(A SHORT
STORY)
While
watching the movie series Lucia by some Cuban sexpert, I, for one thing was
disgusted at the prospect of political correctness, which for the ordinary man
would mean an endless queing up and
mechanical reproduction in the assembly line and the beverage circuit, or maybe
something akin to a ‘reporting at the L.C office syndrome’ to get your coconuts
plucked. My coconuts are due to be plucked, say at a regular interval of 30-40
days, which may vary, say, during the monsoons and winter, and so it could just
be enough for the plucker who with his new devices could handle it in no time (since
I have just two coconut trees in my yard, of which one has still not yielded
fruit, to keep it in mind and turn up around that time and make it happen.).
This would just be an arrangement of convenience between me or somebody at home
and the plucker, since this is also almost an impersonal business, though it
could also maybe thought of as a social ordeal.
But what
frustrates me with Lucia, which my friend Pradeep on the contrary, finds
interesting, is the fact that the party feminists have to give my girlfriends
year long instructions, since every time I try to take one, Mr.Power Butt from the Edith Butler League(Performance
Theory) will immediately have to be contacted, and upon which he would arrive
with his tele-prompter, ready scripts , Grotto(!)vskyian devices of absolute poverty, and sexpertise to give practical and theoretical orientation to the
culpable sexual partner, instructing her in the ‘common problems and solutions
to problems related to sex’, as per the available manuals, which are all
differently conceived as per your location, office, economic status,
residential status and so on. The party has, no doubt, by now got a very
efficient and smoothly functioning team of sexperts, feminists, psychiatrists,
and teachers who give instructions, and it is supposed to be very efficient,
but every time they get ahead with the process, I would be unable to meet this
girl friend, with whom I am still barely acquainted, and their work ultimately
seems to take too long, that I feel too frustrated and start looking for
someone else, and in the meanwhile she may develop a more personal attachment
to the Power Butt, engagement expert or somebody and would need a longer period
to get out of it, and then after the ordeal, seems to be no more interested in
me. So I move on as fast as I can to seek another acquaintance to go with me,
and since the initial process of instructions has not been completed, am
supposed to restart again, submit my request at the L.C.Office, which they will
soon process, meanwhile my new girl friend finds it easier to seek certain
arrangements with the sexpert, so that we can continue our conversation as the
lovers alongside the classes, albeit discreetly, but this is severely objected
as undemocratic and selfish by the Power Butt, who, in the meanwhile had raped
her, to give her some expertise in the question of rape, subjected her to
torture and me to public humiliation, pimped her and ultimately forced her to
drop me since I am an acute case of ‘loveless arrogance’, perversity,
autocratic behavior and so on. Since there seemed to be some differences
between the sexpert and Power Butt on these counts, I could, probably, and if I
want to, appeal to the panel, or to one
side, though the results of these deliberations could only be conjunctural.
Meanwhile, they would advice both of us to go in for some other fast affair,
which could be done while the things are sorted out. Totally frustrated and in need of a
companion, one would try a bit, keeping the colour code, body shape, class
aspect etc. in mind, but since ‘moota marriages’ or casual sex is not allowed
for vagrants ,immigrants, outside the institution, and to persons of
‘intermittent’ residence, one can only hope for it after, say three years of
continuous residence. I have no plans to reside somewhere for such long
periods, would like to move about, and need some company and to satisfy my emotional,
intellectual and sexual needs, but such cases are treated generally in the
category called the ‘exceptional’, which is scorned at generally and is not
very well received by the panel since it leads to vagabondage. This problem,
the intractability of one’s sexuality, is generally thought of as beyond
instruction, grab somebody, or join the panel, after which you will no more
need to seek on your own for a girl friend, or someone you love, since the
regular supply of prospective lovers to be instructed has to be catered to.
‘You
wouldn’t believe it, but I have not taken a lover for ages now, since we in the
panel have to give regular practical and theoretical instructions, and still I
survive without much grumbling”, the Power Butt, one day told me, admitting
that socially love was intractable, and even beyond comprehension.
“You never
wait enough” , he once told me, and to me it seemed to be both true and false,
since most of my life was spent in such waiting, though I have to admit that in
frustration, I have moved on to new lovers, after waiting a bit, in the hope
that somewhere an affair can come true.
Another
aspect, that such vagabondage results in, is that you never really can manage
to land up an affair, because when you are into it at a place, there is a que,
of already prospective lovers waiting ahead of you, but the indecision in the
sorting out, makes you lose patience, and the teleprompter makes you run hither
and tither, so that you soon get absolutely frustrated and move on. But then,
since I am usually short on cash since my Power Butt maintains a parallel
account in my name in the bank operating with his own devices among bank officials
to siphon off whatever comes to me, and cash-strapped, I am on the run most of
the time, seeking some space, love, cash or whatever. Power Butt is also very
helpful, since he was once my father in law or something, sending me a new one
from among his infinite number of kids every once in a while, upon which I have
to call trauma-care, which he is always ready to supply, since he also runs the
pharmacy and hospital businesses.
