SHE - Episode 15

SHE

A Serial By Varalotti Rengasamy

Episode 15

When Shalini was accused of killing her fiancee and her live-in partner Raj Metha, the only support she had in the world was Dr.Shylender. He was with her all through the period of the gruelling trial.
Shylender’s service was selfless.

Shalini was eventually freed after two years of fighting. Shalini thought Shylender might propose to her. She liked the mild-mannered Doctor who was slaving for her release. She was ready to accept, if he proposed.

To give him the proper opportunity and the right ambience, Shalini hosted a classy dinner just for the two of them at Park Sheraton. She was sure that Shylender was going to propose to her at that time.

But unfortunately she was going through such a period in life when whatever she thought would happen for sure did not happen. And what ever she never imagined could happen, did happen.

Shalini was mindlessly munching the vegetable springroll when Shylender spoke almost in a whisper.

“I am going to Africa next week. I may not come back.”

She let the half-finished springroll drop on the floor.

“But Shyl, what happened? Any problem? Tell me if I can help you in any way. Shyl, even if I give you what all I have, it will still not be enough for what you have done to me.”

“Shal, honestly, it is I who should thank you. My meeting you was the greatest turning point in my life. You were sent to me by God.”

“I don’t understand a word of what you say.”

“I was utterly selfish in helping you. That was my only salvation. But to understand that I may have to narrate the entire story.”

To an astonished Shalini, Shylender started to narrate his life-story.

Shyl was born the only son of a famous Doctor-couple in Coimbatore. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he was also blessed with extraordinary intelligence. He learnt determination and hardwork from his parents.

They were turning in fourteen hours of hard, sincere medical work. They were decently rich, but fortunately, not bitten by the snake of avarice.

As a boy Shylender excelled in whatever he did. When the results of his Plus Two exams came in he was not only in the top ten ranks in the state, but was also an accomplished squash player, a state-ranked chess player and was a good singer as well. He had the unique distinction of being the only son of a Doctor couple who got the medical seat purely on merit.

He finished his basic degree in Medicine winning half a dozen gold medals. It was during his internship did he discover his passion for helping people, for working with people and taking part in their worries.

Unlike others who had to feign interest in the rustic, unsophisticated villagers who thronged the Government Hospitals, Shylender was in his element in their midst. With soft words, selfless service and a genuine caring, he soon became the hero of any ward to which he was posted for the time being.

While his colleagues opted for specialisation in cardiac surgery, nephrology, plastic surgery and others that offered a chance to mint money faster than the Government Press, Shyl opted for specialisation in general medicine.

He did not want to cut open people’s hearts ; he rather wanted to stitch the broken ones with his kind words. He opted to become a “family doctor” – an almost extinct specie in these days of corporatisation of medicine. He braved the derogatory remarks from his colleagues, “Oh, GP..” to sincerely study medicine with a real motive of serving people – which these days is as great a miracle as a cure for AIDS.

After post-graduation his colleagues flew to England and US for higher studies and further specialisation. Shylender approached a very senior Doctor, one of the very few surviving members of the specie of “family doctors” and offered to assist him in his practice. He also got an appointment in the Government Hospital.

Now his days were full. He started to work from seven in the morning at the GH. He came home for lunch around 2, rested for an hour before going to the Senior Doctor’s clinic.

There he slaved till 10 in the night. He wanted to see as many patients as possible and cure as many illnesses as he could. One advantage of being a GP was that he was consulted mostly on curable, simple diseases.

When the Senior Doctor died he bequeathed his practice to Dr.Shylender. Shyl resigned his Government job and opened a clinic for the poor where he worked for almost free in the mornings. He would come to the Senior Doctor’s clinic in the evenings to consult the middle and higher income groups.

He had no time to fall in love. But when his parents suggested that he should marry a slender, beautiful commerce graduate from Chennai, he happily agreed. They honeymooned in Coorg and came back to start their life. Vijaya supported Shyl in his work.

Apart from cooking and household chores, she took care of keeping Shyl’s books of accounts, and liaising with his chartered acccountant for filing the tax returns. She also visited his clinics once in a while to suggest changes in interior decoration or patient-facilities.

Shalini was fully absorbed in Shylender’s narration. She was even mildly jealous of Vijaya.

‘For some people life comes on a plate neatly packed, without any complications. They need to just open the pack, plug and play.

‘But in my case…… Why should I become so restless in searching for my identity. At times I feel I would be happier working as a nurse or even an Ayah in Dr.Shylender’s clinic. Or happily swap places with Vijaya….’

Her sigh was audible.

“If life is so easy and simple, it signifies only one thing. Some where down the line there is a rude shock, a severe blow, a major twist. Life is not a plug and play gadget. It’s much more complex than that.”

