UNMADE RESOLUTIONS

UNMADE RESOLUTIONS

With New Year approaching my husband and I sat considering resolutions to be made. The very next day when my husband came ḥome, his chauffeur brought in a glass bowl. As I served tea I asked “What is it you’ve brought home?”

He said “I’ll explain. You know my friend Kay the fish fancier.  He has a variety of beautiful fish, a range of fish foods, gadgets for isolating and treating sick fish, fish treatment medicines containing antibiotics etc etc. He suggested that we take to keeping fish at home and presented me with that glass bowl and two gold fish.  Can you see the fish?”

I nodded and laughed.

“Nothing wrong in the suggestion! He said he would help me set up the tanks and the fish.”

I said “You’re a sedentary person. You won’t persist at caring for the fish. It is hard work.”

“For now let us keep the gold fish.”

Two days later we went to a reception and were away practically the whole day. When we returned we found the gold fish dead on the floor and the glass bowl broken. The gardener said “A troop of monkeys landed here this afternoon. One of them managed to open a window pane and enter the house.”

I said to my husband “Very inauspicious beginning. Abandon fish keeping.”

He agreed and said “I’ve an alternative in mind. I saw the ad on the school in the next street.”

“I also saw it. It is for yoga lessons by a woman.” I knew any male would be attracted by the ad: It showed an attractive young woman with a splendid body stretched out on her stomach with raised head. Her cleavage and more could be seen. I didn’t want my husband to have contact with her.

I said “Last year you said you would play tennis but gave it up saying courts over-crowded. Yoga would be even more difficult for you to learn. I don’t think yoga would suit you.”

His mind was surely still on the yoga woman and he said “Whatever I think of taking up or doing, you bring in objections. Yoga will be good for me.”

“You’ll only find young boys and girls among the yoga learners. Remember it is a school. You won’t fit in there.” It did admit the public.

He appeared a bit disappointed and I said “Why don’t you think of joining a theology class?  Runs twice a week.” I went in and brought ḥim a notice. I said “This came with our newspaper. Read it.”

He scanned it and I could see his disappoiṇtment as an elderly woman in ochre robes would be running it for 52 weeks thrice weekly. There would be guru and disciple exchanges once every week for clearing doubts. The textbook for study seemed quite massive besides expensive.  

He said “I wish it would be something more interesting than tḥeology.”

I was inclined to support him: Theology was a subject to explain by teachers who don’t understand it! The intent is not to tell the truth but to satisfy the questioner!

He said “I am thinking of writing a book.”

“It’s a good thought. But you haven’t written anything so far.”

He said “But tell me about your resolutions for the New Year.”

“You know I’m a numismatist with a collection of coins. My ancestor almost 400+ years ago built the temple on our land. He had made one stipulation: Pious followers will put in their two cents in the  strong box provided. The box should remain unopened. Imagine how many coins would there be īn the strong box! Now the temple is being rebuilt and the strong box would need shifting.  It has been determined that the auspicious date for it would be a week from now.”

 She continued “You also know that I’ve an Alexander gold coin.”

A Gabriel was building a retirement home at a site not far away from our residence. It was said that when he excavated the site he came across a coffer sealed with wax. There was excitement at the find but it seems it contained only sand and he had thrown it away. Gabriel’s cook had come to me and claimed that she had searched the cast off sand from the coffer and had located a small gold coin.  Knowing that I was a coin collector she was offering it to me on sale: Considering her indigent circumstances she would take only a modest amount if I took it. I had consulted three people who had knowledge about ancient coins and they had said it was very valuable as the find was rare. The coin had the effigy of Alexander on one face and a Greek god on the obverse. That was how the coin came to me.

I said “I was told the coin would be worth several thousand dollars if offered for sale in America. We’ll be very rich. My first plan would be to visit America taking the coin along which is a resolution. It would be a second honeymoon.”

He asked “Where is the coin now?”

I said “It is safe in my locker in the bank. I’ve stored it with a few other coins belonging to the rein of Emperor Aurangazeb. I’m sure there would be several rare coins when the strong box in the temple is opened.”

The day prior to the auspicious date fixed for opening the strong box I went to the coin dealer with whom I had transactions. He said “As a regular customer it is my duty to show you a rare find.” From a safe he pulled out a coin in a jewel box and said “This is a coin of Alexander the great. It’s very rare.” It had the effigy of Alexander on one face and a Greek god on the obverse identical to what Gabriel’s cook had sold me!

Seeing it I at once realized the trick played by Gabriel’s cook! My heart sank. The next day my husband and I were at the temple when the strong box was opened at the appointed hour. The box was very heavy and while taking it out a few current coins were found strewn around. With great difficulty the box was opened and we were surprised to find it empty. The staff who excavated the box said “Someone had made a parallel opening and siphoned off the contributions of the devotees.”

I was deeply disappointed. I told my husband “Probably my other coins are also fake. I’m giving up numismatics.”

He said “It is the right decision.”

“How about your resolution?” I asked.

“The printer said that unless it is in good English the book won’t sell. I’ve resolved to find a gḥost writer.”

Our resolutions had been unmade!

END