The Glass Of Mirinda And The Class

He had marked her and Amardass licked his lips in anticipation. Long hair swinging in a plait till her waist, she was a pretty looking girl of 16 years. She stood out in the class. Her behaviour was decorous and her work was good. Amardass had seen the spark of ambition in her. And the desperate need to win. He could read people and their compulsions. Meeting Rhea’s parents, especially her pushy mother had made it easy for him to fit the pieces of her life together and his picture seemed complete.

 

“Sir, we want our girl to do very well and you are the best tutor in the city and beyond it,” she had said. His canny eyes had studied the girls weary expression and he knew immediately that the dining table conversations in Rhea’s home were only about academic excellence. Ideal, he thought to himself. The girl was blossoming into a young woman, her body acquiring a fullness which was luscious. She sat there, her head bowed over her copy, tackling a particularly difficult numerical. The room was bare save for the rows of desks and benches which could fit upto 25 students and sometimes double the number depending on the importance of the class. It was situated at the back of Amardass’s rented home, with a door leading to the inside of his home.

 

Outside the house, were parked scores of cycles and scooters. These belonged to the students. The residents association had insisted that Amardass rig up a cycle stand so they wouldn’t be all over the place. Beyond the cycle stand lay the unkempt colony park.

 

“Rhea,” his voice rang sharply across the crowded class. “Let us see what you have learned in school so far.” The girl looked up startled and stood at her desk. “ Come to the board and solve this problem,” ordered the tutor. He had picked a difficult sum from the thick text book which was the most popular guide for students of class 12.

 

Rhea walked to the board, and was sure some of the boys at the back of the class sniggered. The rest of the class watched in silence. She wrote the formula thrice over, making mistakes and using the back of her hand to quickly rub them off. Perspiration dotted her forehead. She was certain she was going to goof up and then- the sum was so complicated.

Amardass stood with his arms folded across his chest, his expression stern and showing disappointment. He knew the problem was tough, the sort that shows up alarmingly often in engineering entrance tests. He was taking in the girls form, her skirt which hung around her knees, her breasts which pushed against the fabric of her shirt and from where he stood he could make out the rise and fall of her tender body.

 

“You can’t solve it, girl and I am sure this is going to be bad news for your mother. I hope she is coming today to take your progress report,” he barked. Rhea nodded dumbly her ears burning. She returned to her seat humiliated and feeling like it was the end of the world. Amardass reluctantly shifted his attention elsewhere enjoying the feeling of tightness in his crotch.

 

The rest of the class passed uneventfully and Rhea attended to her exercise diligently not making much progress. She could hear her mother’s shrieking voice already. “We spend so much money on you. So that you can make something of yourself. As it is you are a disappointment. If a son had been born, I would have made sure he would have gone to the best college. But with a silly girl like you it seems all our ambitions will be shattered.” Rhea cringed inwardly.

 

Exactly at four, when the class was dismissed the few parents of the new students crowded in to meet the coveted tutor. He dealt with each one with his characteristic impatience keeping Rhea’s mother for the last. He could see her dressed in a nylon saree, hair pulled back in a tight bun, lipstick covered mouth and yes, some bleeding into the cracks surrounding her lips. Loud, pushy and just the sort that worked for him.

 

Rhea stood next to her looking suitably worried. She desperately wanted to clear the exam and well so she could fly out of her coop like home and the loud TV set. She was afraid of how her parents were when she did not make the mark and had often heard her father make disparaging remarks about her. She was a fine student, but somehow it was never enough for her parents. Slowly the room emptied.

 

“Yes, Mrs Kansal. I have to say that Rhea has been less than satisfactory in class today. When you asked for her admission to my class you had claimed she was a bright student. It is not easy to gain admission in the haloed IIT’s and I hope you know that.” Rhea stood appalled at how the meeting had begun. “Masterji, do something. We will cooperate and make sure this useless creature studies. We have not invested so much money in her for nothing. Look, I have not even bought the gold bangles I wanted because we wanted her to come to your tuition. Only you can save us from this disaster. Please Sir, do something.”

 

Tears pricked Rhea’s eyes and she brushed them away. She felt absolutely alone in the whole wide world. And now she had another person, her tuition teacher she could add to the list of people who thought she was good for nothing. She allowed her mind to drift and thought of the young man who would fly kites on the roof a house away from theirs. And how she would enjoy those rare evenings, standing on the roof, the breeze in the air, looking at him and at his kite. She envied the kite. And liked the young man.

