Ramesh Babu, one of Rama's acquaintances, was a head clerk in the municipal board. He was over forty, but a great lover of pleasure. Whenever he sat down to play chess, he would keep playing until dawn. He would even forget the office. He had no one dependent on him, nor anyone to answer to. His wife had died when he was young, and he had never married again. What other support for amusement did he have in that lonely life? Had he wanted to, he could have made thousands through dishonest dealings, but he considered even a penny of bribery unlawful. He was very fond of Rama. And who else was such an idle fellow as to play chess with him all night? For several days now, the poor man had been extremely restless. He had not played even a single game of chess. How long could he keep reading newspapers? Rama had certainly come once or twice recently, but he had not sat down at the chessboard. Ramesh Babu had arranged the pieces and tried to make him sit, but he had not sat down. Why would he play chess now? His wife had come; he would look at her face and exchange loving words with her—why would he play chess with this old man! Several times he felt like sending for him, but thinking that Rama would not come anyway, he refrained. Where could he go? Perhaps he should go see a movie? Somehow, the time had to be passed. He was not particularly fond of movies, but at the moment he could think of nothing except a movie. He put on his clothes and was just about to leave when Rama stepped into the room.
The moment Ramesh saw him, he rolled toward the door like a ball and, grabbing his hand, said, “Come, come, Babu Ramanath Sahib Bahadur! You have completely forgotten this old man. Yes, brother, why would you come now? Where is the pleasure of your beloved's sweet talk here? Has the theft been discovered?”
Ramanath—“Nothing at all.”
Ramesh—“Very good that you did not file a report at the police station. Otherwise another two or three hundred rupees would have been added to the burden. Your wife must have been very distressed?”
Ramanath—“Don't ask. She has given up food and water ever since. I am fed up. I feel like running away somewhere. Father simply will not listen.”
Ramesh—“What treasure of Kauravas is your father keeping? He has just spent four or five thousand rupees; where is he supposed to bring the money from to have it made again? Even if he had ten or twenty thousand rupees, there are the children in front of him, and what guarantee is there of a job? What does a salary of fifty rupees amount to anyway?”
Ramanath—“I have landed in trouble. Now it seems I will have to take some job somewhere. We used to eat well and enjoy ourselves; otherwise, why would I have got caught in this web while sitting idle? Now tell me, is there any support in the form of a job?”
Ramesh, taking the chess pieces and board down from the shelf, said, “Come, let's play a game, and then think about this problem. It isn't as easy as you think. Even good men are taking hard knocks.”
Ramanath—“I don't feel like playing at all right now. Until this question is settled, I won't have my senses about me.”
Ramesh Babu arranged the chess pieces and said, “Come, sit down. Play one game, and then we'll think about what can be done.”
Ramanath—“I don't feel like it even a little. If I had known that hailstones would fall as soon as my head was shaved, I would never have gone anywhere near the dispute!”
Ramesh—“Oh, make two or four moves and you'll automatically get interested. At least let the knot in your brain loosen a little.”
The game began. After several ordinary moves, Ramesh Babu captured Rama's rook.
Ramanath—“Oh, what a mistake!”
A drunken redness began to appear in Ramesh Babu's eyes. Chess was no less intoxicating to him than wine. He said, “A good opening! I am thinking of a position for you. But the salary is very low, only thirty rupees. It is not that bearded Khan Sahib; I can't get any work out of him. I have saved him several times. I thought we should keep him as long as the work could somehow continue. He is a family man with children. He has said several times, ‘Give me leave.’ That place is not really worthy of you, but if you want, you can take it.”
As he said this, he captured Rama's bishop.
Rama tried to pick up the bishop again and said, “You distract me with conversation and keep taking my pieces. That's not fair. Give me back my bishop.”
Ramesh—“Look, brother, don't cheat. I didn't forcibly take your bishop, did I? So, do you accept the position?”
Ramanath—“The salary is thirty.”
Ramesh—“Yes, the salary is low, but perhaps it will increase later. My advice is that you take it.”
Rama—“All right. If that is your advice, I will take it.”
Ramesh—“It is a position with income opportunities. That gentleman managed to educate his sons through the M.A. and LL.B. degrees while holding that very post. Two are studying in college. He married his daughters into good families. Yes, one has to work with a little understanding.”
Ramanath—“I don't care about the income. Bribery is not a good thing.”
Ramesh—“It is very bad, but what are family men supposed to do? Thirty rupees are not enough to live on. I am a single man. A hundred and fifty is enough for me. I even manage to save some. But when a household has many people, sons to educate, daughters to marry, what can a man do? Until the salaries of small employees become high enough for them to live honestly and decently, bribery will not stop. They eat the same bread and lentils, the same ghee and milk. Then why do you give one man thirty rupees and another three?”