How did he read my thoughts? Shalini was shocked. Shylender continued.

After a while Shylender got more and more absorbed in helping people and communities. He was not satisfied with what he was doing in a place like Coimbatore where reasonable medical facilities were available. He wanted to reach out to the far-flung rural communities.

He started conducting medical camps. Armed with sponsorships from voluntary service organisations he camped in places like Kothagiri, interior Ooty where there were a lot of tribal people who never had access to the modern medicine. Even the ubiquitous paracetamol was a miracle drug to them.

Swami Sadbrahma Shivacharya was there to inaugurate one of Shyl’s medical camps in Mettupalayam. The Swamiji had heard of Sylender’s service. Shyl had heard of Swamiji’s impeccable reputation and blemishless character. The chemistry clicked.

In one of the private meetings when they were discussing about some esoteric subject, Swamiji shivered all of a sudden and stopped talking. Shylender was shocked. After a while Swamiji placed his hands on Shylender’s head and spoke softly.

“Son, destiny is about to play its dirty game on you. Never lose heart. Whatever happens happens for good. For a while you need to be extraordinarily strong. Remember the famous saying,”Thousands are called, but only a few are chosen.” You are among the chosen few. But right now times are difficult.”


Shylender recruited bright Doctors for his city clinics and spent more than 15 days in a month in medical camps.

Nobody knew what caused it or how it all started. But when it happened Vijaya was swept over by it.

Shylender wanted to extend his clinic and add a few more facilities. As he was travelling a lot he entrusted the job of consulting the architect to Vijaya.

Suresh was a boy-wonder in the world of architects. At 28 he was the most sought after professional in the city. He was exceedingly handsome with a sharpnose, moderate height and wheatish complexion.

When Vijaya met him for the first time in his office, he was the most eligible bachelor in the town.

Shylendar’s clinic-extension was a small project for Suresh’s office and normally he would have let one of his juniors handle it. But the moment he saw her in his office lobby, he was awe-struck.

Not that Vijaya was a ‘beauty-pageant-grade-beauty’; but there was something in her that pulled Suresh’s heart strings. As if possessed he called his junior to tell him that he would handle whatever project that the lady in the yellow saree had brought with her.

When Suresh and Vijaya met, it was her turn to be awestruck. One thing led to another and soon they were caught in a passionate affair.

There was a remarkable change in Vijaya, so much so, that led Shylender to say, “Darling, surely something has happened to you. I could see a distinct happiness in your face these days.” Vijaya bit her lips and took herculean efforts to subdue the thunderous voice of her conscience.

Shylender was blissfully unaware of his wife’s infidelity which was happening almost under his nose.

The lovers were so absorbed in each other that they threw all caution to winds.

One Saturday afternoon Shylender was starting to go for a medical camp in a village near Ooty. The supplies had been loaded in his Toyota Innova. He had a light lunch and kissed his wife goodbye.

Vijaya was restlessly waiting for twenty minutes, the margin she always allowed for her husband. She was virtually counting the seconds. At the end of twentieth minute she placed a call to Suresh. Consumed by her passion, Vijaya did not notice Shylender’s mobile phone which he had forgotten to take.

They had planned their rendezvous the previous day itself. Suresh was in a nearby restaurant just waiting for Vijaya’s call. He appeared in Shylender’s portico in another ten minutes.

Shylender waded through the week-end traffic and hit the highway thirty minutes after he left home. Then he remembered about something to be done at his clinic. He wanted to call but his mobile phone was not there. He turned round the vehicle and drove back to his home unware of what was waiting for him there.

His house was in the Race course area of Coimbatore which though near the heart of the city was unusually calm. When Shylender manouvered the massive Innova into the calm street he never knew that the usual calmness in the street was actually the ‘unusual calm before the storm.’

He parked the vehicle outside his house and walked in. He let himself in with the house-key he had. He picked up his mobile and was about to go when he heard some noises from his bedroom. Maybe Vijaya was cleaning the room or arranging his wardrobe. He went around the portico to bedroom window. He wanted to just say hello to his wife and take leave of her again.

He had never thought that he would live to see such a scene in his own bedroom. His own, dear wife Vijaya in the arms of another man! In a compromising position. In flagrante delicto! Now he understood the unusual happiness in her face. Now he understood what was going on.

Blessed with a soft heart and a mind predisposed to serve others, Shylender had more of grief than of rage at that outrageous sight. He traced back his steps to the door, locked it and left the house silently.

As he was driving along the treacherous ghat section road to Ooty, his mind was formulating several plans. When Swamiji warned about some dirty game to be played by Destiny, he never imagined that it could be this dirty. A sob escaped from his mouth.

