TRITON LAUGHED

WRITING CONTEST: #153

PROMPT: BESIDE THE SEA

TRITON LAUGHED

I have lived beside the sea since birth. I have played in the sands of the beach collecting seashells. With a spade and bucket I have built sand castles using wet sand. I have merely stood with bare feet in seawater enjoying the feel of drifting sand as waves recede. And of course I have gone swimming in the sea. I have seen the sea in its various manifestations: In a placid mood as waves come ashore noiselessly and withdrawing with almost a sigh. In a temper with waves rolling ashore noisily stirred up by winds. In anger, with giant waves when provoked by a depression. And in a murderous mood, erupting into a tsunami. I love the sea no doubt but have been hurt by it. I’ll explain.

I’ll start by telling you about Hari with whom I had fallen in love. He was a tall handsome man with bulging muscles and he would often exercise in the gym. As a swimmer he was quite good though not of the Olympic class. He had been employed as a swimming coach since very early in life. He would be patient and encourage those who wanted to learn swimming. He was my coach too. He would say that I was on the heavier side and should swim longer to shed weight. I tried it but only with modest success! One of his trainees by name Rani, got the chance to enter the Olympics in Japan. She won a bronze medal. His fame as a swimming trainer spread, and he was sponsored to visit the Olympics in China.

 Rani had also been chosen to compete in China and I expected the worst to happen considering that she had been angling to get him. But fortunately for me, Hari didn’t get close to her. In fact he had let it be known that he was in love with me. In her disappointment, she tried to spread false rumours that Hari had recommended taking drugs while competing, and the like. To counter Rani, I speeded up the romance with Hari, and we became man and wife.  My parents had brought me up in the traditional way and expected me to become a mother in a matter of a year or two after the wedding. Hari however said that motherhood should wait. To tell you the truth, I longed to have a child as early as I could but couldn’t persuade Hari.

At this stage, Hari was employed by a star hotel where he was befriended by a film director from Hollywood. Hari was chosen to do a part in a film featuring a naval battle of the middle ages. While the producer, director and camera crew got modern boats to use, Hari and team had to use boats with oarsmen. Bows and arrows were the armaments and they had to operate at a distance from the shore. ‘Wounded’ men would fall into the sea as boats were overturned in ‘battle’. Power boats were on standby to rescue those who fell into waters. Following a chance collision, Hari and one other lost their balance and were cast into the waters. No doubt they were powerful swimmers but somehow Hari had disappeared while the other was rescued. No expense was spared to locate Hari as even a copter was used to search in many sorties. Further shooting was discontinued.  I was given the news of Hari’s disappearance and was amply compensated. An enquiry concluded that Hari had probably been drawn into a sub-marine vortex resulting in his disappearance.

After Hari had gone, I would go and sit near the water’s edge and talk as if conversing with him.  People thought that I had gone insane. My parents asked me to find someone to marry. But the possibility was abhorrent to me. How could I allow my body which had been handled only by Hari, to be used by someone else? Months passed when I lived in isolation. My depression mounted and I finally decided to die in the same waters as Hari. A festival day was coming when the pious would take a sea bath. I could get into the water and get washed away even if guards would be posted for rescue. I selected a heavy sari to wear on that day which would make swimming very difficult. To conceal my suicide attempt I would leave no note behind. I would also carry a spare set of clothing and a towel which I would leave on the shore to prove I was indeed coming back after the bath.

On the festival day, the sea was calm and the billowing waves sparkled in the morning sun. The seashore was astir with bathers – men and women- in various states of undress. Some of their kin were standing by for any help. I was clad in a skirt over which I had draped the sari. I did not remove my blouse or its under garment. Looking around I saw the pious taking the ritual bath. There were only a couple of guards some distance away. I walked into the water near where two women were bathing. An elderly man was standing alongside on shore near them, probably an escort. I waded some distance and dived wetting my hair. When I came up for air, I saw the elderly man standing looking into the distance. I knew the moment had come for me to depart the world and went further into the water. To show that I wasn’t  committing  suicide, I lifted my hand as if in distress and shouted for help. The women in the water saw that I was being drawn away by the current and screamed. Their elderly escort at once jumped into the water and came swimming with powerful strokes which I hadn’t thought he would be capable of. He came near me and catching my flowing sari said “Have no fear. Hold on to me.” In moments I was dragged out of the water and lay ashore with sand clinging to my hair, body and clothes. A small crowd had gathered around me including the guards. My rescuer said that I had been held back in time and didn’t need any medical assistance. He added “Madam, remember such heavy clothing will drag you down even if you could swim.”  Thanking all of those who helped me, I went home. It looked as if the sea had rejected me. I had to get back to life! My desire for progeny was once again asserting itself and I decided to find a suitable mate. The all-knowing sea god Triton should have laughed at the happenings and the antics of mortals beside the sea and under it!

END