A Boat in the Storm (புயலிலே ஒரு தோணி) by Pa. Singaram Chapter 24: Vilasini

 Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam

***

Chapter 24 : Vilasini 

It was a big room in the front. The radio sitting on a Chinese table in the north eastern side stopped playing Japanese music and started its usual narration of news story. The sun light entering the room through the three rectangular windows, after its passage through the plants in the garden below, was wavering due to the moving shadows of plants. 

Vilasini was sitting on a sofa leaning against its rolled velvet arms. A single rose with two leaves was inserted in her freshly bathed, dried hair nestled in near her right ear lobe. She didn’t wear saffron vermillion that could have otherwise looked like a wart on her golden forehead. The lips on which the lipstick was craftly applied were found slightly parted and her pearl like teeth were showing up. 

She pulled the three legged cushion topped stool, placed it under her leg for support and picked the blue colour rolled arm made in velvet, cuddled it along her breasts and mumbled inaudibly, “mm…it seems the rest of my life would be spent only like this”. The velvet roll got crushed against her breast. ‘These brutes…just looking like pigs, buffalos, and hippos, know only loutish fucking, biting, and ejaculating. No one is different anyway, be it the one who married me, or the one who brings men to me, or the ones who eat me up like leach, lawyers, doctors, Engineers, Captains, Major Generals- all what they know is only hard  fuck, bites and ejaculation- just like pigs, buffalos and hippos’. 

The stupor caused by the coziness of velvet roll and springing of fantasy filled in her veins, and made her vivacious. Her eyes were semi closed, looking up. Mhmmm…mhmmm…    

Born near Palakad in Kerala, Vilasini had never experienced the woes of life till she went to Chennai for her studies. Only after that she faced agony and disappointments that flooded her life leaving her body and heart in persistent distress. The Sari shop owner Ananda Krishnan Iyer who had illicit relations with her mother, Ammani took good care of his concubine’s children as well. He sent Ammani’s children abroad for higher studies the way he did for his own children. Only Vilasini, the youngest daughter, was caught in the vortex of life as she was married to a lawyer namely Padmanabhan while studying in Chennai. If it hadn’t happened, Iyer would have sent her too abroad for studies. 

The tender heat that spread across her body from the velvet roll burnt her like fire. ‘O God! Would there be a man like this? What sort of a habit was that?’ She tightened up her eye lids further that lay closed already and emitted a sharp breath. ‘I was ruined due to my husband and roamed in Merina Beach, Esplanade, Egmore and Adaiyar. It was at that time Tiruchur Pattan met me. Why did it happen? It was my fate. That Brahmin fellow had a peculiar problem- he grew bored with the decent looking women and got addicted to dirty women roaming on streets with untidy hair. He boarded the ship for Burma. A great patriot! I don’t have children even to cry my death. Is it that my womb closed its entry as I got aborted twice before the marriage? No…not likely. Parvathi and Sujatha are still giving birth to healthy children. Mhmm…Mhmmm…Is it my destiny that I must live with these beasts till my death? Those pigs, buffalos, and hippos- loutish fuck, bites, and ejaculating…Cheee…beasts. Pigs, buffaloes and hippos. Saraswati was with me and now she's also gone…’ 

The house was near perfect for her comfortable stay. It was built for the company managers of Khatri- Spenser. There was a big garden around the house. It had so many rooms with rare paintings hanging on walls decking it. Persian carpets were spread on the floor. The things in the house were in fact brought from abroad. All these were just the remaining what the Japanese had left after their loot. 

“Ailon! Please get me some coffee” 

A melodious voice passed the order musically. 

“Yeah Ma’am” 

She opened a casket made of tortoise shell, took out a cigarette, lit it and blew it in curls. Then blew it out through her nostrils. “I have to bear this stinking cigarette till the war is over. Is it a cigarette? Useless piece of a shit! Once the war is over, I can get British cigarette, Gerick, Champaign, Cherry and Shadow…and get rid of these shitty things. I can get married to a good man and settled in Penang. It is a good place to live in. I can’t wrestle with these pigs, buffaloes and hippos anymore. Phooo…what the fuck of a cigarette is this?’ 

