“Which’s the way to Maruti Nagar?” Vasumati asked.
“I don’t know , I’m new to this place”, said an old vendor, at the intersection, who soon wheeled away his cartload of tender coconuts. Vasumati stood still not knowing which side to move, apprehensive that it was late in the evening and soon it would be night; there was no streetlight around the place.
She felt someone standing behind her. She turned.An old woman in what might be called shaggy clothes, about 75 yrs, stood 2 feet away.
“Madam, can you tell me the road to Maruti Nagar?”Vasumati asked her.
“A long way off from here, dear child”, the old woman said.
“How far?”Vasumati asked , her heart sinking.
“Almost 3 km. This’s remote end of city. No auto or taxi from here…It’s late even for bullock carts”, old woman replied.
“Oh!”, Vasumati was disheartened and wished she had not come alone.
“I come with you to show way”, woman volunteered. The girl was only too glad that she was getting help.
“ I sorry..I can’t carry your luggage, I too old”, she apologized.
“Not at all grandma”, Vasumati smiled, too glad that she atleast got a company to walk with to her destination.
“New to this place? Not see you before around here”, granny asked.
“Yes nanny, it’s my summer hols. My father talked a lot about their hometown, I was tempted to see it!”
“Who’s here?”
My uncle, aunty and their son”.
“Son good looking?”
“Yes, I’ve seen his photo. I’d be seeing him in person only now!”
“Hm, so set out for a love life! eh?”she laughed. It was queer, prolonged sound,something like the cackling of the duck, hooting of the owl, tapering as the terminal part of a siren..she laughed 3 times.
Vasu made a shy, modest grin at the nanny. Nanny grinned back. Vasumati froze for a brief moment; the nanny had a mouth wider and teeth longer than average people. Her eyes deep set; it appeared as if she had applied excess talcum powder on her face than was necessary.
“Yes, yes , girls fall in love at your age”, she laughed again, 3 times..same cackle, hoot and siren, and brushed Vasumati’s head with her hand. Vasumati felt the chill rub on her head.
“Your hand’s so cold1”, she observed.
“Hm, am old dear”, nanny explained. “You drive?”, she asked , her look almost like a hard stare.
“No nanny, I can ride only a 2-wheeler”, she replied sadly.
“Good! 2-wheelers are safe; cars risky for driver , occupants , others on road”, she remarked.
“Hm”, Vasumati agreed.
Just then a stray dog ran towards them baring his teeth fiercely and barking. Nanny scurried in short steps to a nearby tea shop. The dog followed her barking ferociously. The tea master threw a biscuit at the dog, “Go,go Rombo,not so loud, don’t disturb my trade”, he spoke as he brandished a stick and chased the dog away. The dog did not pick up the biscuit, instead it kept stopping at intervals, looking at the spot the old woman took shelter and continued to bark.
Nanny joined Vasumati. It was beginning to darken.
“Where do you stay, nanny?”
“I stay near the tree you first saw me”
“I don’t remember seeing any house there!”
“A small place enough for me , don’t need mansion-like house dear”.
“What do you do?”
‘Me ? Used to graze sheep and goats. 1 day, 1 car whisked past me killing my dear lamb. Her mother so devastated, so I wanted to break the glass when car returned . I not know if it was same car that killed my lamb. I threw 1 big stone but car hit me and sped past.”
O dear, were you hurt?”
“Yes, badly. From then on don’t like cars, like to damage them when I see them. Sometimes I appear suddenly, it takes them off their guard , ..they crash, some die , some get severe hurts”.
“O my God!”, Vasumati exclaimed.
Nanny laughed..3 times, reflecting her triumph!
“This’s your Maruti Nagar. Seek your address from the inhabitants of the place. I leave now”,she said grinning , showing her white teeth long enough to stop any heart!
“Vasumati thanked her and waved good bye. Meanwhile a group of dogs began to bark and chase the granny. The girl tried to shoo them away by pelting stones but their sole focus seemed to be on granny .The granny was moving in small shuffling steps , sometimes quite fast for her age.
Mrs. RaghuRam was surprised to see Vasumati.
“Did you come alone? Are your parents following behind? How did you locate our house?”a volley of questions. Shankar, her son, peeped in to see the guest.
“Your aunt’s daughter . Come meet her!”, Mrs. RaghuRam called. They chatted awhile.
At 10 Vasumati went to the washroom before retiring to bed. She heard the cackling-hoot laughter close by. She looked around. She saw nanny looking in through the window. “Just came to see if you are safe”,she grinned showing her long teeth and deep set dark eyes; it was an eerie sight. She was gone before Vasumati could reply.
Next morning Vasumati told the family how a nanny led her to this locality.
‘Shankar heard the description. “She is a ghost”, he said. ‘O, stop joking”, Vasumati laughed.
“She laughed 3 times, freaky laugh, right! Sometimes walks with a hunch, sometimes is stiff, sometimes she doesn’t walk, she glides fast…Sometimes she slaps, her strike is said to be like whiplash, cold…she causes car crash….he went on…Vasu did not hear him further; she was thinking of the granny who walked so close with her!
“She is a ghost”, Vasumati heard the terminal part of his description…
“O! My God”, Vasumati clutched Shankar’s hand. She began to shake uncontrollably.
..Concluded.