I refuse to
submit to medicine (‘You need to be ill-treated!’ He would quip, as if it
meant that I have to undergo psychiatric treatment, from which I had escaped
with Allah’s grace.) and try to push off, but the panel is still there with new
experts whom you have to tackle everywhere you go, and Power Butts all
pervasive family, with their Blue fox- wagons.
I try to
finally push off from a cliff or something, but the security instructs me that
you are not supposed to climb up there, and though I just wanted to tell him
that I just wanted to take the plunge down, since it seemed to be uncivil to
divulge such juicy secrets about one’s personal life. I was no good at secrecy
also, since the prompter with his editing and theater skills usually play my
thoughts out far and wide, and since god had made it so, couldn’t even keep
anything personal or secret in my mind, even if I were to wish so.
When I have
a show at a gallery, or work in my studio, or am travelling, I would want to meet
somebody there, have conversations, maybe, some love, sex or whatever, but this
couldn’t happen, because I am either too open, or closed.
It would
have been proper to grab at or pull someone close, but with other people
around, and without a mind to compete, I am back to the painful fringe, like a
dear, scalded in the wilder fires.
Sometimes I
give out a wild call, make a wide rush, and then fall back, perspiring, because
I can see that the teleprompter plays it out well to instruct that I am not
very useful to somebody, not successful, or maybe too old, or frustrating, not
taking to sex and so on.
This
aberration, this not being satisfied, having resolved not to take to sexually
aggressive attitudes, to leave space and initiative to the other person and so
on, this rubbish called misogyny which one wanted to discard, this gender trap
that one need to break- my my! a dizzying cocktail of morbidity and ‘high
thinking!.. I frisk off, and go to bed, hoping that I may gain some sleep.
2
On the bus,
Janaki sits in front of me and throws me a side-ward glance. I bent over and ask
her, “Is this a bed-for d or Fargo?”
“Not just
dining but also diving in, or driving in, as the mood goes, or comes.”
“Oh …oh… my
my!! The ball is in your court, so deliver it, or hook it, chew or masticate,
as you choose.”
“The choice
is Don –e- Mallika and the coffers are full. Can I dine on your thighs, as
cannibals do- for I am the last cannibal, on a cannon ball run , and since my
canines are not fit for human flesh eating, I have to survive on sex, and Lola has left me for a porn star, though
I am a porn-star and mass generator in my own right. Can I come with you,
dear?”
“Do you
click-well?” she asked.
“ Not with
my canines, dear, with a camera, yes. But the photo shoot is scheduled for
another day, and the dining for yet another, so that I can enjoy some of your
sex jokes and innuendos.”
“ Would you
mind new company in- between?”
“Ya, with
the thighs, that goes well, and any way I am always new, like you are, and had
positioned myself in –between long back, though on the ground, they are two
distinct positions, and the goal keeper is on leave, or in a bad mood. Can you
still deliver?”
“The pick up
van is ready sir, and a cruiser blade that was broken has been set right. What
would you prefer, a weeks off in the wilds, or an overnight gallery visit?”
“A gallery
visit, dear.. For I was expected to show there and am going to stay on for a
few months, until the crab that has caught me between my thighs can be relieved,
and new milk can cleanse the throat a bit so that I can venture into the softer
tones.”
“True for
both of us, dear.. For you must have heard me crying ho(a)rse, while I should
have picked an arse, or a butt, but the system used to allow only butts, and I
wanted freedom to prevail and so chose to take only calf till a balance accrues
to my bank account, and the world is set right, and let alone for its own
devices, while we enjoy our flights.”
“My dear
Benoy, we all want your calves to enjoy, and joy is willing to share some.. as
for David, the Frickens and Furionickens are dining together, and as for moors
or roots or anchors, he is without any, terribly footloose, fucking his crew on
the boat, and with new women clients and cruisers, easing out a bit.”
“ My dear, I
am thrilled at the prospect, and the throb is showing up. Hope you will rush
here before it grows cold, since the girlery is open, forgive me my spelling in
this heat!”
“I hope you
would do away with history and sociology for a bit, concentrate on the politics
of the thighs, and venture into fresh and undiscovered details, newly
occurring, when the lingerie is on, and the lingering stops. The snakes will
dance together now, man and woman, woman and woman, or man and man as it goes
about, and the nutty coconut trees and arecanut trees will go nuts, with some
cash (and no caste) to spare- Phew…!”
“We are on
the way, the taps are running and soon the river will be back in shape, since
hard water has been replaced by hard -ons, and no hardship is welcome anymore.”
“As for
those ships and sips, I couldn’t be too bothered, unless they do cruise, and
don’t make you cry off into the night.”
“The milk is
running from my breasts, and the fragrance is yours as well as mine , as a
jasmine revolution is about to be completed, when we push ourselves into each
other, and gel together, and know our softs and our hards, repeatedly till time
make us swing apart.”
“ Oh my
Mallika, your work is ready and so is mine, so we will no more part until it is
convenient for us to, and we can ask someone in, in our spare time, when we are
not too hard against each other!”