Why should this happen? Why should Vijaya stoop down to such a level? He would have been less hurt if Vijaya had openly told him that she was not happy with him and was going with another man. Shylender would have granted divorce and freed her.

But she was riding on two horses at the same time. At least if she had not had any physical relationship with Shylender during the subsistence of this affair, her crime would have been less heinous. They had sex only two days ago. Vijaya showed her usual passionate involvement. What did it mean?

Unlike many others Shylender had had a fairly easy life till then. He never had any wants in life. Born of rich parents, gifted with good brains he had been happy all along. That made the shock caused by this betrayal absolute.

When he reached the base station for the medical camp, sun was setting behind the majestic Western Ghats. His assistants had arrived earlier. He ordered them to unpack the medical supplies and went for a walking.

When he reached a deserted cliff, his decision to end his life was firm. He was about to leap to his death when a hand fell on his shoulder.

a kutty post to lift SHE 15 to the top for ease of viewing.
regards,

At last I have updated myself !I finished reading 'She' 14 and 15 in one go!It is moving very fast,should say flying! lots of turn in events. I feel sad for Shalini. let us see what is in store for her!

Dear varalotti,

She 15 was interesting and as before I venture to guess. To me it looks obvious that the hand that stops Shylendar from ending his life is that of Raj Mehta. That is why he helps Shalini to find the real killars to pay his gratitude to Raj Mehta. I am also venturing to guess why Shylendar is going to Africa. He has now specilaised in AIDS treatment and wants to help people there as AIDS is prevalant in Africa. I think Shalini will accept Shylendar and go to Africa with him after adopting the children of her first husband. That way she would have found her identity.

Regards,

TDU

so she meets a he at last
i hope shal drops her romance ,decides to accompany he to africa to do assist him.
she joins in as financial adviser for the project,
adopts a somalian or any other african child moved by the state of neglect there,
or opens a home for such children
what say u sridhar
luv
kripa

Hmmm nice
From SHE-14 it was pretty clear that Shyl may not have those kind of feelings for Shal so that he could propose to her. And I dont really think that Shal also felt this way for him. There are chances that she might have misjudged her own feelings and thought it to be LOVE or something because during the hardest phase of her life, it was only Shyl who came forward and helped her. But if she really loves him , wants to get settled with him, nothing like it
Shyl's story is a good diversion for the mind. As TDU says, my guess is also the same that Mr. Raj Mehta was the one who stopped him from "killing" himself !
But I dont really see any necessity of Shal adopting Rishi's kids rather I would hate to see such turn of events! What is past is past. I dont want anymore intervention from that disgusting Rishi and that filthy Captain FIL in Shal's life She can accompany Shyl to Africa. She can adopt children who are reallly in need either Indian or African !
GOOD LUCK SHAL
Cant wait to read the next episode.. how far is next thursday ... ???

Dear Sridhar,

SHE sure is turning into a novel with lots of twists and turns. Many characters who bring in their own shocking little stories to lend more color to the already colorful SHE !

I noticed one thing. You are trying to make it an 'Indian' story ! I feel that this is an intentional effort by you. You give names and hues to the characters and just as my mind tries to place them in one geographical area of India, they turn out to be false as the situations and aura speaks of another region of India :)) Am yet to see a very Punjabi sounding Shylender stemming from the very Tamil soil of Coimbatore!! I like it, I think this is being Indian.

So, at this point, I am at loss to see where Shalini's life is leading her to. I lack the insight of TDU! Although his suggestions bring a smile to my face!!

As you have not delved into the shocking themes such as surrogate motherhood etc etc, my suspicion is that Shalini might explore those venues to satisfy her need for motherhood. Well, now, anything is possible!

As already mentioned, the story is flying and the style is impeccable. Keep it up.

L, Kamla

hi sir....
i got your message.sorry for replying any comments yet.
i had not realised that the new episode was out yet until i saw your message.thanks for notifiying me sir.

now for the comments....

as usual sir,you've done it again by ending the story in a suspense.
i would definitely say that i had not expected such a twist!
and in this week's episode,looks like the spotlight is now on dr.shylender instead of shal. his notions are definitely admirable if not honourable. for a doctor to purely be motivated by humanitarian means is a unique quality that is depleting amongst our current generation. as you had said,

Remember the famous saying,”Thousands are called, but only a few are chosen.” You are among the chosen few.

though i was not expecting shal or dr.shylender to propose each other, i certainly didnt see this coming. an insight to his life diverts our attention from shal's ordeals in her search of her identity...

i too agree with TDU and Monsi that it is possble that raj mehta may have had a hand in changing dr.shylender's destiny.

take care sir.


cheers