Bhabhi will you return my purse please?

We lived in Dharwar-Karnataka for two years.It was a 600 square meter plot with one small independent house and one apartment with two floors.The independent house was occupied by a retired Railway officer Subramaniam and his family consisted of his wife and an unmarried son Babu, well employed.We occupied the ground floor of the apartment and the first floor was occupied by one Ashok.While we and the Railway officer’s family were inching our way to upper middle class,Ashok was fabulously rich.The family consisted of Ashok,an MBA employed with an MNC and with an affluent pedigree.His wife Meena was also from a rich family.Meena was well educated,good looking and a very sociable person.Her son was two years old and was a good company to my daughter in the same age group.This completed the society in the compound and there was close interaction with food being exchanged regularly on some pretext or other.
One day, some friends came home and our neighbours also joined the get together.Next morning I looked for the five hundred rupee note to give to my driver for filling in petrol.The money kept in the book shelf in the living room was missing.After searching for some time we came to the conclusion that the note must have fallen down while opening the book shelf and must have been swept away.By that afternoon we discovered that the silver kumkum box left on the dining table after the ladies left the previous day, was also missing.We had a stay in servant maid for the past two years and we were quite happy with her integrity.Sending her on a false pretence, we rummaged through her shoulder bag and felt ashamed when nothing was found in her bag.I told my office attender to playfully open the purse of my driver to see whether it contained a five hundred rupee note.The attender did my bidding and reported that nothing was found.We were perplexed and decided to be careful in future.

On Diwali eve, Ashok had organized a card playing session as people from business community indulged in gambling on this occasion.I was an invitee and joined the party much against my wife’s advice.After two hours of play,suddenly one of the players started shouting that 900 Rupees were missing from the bundle he had kept in front of him while playing.I was on one side and Meena was sitting on the other side of this gentleman.There was quite a commotion and the loser started looking at me suspiciously and unable to bear his stare any longer I almost stripped much to the discomfort of my host.The card game was terminated as no one was in a mood to play in the vitiated atmosphere.When I came home and narrated the incident to my wife. she was disturbed but at the same time had a triumphant look on her face as if to say that this is the price I have to pay for not listening to her advice.

After a fortnight,Babu living in the next house rushed to me and sought my advice on a delicate matter. It appears that when he came out of the bath room in his house he saw Meena pushing his purse left on the T V, into her blouse.After some sweet nothings, Meena had left for her flat.The predicament was how to recover the purse.I went along with him to the first floor and the young man repeated verbatim what I had coached him and said”You have advised me not to keep my purse outside and because I did not listen to you, I know that you have taken my purse to teach me a lesson.I will not do this mistake again-Bhabhi-will you return my purse please?After momentary discomfiture she went inside and handed over the purse to Babu.We heaved a sigh of relief that the situation did not get out of control and my friend was almost in tears when he thanked me for my advice.Incidentally the purse had ten thousand rupees.
Why did Meena do it?My persistent and discreet enquiries brought out the information that the girl was a kleptomaniac and under counselling by a psychiatrist.When I casually let her father in law know that I was aware of the problem, the gentleman poured out his heart out to me.He said that his DIL had placed the family in such difficult situations that they rarely took her with them while visiting friends.When I told him about the five hundred rupee note and the silver kumkum box, he said not to worry.Next day he gave me the note and the box stating that she had a hiding place and once she hid anything she forgot about it.He also told me that the money lost on the gambling day was found in her kurta pocket next day and returned to the loser with some vague explanation.
The FIL of the girl gave me some articles to read and my own efforts brought out some information which I will share with you, without becoming technical.
Kleptomaniac is defined as someone with an irrational urge to steal in the absence of economic need often with no wish to retain the stolen articles.Reports indicate around 4-10%of shoplifting cases in the USA are credited to kleptomaniacs.There is the famous case of an Hollywood actress reportedly stealing 5500$ worth material from a clothing store.There is also the case of a top woman tennis player reportedly confessing to shoplifting a ring ,in her teenage years.Kleptomaniacs are different from shoplifters as the former do it on impulse and have no desire to retain the stolen items.
Sadly there is indication of a strong correlation between women and kleptomania.The cases are linked to abnormalities in the brain chemical called Serotonin."Indifferent parenting,relationship conflicts and acute stress levels are reported to trigger this tendency".Healthy upbringing,positive and intimate relationship and helping to come out of stressful situations are recommended apart from family counselling and medical help.
Finally an interesting case of a nine year old boy turning kleptomaniac was reported due to his poor grades and lower “ heirarchial” status in the school.The problem was solved by shifting the boy to a normal school as opposed to an elite school and sympathetic counselling.

Normal human beings turn kleptomaniacs due to a conspiracy of factors both God given and man made.Let us therefore deal with them, if at all we are able to identify them in our circles or neighbourhood, with understanding and sympathy.That is the best way to say thanks to HIM for keeping us as normal human beings.

 

Dear Viji,
Thanks for the FB.Only when we see persons like Meena we realise that God has been extraordinarily kind to us.
Regards
LAKSHIMINARAYANAN

 

Dear Padmini,
Thanks for the FB .
Thanks aloso for googling and throwing more light on the subject.I have seen that an unhappy home very often triggers unusual behaviour including kleptomania.The treatment therefore has to begin at home.
Regards
LAKSHIMINARAYANAN

 

Dear Anandchitra,
Thanks for the FB.In a delicate situation like this ,discretion is the better part of valour.I am happy tjat you enjoyed the narration.
Regards
LAKSHIMINARAYANAN