“ The crow
pheasant is here, and Maz-ham has talked to the dogs, who may return to their
thickets, as foxes are want to. So come on, before the wind fails, and make us
seem like windbags, though I am not averse to the song in the wind, I would
prefer it to move us and not tie us down in a bag.”
“That is
done, dear. And one can already start humming the mallu song “Kunadnnoore
kundanmaare kandeekka…’ as we are at it., If you are not mindfull, dear.’
“My mind is
already full, and can’t take it much longer. So the body has to be shaken up
and exhausted in play, rubbing, fondling and kissing till more space is
available, and I can throw some of my stuff, to make for more of the body than
just the brain. Oh… not to mention the licking, fucking, adoring and devouring.
Vasisht is lingering around and has to go, because he may have to get his blade
repaired, or accounts set right, but I expect you anytime now, so that he can
see by himself as to what is to be done!”
“Oh… that is
Linein that you quote. He was from Russia with love? No that is Ian Blaming-
and that is cheap stuff- bollywood. We are from the wilds around here, and are
gypsies. We were wondering whether you would accept our calling ourself so.
Otherwise we may have to take to another name, which suits you, like Car-men or
somethin’. And I am a woman.”
“You must be Trombadis, and not gypsies, Gypsies generally have to come from India,
Transylvania or so on, should see Italian trans-avante garde and Toni Gotleave,
and we eat nothing but meat. We dance well, sing all day and drink our fill.”
“ We don’t
really know whether we can be called gypsies, and as you said, we are Trobadies,
not Ram badies at all, but we find the use of the term complicated, and since
we don’t by and large own cars (not that we are altogether averse to it), to
call us Carmen seems to be abusive. So, since you are into it, how can we call
ourselves?”
The girl in
the yellow apparel had a dry face, and sat crouching like an open flower,
Purvi/Paschimi/Panchami (?) not minding him too much.
“How much
??”
“We are open
about it, we weigh you proper and decide, sometimes it is free of charge, when
the other person needs it and can’t pay, sometimes a bit expensive, because we
need money and people treat us like dirt when we are with them. I need you and
may pay also, because you need something- that is how we are, as judicious as
could be, without causing undue harm to the other person while we are together.
But as to
how we should be named, whatever you may say, we may use a term that fits us
and the occasion and may not bother about correctness. My designs are good for
me and doesn’t disturb because of a certain caring and attachment that I have
to the people around me. But the real question is whether we are equal in our
love, equal and human, even animal. I am no robot and wouldn’t want myself to
be programmed, so take care, we shall meet another day, there is the mela that
is about to start, and you are expecting someone.”
“This kiss
that my lips have been holding for you has started turning sour, my dear- since
by some ill fate it hasn’t touched another’s for a while now, and the harshness
is about to come, I hope you can reach me on time, before it goes up in fire.
My eyes, that usually is with a certain respect, starts to have points that
could pierce, my thoughts refuse to leave you and walk away for even a short
moment, everything becomes connected to that id, that delight in you, in the
other, in doubling this craving of mine, in making it many times as bold. You
have taken me through many lives before giving it to me, this touch that I so
deserve, this clasping, this clacking of teeth against teeth, the wetness of a
pink probing tongue that speaks many languages, the need for you against me , the
softness to which the bones give shape, the spectacles that I will remove with
a kiss so loud that nobody will fail to hear it, and still so soft and velvet.”
“I refuse to
give in, and not live on one’s own terms, I am indulgent, almost hopelessly so,
thinking that a moment will give you to me, a moment for rejoicing, beyond
boundaries, frontier stuff. The mosquitoes in the gallery have crowded over his
head, evening is breaking, and my heart is buzzling with their tune.”
“Don’t sing
that tune again, dear one, their thirst is lowering, and we are about there,
have patience, things are getting into perfect rhythm, the black sun is
friendly and co-operative, and the frauds that had riddled us for long are
being exposed and even the culprits that had brought us to the verge are
rejoicing, because they now know that there was nothing more thrilling than
this trip, this fresh water that can cure, this libidinal connection that can
see us through. Please hurry, my dear, before the darkness calls, or when it does,
I have another journey to make.
“Purvi or Panchi
can take you home tonight and sleep with you, but you will have to give her a
massage, and see how she has faired in the meanwhile and you know Shagjan’s
trip. We are surprised that here also, the sun had to be refixed, because the
wheel was stuck a bit. But when the sun is in its orbit, and the wheel turning,
love can no more be denied, and pleasure flows without a pause. So when you
come, it is the right time to come, my dear.”
“Mallika waits for me still, with the kids,
and we have all a trip together, since the turn has come and the family tree
has more branches and roots, so that we are all one large family, with
prospects innumerable. The trips that we take are our own and in everyone, by God’s
will, there is a treasure trove. From lip to lip, by word of mouth, from crotch
to crotch, a light passes, as we feel the free flow in our veins, blood
redeemed and recirculated.”
“As always,
I am hopeful, dear!”