By Savitri Narayanan
“Up and about so early, out in the pool too,” Neha fondly looked at her family and said aloud to no one in particular. “While back home, every day how I struggle just to get you out of the bed.”
“It’s tough for you waking up Tuttu and Liya but I wake up to the alarm,” retorted Akhil.
Sprawled on the easy chair relishing his coffee, Akhil looked the embodiment of relaxation. Tuttu and Liya were in the pool, catching up with their cousin Bobby. Rajeswariamma indulgently looked at her children and grandchildren.
They had been planning this outing for a while and suddenly things had fallen in place.
“Let’s pack our bags and go,” Neha had said on Friday afternoon.
‘What about Rosy,’ was the question in everyone’s mind.
Rosy was Neha’s colleague, visiting them for the past few days. Coincidentally, both Neha and Rosy had been interviewed and joined Explore Travels a few weeks apart. They worked in the same office, Rosy in marketing, while Neha was in accounts. Later, Rosy moved to the head office. Off and on she would be down on errands. On such occasions, Rosy stayed with Neha’s family. All were comfortable and at home with each other.
“Rosy is family, will go along too,” Neha said, as if in response to everyone’s thoughts.
“Rosy aunty, you sleep with us in our room, ok?” said Tuttu.
“And tell that ghost story,” said Liya.
“What’s the point in my coming along? What will I do at the resort?” Rosy glanced at her foot. “I’ll be such a misfit. Limping around, while you all will have fun.”
A week ago, while getting down from the auto-rickshaw she had sprained her ankle. There was no fracture, but it hurt while walking.
Neha’s mother Rajeshwari Amma had an idea.
“My old walking stick must be lying around somewhere,” she said, “Try using that; it will bear your weight and might ease the pain.”
She proved to be right! The walking stick was a great help. Very soon Rosy got the knack of using it and moved around briskly, attending to her daily tasks.
So, when the long-awaited weekend holiday fell into place, naturally Rosy too was there at Pristine Resorts!
“It’s been so long since we’ve had such a good time,” said Neha. “Rosy, some more coffee?”
“Sure, why not,” replied Rosy laughing aloud. “Order a large cup for me, steaming hot with lots of sugar! I’ll be back in a minute.”
With those words, Rosy limped along towards the washroom.
Rajeshwari Amma too got up.
“Have fun but do keep an eye on the children!”, she told Neha. “Let me get into bed for a while more.”
***
“What’s the matter, Thimmayya? You look concerned about something.”
The gardener was taken by surprise and turned back. It was Parmar, the security guard on his rounds.
“See what’s outside that washroom…,” was the response.
Parmar’s eyes followed Thimmayya’s glance to the walking-stick propped against the wall outside one of the washrooms, beyond the pool.
There was nothing really strange about walking-sticks. In the resort, over the years, they had seen all kinds of tourists. Guests or tourists of all ages were in and out, especially during peak seasons like holidays and festivals. Walking sticks, crutches, walkers, etc., were common sights.
“It has been there for quite a while now,” said Thimmayya as if talking to himself.
Parmar too gazed at the walking stick, lost in his own thoughts. Whose was it? Had the owner slipped and fallen inside? Like in the movies, did the owner have a heart-attack and collapse?
“Do you know who’s inside?” asked Parmar.
“Wish I could be sure,” there was slight disappointment in Thimmayya’s voice. “The elderly madam – must be their mother – had a walking stick so did another madam who’s much younger…”
“Whoever it is, wonder what happened. Just in case she needs help, should we find out by…”
“Maybe she had a fall, may be something happened, how do we know.”
“We can knock at the door, call out and ask! But somehow it doesn’t sound right! Not good ethics.”
“You’re a security guard in uniform, maybe you’re allowed to knock…”
“Shall we inform the manager?”
***
Just as she was about to open the door and come out of the washroom, Rosy’s cellphone rang, continued ringing persistently. It was in silent mode, yet it kept vibrating.
‘Who could it be?’ wondered Rosy.
‘If I pause to answer the call, my tea will grow cold! Better ignore it,’ Rosy laughed at her thoughts.
One glimpse at the number and Rosy changed her mind. It was Sarah from Melbourne, hosting the quarterly meeting of the eastern region.
‘How could I forget this,’ Rosy chided herself.
Being part of the core team, she herself had scheduled the call along with her Australian counterpart which had totally slipped her mind. She instantly sat down on the toilet seat and joined the meeting.
There seated on the toilet seat, Rosy pulled out her scribbling pad and was soon immersed in the discussion.
***
Thimmaiah and Parmar knocked at the manager’s door who, on his part, listened patiently, with complete attention.
“Let’s go,” he said thoughtfully. Then he got up from his chair and followed them out of the office.
“Please come along,” he beckoned to his secretary.
Ms D’Souza seemed to sense the gravity of the situation. She switched off the computer, pushed back her chair and walked along with them.
“Don’t make it a big issue. Don’t attract attention, we want no scandals,” softly said the manager as they walked along. “Young or old, it’s a woman inside the washroom! So, D’Souza, you walk ahead, we’ll follow you.”
“Let’s pray she is safe,” said D’Souza, softly to herself and knocked at the door.
***
“Thank God, I didn’t miss this,” smiled Rosy as she concluded the meeting and put the phone back in its pouch.
There was a spring in her steps and smile on her lips as she opened the washroom door.
To her shock, there was a small crowd outside with questioning eyes. All started talking at the same time. Once all were on the same page, the explanations and clarifications were lost in peals of laughter.
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(Savitri Narayanan is a retired educationist at present in Goa. A mother and grandmother, loves reading, writing and travelling.)