She rose, took out the cigarette from her mouth with her finger and crushed it in an ash tray. Wearing an embroidered slipper, she went in front of mirror and had a look of her- a polished body with refined curves seemingly made of gold was standing in front of the mirror. She parted her rosy lips and noticed the row of her white teeth and adjusted the lock of hairs strands falling on her forehead. The left hand gently stroked her neck and cheeks. ‘Can I hug you tightly and kiss you? My sweet Vilasini!’ She felt like laughing uncontrollably. Falling in love with herself seen on the mirror, she stood in front of it smiling and turned, walked to sofa and lounged on it. She drank coffee kept on the table. The calling bell rang. ‘Who’s that animal at this time? Whichever it is, it is likely to be the usual beast anyway. Is it that beast, Major General? Or any other pig, buffalo or hippo? No matter what that animal is, I am going to have tough time anyway. Lousy wretched bastards! Lousy scums! I am going to be mad soon. Mad….very soon mad….’    

She glanced at the piece of paper that Ailon gave her.

“Captain K R Vijayan, INA”   

 “How does he look?”

“Dark. But very handsome.”

She instructed her to close the radio and raced to the mirror. Her left hand pulled the sari covering her breasts a bit down. Her right hand set right the rose that had blossomed in her thick hair. ‘Who’s that man? Why has he come here? Name sounds Malayali. Has the General sent him here? He may be a friend of that Captain holding the charge of cargo procurement’

Sitting on a chair lying on the south to the table, she instructed her maid to allow him to come in.

A well-built Tamil man in grey trousers and white shirt came in. His gait, appearance heralded something that he must be an important person. ‘Is he just an ordinary captain? Or someone very important? A sword like body. Limbs, chest and waist looked being chiseled with precision.

She couldn’t remove her admiring look from him. ‘Mhmmm…mhmm”

Pandian slowly inched towards the window in the south. She was sitting in the rightmost corner. First he should display an enormous appreciation of seeing an unparalleled beauty. Then praising her on her face. Despite these tricks, if she doesn’t fall on track, employing harsh methods of cave men….

Pandian, with his inquisitive eyes of not seeing anyone around, went near to the silk curtained entrance that led to the inner hall.

“Hello”

She stood up as all her gorgeous parts shook.

He turned his head as if visibly stunned. His lips parted a bit and closed and saliva went down his throat. His eyes didn’t pat a second and were watching her. He could feel that his head is still alive sitting on his torso and greeted her with his folded hands raised above involuntarily.

“mm…mm…a blockage in the throat pit…Namaskaram”

“Namaskaram…please have a seat”

Her head leaned left slightly. How many men she had seen! But there is no one who had become as stunned and speechless as he! He must be an amateur boy despite having grown up into a man. I have to teach him everything holding him on my lap like a baby’

Pandian stood astonished with his eyes that tried its best not to glance at her.

“Please have a seat”

She pointed to a chair and smiled, brimming with shyness.

“Let me stand here. You please have a seat”

“Why do you look at me like that? Mhmm?”

She threw a question at him in chaste Tamil without the tinge of Malayalam accent and smiled at him seductively with her pouty lips.

“I don’t mean…”

“Do I look like demon? Mhmm….please have a seat”

“Mhmm…I am ….” Pandian sat down.

Ailon sat in front of Pandian.

“Yeah ma’am”

“Please get us cakes and coffee”

“O.K Ma’am” the maid left them.

“You are in Singapore. Aren’t you? But I haven’t met you”

“I have been travelling all over Southeast Asia”

His eyes grew calmer and crawled through the area below her neck. At times, it noticed her legs and hands that were resting on her lap.

Vilasini’s face became red. When her eyes met with his, she looked down unable to face a man’s sharp appreciative groping eyes. “What a look! What a look! What a body!

The maid brought coffee mug, silver tumblers, cakes in a glass bowls and sliced fruits on a wooden tray and kept it beside the table.

“Have a coffee” she poured coffee in a glass and gave it to him.

He received it, smiled at her without parting his lips narrowing his eye brows and eyes looking up.

The dazzling parts of the woman sitting in front of him were swelling up seeing him.

“Your Tamil culture has taught you to ogle at a woman in her privacy like this. Hasn’t it?” she bobbed her head faking anger.

“Please pardon me” He placed the tumbler on the table and rose.