 

The young man would first occasionally smile at her, till one day he clambered across the roof of the house in the middle and stood right in front of her. Rhea didn’t know what to do and thought of bolting. She had turned as if to run and he had grabbed her by her arm and turned her around planting a firm and moist kiss on her lips. A sharp current of electricity it seemed, jolted her body and rooted her to the spot reeling, while he turned and jumped right back from where he had come.

 

Rhea had held on weakly to the side of the stairs while climbing down, half in fear that she would be beaten up, definite her mother had seen her and half because her knees seemed to have turned to jelly. The boy had gone back to wherever he had come from and wearily Rhea had stopped climbing the two floors to the roof hoping to see him again. She had discovered places on her body that had a mind of their own and that something had changed deep within her.

 

She was jolted back to the present with her mother taking her name in a progressively angry voice. “Rhea. What IS the matter with you? Are you going to bring shame to us all? Sir has kindly agreed to teach you extra hours and at no cost. You are to stay back after each class or sometimes come before class, as he instructs. I hope you will not waste this chance, you worthless girl. I don’t want you to give Sirji any reason to complain and you will obey him. Is that understood?” Her mother asked her with an expression defying Rhea to say anything to the contrary.”

“Yes mother,” was all Rhea could manage.

 

Amardass watched the entire exchange with satisfaction. After the mother and daughter had left, Amardass stretched and looked around his class room. This work could get boring year after year with the subject being unimaginatively the same. But the tuition teacher who had once taught in a premier school of the city, knew he made good money. Slowly in about five years he had a formidable reputation in town as being one of the best teachers. Besides he thought, breaking into a lopsided smile, students like Rhea made it worth his while.

 

Amardass at forty five had been able to tuck away a tidy sum and soon planned to invest in a house of his own. This time of the year, during the summer breaks his wife would travel far to be with her parents. He enjoyed the freedom and did not mind cooking his meals. He kept to himself and did not accept any of the neighbourhood invitations to eat a meal in the absence of his wife. He got up, straightening the desks which had shifted out of place, picking his way through the furniture and went through the door which led into his home and into his special class room.

 

The room was definitely small. An air conditioner was placed below the window which had thick curtains draw at all times. The only furniture was a diwan with side drawers, a table and a chair. The diwan had a reddish brown coloured bed cover and a few cushions. Amardass considered this room to be his sanctuary.

 

Here is where he imparted the best education he thought and the most inspired of classes emerged from within its four walls. Nobody could enter here without his permission, not even his wife. There hadn’t been a student worthy of this room for a long time and he straightened a crease on the diwan thinking with unadulterated delight, it was time again. But Amardass, an old hand at this knew he had to be patient. He locked the door behind him and changed into his walking shoes. He stepped out for his daily walk exiting the home from his main front door.

 

Amardass was a healthy man. At five feet eight inches he wasn’t in the category of tall men but his carriage more than made up for his lack of inches. His shoulders were broad and his waist a neat 33 inches. He worked hard at keeping himself fit. Even though the fashion diktats were anti -moustache, Amardass sported one and kept his hair slicked back and away from his forehead. His eyes were not small and eyebrows not bushy. Often his hands and clothes bore the tell tale signs of somebody who worked with writing chalk and a board.

 

Rhea meanwhile had trudged back home with her mother, certain she had been exchanged in the hospital ward at birth. Why else did she not feel any love from her mother and father and for them too. Hopelessly, she glanced skyward to see if she could spot a kite flying gaily in the evening sky. None. Rhea had lived a life which was limited to going to school and studying again at home. Her natural beauty made it easy for her to look rather attractive from all standards. She knew she had a pleasing presence. Sometimes, she admired her body, now adorned with a pair of breasts which defied the pull of gravity. She thanked God they had stopped hurting and seemed to have settled in their size. She would lean forward to look closer at their brown tips, and stare at them pucker and crinkle right before her eyes. Guiltily she would drag her shirt over her body and pat herself down hoping those tips would not show through the fabric. The cloth felt oddly pleasant against her sensitised flesh.

 

Now she had this extra activity in her day. The class. “Arrey, will you keep sleeping or are you going to wake up? Dont you have to go to study? Came the drone dot at six o’ clock in the morning right into Rhea’s ears. She turned to her side and mumbled a reply. Yes, yes, yes she was getting up.

