You Made My Day!! by Kalai Selvi Arivalagan (read dune txt) 📖

He was not crazy to drive so fast and risk his own life. His common sense asked him to keep his mouth shut and be a silent spectator for whatever that happened around him.

Without knowing how to handle the situation, he looked at his colleague. His glance told his friend what he meant.

He apologized to everyone on his behalf and asked Ram to drive the bus to the nearest hospital and drop Sheila there.

Without a reply, Ram started the bus. At heart he felt nervous and guilty. He could see the pain in the eyes of Sheila. His heart turned toward her and he felt sorry for her.

By the time Sheila reached the hospital, she got a huge bulge on her forehead, and the right portion of her face became greenish blue due to the sudden impact of hitting on the front seat.

The doctor asked her to stay in the hospital as he thought it important for her to be under observation.

Sheila’s husband came to the hospital. He did not show any reaction on his face. After getting her something to eat, he left the hospital around 10 pm.

The nurse gave her a sedative injection which helped her to have a sound sleep not disturbed by wild dreams.

It took another ten days for her to return to normal. The bulge on her forehead went away in the next morning itself.

Luckily she did not have any fracture on her skull. The doctor told her the greenish blue on the right side of the face will go away slowly. It can take days or even weeks to disappear.

Sheila returned to the office after ten days. The world looked new and bright. Some people who always traveled with her smiled at her and enquired about her health.

“Hello, how are you?” Sheila exchanged all the greetings with a smile and told them she is perfectly normal. So far, she traveled alone in the bus without anyone to talk to her. But the sudden incident changed the entire scenario.

Sheila was happy to know she has so many well wishers who wished her good health and happiness.

When Ram got into the bus, he saw her sitting in her usual place in the front seat. Ram could not help smiling at her.

“Sorry. How are you”? He enquired her in a low tone.

“Good. I am back to normal.”

“Once again sorry for whatever happened.” Ram apologized to her once again.

“No issues. You carry on.” Sheila replied him with a smile and started to read the book.

Days went on. With silent exchange of smiles, a bond of friendship developed between them.

It was once again a Friday evening. Sheila had to stay back in the office till 8:00 pm as she had to finish the urgent requirement of a new project.

When she left the office it was around 8:15 pm. There were a very few people standing in the bus stop. She has never been so late from the office, and the darkness scared her.

Luckily, the bus arrived within five minutes. Luckily, she got a seat near the window.

After two bus stops, Ram climbed into the bus. He saw Sheila sitting in the front. He moved to the front and occupied the seat that was across from her seat.

“Hello, so late.” Ram asked her with a concern in his tone.

“Yes, something important to be done at the office. I could not avoid staying back late.” Sheila replied him.

“How long you are working here?” Ram asked her.

“For the past one year I am working here.”

“Oh. How many kids do you have?” Sheila looked at him for a while. She did not want the conversation to be personal. Yet, she did not want to reply him rudely.

“Two kids”

“Lucky. We don’t have kids.” Ram replied and turned to the front. He did not ask her any more questions.

Talking about kids always turned into a sensitive issue for him. At heart he felt as a man who was defeated and normal happiness was always away from him.

“Is it off today?” Sheila asked him.

“Yes, I am returning home. I had some personal work at our head office.” Though he did not want to continue the conversation with her, he was forced to reply to her question.

“Are you a member in the union?” This question shocked him as he did not expect such a question from her.

“Yes. Why do you want to know?” Ram asked her.

“Nothing, just like that I wanted to know.” Sheila remarked.

“Hi, Ram.” Ram’s colleague who was driving the bus called him from the front.

“Excuse me.” Ram got up from his place and moved over to his colleague.

Till they reached the place, Ram was having a busy conversation with his colleague.
Without any parting words, Sheila got down at her place.

“When it comes to Math, you are a non-performer.” Ram looked at his father.

“Why you always get low marks in Math? If it is going to be like this, one day you will be on the roads only.” His frequent words came true one day. The day he joined as a driver in the transport corporation.

Even though it was a government job, his father never stopped criticizing him. While his other brothers were all employed in prestigious positions, Ram could only grab a driver position.

“You are a non-performer.” The same words came out of his wife, Divya also.