“Why? What happened? Please sit down”

“I don’t feel alright now. It all appears to be a dream. I fear I may speak something unwarranted”

“Please be seated. I too feel that I am not alright” she twisted her neck with a jerk. Her eyes were half closed. “You can speak anything unwarranted. I’ll do my part too. Is that ok?”

“If something slips out of my mouth you shouldn’t be angry” Pandian said, sat down.

“You may speak anything. I won’t stop you. How would that be if you keep ogling without telling me the purpose of your visit here? How do I look like? Do I look woman or demon?”

“I won’t tell you. You may get angry with me if I do” said Pandian as his hands were busy fidgeting with his shirt collar.

“No problem. One should open up one’s heart. It is what a man is expected of”

“You are not just a woman. You are an angel. I have heard that there are a lot of beautiful women in Kerala. But I have never seen such a beautiful woman like you” he spread his hands and said, “O.K. Let me take leave. I am not feeling well”

“No…it is just a plain deceptive talk. Am I looking that beautiful? Your words are nothing but flattery. Now tell me the purpose of your visit. Which camp are you from?”

“Army Head Quarters. I have come here for an important task”

He rummaged the papers in his bag. A cap of wine bottle popped up.

“Is it for you?” she asked him.

“No. It is for someone from higher office. I purchase it in Hongkong” he raised his head and said: “I came here for another work. After seeing you, I was besotted and just went out of my mind” he openly told watching her with his entrancing eyes showing up his intentions. “May I ask you a boon from you?”

“Boon? I am a not a saint. Am I?” She pulled her hem of sari tightly to cover her assets blushing at his remarks and turned her head in and called out to her maid. “Ailon”

“Yeah ma’am”

“It gets late. Please get us some bread soon”

“Yeah…ma’am”

The maid went out closing the entrance door. Pandian rose casually, went near to Vilasini, grasped her right hand with his left and snapped it gently.

“Aiyaiyo….what’s this? Leave my hands…amm…mhaah…mmmhahhh…”

His steel like hands wrapped her waist and lifted her.

“Amm…mhaah…mmmhahhh…Not here…. amm…mhaah…mmmhahhh….there”

“He carried her inside.

….

“What! You mean I had stolen it. Don’t you? That scoundrel knows nothing other than rolling on bed like a buffalo and biting me. Hell with his military job! That pig never takes bath. You know that? His body stinks. He used to keep lots of cash in his pocket. That was why I put my hands into it but found only some paper bundles. I just stole it thinking that there must be some cash in it. Even if I rob him of his money, would that be wrong anyway? He isn’t getting his salary out of hard work. Is he?”

“The maid is coming. That’s the creaking sound of door”

“Let her come. I have seen you somewhere. Where? Huumm”

She bit the nape of his neck.

“Aiyo….it pains my dear. My dear Vilasini. You have stolen my heart. My love”

“No…You are lying…look into my eyes and say it”

“My dearest Vilasini…I am ready to even give my life for you. It has reached Netaji’s ears that you hold all these letters under your possession. He has ordered to get you arrested to retrieve those letters from you. But the luck would have it, the case has been handed over to me. So you don’t worry about it. I can get your name removed from the list of prime suspects” “he hugged her tightly and placed strong kisseson her neck. “You have given Yamasakki an important letter, though unknowingly. Now get that letter back from him by hook or crook”

“I didn’t give him that. Did I? He just opened the paper bundle in the almirah and picked a couple of papers from it. How can I ask him now? He will kill me for sure. If this matter is leaked, it won’t die with me and rather brother’s name will also be dragged into it and spoilt. Now what would I do?”

She hugged his neck and cried.

“My dear Vilasini, don’t be afraid. As long as I am with you, I will never allow any harm reach either you or your brother. I have planned to divert the course of this investigation in different direction. The soldiers who have come with me are now standing guard outside. I have to invent some new story that could convincingly trick them. …mmm”

“My love! My soul! You must save me from all these”

“Don’t fear. You aren’t facing any danger. I have to pick up some petty guys and sort out this matter….O.K. When will Yamasakki come back?”

“How would I know? He comes whenever he wants. Donkey”

“When does he usually visit your place?”

