Love Wheels - Kalai Selvi Arivalagan (reading a book .TXT) 📗

at heart. Dora remembered her favorite poem by Emily Dickinson.

I’M nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there’s a pair of us—don’t tell!
They d banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

Dora could not stop smiling to herself. Looking beyond the opened windows of the bus, Dora kept on smiling to herself. Startled by her behavior, Vel looked at her with a puzzled look. His smiling face set itself to frown, and his brows twisted with deep thoughts. What is happening to that girl, does she need any help? Not able to judge, Vel looked at Dora with a concern.

Dora also noticed the puzzled look on the face of Vel. This trickled her into more laughter. She felt cherished to ponder over the thought that if she shares her thought with him, what will be his reaction. But, one thing she does not want to forget. She is going home after her work hours, but Vel is still in his duty hours. She does not want to disrupt his work, and got down with a smile at the bus stop leaving him to wonder what happened to her.

Chapter 5

When Dora reached the bus stop it started to drizzle. Every day she used to carry her umbrella. But, on that particular day, in a hurry she left the umbrella on the table. Fortunately, she got into the bus before the rain started to slash.

Chennai literally becomes the dirtiest place in the world, once it starts to rain. Even a slight drizzle can open Chennai’s Pandora box of worms and make every one wriggle with the feeling of disgust. Even the main roads will be filled with dirty puddles of water and it will take another two to three days to get dried. Dora started to wonder how she will wade through the water to reach her home. Someone opened a glass window, and fresh air started to blow into the bus. The evening sea breeze with the chillness of the evening rain made every one feel cold. It also brought a smile on every one’s face as that rain brought a relief from the hot sunny weather that scorched them for the last two days.

In the next bus stop, some seats got empty and Dora got a seat near the window. The rain still drizzled and sharp streaks of rain slashed on her face. It made Dora feel a shiver that went down through her spine. Desperately she wished for a lover by her side. Lines of poetry as usual popped up inside her heart.

Dusty aroma reaches my breath
And makes me swoon into your dreams!
With eyes open wide
My thoughts escape to fly!
Lashing showers of summer rain
Takes away the hidden heat of earth!
Hiding inside deep inside my heart
My love for you bubbles heavily!
When your smile lashes me like rain
My nerves just shrink and shudder!
Oh! What a beautiful thing to be in Love!
Just like having a relief in the summer rain
Your Love has made me something to gain
And cherish my life forever with fun!

Dora felt excited once again. She could not express her joy of looking at the evening rain. Like a little child, she wanted to get down and enjoy the rain. When the bus reached her bus stop, it started to rain once again. With a cheer, she hopped down the stairs of the bus. With one leg on the last step of the bus and another leg half way to the road, the bus started to move. Before she could stop herself from falling down into the poodles of water on the road, she slipped and fell down.

 

Yet, half way through the fall, a strong hand supported her by holding on to her shoulders. Vel blew the whistle immediately and helped her to stand on her legs. Shaken by this sudden happening, Dora stood there in the rain shocked and embarrassed. She could not face Vel at this time and she wished to vanish in the slashing rain and hide from his sharp eyes.

Chapter 6

That evening as usual turned out to be a wonderful one. Dora felt excited and happy to listen to the favorite numbers played by the local orchestra at her friend Vinu’s wedding reception. As the wedding reception happened on a Sunday, Dora could spend some time to dress perfectly to her taste. Her long flowing hair looked shining after taking her head bath with the herbal conditioner that her mother use to prepare at home. Her mother took the maximum care to select the correct ingredients, dry them in the sun light and get them ground at the local machine. Dora has never used shampoo. The home made herbal conditioner helped her hair to grow long and dark.

Dora met some of her old friends at the reception, and the entire group turned the place echo with their laughter. Dora felt so happy and excited to be once again with her gang of friends.

‘Dora, you are the next. When are you getting married?’ Everyone teased and made fun of Dora. In their gang of six, Dora remained unmarried.

“Hmm. Let me be free for sometime.” “Oh” All of her friends shouted in a chorus.

“I think, she is planning to have a love marriage.”

“Is it so, who is that lucky guy?” Dora kept smiling all the time. “I don’t know. I have not met the right person still now.”

“Don’t lie. You are hiding from us.” “Believe me, no one yet.” The whole gang burst into a cheerful laughter. The orchestra played a hit song from a recent film, and a sudden silence enveloped them. Without talking, they all started to listen to the song. At that moment, Vel entered the hall and walked toward the dais.

