Suitable Groom Read online

Suitable Groom

  ****

  By Hiranya Borah

  Copyright 2017 Hiranya Borah

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  Preface

  It is a bizarre story of finding a suitable groom for an heir of a large business empire by her family, particularly by her grandmother.

  It is also a story far from reality.

  If, however, my story resembles with some reality, it is pure coincidence only, nothing to do with any reality or any real person.

  Author

  Chapter I: Travelling for a job-What Arunabh Says

  My name is Arunabh Choudhury, age 25. I am the only child of a school teacher from a nondescript village of India. My parent did not go for a second child as they thought, with the salary of a teacher, they would not be in a position to give proper education if they would go for more than one child. Fortunately for them, my results were good throughout my academic career and mostly I studied with negligible fees.

  After my post-graduation in financial management from a reputed management institute, I was looking for a decent job and accordingly I had applied to many MNCs located in many cities all over India. I got few interview calls also. I had appeared some of them; but without much luck. Some companies had offered job; but salary was not up to the mark. Finally, when I was shortlisted for this job, I was happy considering the fact that though so far job was not offered, at least they gave me return air fare from Delhi for the interview. I understood, at least this company was serious about me.

  Another surprise was also waiting for me at the airport. My seat had been upgraded to executive class as the ticket was booked by the company who might be a regular client of the airlines.

  Chapter II: Drama in the Air

  The allotted seat for Arunabh was beside a lady of around seventy. Arunabh realised the lady was not in a good shape in terms of health.

  The airhostesses were busy in providing some or other assistances to the old lady. The lady with fragile voice asked, ‘Are you a doctor?’

  ‘No madam. But I can help you as a non-medical person if you require any assistance.’

  The lady smiled; but she did not comment. Once the flight was in the mid-air, the old lady told Arunabh to hold a few ice cubes wrapped by a towel on her head. Arunabh did it without any sign of discomfort, though sitting from his seat, it was somewhat dis-comfortable for him.

  After sometime, the old lady asked him, ‘Are you working somewhere?’

  ‘No madam, I am going for an interview only.’

  ‘Your parent must be very rich. Booking an executive class accommodation in a flight is not a matter of joke.’ The lady commented.

  ‘No madam, I am not from a very affluent family. My father a school teacher and my mother is a housewife. I am a financial management post graduate shortlisted for an Indian MNC. They have provided me a to-and-fro economy ticket which has been upgraded by the airlines.’ Arunabh explained his economic status vis-a-vis his travelling by executive class.

  The old lady did not say anything; but impressed with the truthfulness on the part of the boy. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated after landing of the plane.

  Once they landed at the airport, the old lady with a feeble voice requested Arunabh to accompany her to her residence. Arunabh thought for a while. His interview was slated at 12-30 PM and at that time, it was 10 AM. It will be very tight for him, but he agreed to drop her at her residence.

  Chapter III: Her Condition deteriorated

  The old lady’s residence was at Defence Colony and he was to appear for his interview at Gurgaon. He was taking a calculated risk.

  Thanks to relatively less traffic in Delhi on that day, when they reached the Defence Colony it was 11-15 AM. He thanked God, he had another one hour fifteen minutes to reach his place of interview. But God had a harsh plan for him for that day.

  As he reached the flat, he saw that old lady opened her flat with her keys. He helped the old lady to be in her room.

  ‘Is there anybody to look after you madam?’ Arunabh asked the old lady.

  She gestured that nobody was there to attend her. In the meantime, her condition clearly indicated that she needed some help.

  He thought for a while and decided to inform the HR division of the company who was holding the interview to give some time to reach the venue of the interview. He tried to contact the competent authority, the HR manager of the office. However, he was denied of his attempt by the receptionist of the HR manager. But he decided to help the old lady before he proceeded to the interview.

  After taking some tea and snacks, provided by Arunabh she felt little better. Arunabh asked for her permission to leave, ‘Can I leave now, madam? I am giving you my mobile number, for any emergency, do not hesitate to call me.’

  The old lady nodded.

  Chapter IV: The Interview

  When Arunabh reached the office of the MNC, it was already half past three. The receptionist told Arunabh, ‘Sir is very angry on you. Even then he will take your interview. At least you are lucky on that account.’ Saying this she talked to her boss on her intercom. Then she said to Arunabh to go to the chamber of her boss.

  As Arunabh was entering to the chamber, he saw three persons including the chairman (he guessed) were looking at him.

  He was gestured to take his set and then the chairman asked, ‘You are late for the interview, how we can expect that you will be on time when you will be on the job?’