“There is no fixed time for him. Last time, he cried under inebriation hugging my legs that he wouldn’t be able to survive without me and bit me hard all over my body. Merciless brute”

“It is likely that he might have gone to Rangoon?”

“He muttered Sumathra, Medan, Sabhanu and Yoshi in his language when he was under the influence of alcohol.”

“Let that rotten soul get lost. If he comes back, you must inform me immediately. You must write ‘Achuthan is suffering from fever. Come immediately’ in a letter and get it posted in the green colour post box kept outside Gadde Building. My address is Captain Vijayan, R 090, Gadde Building- 28. If only I meet him to discuss this issue, I can get you rid of this mess. Will you write to me?”

“Aiyo…why should we get into trouble with him? He is a Japanese army man”

“I don’t mind who he is. If he comes on way creating trouble for me, he will be finished for sure. Will you write to me once he visits you again?”

“Yes. I’ll do”

“It gets late. It will be an uneasy situation if the guards standing outside come in sensing any possible danger. Can I take leave now?”

“Mhmm…mhmm…mhmmm…when will you be back here again?”

“Tomorrow night”

“No…don’t. Come during day at this hour. This is the right time”

She hugged his neck with her hands tightly and showered kisses on his face and bid him adieu.

He went out, turned left and walked down the street. ‘Very dangerous animal…Alluring body. She must be elder to me by six or seven years. How come one could walk down to a whore’s house with secret letters in pockets addressed to the chief in the government? Were they brought at the behest of Yamasakki? Or did he order them to be brought to him on the basis of information he received in this regard?  The relationship between Vilasini and the Japanese army seems no ordinary one. It has been there since beginning….It was the Japanese army which gave her this big house. In order to retain the comfort of this house she would go to any extent. If necessary, she can get me to the throne just to butcher me into pieces. Very dangerous animal she is…unlikely triumvirate: Japanese army-Vilasini-General.

                                     ***Chapter 24 “Vilasini” ended.

Note: Chapter 25 “Netaji” will be published soon.   

A Boat in the Storm (புயலிலே ஒருதோணி) by Pa. Singaram Chapter 23: Colonel Kalik Usman

 Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam. 

Chapter 23: Colonel Kalik Usman .

***

The Indian Security Office was housed in Singapore’s Gadde Building. A ‘colourful’ Netaji in left profile was hanging on the wall facing street behind the table.

Pandian entered and greeted.

After spending a couple of minutes on the pretext of scrutinizing the bundles of documents on his table, the colonel raised his head and threw a sharp look at Pandian.

“Yesss”

“Commando Captain K K 282. I am awaiting the orders from the higher authority sir”

“Commando Captain! Hhhaaaaa! Hiiiihiiii. There are no commando or kamikaze teams in the Indian National Army. It is just a plain trick to get you on the roll. What name do you hold now?”

“Pramod Chandra Majumdar”

“Majumdar…those rice eating Bengalis!” he extended his left hand.

Pandian handed him over the cover he was holding in his right hand.

The Colonel opened the cover and pulled out the letter, read it, scribbled something on it, opened the drawer on his left, dropped in it and raised his eyes at him again.

“Setting aside my right as your superior officer, I would like to treat you my equal for this task” told the colonel as he lit his cigarette. “I’ll inform you the nature of duty assigned to us later. I believe that this sort of informal relationship between us would help in completing that task. Please have a seat” the colonel said.

“Thank you colonel sahib” he sat down.

“You can be frank with me whatever bugs your mind. I mean like talking to a friend. I must know your opinions about the task we both are going to engage with. You need a cigarette? Colonel’s hand pushed the cigarette packet to Pandian.

“Thanks colonel sahib” he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

“A very important and potentially dangerous task would be handed over to you. Where were you before joining the army?”

"I was in Medan City, Sumathra”

“What were you doing there?”

“I was working as a supervisor in a pawn shop. After that….”

“What! You are a Chettiyar. Aren’t you? What the heck do you buggers think about security services? Do you think this place is the haven for those petty business geese?”

Pandian grinned.

“It’s alright. We have to run this army only with the people who are available to us. It is your good destiny that you were imprisoned. Or else you would have been deported to Burma by now. The action heroes would meet their definite death there. Before I came to Malaya, I was of the opinion that Tamil men are only fit for eating rice and working as clerks”

“It is true anyway” remarked Pandian.