“Come and have the dinner.” Vinu’s brother called Dora and her friends. The whole gang moved into the dining hall and occupied the middle row. No one occupied the chair near Dora, and to her surprise some one asked Vel to sit near her. Vel hesitated to take the seat near Dora. He can remember Dora as Dora remembered him. He searched for some other place to sit, but could not find an empty chair. When Vel decided to leave the dining hall, Dora called him, “You can sit her and have your dinner. No problem for me.”

Vinu’s brother replied Vel, “Sit here and have the dinner first. Otherwise you will miss your train.” With much hesitation, Vel occupied the seat near Dora. Dora looked cool. Vel tried to look cool and show that it is not a big thing to sit near Dora and eat his dinner. Yet, he felt nervous and out of place.

Fresh stream of air from the fan carried the perfume from the jasmine flowers that Dora adorned her hair. Vel could not resist from taking in his breath the aroma that arouse from Dora.

Dora looked like an angel and Vel wanted to talk more with her. He wanted to start a conversation with her and tell her what he felt at that moment. Unaware of Vel's thoughts, Dora looked busy in tasting the delicious dinner. Vel pretended to have his dinner. Eating something here and there, he left the place with an excuse that it is getting late for him to catch the train.

End Chapter

Dora could not stop thinking about Vel. Her mind pre-occupied with whatever that happened at the reception made her toss on her bed without sleep. So long she has seen him only in his uniform. This is the first time she has seen him in causal. The trendy shirt and trousers suited him and he looked great. Dora once again brought his image in her mind and chuckled with much satisfaction. Will Vel be her perfect match? Unable to stop her thoughts, with a sigh she switched off the light and went to sleep.

Days rolled on. Even though they happened to meet daily on the bus, both of them did not try to talk a word or two. Dora kept herself at a distance, yet did not stop to watch Vel. She knew for sure that Vel also watched her and he keenly noticed the expressions on her face. To avoid her mind from drifting like this, Dora started to read books on her way to the office. That somehow helped her not to think too much about Vel.

Much to the surprise of Dora, Vel decided to go one step further. He spoke to Vinu’s brother and told him about his love for Dora. Vinu’s brother one day called him and told him that Dora’s father wanted to meet him.

Dora’s father met Vel informally in a restaurant. Vinu’s brother accompanied Vel and promised Vel that everything will click on his favor. The first question from Dora’s father surprised Vel. He looked particular in knowing about his caste or community. These days many inter-caste marriages took place with the consent of the parents. Most of the people felt that it is always better to change a love marriage into an arranged marriage with the consent of the parents. The society till now respects only arranged marriages. Most of the people still now could not wipe their biased opinions about love marriages.

 

They thought that love marriages involved pre-marital sex and the girls who are into love marriages have their own limitations. They will not fit into a joint family set up and will not pay the proper respect to their in laws. Most of the society believed that arranged marriages involved every thing in the way the society thought to be right. People who are into arranged marriages started their sexual life with the blessings from their elders and they will only respect their in laws. Vel did not want to give way for dirty thoughts from others, and so he wanted his marriage to be a love marriage turned arranged marriage. Vel, having a full understanding of the society and the ways in which it reacted, took the right decision to get married with the consent from the parents.

Vel told whatever happened to his mother after he reached home. She silently listened to him until he finished his dinner. Vel patiently waited for his mother to tell what she felt about his marriage with Dora. When he felt he could not wait further more, he called her.

“Ma, what is your opinion?” Vel asked his mother with the eagerness of a boy. “I am not against love marriages. I am happy you have told me now.”

Vel felt relieved. “Then tell me if you like it or not.”

“Yes. I don’t have any objection to this marriage. Yet, I have a question. Will she continue to go for work after marriage?”

“Yes.” Vel looked at his mother with a puzzle. “Every one goes for work now. What is wrong in that?"

Vel could sense the hesitation in his mother. In spite of that, he also knew that she will not stand in his way. “Will they be able to give at least 20 sovereigns of gold during marriage?”

“Ma, what is this question. Let them give whatever they like. Why should we insist them?”

“But, I want them to give you.”

“Ma, she is also earning well. Why should we ask them? What will they think of me?” Vel could not suppress his anger.