 

“Get up and pick your bed before you go to the bathroom, your tea is ready. Don’t waste time, as it is, last night you slept early because of the power failure.” Rhea knew there was no point in trying to catch those precious five minutes lazing in bed.

 

“And girl. Don’t you forget to be in time for Master ji’s class. Hanuman ji has been kind that masterji has agreed to give you special attention. Make no mistake and don’t anger him.”

Rhea jumped out of bed and began folding her sheets and quilt on auto mode. She had done this all her life regardless whether she was reminded or not. She walked into the small bathroom and splashed water on her face glancing at the calendar that hung over the cistern. It showed the exact number of days to her final exams. Not many.

The day slipped by and soon it was four o’clock. Rhea found herself sitting on her seat in tuition class, a headache threatening to take over. Nothing the teacher said made any sense to her. And the teacher watched her constantly. Amardass had difficulty waiting for the clock to strike four. He had made a special paper for Rhea, problems she should be able to solve on the basis of what she had learned in school. Only, they were not easy, each had a twist and Rhea only managed two. After class she stood near her teachers desk afraid of the wrath that would break on her. She felt incapable. And very, very worried. Amardass looked at her. He could smell the soap she had used in the morning, and could feel the stress emanating from her being. He leant back in his chair, tilting it towards the wall and away from the girl. Pillaring his hands he brought them to his lips and spoke gently.

 

“Rhea, I know this is tough. But you have to try. Besides your parents will be so disappointed. I have promised Mrs Kansal that I will make an extra effort with you. I’l tell you what, why don’t you stay back tomorrow and we will see what can be done. Tell your mother you will be at least two hours late and that if it gets dark, I will escort you back home.” He waited for a reaction. The mention of her parents had broken any resistance she may have had and Rhea obediently agreed, relieved that there was no anger in her teachers voice.

 

Amardass watched the girl walk out of the class. It had been a long, long time since he had been so inspired. He walked into his special chamber and wiped the top of the table with his hand. Dust. The room will have to be cleaned first thing tomorrow. His restlessness was growing by the second and Amardass went just one step more than he usually did. He decided to visit his students home. He wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. And who doesn’t like to hear words of gratitude. Checking the doors and locking them behind him, Amardass stepped out with his walking shoes tied firmly.

He finished his walk and headed on foot to Rhea’s home, certain that the Kansal’s did not have a social life and would be home for sure. The bell had merely rung and Mrs Kansal opened the door letting out a loud, “Masterji,” patting her sari into place and then immediately yelling out to the girl who had brought Amardass to that home. “Rhea! Rhee a! Look who has come. Master ji, please come in. I do hope everything is alright.” She stepped out into her tiny verandah hoping at least one neighbour had seen and recognised her visitor.

 

Amardass kept his distance from people and Mrs Kansal felt proud and worried at the same time. Rhea heard the commotion and busied herself fetching water from the kitchen. She had been grateful for the kindness in Amardass’s voice that day and felt a little more warmly towards her teacher.

 

“Good evening Sir,” she greeted him and handed him the water. Mrs Kansal got up in a rush and asked Rhea to sit while she made tea quickly. “Rhea is an idiot, Sir. I try and teach her how to make proper tea and she just can’t get it right. Just like her exams.” Turning to Rhea she barked a sharp “Go and get your bag, maybe Sir has something special for you.”

 

Amardass, again, watched, pleased.

 

While both mother and daughter left in a flurry, he took in the home. Drab. No air conditioning, he noted. An old cooler sat in one corner wheezing out water laden air adding to the humidity in the room. Grey crochet back covers were thrown over the chairs and the sofa backs in an effort to keep the upholstery from getting soiled and dirty and the covers were a dirty grey with time. Depressing he thought. “Sir ji,” here.” The lady’s voice jerked him back to attention and he took a Yera glass full of tea from Mrs Kansal.

Rhea waited with a plate of Monaco biscuits. He shook his head and raised his glass of tea at her saying, “Enough, thank you Rhea.” His voice was deep and velvety, especially when compared to Mrs Kansal’s. It was almost a misfit in the room.

 

“Why don’t you sit down Rhea.” He asked. “Yes, yes, sit down. Sit down here, next to Sir and listen to what he has to say,” added her mother and Rhea sat at the edge of the sofa smoothing her skirt over her knees.

