Seeing Roopa engrossed in the movie, Sathyam didn’t disturb her with his witticisms. However, when it was intermission, he goaded her to go along with them into the lounge for refreshments. Overwhelmed as she was with the mystery of the love story, she preferred to remain in the auditorium as though to savor the setting.
“How did you like it?” Ramu asked Roopa as they came out in the end.
“It’s all so touching,” Roopa replied melancholically.
“After all,” said Ramu excitedly, “it’s a David Lean movie.”
“All said and done,” Sathyam sounded critical, “to me it appears odd that a married woman should fall in love with a stranger, that too, at the first sight. At that with a man who’s not even right in the leg! Well, seduction I can understand, but losing one’s head straight away and to part with the heart in a flicker is beyond me. Maybe, it could be the way in the West,”
“East or West human nature is the same,” said Ramu, “though it’s the cultural ethos that fashions our social mores. Openness could never be the sole cause of promiscuity and thus to picture the Western societies as loose is stupid, to say the least. On the other hand, our culture that frowns at the mixing of the sexes puts paid to the Cupid. If ever love is fuelled by furtive glances, the fear of a scandal straps the enamored to their respective seats. Even if some enterprising were to venture regardless, our way of life foils their bid to find a place for lovemaking. Yet, one hears, even here, of illicit relationships in spite of the hindrances. Of course, it all depends on the condition of one’s mind and the attendant circumstances of life.”
“You’ve the knack of winning arguments,” conceded Sathyam.
Roopa listened to Ramu with interest while Meera looked at him in adoration.
After dinner in a nearby restaurant, they parted with that exciting feeling associated with the flush of growing camaraderie among couples.
When the Sathyams reached home, they found that the landlord and his lady had already called it a day.
“It portends well,” said Sathyam to Roopa, “for our landlady may not be waking up for long to monitor our moves.”
‘Maybe, it’s a good omen for some eager couple,’ thought Roopa. ‘But what value fate could add to my life now? Well, as the saying goes, one never knows.’
~~~~~~
Next morning, as Sathyam kick-started his Lambretta to make it to the office, Lalitha who waited at the gate to see his back, went up to Roopa.