The day she realized he is different from other members in the family, she started to feel insecure. She felt out of place during a family gathering and ignored to move casually with the other family members.

Ram could somehow manage things while they lived along with his parents. Living along with the parents gave him the moral support and he successfully managed all types of issues within the four walls

Initially, Ram did not take it seriously. But gradually it developed within her and whenever she had mood fluctuations words turned into verbal abuse.

Though Ram wanted to take her to a doctor and get treated in the beginning itself, she refused to accompany him and did whatever she thought as correct.

“You are a non-performer. Don’t you know how to be in bed with me?” Divya would question him often.

“Ug, I don’t want to be in saree when I sleep.”

“I feel so dirty to do this with my clothes on.” Divya will come out with all types of complaints when they were together. When he realized none of his answers could shut her mouth, he stopped responding to her verbal outburst.

“You never know how to satisfy me. You just do things as it is a routine thing like signing in the attendance register.” Divya’s words did not evoke any response from him. Ram learnt to shut his mouth tight whenever she started to abuse verbally.

“Hmm, I am not lucky. I can’t enjoy life as I wish.” Divya kept on murmuring.

Ram ignored her words, turned around and went to sleep. If he is not going to have proper sleep at night, he will not be able to drive safely with concentration.
When he reached home, Divya was not at home. She was busy gossiping with her neighbors.

Though she knew, he was back at home, she did not mind to get up and come inside. She went on with the discussion seriously.

Ram went into the kitchen to check if there was something to eat. Work at the head office occupied his time and so he was forced to skip his lunch and have some snacks. Ram took a plate and served some rice and curry and came to the front room.

After switching on the television, he started to eat his food. Till he finished eating, Divya did not turn inside.

Ram could hear her laughing loudly and making nasty comments to others. Her absurd remarks had an immediate effect on him and he could not avoid letting out a deep sigh.

Ten minutes after he finished eating his food Divya came in.

“Oh, you have come. I didn’t see you walking in.” Without expecting his reply she went inside the kitchen and started to make an omelette for her.

“Can’t you wait? What is the need to hurry to have food so soon?” Divya started the conversation.

“I felt hungry. So had my food” Ram replied her casually.

After having her food, Divya cleaned the kitchen and finished washing the vessels. As she used to do during the early days of their married life, she came and sat near him. She took the remote from him and changed the TV channels.

“I am going to be in trouble” Ram murmured himself.

“What are you murmuring?” Divya demanded.

“Nothing, you seem to be in high spirits” Ram replied her.

“Do you know what happened today?” Divya started to narrate what happened on that particular afternoon and how she helped others to come out of that difficulty.

She told him about the gossips that went around and also about the latest gossip about film stars and others in the film industry.

Though Divya knew Ram never liked to hear such gossips, she kept on blabbering for another thirty minutes. Ram listened to her without making any comments. This irritated Divya.

“Why are you not replying?” Divya demanded.

“Nothing, I am feeling tired. I want to sleep.” Ram replied.

“You will have ears for everyone, but not for me.” Divya complained.

“I didn’t tell you anything. Please, will you let me sleep” Ram’s request made her silent for a while.

“Good, go to sleep” Divya switched off the television. She went to lock the door and switched on the night lamp.

After switching off the main light, she did not go to sleep in her usual place. To Ram’s surprise, she rested her head on his shoulder. Ram understood what she implied, and he also knew what he must do.

The next morning dawned with a pleasant surprise to Ram. Divya, who always sleep late and get up from bed after he left for work, was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

As one more surprise Divya had taken her bath and was pleasant to look at. Strings of jasmine decorated her hair and her face glowed with the tint of fresh turmeric. Ram could not believe his eyes.

“What is happening with her?” The sudden change brought him a smile.

“If she is like this forever, I will be lucky” When Ram came back to the front room after his bath, he was quite shocked to see his uniform neatly ironed and kept on the table.

“It is unbelievable” He murmured to himself.

“Don’t forget to have your breakfast. I have packed your lunch also” Divya spoke loudly from the kitchen.

“I could not believe my eyes” Ram told her back.

“It is not any thing new that is happening today. Have your breakfast and leave for work. We can discuss it in the evening.” Divya replied him.

“If this