It was still quite dark, an early morning when Jignesh Chowrasia was getting ready to leave for work. He was in a hurry, today was to be a special day. He was to attend a seminar/conference where he expected to be given an award for outstanding achievement in his field.
Things, however, were not looking all that good. All night long his wife had been tossing and turning, talking in her sleep, recurring nightmares disturbing her. It seemed that she finally went to sleep just an hour before dawn. Her nightmares had kept him awake too and he was bleary eyed and fatigued. Even as he finished his ablutions, even as he was performing his early morning "puja" he kept mumbling, muttering to himself, grumbling about his wife's habit of talking in her sleep.
In a little while, his colleagues rang the bell. Opening the door, he welcomed them in and while he was still tying his shoe-laces, engaged in a little "shop - talk" with them. Excited though he was about the prospects for the day, he stayed careful not to display too much excitement.
Meanwhile, just as he got ready, Chetna came out to the hall. Looking tired, having had a restless night, she was not exactly in the best of moods. In a low voice she spoke to her husband - "Do you really have to go today? Can't you stay back?" Fighting back the urge to snap at her, he said "Don't you know? This is an important seminar. There's no way I can avoid this!" in as reasonable a voice as he could manage. Chetna apparently did not realise this and replied, unthinkingly, "Jignesh, listen to me, I have a bad feeling about today. You know, no, all night I was sleepless. I've been dreaming something terrible."
Unable to control his irritation Jignesh let off with "You and your stupid dreams! If I start changing my schedules every time you have a bad dream I might as well stay at home all my life! You're mad!!". His friends sniggered but tried to cover it up by coughing. Brijesh and Chaganbhai tried convincing her, "Don't worry Bhabhi. Nothing will happen. You take care of yourself, we'll take care of Jigneshbhai"
Chetna muttered, under her breath, "How can I explain? My bad dreams are because I don't trust you two." In a louder voice, though, she said "At least stay home till 9 - the time now is not auspicious. This is Rahu Kaal, leave after this is over!" Jignesh could not control his anger any more - "You and your stupid superstitions! Aren't you educated?!! You behave like an illilterate villager!! Bah!!" and picked up his briefcase and made to leave. Chetna grasped his elbow and said "Don't make fun of my beliefs. Leave, if you must, but first at least come to the "puja" room and offer a prayer"
Unheeding, Jignesh left, shaking her hand off, shaking his head. Brijesh and Chaganbhai left with him, looking back at Chetna, shaking their heads in quiet amusement, mocking her.......
On their way to the venue Chagan kept flattering Jignesh on his achievements, his deft handling of his wife's "sentimental foolishness".....
15th March, he had been warned even earlier by a "soothsayer" - "Caesar, beware the Ides of March"
(For Jignesh Chowrasia read Julius Caesar, Chetna as Calpurnia, Brijesh as Brutus and Chaganbhai as Cassius)
Kabhi kabhi biwi ki baat sun lena chahiye, hai na??
(For those who are clueless about what happened: 15th March was the day Julius Caesar was assassinated by, among others, his close friend Marcus Brutus - JC should have heeded his wife's advice and stayed at hame, perhaps?)
Things, however, were not looking all that good. All night long his wife had been tossing and turning, talking in her sleep, recurring nightmares disturbing her. It seemed that she finally went to sleep just an hour before dawn. Her nightmares had kept him awake too and he was bleary eyed and fatigued. Even as he finished his ablutions, even as he was performing his early morning "puja" he kept mumbling, muttering to himself, grumbling about his wife's habit of talking in her sleep.
In a little while, his colleagues rang the bell. Opening the door, he welcomed them in and while he was still tying his shoe-laces, engaged in a little "shop - talk" with them. Excited though he was about the prospects for the day, he stayed careful not to display too much excitement.
Meanwhile, just as he got ready, Chetna came out to the hall. Looking tired, having had a restless night, she was not exactly in the best of moods. In a low voice she spoke to her husband - "Do you really have to go today? Can't you stay back?" Fighting back the urge to snap at her, he said "Don't you know? This is an important seminar. There's no way I can avoid this!" in as reasonable a voice as he could manage. Chetna apparently did not realise this and replied, unthinkingly, "Jignesh, listen to me, I have a bad feeling about today. You know, no, all night I was sleepless. I've been dreaming something terrible."
Unable to control his irritation Jignesh let off with "You and your stupid dreams! If I start changing my schedules every time you have a bad dream I might as well stay at home all my life! You're mad!!". His friends sniggered but tried to cover it up by coughing. Brijesh and Chaganbhai tried convincing her, "Don't worry Bhabhi. Nothing will happen. You take care of yourself, we'll take care of Jigneshbhai"
Chetna muttered, under her breath, "How can I explain? My bad dreams are because I don't trust you two." In a louder voice, though, she said "At least stay home till 9 - the time now is not auspicious. This is Rahu Kaal, leave after this is over!" Jignesh could not control his anger any more - "You and your stupid superstitions! Aren't you educated?!! You behave like an illilterate villager!! Bah!!" and picked up his briefcase and made to leave. Chetna grasped his elbow and said "Don't make fun of my beliefs. Leave, if you must, but first at least come to the "puja" room and offer a prayer"
Unheeding, Jignesh left, shaking her hand off, shaking his head. Brijesh and Chaganbhai left with him, looking back at Chetna, shaking their heads in quiet amusement, mocking her.......
On their way to the venue Chagan kept flattering Jignesh on his achievements, his deft handling of his wife's "sentimental foolishness".....
15th March, he had been warned even earlier by a "soothsayer" - "Caesar, beware the Ides of March"
(For Jignesh Chowrasia read Julius Caesar, Chetna as Calpurnia, Brijesh as Brutus and Chaganbhai as Cassius)
Kabhi kabhi biwi ki baat sun lena chahiye, hai na??
(For those who are clueless about what happened: 15th March was the day Julius Caesar was assassinated by, among others, his close friend Marcus Brutus - JC should have heeded his wife's advice and stayed at hame, perhaps?)
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