Dumb Caretaker: English Short Story
Author: Deepak Budki
Translator: Jawahar Lal Bhat
Dumbness had struck him when he was still in
school. He suddenly got a very high fever which resulted in the loss of speech
though miraculously his hearing was not affected. Communication became his
greatest handicap but his sharp intellect taught him how to express himself
through sign language and seek help from his wife and later on his son.
Ramzan Joe took a personal interest in the maintenance
and cleanliness of guest house rooms. He knew that the British were keen on
neatness and cleanliness. So far none of them had raised even a finger on his
spotless work. On the contrary, many British officers appreciated his work
and given him letters of commendation at the time of their departure.
He had been the keeper of this guest house for
more than forty years now. Mostly the guests were senior government officers on
their official visits to local subordinate offices. They stayed here for a few
days, sometimes accompanied by their family and at other times alone.
Things changed drastically after
independence. Democracy changed both culture and behaviour of society. Foot soldiers became torchbearers. Hooligans
and ruffians controlled the reins of government and their slaves occupied
chairs of power. Ramzan Joo sensed it all and felt worrisome, especially for his
family which comprised his wife, one grown-up daughter and a son younger than
her. He would occasionally express his worry to his wife in sign language but
she was initially unable to understand him properly. Later on, however, she
deduced the truth on her own and understood what her husband was trying to
convey looking at the behaviour of local and other guests who came and stayed in
the guest house.
“Zooni, things have changed altogether now from
what it was during the British days. They were very clean-mannered, devout and
god-fearing. God save us from these ruffians and hooligans who visit nowadays.
They lack all dignified conduct and have no respect for good culture. They
are full of lustful desires and abominable to the core. Never go in front of them
in my absence nor send Farzana under any circumstances. Rashid can go, he is a
boy.” Ramzan Joo could not speak but he could think and express himself through
sign language and movements of his hands. Zooni could easily read everything
from the tearful eyes and pallid face of her husband.
Ramzan Joo received his first shock when the
Conservator of Forests, Peerzada Himayun Ashraf came into the guest house. A party was held till late into the night in
the dining hall. The subordinate officers had come with their wives who felt
free in entertaining the chief guest. Those who veiled their faces at home
carried glasses of lemon-immersed gin or frothing beer in their hands and
welcomed stealthy glances onto their half-bare ivory-like bodies. Every one of
them wore expensive dazzling clothes and hung Pashmina shawls on their shoulders
just to display affluence. With heavily made-up faces, deeply painted lips,
long dangling earrings, and pretty golden bangles on their arms the women moved
around inviting compliments from onlookers. The hall echoed with high pitch
laughter and obscene jokes. Wine and dining were made available by subordinate
officers from a nearby hotel while the caretaker was asked to make other
arrangements in the guest house.
At the time of departure one of the officers
called Ramzan Joo and tried to hand him over two bottles of whiskey as a tip
for the services rendered adding, “Ramzana, these two bottles are for you!
You’ll recall our favour for a long and remember what nice officers you came in contact with today!!" Ramzan Joo wore a feeble smile and politely refused to take the bottles
with the movement of his hand. He wished he was able to speak, he would have
given him a sound verbal thrashing. He wished he could tell him that he had seen
officers in this guest house of such refinement and calibre that people like
him would not match their shoe shiners even. The officer felt embarrassed and
went away. Slowly the hall was emptied of all the guests but was left littered
with so much refuse and garbage that it took Ramzan Joo two days to clean up.
For this additional work, he was paid just twenty-five rupees over and above the
actual bill payment as a tip. While cleaning the hall, words of the officer
repeatedly echoed in his ears---“You’ll remember our favour for a long time and
often recall what nice officers you came in contact with today!!”
After this episode, he faced many more embarrassing happenings in the guest house so much so that at times he wanted to
quit his job instantly but the pressing need for livelihood for himself and his family
dependent upon him made him bear all the insults and humiliations patiently.
Had he been alone he would have long back kicked the job and left the guest
house since his honour was at stake. His dilemma was understandable. How could he
be able to support four members of his family besides himself that too with
such a serious physical handicap? His children were studying in a nearby
government school. His moving out would have caused a catastrophe for his
family.
Many a time some officer guests came in with
other women and stayed in the guest house. They showed so close association
that nobody could suspect anything wrong. Ramzan Joo, simple-minded as he was,
didn’t smell anything suspicious till his wife found it out and warned him of its
dangers but he was unable to prevent it. He was a humble employee and unable to
denounce them for their immoral activities or inform the police. One of them
who frequented the guest house was a top police officer while the other one was
a member of the legislature. When his wife expressed her concern he had to force
himself to maintain silence. Many a time he pondered over it and said to
himself, “Hell, imagine what type of people visit this guest house? Sons of
bitches! Shameless guys! Lack of even the basics of ethics and morality. The women
accompanying them too are shameless and promiscuous. Nothing like that was seen
by me during the British days. They never committed anything regretful. True, they
consumed liquor and were free but shamelessness was not in their blood. I’m fed
up seeing it all with my own eyes. I want to kick this job and return to my
native village but how to sustain my large family with a small piece of
agricultural land and a shared property in the village! Now it is only God’s
grace that can save us otherwise it is impossible to carry on with these wicked
rascals!”
Then another earthquake shook his existence! One
day an Excise Commissioner came into the guest house. He was on an inspection
tour. A man of abominable short stature and a thin wiry frame with a wheatish
complexion, who in order to hide his inferiority complex took long steps and
talked aloud. He often used words and expressions like a bloody, bastard, son of
a bitch to give vent to his anger or stamp his authority, especially on his subordinates
to keep them on tiptoes. When he reached the guest house Ramzan Joo had gone
out to the market to fetch some veggies etc, so Farzana, his daughter opened
the gate for him. She had already reached her seventeenth year and looked so
cute and pretty. While looking at her Afzal Karim stood awestricken and the
devil in his heart came wide alive!