  ‘It was an emergency. My co-passenger needed immediate some medical assistance!’ Arunabh told without trying to elaborate.

  ‘Is the passenger your relative?

  ‘No sir. She is an old lady. As she was not well, I had to drop her at her residence.’

  ‘Where is her residence?’

  ‘Defence colony.’

  ‘Your flight landed at 10 AM. Even after dropping her you should have come by 12-30 PM.’ The Chairman was not convinced. Then Arunabh elaborated what happened after reaching the residence of the lady.

  After hearing his explanation, the Chairman asked him, ‘Ok, Take a hypothetical situation: you are supposed to attend a meeting at 10 AM and you find somebody in serious condition on the way to the venue of the meeting. You know if you do not attend the meeting in time, you are going to lose a contract. What will be your reaction?’

  ‘It will be same sir. I can recover loss in due course of time. But if due to my fault, someone loses his/her life, neither I can make him/her alive again nor I can forgive myself throughout my life.’ Arunabh was candid in his answer.

  ‘From whom you learnt all these impractical advices?’ With an irritation in his voice, the Chairman asked Arunabh.

  ‘My father taught these things sir. I can sacrifice any job to keep advices of my father. He taught me, always help others, God will take care of you. God will always come to your rescue, if you help someone who needs. He also uses to advise me not to help any bad person.’ His voice was full of pride while mentioning about the advices of his father.

  ‘How do you distinguish a good person from a bad person who seeks your help?’

  ‘You close your eyes. Hear your inner voice, you will know who is good and who is bad- my father tells me.’ Arunabh was confident that his father can never be wrong.

  ‘In my opinion, you are not fit for the job we have advertised. But still, my friends will ask you some questions on financial management.’ With clear cut sign of disgust, the Chairman said.

>   The other members of the interview board asked few tough questions on financial management. To their pleasant surprise, with ease, Arunabh could answer those questions correctly. After completion of question answer session, the chairman asked Arunabh to sit outside the room for some time.

  The Chairman picked up his mobile and told, ‘Mom, probably you won. Probably, I lost the bet. But I shall be extremely happy to lose the bet finally.’

  Chapter V: The Argument

  A few months back, at the dining table of Vimal Aggarwal, a business tycoon, Sarala Aggarwal, mother of Vimal Aggarwal, told to all sitting for dinner, ‘For Swati, I want an intelligent but more humane boy.’

  ‘Mom you want two boys for your sweetheart; if boy is very intelligent, he will be selfish and if the boy is more humane, he will be a dumb one. So, you have to settle for an in-between boy.’ Vimal said to his mother. They were talking for a groom for Vimal’s only child Swati who is going to be only heir of Aggarwal business empire.

  ‘I am giving you three months to find out one suitable groom for Swati. If you fail, I shall take three months to find out one by myself.’ Sarala Aggarwal declared.

  ‘OK Mom, I bet one lakh on this. If anyone of us will be able to get one suitable boy with your specifications, I shall lose and if both of us fail to get one, I shall win the bet.’ With a mysterious smile Vimal Aggarwal told his mother.

  ‘Done.’ Sarala agreed to the proposal of his son.

  Following all conventional means, Vimal Aggarwal searched for an intelligent boy with a heart of gold for his daughter. If he found an intelligent boy, he came out to be a selfish one or a crooked one or vice versa. On expiry of three months’ deadline, he surrendered to his mother.

  Sarala Aggarwal summoned his son to her room and explained her unconventional plan to find out a boy with extraordinary brain with a golden heart.

  As per the plan, Vimal Aggarwal will collect a list of first three toppers from ten top B school of India for last three years and then short list by eliminating the married ones, females and those are above thirty. Within next one week, Vimal was able to short list 25 out of 90 toppers.

  To test their hearts, Sarala Aggarwal had another plan. She would travel along with the candidate by the airlines which is owned by her family. On the way, she would feign illness and would ask for help from the candidate.

  Sarala Aggarwal also almost lost the hope to get an intelligent boy with a golden heart when first twenty boys refused to drop her at her residence and only one was ready to drop her at home.

  Chapter VI: Success and Success

  As Arunabh was waiting for the result of his interview, his mobile rang. The old lady telephoned Arunabh, ‘Sorry my son, I have to give you trouble again. Can you come as early as possible? I am feeling very bad again.’ Then she disconnected.

