The Guzarish echoes on: A short story.

Soul Renditio n


"You won't believe it, but this is all too familiar!", he exclaimed. "Except, last time I was on the other side of the fence."
He was not the kind to believe in Karma. But somehow tonight, existentialism collided with Hindu theories on actions and reactions, as if Newton were quantifying Karma when he wrote his third law of motion.
"I wish you could see my point of view. I wish you would take that leap of faith, and just say Yes." HE said. "After all, you're family is human. They'd never disown you." His words echoed through the VoIP line they always used. Weekends weren't complete without eight-hour conversations! They'd dined on virtual dates, one's taste buds feeding the others imagination, they'd fallen asleep together, on opposite ends of the continent, yet more aware than married couples, of snoring patterns and pillow hugging postures. But tonight, the echoes were more than just a consequence of digital voice communication over the internet, they seemed to tunnel through the walls of history. Karma, it seemed, couldn't wait more than a year to circle back unto him.

In a flash, he was in 2007, sitting on the steps of his student apartment, on the phone with another 'her'. Bright fall colors painted the small mountain town he'd called home, but he only felt the inevitability of the ensuing grey winter.

"I wish you could see my point of view. I wish you would take that leap of faith, and just say Yes." SHE said. "After all, you're family is human. They'd never disown you. I promise to go out of my way to accommodate their every need. I'll be the best daughter-in-law they could ever have. I'll never let religion get in the way of things." She was wiser than he was, though not any older. She knew moms loved their sons unconditionally, that only fools let love pass by. If only she could make him see.

"I seldom hate myself, but I'm really going to, for saying this - there is a big chance that they may never forgive me for marrying you. I cannot be with you if they didn't accept us. I'm really sorry. I'd understand if you wanted out" HE shivered.

Her sniffle brought him back to the present. He knew her face all too well, how it lit up when he looked handsome, how it withered when she missed him, how she teared guilelessly at disappointing him. He pictured her slouched in bed, helpless and frustrated, torn between alleviating his vulnerability, and making promises she might not keep. Her extended family had disowned the "stary ones" before, but her parents might be different, but how was she to know?

She could not bear to lead him on. She always set the highest of moral standards for herself. If her righteousness cost her love, so be it! He told her of his experience, how, much to his surprise, his mom had condoned his love. If a single mother from a culturally rigid Hindu society could come to terms with inter-religious marriage, there was no reason why her parents could not.

"I seldom hate myself, but I'm really going to, for saying this - there is a big chance that they may never forgive me for marrying you. I cannot be with you if they didn't accept us. I'm really sorry. I'd understand if you wanted out" SHE shivered.