 

She felt self conscious. It was awkward to have a visitor, another man in the home besides Baba and this visitor had come specially for her it seemed. “Speak, Masterji. Of course God is great that he has brought you to our home. But I am eager to hear what you have to say.”

 

“Mrs Kansal, look. The course is tough and I have promised to help Rhea as much as possible. Haven’t I Rhea?” He turned to look at her and realised in an instant she had not told her mother about the extra class.

 

“I hope you know Mrs Kansal that I have asked Rhea to be prepared to stay an extra two hours every day. I will do some one on one study with her and see how it goes.” Amrdass waited. “I have told her she will be escorted back home”.

As expected Mrs Kansal turned upon her daughter with anger writ large on her face. “You didn’t tell me? You silly girl. Do you even know how lucky you are? Thank Master ji immediately. Yes sir, i’ll make sure she stays back.” And Amardass left. Tomorrow would come too. Slowly, but surely.

 

Rhea’s father returned weary after a day’s work and heard the entire story of Amardass’s visit. He found it a bit odd but did not have the energy to get into a long discussion with his wife. If only a son had been born. Mrs Kansal could still bear children, but then he wasn’t interested in making them with her. It was too much of an effort and the idea left a bad taste in his mouth. He looked at Rhea wondering when he would be rid of her burden. It will all be worth it if she gets a good job and then he could give up his he thought. “Make sure you are obedient, girl,” was all Rhea’s father said to her before turning to the bed room and falling fast asleep.

Rhea waited nervously for her class to get over the next day. The other children trooped out. If they wondered why she sat there they didn’t ask. After the last one had left, Amardass beckoned her with the crook of his finger and asked her to collect her things and come into the special study chamber. Rhea sat in the new room, still, and not daring to touch anything. She did not know that Amardass had shifted the well oiled latch quietly into place. The room was cool, and the air conditioning seemed a luxury. Rhea could not help suppress a yawn. Waiting for her teacher to return from inside the house, she found the coolness of the room making her drowsy. She reached into her bag to lay out her copy and book.

Amardass returned carrying a glass of chilled Mirinda. He handed it to her and asked her to rest a bit. “If you like, you can take your shoes off and sit comfortably. It is very hot and the AC will help you concentrate better. We have to work for at least two hours.” The girl took the glass of Mirinda, pleasantly surprised at her teachers kindness. The pleasant room was seductive and Rhea found herself relaxing.

Amardass spoke to her kindly. “Listen carefully, the first rule while solving math problems is to keep a cool head. Any exercise you get to do in class is not the entrance test now, is it?” Amardass knew that actually the clue to solving all of life’s troubles was to keep a cool head but he did not want to get into that now. “These papers were made to be solved and its students like you who do so. You have all the required knowledge , all you need to do is to apply it.” His voice was even toned and smooth, Rhea felt at ease. “Let’s start with one of your favourites. I’ve noticed you enjoy tackling the exercises in the third lesson.” Rhea nodded, still unable to speak.

Walking back home Rhea was in a daze. The extra class had finished early and she did not need an escort. She felt light of heart and walked with a smart step. The teacher had showed her she could actually solve sums. Besides her mother would be happy she hoped. Rhea imagined taking the biggest jet plane out of the city into the world, never to return. Maybe she would come back to show her measly neighbours what she had achieved. Maybe she would return to give back every single paisa her parents had spent on her. No, maybe she would just send a money order. Oh yes. she felt she could do something right, finally. Rhea felt some of the gloom in her young life lift. She had been pleasantly surprised at how well her class had gone. Keep a cool head, is what Sir had said. And that is exactly what she would do she decided.

She entered her home and for a change did not worry about what her mother would say. “Yes mother, I am home. The class was fine.” Her mother could not even imagine how nice Sir’s room was with that AC and nice cushions. She could still taste the Mirinda. Rhea did not tell her, it was a secret she wanted to keep. Rhea’s work improved, the dullness lifted from her face and her eyes shone with a sense of accomplishment. Her transformation drew admiring glances from boys but she was not interested. All she focussed on was her class and sometimes her memory from the roof.

Life was better. Yes. Mrs Kansal made regular visits to find out how her daughter was faring and considering Amardass could literally make magic with his students, yes, that is the kind of reputation he had. Now they could look forward to payback time. Rhea would become an engineer and would earn a fat pay check. Rhea felt she had an ally in life, finally. Her happiness showed. She was no longer uncomfortable and even laughed loudly sometimes in the little class room during her extra class. Amardass saw the progress he had made. The first thing was to win trust.