“No…now I have changed my opinion.”

The colonel was watching the smoke emitted from the cigarette in his right hand silently for a while. His eyes narrowed.

“Rakbirlal was a scoundrel. His wife jumped into a river and died. He was a rascal of the highest order. What you had done is a grave criminal offence according to the military law. You could just escape as the situations worked in your favour”

He flicked the cigarette with his fingers and tapped it to remove its ash.

The task that is going to be awarded to you is relatively a tougher one. But it is a very rare opportunity to prove your mettle. Are you aware of our General Shivnath Rai, a modern era Napoleon?”

“I have heard about him”

“A military affairs expert opined that if the panzers deployed in the central divisions of German army had been commanded by General Shivnath Rai instead of General Heinz Guderian, Mosco would have fallen by now. Do you know who that expert is?”

“I know. It is General Shivnath Rai”

“haa Goshhhh…you are right.”

“Why isn’t he going to the war front leaving his idle sitting in Singapore?”

“It is because he couldn’t find a suitable, courageous guy to look after the rice godown.  Now let me get to the point…What I am going to tell you is extremely a secret and a complicated one. You shouldn’t tell this to anyone without my permission. General Shivnath Rai- Yes…that rice vendor has lost an important letter from his custody. Are you with me?”

“Yes…I am getting you Colonel Sahib”

“You should find out that letter and bring it to me”

“O.K. How to identify that?”

“It was actually written by Aungsan, the Chief of Burmese Army of Independence to Netaji. It is yellow in colour. Written in Bangla script…”

“How come Bangla script!”

“Aungsan knows Bangla language”

“But I am not familiar with Bangla language.”

“What sort of a Majumdar are you? I guess you don’t know how to eat fish too”

He leaned over, pulled out the drawer on his right and took out some stencils of Bangla language and papers written in Bangla and pushed them to him.

Pandian glanced at them and gave them back.

“Keep it with you”

“Thanks.” He kept them in his trouser pocket and asked, “May I know when, how and why that letter was lost?”

“Within one month it went out of a chest kept in our General’s room. Why does it assume importance? It is because the contents of the letter are against the Japanese”

“Pardon for my impudence. Who does our rice vendor suspect?”

“He suspects Churchil. Hahhaaaa….” He burst out laughing. “It is of no use knowing the suspicion of our General. It is quite possible that he could have eaten that letter under intoxication”

“Can I discuss this matter with the General? Can I visit the spot?”

“No…No…You are just a lieutenant. Napoleons are very particular about their rank and status”

“If then, you can talk yourself”

“It is true that I am a colonel. But a General to a General. A Colonel to a colonel. Besides, our General doesn’t like me. So there would be some unnecessary disputes. If Netaji himself passes such an order, you get immune and can enquire it directly.”

“Seeking your pardon again, does Netaji know about it?”

“I’d be happy if you stop seeking repeated pardons. When Netaji was out of station, this letter came and handed over to someone. But they forgot to deliver it to him after his arrival. When he came to know about this letter, he asked them to bring it. But the letter was missing. Netaji categorically ordered that the letter must reach his hands no matter what it would cost. But this order was given not to our General but to me. See the travesty of justice….”

In a moment, the colonel bore the resemblance of stone of despair and waved his both hands helplessly.

Pandian laughed.

“Don’t laugh my dear man…Don’t laugh. My heart had already sunk in despair”

“Who do you suspect”

“I don’t suspect anyone. Let’s not talk this woeful topic for now and talk something happier. Mhhhh…Do you know one beauty known as Mrs Vilasini? She is the younger sister of one of the most influential leaders of freedom movement Mr B.S. Menon, Bottathu Sankunni Menon.”

“Heard about her”

“What have you heard about?”

“That, she is a whore…”

“Heiii….thchchchhch….too much of a harsh usage of language for such a woman. Very harsh. You must learn to use refined usage of words while talking about women of high status. She is a very pretty woman….golden complexioned…well-endowed parts that could make men numb”

Colonel’s eyes seemed to float in the world of dreams.

