Read Online The Cosmic Clues by Manjiri Prabhu - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Manjiri Prabhu
Tags: Fiction
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worry a lot and this may sound obvious, but at the moment something is weighing heavily on your mind.”
Medha Tupay nodded. “You're absolutely right. I am basically a nervous-natured woman and I feel responsible for all the matters in my house. I am fidgety and often discontented but there's always a good reason for it. Take this business of these awful letters. One can't help worrying about something so serious. And then, there's Sushil.”
“Sushil?” Sonia's gaze shifted involuntarily to the still figure in the corner. Sushil was sitting upright, with a napkin on his lap, staring into space. The coffee mug rested on the table.
“It's okay,” Medha Tupay said. “He doesn't understand.”
“Who is he?” Sonia asked.
“A family member now. I guess there's no harm in telling you, since half the world already knows about it. Sushil is actually an orphan someone left at our door, an absolutely brand-new baby abandoned in our care. I didn't have the heart to turn him over to some orphanage, so I handed him to Kaki, our housekeeper. She's like a family member, too, and she gladly took charge of the little baby. He grew up with Revati—a healthy, intelligent boy—and being about the same age, both were inseparable friends. He had a good education and lacked for nothing. But somehow bad luck seemed to have followed him after all these years.”
“What happened?” Jatin asked curiously.
“About six months ago Sushil had an accident. He crashed straight into a car on the street when it halted abruptly, and he was thrown off his scooter. It wasn't very serious, but he knocked his head. A stranger brought him home. What was really remarkable was the manner in which Sushil, who was babbling strangely, clung to this old man like an unreasonable child. He refused to allow the man to depart. It was most embarrassing and ultimately we had no choice but to request the man to hang on for a while. Fortunately for us, he was looking for a job, so we offered him the gardener's post. Only then did Sushil relax. But ever since then, he has kept to his room. He has to be led to the dining room for his meals or for a breath of fresh air. Kaki looks after him. But he recognizes no one, talks to no one. The whole affair is really tragic!”
Kaki spoke up. “I really hate to see him like this, behaving so strangely, almost like an insane person, unaware of any one of us. . . .”
“Is he violent?” Sonia asked.
“Oh no! In fact, he's like a small child, lost in his dreams and fantasies. He's quite harmless, but it really is sad. I was going to ask you if you could read his horoscope and tell me if he will ever get well. You see, he's like a son to me, I'm so worried about him!” Kaki sighed.
“You have his horoscope?” Sonia could not hide her surprise.
“Yes. His birth details and certificate were tucked in the shawl he was wrapped in.”
“How extraordinary!” Sonia murmured reflectively. “Well, of course I shall! I'd very much like to take a look at his horoscope.”
Kaki hastened away to fetch the horoscope. Sonia glanced at Sushil. He sat like a statue through all the talk, his expression wooden, like a face set in a coin. What did he think of? What did he see? Sonia wondered. The thunder crashed and her heart jumped. Sushil's shoulders shook for a fraction of a second. Then his figure froze again.
“Why don't you read Pradnya Aunty's horoscope in the meanwhile?” Revati suggested. “Until Kaki hunts out Sushil's horoscope? I'd love to know if
she
will ever marry!” Revati enthused, spontaneously hugging her aunt. She seemed a very loving young girl.
Pradnya Joshi blushed, embarrassed. “You're crumpling my cotton sari, dear. And at my age I should devote my life to God, not to any earthly human being!” she remarked dryly, patting Revati's cheek affectionately.
Sonia smiled at the bantering and took up the older woman's booklet. She opened it and stared at it a long time. Kaki returned with
Medha Tupay nodded. “You're absolutely right. I am basically a nervous-natured woman and I feel responsible for all the matters in my house. I am fidgety and often discontented but there's always a good reason for it. Take this business of these awful letters. One can't help worrying about something so serious. And then, there's Sushil.”
“Sushil?” Sonia's gaze shifted involuntarily to the still figure in the corner. Sushil was sitting upright, with a napkin on his lap, staring into space. The coffee mug rested on the table.
“It's okay,” Medha Tupay said. “He doesn't understand.”
“Who is he?” Sonia asked.
“A family member now. I guess there's no harm in telling you, since half the world already knows about it. Sushil is actually an orphan someone left at our door, an absolutely brand-new baby abandoned in our care. I didn't have the heart to turn him over to some orphanage, so I handed him to Kaki, our housekeeper. She's like a family member, too, and she gladly took charge of the little baby. He grew up with Revati—a healthy, intelligent boy—and being about the same age, both were inseparable friends. He had a good education and lacked for nothing. But somehow bad luck seemed to have followed him after all these years.”
“What happened?” Jatin asked curiously.
“About six months ago Sushil had an accident. He crashed straight into a car on the street when it halted abruptly, and he was thrown off his scooter. It wasn't very serious, but he knocked his head. A stranger brought him home. What was really remarkable was the manner in which Sushil, who was babbling strangely, clung to this old man like an unreasonable child. He refused to allow the man to depart. It was most embarrassing and ultimately we had no choice but to request the man to hang on for a while. Fortunately for us, he was looking for a job, so we offered him the gardener's post. Only then did Sushil relax. But ever since then, he has kept to his room. He has to be led to the dining room for his meals or for a breath of fresh air. Kaki looks after him. But he recognizes no one, talks to no one. The whole affair is really tragic!”
Kaki spoke up. “I really hate to see him like this, behaving so strangely, almost like an insane person, unaware of any one of us. . . .”
“Is he violent?” Sonia asked.
“Oh no! In fact, he's like a small child, lost in his dreams and fantasies. He's quite harmless, but it really is sad. I was going to ask you if you could read his horoscope and tell me if he will ever get well. You see, he's like a son to me, I'm so worried about him!” Kaki sighed.
“You have his horoscope?” Sonia could not hide her surprise.
“Yes. His birth details and certificate were tucked in the shawl he was wrapped in.”
“How extraordinary!” Sonia murmured reflectively. “Well, of course I shall! I'd very much like to take a look at his horoscope.”
Kaki hastened away to fetch the horoscope. Sonia glanced at Sushil. He sat like a statue through all the talk, his expression wooden, like a face set in a coin. What did he think of? What did he see? Sonia wondered. The thunder crashed and her heart jumped. Sushil's shoulders shook for a fraction of a second. Then his figure froze again.
“Why don't you read Pradnya Aunty's horoscope in the meanwhile?” Revati suggested. “Until Kaki hunts out Sushil's horoscope? I'd love to know if
she
will ever marry!” Revati enthused, spontaneously hugging her aunt. She seemed a very loving young girl.
Pradnya Joshi blushed, embarrassed. “You're crumpling my cotton sari, dear. And at my age I should devote my life to God, not to any earthly human being!” she remarked dryly, patting Revati's cheek affectionately.
Sonia smiled at the bantering and took up the older woman's booklet. She opened it and stared at it a long time. Kaki returned with
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