 

“Mrs Kansal, I think Rhea is working hard. Some children in class were talking about going to see a film. I think you should make sure Rhea goes too.” Both Rhea and her mother heard AD with their eyes widening at each word. Mrs Kansal, of course thought the idea was preposterous but she dared not say it lest Masterji got upset and Rhea could not believe her ears. A movie! And she put on her Sunday best and even bought popcorn from the money her father had grudgingly given her.

 

“Oh Sir, thank you so much,” she said in her heart, determining to work even harder. The class was the best thing to have happened to her and Amardass was like God. She believed he could do anything if he chose to. Rumour had it that he could even influence the exam results. It was probably not true but Amardass was definitely an intuitive teacher considering the results he achieved. Rhea knew she needed him. The trust was complete. Rhea rusted Amardass and Amardass trusted that Rhea trusted him.

 

The next day class was dull and Rhea worried that her teacher did not speak as encouragingly as he always did. He in fact gave her the exercise to solve and left the room. Rhea was distracted. And upset. She found herself losing her tongue again.

 

“Sir, I have finished this, save for one sum.” She called out to him hesitantly not daring to enter his home. “Leave the paper there and let yourself out, I’m busy, and Rhea we won’t work extra tomorrow.”

 

She walked back home on leaden legs. Tossed and turned all night certain she had made same mistake. Why else was her only ally in the world not be the same anymore? Besides she had to answer a hundred questions about why the extra class was cancelled. She tried to repeat what had become the mantra of her life “Keep a cool head” again and again hoping the words would calm her down.

 

Amardass noticed her discomfiture with satisfaction. The most foolish thing people did was to trust, he thought to himself. Makes them vulnerable.

The room which Rhea had become so comfortable in now seemed distant and unapproachable. Why, what had changed? She looked at her teacher her eyes full of unshed tears. And on the other hand he really could be busy. He was Amardass after all. But Rhea felt trouble in her bones. The second thing was to pretend to take away the comfort and threaten the trust.

 

“I’ll work with you tomorrow,” he said curtly, barely glancing at her. Rhea’s heart leapt with joy but she had gotten so used to the kindness he offered that her throat felt parched again. She had been soaking it in like a dry sponge and her life had become bearable only because Sir was so kind. He had managed an influence on her dry parents too. Now to go back to the old ways was an unbearable prospect. She croaked a Thank you and left. School was to reopen soon. And then the countdown would begin. Rhea tried to remember everything her teacher had told her. The other subjects were a lark and if she kept a cool head she found she really could crack those sums. But these days her mind was either whirring or numb. Dark circles had showed up in merely two days. They had accomplished most of the course. Maybe that is why Amardass had changed colours. She was almost ready now for the exam. Practise would add to the chance of her cracking her papers.

But Rhea did not want her classes to end. It is very easy to get used to fine things. In the sanctum the next day she waited. Amardass had excused himself and returned fresh from a bath, smelling of a cologne,his hair wet and slicked holding a glass of chilled Mirinda. Rhea felt conscious that she had shown tears in class and even so fought back the ones that had choked her throat. She looked at him seeking the same kindness, the kindness that had changed her life and burst into tears. Amardass looked at her long and hard.

 

“Hm,” he thought to himself. It was time. “Come and sit here on the diwan, Rhea” he said his tone gentle, “it will be alright.”

 

Rhea burst into deeper and longer sobs all her fear and grief flowing out and over her face. He handed her the glass of Mirinda. Rhea took it but it was impossible to sip something while weeping copious tears. She set the glass back on the table. Her heart felt lighter though. She could go back to the days she had enjoyed so much and maybe never give up her special class. Amardass reached out and touched her hair and began to stroke it slowly and gently. Even through her shaking body Rhea felt the warmth of his touch. She was starved for affection. It felt bone meltingly nice. Her eyes closed and she slumped as though her body was that of a rubber doll. AD stretched in languorous satisfaction. He felt sated.

 

Rhea had stepped out of class without a backward glance. She felt invincible and cool headed. She could hear the sound of the jetplane in her ears and she knew she would soon take wings. A pool of water had collected around the glass of Mirinda on the table, where Rhea had set it. It was untouched.