  Without losing time, he told the receptionist, ‘madam, please tell your boss, I have to rush to the residence of the old lady who is still not well.’ Without waiting for result, without waiting for permission, Arunabh left the waiting room and took an auto rickshaw to go to Defence Colony. After one-and-a-half-hour auto ride when he reached Defence Colony, darkness had already descended.

  The whole building where the flat of the old lady was located was illuminated with lights and gate was garlanded with beautiful flowers. Before proceeding to the flat, he asked the guard, whether there was any function in the building. The guard answered affirmatively. However, when he wanted to enter to the compound, the guard objected to his entry.

  Arunabh told the guard, ‘It is urgent. The old lady residing in the first floor flat is seriously ill. She called me for some help.’

  The guard retorted, ‘Sir in this building none is ill. The flat you are referring, is occupied by the mother of our master. She is 100% fine and waiting for someone important to visit her.’

  Having no alternative, he telephoned the old lady. The phone was not picked up by anyone despite of ringing. Arunabh became worried. He pleaded with the guard to let him go inside. When guard was adamant in not allowing him to go inside, he told the guard, ‘Ok, do not allow me to go inside, but you go and see if everything is alright or not? I am guarding your gate for the time being.’

  But Arunabh did not have to guard the gate, because the old lady appeared before them. The guard saluted her. Arunabh was perplexed for a minute. Then he told the lady, ‘Good to see you madam in good condition. Now I have to rush to the airport to take my flight at 9 PM.’

  ‘You need not have to rush to the airport my son. Come inside and stay with us for the night and take your flight to your home tomorrow.’ The lady invited Arunabh inside the building.

  ‘Thank you, madam. But I have to go home today because my ticket is non-refundable and probably I failed in the interview also.’ With a smile Arunabh told.

  ‘So, you failed the interview because of me.’ The old lady told with a sigh.

  ‘No madam, do not think that way. I am happy to see you hale and hearty. If God wishes, one day I shall get a good job.’ Genuine-ness in his voice surprised the old lady.

  The old lady understood, the boy standing before him might not be the most intelligent boy in the world, but surely with the intelligence he has, he might be best boy (in terms of humane face) in the world. She became hundred percent sure, they would not be able to find a better boy for Swati than this young man with a golden heart!

  .

  The author is a Government servant and a man of vivid experiences derived from his official postings across the country, travels across India and numerous visits outside India. He is presently placed at New Delhi.

  His earlier publications are:

  1.Random Thoughts through a Coloured Prism

  2. Dilemma of a Young Mind

  3. Funny Statistics and Serious Statisticians

  4. Melody of Fragrance

  5. Akhadya

  6. Few Cities through the Lens of Hiranya Borah

  7. Guilt: Gift of Winter Spring

  8. Beautiful Ghost

  9. Great Fighters: Grace of God

  10. All Blurred

  11. Putting kids to sleep

  12.How to become unpopular

  13. Soulmates

  14. My grumpy Face

  15. Love and Worries

  16. Discussion of own Birth: A Taboo

  17. Interview

  18. Indecent Love Affairs

  19. My Fair Lady

  20.Waiting time

  21. Two Stories

  22. My Mother: Dashami Borah

  23. Parineeta

  24. Manorama

  25. Unwanted

  26. First Attempt

  27. A father

  28. The Portrait

  29. Snapped Thread

  30. Only He Knows

  31. The Stupid Mother

  32. The Same Old Story

  33. The Old Scoundrel

  34. Third Attempt

  35. Some of my First Days and First Nights

  36. Snubbed Twice

  37. Have You Met the God

  38. Frequent Flier

  39. Messiah

  40. Forgive and Forget

  41. To Win or to lose

  42. Call Girl

  43. Beyond Blood Relation

  44. Lady with a Black Car

  45. My wife

  46.Complete Woman

  47. Diwali Gift

  48. Romance with a Lady

  49. Open Heart Surgery

  50. My First Love

  51. Replacement

  52. Pebbles on My Way Home

  53. My First Bengali Book

  54. Murder Mystery

  55. Niharika

  56. Swapping

  57. Make a Habit to Thank God

  58. Killing of A Bird

  59. The Hero

  60. Fantasy versus Reality

  61.The Party

  62. Road Rage

  63. Death of a Friend

  64.Cannot Live with Memory Only
>
  65. None Cares for Me

  66. A Tribute to My Guru

  67. Two Professionals

  68. The Choice

  69. The Elusive Spouse

  70. First Encounter with A P

  71. Plane Crash

  72. Plane Crash Part-II

  73. Plane Crash Part-III

  74. Abducted

  75. A Bag of Currency

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