“Our General is one of her customers”

“Customers! This word is also very brutish. It is alright. Anyway the cost of his affair is very pricy. Many bales of rice for a single night! It is good that rice godown is not under me. We can try out Mrs Vilasini to get some information.”

“If needed, we can use force. Can’t we?”

“It’s dangerous. She has a good number of well-wishers.”

“Trying honey trap?”

“No use. I heard that she wouldn’t prefer dark men. Only White…brown and yellow….hahahahah”

A dramatic burst of laughter filled in the room.

“Are Chinese men standing in the queue of yellow complexion?”

“Not likely. She won’t try her legs if the depth is perceivably dangerous”

“Thanks. Can I interrogate Mrs Vilasini?....seeking your pardon…I am just asking this as you have permitted to question her.”

“Ask her as many questions as you like. What I need is Aungsan’s letter”

“Or my death. Is it? Pandian smiled at colonel.

“Not exactly. But there will be a punishment for failure. Everything has its price my dear man. If victory has its price, failure too has its price. Let’s put this talk aside. I repeat once again. You can ask her as many questions as you like. What I need is Aungsan’s letter”

“I will bring it for sure”

“Very good…Belief is the first step to success”

“Who are Vilasini’s prominent visitors in yellow category that need to be placed under close observation?”

“Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasakki. His principle of life is damn simple: The moment suspicion arises, award death with a bullet. Hahahahaha….a very tough customer”

“I don’t know him”

“I’ll give you his photos”

“Let’s suppose that some misunderstanding cropped up with Vilasini and she files a complaint. What would be the next course of action?”

“You’ll land in trouble. A very big trouble. She has a good number of powerful people. Please restrain as much as you can not to employ force”

“With Major Yamasakki too?”

“You can’t handle Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasakki if you are not fully confident with your work. With him it is either victory or death. You haven’t seen Aungsan’s signature. Have you? I’ll show you that.”

He leaned over on his right, pulled the drawer, took some photographs and paper and kept it on the table.

“Have it registered in your mind”

Pandian looked at the signature intently, kept it in his memory and collected those photographs and gave them back to the colonel. The colonel locked them inside the drawer.

“Yamasakki had lived in Rangoon. So he knows about Aungsan”

The colonel pressed the calling bell. He asked the attendant boy to bring coffee and lit a new cigarette with the old one holding it between his lips and puffed on looking up the ceiling. He then turned to Pandian and extended his hand with cigarette box. Pandian pulled a cigarette and lit it. Cigarette smoke was coming out of his mouth in curls. Pandian was trying to dig out whether colonel’s words of mockery had something hidden inside- was it just acting? Or was it just his nature of speaking? If acting, was it just to entertain me or just being deceptive? Talking comically to see one’s depth of things….”

Coffee came and they poured it in glasses and drank it.

“Mhmmm….Mhmmm…” colonel leaned back and stretched out his legs fully. “ So, what we have inferred with the available information is….”

“The letter is lost. Honourable Mrs Vilasini could have stolen it from our Napoleon either at the behest of Yamasakki or to get financial favours from the Major with that letter. Or she could have trapped our Napoleon in some way and asked him to hand over that letter to Yamasakki. Or the letter could have been lost somewhere inadvertently. Now, the Japanese are damn tired. Let the things happen as they are supposed to.”

“Great inferences anyway. What is Aungsan doing now?” asked Pandian.

“Ah…it is top kept secret. How come did you know it?”

“This is London calling in the….”

“What! Radio in the cells!...”

“One of my friends who used to listen to BBC news unfailingly has been sending me messages daily.”

“You had indulged in the act of treason bypassing the tight security against the rules of prison. You will be tried separately for this crime. Let’s not discuss it now. If that letter happens to fall into the hands of Japanese, suspicion would naturally fall upon Netaji.”

“So we have to seize that letter at the earliest. Right?”

“That is it. My good opinion about Tamils gets growing every second. Only your dark complexion seems to be unpalatable to me and Vilasini. Hahahahah….”

“The black and white are the only natural colours. Others are just adulterated expressions”

“Hahahahaha….adulterated! adulterated! Hahahaha….Colonel burst out into laughter. Do you mean my brownish complexion? Mind you are also not pure breed of black. Then what?”

“Any idea to lure Vilasini?”