Farzana looked around and said pointing at the door of the nearby VIP
suite, “Sahab Jee, this suite is reserved for you. You may get fresh, hot water
is available in the geyser. In the meantime, Dad will be back. He’s gone to the
market to fetch some fresh veggies. If you need anything more you can push the
call bell. She had immediately sensed his intention so without staying further
she rushed back into her quarter.
Afzal Karim and his orderly went into the suite.
The orderly opened his bags and began putting the requisite essentials in order.
Meanwhile, he took out two bottles of Whiskey and some snacks from the bag and
set them on the table. In order to have some glasses, the orderly rushed out to
the kitchen and called out aloud besides pushing the bell. Farzana came almost
running. On being told she took out four glasses, put them on a tray and handed
them over to the orderly.
Afzal Karim went into the washroom, got fresh in
a few minutes, changed his clothes and sat in the armchair near the table. He
wanted to have some drinks to get relief from the weariness of the journey. The
orderly prepared the drink and Afzal Karim took a few sips slowly though
intermixed with the thoughts of Farzana. After a few moments, unable to control
his lust, he said to his orderly, “The girl is extremely pretty, like a fairy.
God knows who is destined for her!”
The orderly knew his boss well. He immediately
sensed his intention. So he replied hastily, “Ah, Sir, what’s her status? Won’t
even get an ordinary man! Some third-class fellow will marry her for sure!”
“That’s unfortunate! She’s truly extremely
beautiful!”
The orderly got the clue. Karim was emptying
whiskey pegs one after the other which was showing its effect. Meanwhile, Ramzan
Joo returned from the market and knocked feebly at the door of the suite.
“Come in!” Afzal Karim called out aloud.
Ramzan Joo came in and said in the language of
gestures, “I hope the arrangements are satisfactory!” Looking at the wall clock
he asked again, “When will you have dinner, Sir?” Afzal Karim was puzzled why
this man was not speaking. His orderly saw through his enigma and said, “Sir,
he is Ramzan Joo, the caretaker of this guest house. He is unable to speak but
can hear well. He wants to know at what time you’ll have the dinner and if
there is any other requirement, he’ll arrange it.” The orderly was already acquainted
with Ramzan Joo because he had earlier visited this guest house on several
occasions.
A fit of notorious anger with an air of grin spread on
the face of Afzal Karim. He said to his orderly “If he can't speak, someone
else should have come. Okay, see if some arrangement can be made.”
The orderly got the cue. He got up and drove out
Ramzan Joo placing his arm on his shoulder. He whispered into
Ramzan's ear as if he was revealing a secret, “Ramzana, he is my topmost boss.
My job is subject to his pleasure. It'll be kind of you if you fulfil his
wish.”
Unable to make out his intention Ramzan Joo
stared closely into his face. He himself became a question personified.
Cutting across all the limits of shame and bounds
of morality, the orderly told him clearly in his ear, “Sahib likes your
daughter very much. I should be leaving after dinner. Send her to him late in
the night. He’ll reward you to your heart’s content. He is very bounteous.”
Suddenly Ramzan Joo felt the earth shaking under
his feet and the sky crashing down on his head. He didn't possess the power of
speech but now momentarily he seemed to have lost his power of thinking and
understanding as well. It was for the first time in his life that he heard such
shocking words. His breaking emotion burst into a flow of tears but somehow he could
control himself. Without uttering a word he walked back to his quarters with
legs as heavy as lead.
On seeing Farzana his anger got the better of
him. He slapped her face with all force and asked in his language of gestures
why she had appeared before the guests in his absence. She was dumbfounded, and couldn't reply but her mother spoke out, “Why do you flare up? You were not
here. Neither I nor Rashid was available. I had taken Rashid to the doctor.
And what wrong did she commit, she only opened the door and made them comfortable.
She didn't misbehave. ”
Ramzan Joo was feeling as if someone had
undressed her daughter before him. He
could not express anything, only a stream of tears was flowing in his eyes and
he was beating his forehead with his
palms repeatedly. Gradually his wife tried to comprehend all that might have
happened, so she consoled her innocent husband and begged him to cool down.
“Farzana is not at fault, dear. These people are
wicked and greatly sinful. The British were far better than these devils.
Forget it now; serve them dinner in the evening, by morning these monsters will
vanish.
At nine in the evening, Ramzan Joo spread dinner
for the guest in the dining hall, knocked on his door softly and with a little
motion of hand called him to the dinner table. Not a word was spoken or a gesture
made after that. After dinner, Ramzan Joo silently removed the used dishware and
went straight into his house. Normally he would go into the room of the guest
after serving him dinner and ask him if there was any other requirement. After
fulfilling the need of the guest, he would bid good night to him and take his
leave.
Tonight it was different. He was not able to have
even a wink of sleep the whole night. His inner conscience was poking him.
Repeatedly he would get up and bow low in submission before Allah as if he had
committed an unpardonable sin. His wife too was much anguished, she witnessed
it all but was helpless. She went along in extreme anguish.
In the morning after Afzal Karim left the guest
house, Ramzan Joo started packing his bags. He had decided finally to leave his
job and go to his native village to spend the rest of his life. In the afternoon he
met his boss in his office and submitted his resignation. His boss wanted to
know the reason for his resignation but Ramzan Joo did not say anything though
tears continued to make his eyes moist and were about to burst.
After three days a young man replaced him in the
guest house. Ramzan Joo handed him the keys and left the same evening along
with his family. While leaving, Ramzan Joo heaved a deep sigh of anguish and
relief and looked back at the guest house which to him was no less than a place
of worship.
*****
Very touching
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