, did I wish Mr. Mathur this morning? ..”

I got shock of my life. (Oops.. Can’t say so, since I am no more alive.)

I turned to Richa. Richa is keenly looking at Mathur, my colleague and friend. Her eyes are welled up with tears and she is looking very sad. Mathur, my best buddy, who was standing by my body, is trying to make his way towards Richa.

Richa, my secretary for past three years, must have understood me better than Govind. Let me listen.

Well. Richa’s mind is saying, “ Hope Mathur comes here. I can cry on his shoulder. This man died at the right time. He was not allowing me to spend time with Mathur. Whenever Mathur came, he would give me some typing job and send me away to the computer isle. Stupid man. He never understood, Mathur came only to see me and not to gossip with this crappy old-fashioned man. Hope I will now be posted as secretary to Mathur. Once I become his secretary, it should not take more than six months for Mathur to propose to me. May be by next year, I will be Mrs. Mathur. Ha, I can imagine myself cozying up with Mathur in his Mercedes Benz.”

I could see Mathur moving closer to Richa. He took her hands into his and said, “Richa, you seem to be disturbed. I think it will be better if you come with me. I can’t let you be here for long.” Richa gave a long mournful look at my body, while her tender fingers with long nails polished in pink were still getting soothed in Mathur’s hands.

Richa was wrong. Given the rapidity of progress, I expect she would be Mrs Mathur in a month’s time.

My driver Nandu was chatting outside with the bus driver. I heard him saying,“Sahib was such a great man. Always took good care of us whenever in need.”

I peeked into Nandu’s thoughts. Nandu’s mind was saying, “God’s ways are really unpredictable. What a miser he was. He died leaving so much wealth behind. He never helped any body. Last week when I asked for twenty thousand rupees for my daughter’s wedding, he said he himself is in need of finances to repay some loan. Who on earth would believe this? As if I don’t know how much he earns and spends. But at least his wife will have a good time with all the money.”

Oh my wife!. I rushed back in to the house.

My wife Aruna, my lovely, devoted wife, still in shock, is in semi-conscious state. She is looking so tired and helpless. I wish I had not objected her wish to pursue MBA after our marriage. What will she do now? Oh God, why did you let me die so soon??

Suddenly a loud voice crashed in my ears, “Sudhir, wake up, are you not going to office today?”

Who’s asking me this weird question? Don’t they know dead people need not go to office?.. Well it is Aruna. She is trying to wake me up.

Wake me up from death?

No wake me up from my dream.

I opened my eyes, clock is showing 7.30 and Aruna, still in her night suit, is holding chapatti dough in one hand and jostling me out of sleep with another.

I jumped out of bed and rushed into bathroom.

As usual, I met Dr.Satish in the lobby. He was calling up taxi as his car refused to start. I offered to drop him at his clinic, which is not exactly on my way to office. But I didn’t regret driving that extra mile for him.

On my way to office, I tried to reconcile my dream. I realized, this might be what is called as paying for our deeds. Good or bad.

I called Govind into may chamber and told him that I have revised his Confidential Report ratings and recommended him for promotion this year. He was glad. He thanked me vehemently.

While going out of my chamber, I told Govind, “ Govind, why don’t you use office car when you have to go out? As such Nandu is doing nothing throughout the day. He is always seen smoking and gossiping in the parking lot.”

Govind looked at me in surprise.

I couldn’t stop my self from saying, “Govind, don’t bother about my driving license any more. I will take care of it this weekend”.

Govind walked out of the room in trance.

Not to mention, I called Nandu and gave him a cheque of twenty thousand rupees, and conveyed my best wishes for his daughter.

I called Richa to my room when Mathur came by, and requested him to take Richa for lunch today, on my behalf. I told him, today is very special day and calls for grand celebration, as Richa has completed three years as my secretary, and she deserves a grand treat for bearing with me all these years. I added, I can’t join them because of a meeting this afternoon.

I called up Aruna during the day, and told her to take out her graduation certificate and other records, so that in the evening we can fill the MBA admission form together.

If I die tomorrow, I know I will be at peace.