“Champaign or original foreign liquor will do the wonder. She is very fond of it. But they are rare now, not easily available.”

“We can procure it. But it will be pricy. In case not available, we can make a duplicate of it. There are lots of Chinese experts who are good at it”

“Mind another important thing. How much do you know about women? Vilasini is an experienced lady in seducing many men. To seduce her, one needs to have a vast experience with the art of seducing so many women. Do you have such an experience?”

“I guess I do have”

“But you look so young”

“I started having such experience since young age”

“Fantastic...it’ll be useful for this task. It is alright. Now answer this riddle. An innocent man marries an educated lady who had gained numerous university degrees. Every time he returns home from office, he sees his wife either roaming on beaches with her pet dog or some market area. She is so audacious that she says she doesn’t know cooking and her physical appearance would ruin if she gets children. Now, what would be your course of action to seduce such a woman?”

The colonel leaned forward as if showing interest to listen to his reply.

“It is very easy. Very very easy. First, you must take off your shirt and vest so that the hair in your chest is visible. Then you should grasp the hair bun of your wife, untie it and give two tight slaps on her cheek- Guderian style of treatment. Then two tight kicks on her butts- Rokossovsky style of treatment. As a final blow, a kick when she falls off. Then what? She would know how to cook, she would know how to ask what you want- is it butter milk, or stew made with pulses or dried vegetables or mutton or chicken or fish…other than these endearments, she would know how to ask you if you need hot water or massage before you go to office. Then finally, the hero and the heroine would live with one soul in two bodies getting children every year and live for ever. The end…the end…the end…”

The colonel couldn’t control himself, laughed to his heart out as the room shook.

“You are such a rogue doctor. Extremely a roguish doctor. It is dangerous to get a sick woman admitted under your care”

“Rogue treatment for immediately visible output. Perhaps, you may find the results in the medicine itself. If not treated, money will be returned for sure. PS: There is no requirement of being disciplined during medication…mmm…the truth behind this complex problem”

“Yes…I understand. It may be a conspiracy of northerners. You have a sharp intellect”

He took out a letter from his shirt pocket and gave it to Pandian.

Pandian read it. The letter had been written in such a language that only some trained persons could understand it.

“You first pay attention to Vilasini. The matter related to Yamasakki is very complicated. I’ll discuss this matter with Netaji. We shouldn’t get into conflict with him without categorical and direct order”

“O.K”

“You can come and directly collect the cash you need”

“O.K”

“There is no scarcity of cash in Security Services. Only those who have guts are less in number. Another thing…Yamasakki has disappeared. Investigation is on”

“Photo?”

“Yes…it’s here. He pulled out a table drawer and stretched him out a small picture. “Keep it with you. He is an experienced hand in Kota Baling training schools and was close confidant of General Doi Hara. Keep all these in your mind”

“Seeking your pardon, why don’t you try your hands with Vilasini?”

“I tried twice but failed. Her body is something that makes men besotted. The moment you go near to her, you forget your duty. That said, on what basis can I approach her? Only if some violence is used, one can do something with her. Do you think one can go near to her that easily?”

“I will try. She may spill the beans if I get her hang from the ceiling with a couple of bashing. But it is you who insists handling her soft as if to beg a peacock to spare some feathers”

“I don’t mean that. I am just telling you to be careful. Vilasini’s brother is one of our most respected leaders; school mate of Netaji. Very close and trustworthy friend of him. I think I don’t have to elaborate it more. Sometimes the tricks you employed in Kota Baling will land you up in troubles”

“Yes…”

“If you want to meet me, you are most welcome anytime. Keep this paper with you”

The colonel gave him piece of a card with his seal. He then opened the drawer and took out a brown envelope stuffed with some dollar notes.

“Take it. I don’t need accurate expenditure details for this amount. Just send the total expenses for a particular period of time. However, not indulging in spendthrift ways is a good habit”

“Thanks colonel sahib. He rose.

“Any arms”

The colonel opened the left side drawer, pulled a green colour paper drawn with violet patterns, put it in an envelope and gave it to him.

“You may go now”

They shook their hands.

Pandian turned and walked on paying him regards.

***Chapter 23 Colonel Kalik Usman” ended.

Chapter 24: “Vilasini” will be published soon.