Rama's queen was captured, and Ramesh burst into loud laughter. Ramesh said angrily, “If you want to play quietly, then play. Otherwise, I'm leaving. You distracted me with conversation and captured all my pieces!”
Ramesh—“All right, sir. If I speak now, you may hold my tongue. Here is check! So, you submit the application tomorrow. I expect that you will get the position, but on the day you get it, you'll have to play with me all night.”
Ramanath—“You start crying after only two checkmates.”
Ramesh—“Those days are gone when you used to checkmate me. These days the moon is in my favor. I have perfected a mantra. No one can checkmate me now. And another check!”
Ramanath—“I feel like beating you in another game before I leave, but it will get late.”
Ramesh—“What will get late? It's only nine o'clock. Play and satisfy your heart. Here is check—and checkmate!”
Ramanath—“All right, tomorrow then. If I don't challenge you tomorrow and give you five checkmates, then say so.”
Ramesh—“Oh, go on! How could you checkmate me? If you have the courage, do it now!”
Ramanath—“All right, come then. What else can you say? But I won't play fewer than five games.”
Ramesh—“Not five—play ten. The night is ours. Come, let's eat first. Then we'll sit down properly. I'll send word to your house that you're sleeping here tonight; they shouldn't wait for you.”
The two men ate and then sat down to play chess again. The first game lasted until eleven. Ramesh Babu won. The second game also went to him. When the third game ended, it was two o'clock.
Ramanath—“Now I'm getting sleepy.”
Ramesh—“Then wash your face. I have ice kept here. I won't let you sleep until we have played five games.”
Ramesh Babu was convinced that his star was rising that day. Otherwise, it was not easy to checkmate Rama three times in succession. He understood that however many games he played at that moment, he would win them all. But when he lost the fourth game, that confidence vanished. Instead, he became afraid that he might keep losing one game after another. He said, “Now we should sleep.”
Ramanath—“Why? Why not complete five games?”
Ramesh—“I have to go to the office tomorrow as well.”
Rama did not insist. They both went to sleep.
Rama normally never got up before eight, and today he had gone to sleep at three. Today he had every right to sleep until ten. Ramesh got up at five as usual, bathed, performed his evening prayers, went out for a walk, and returned at eight; but Rama was still asleep. Finally, when it was half past nine, he woke him.
Rama said irritably, “You woke me up for nothing. I was having such a wonderful sleep.”
Ramesh—“Oh, don't you have to submit that application?”
Ramanath—“You submit it for me.”
Ramesh—“And if the Sahib calls for you, shall I go in your place?”
Rama—“Do whatever you like. I'm going to sleep.”
Rama lay down again, and Ramesh ate, dressed, and prepared to leave for the office. At that very moment Ramanath hurriedly got up and, rubbing his eyes, said, “I'll come too.”
Ramesh—“Hey, good man, at least wash your face and hands.”
Ramanath—“You're already leaving.”
Ramesh—“No, I can wait another fifteen or twenty minutes. Get ready.”
Ramanath—“I'm ready. I'll eat at home when I return from there.”
Ramesh—“I told you, I'll wait for another half hour.”
Rama washed his face in a minute, ate in five minutes, and quickly went to the office with Ramesh.
On the way, Ramesh said with a smile, “What excuse will you make at home? Have you thought of something?”
Rama—“I'll say that Ramesh Babu wouldn't let me come.”
Ramesh—“You'll get me cursed, is that it? Then you won't be able to come again.”
Ramanath—“I'm not so devoted to my wife. But tell me one thing: I won't have to go to the Sahib with the application myself, will I?”
Ramesh—“And what do you think? That you'll get a job while sitting at home? You'll have to run around for months, months! You'll have to bring dozens of recommendations. You'll have to show your face morning and evening. Do you think getting a job is easy?”
Ramanath—“Then I have had enough of such a job. I feel ashamed even at the thought of taking an application there. Who will flatter them? I used to laugh heartily at clerks before; now the same misfortune has fallen upon my own head. The Sahib won't scold me, will he?”
Ramesh—“He scolds people terribly. People tremble when they go before him.”
Ramanath—“Then I'll go home. I won't be able to bear this.”
Ramesh—“Everyone is frightened at first, but after enduring it for a while, you get used to it. Your heart must be pounding, wondering what is going to happen. When I entered service, I was your age too, and I had been married for only three months. On the day I was to appear before the Sahib, I was so frightened that I felt as though I were going to be hanged. But you have no reason to be afraid. I will take care of everything.”
Ramanath—“You must have been in service for twenty or twenty-two years by now.”
Ramesh—“A full twenty-five years, sir! It has been twenty years since my wife died. I entered service on ten rupees.”
Ramanath—“Why didn't you marry again? You could not have been more than twenty-five then.”
Ramesh said with a laugh, “Who wants to eat jaggery after tasting barfi? Who likes a hut after enjoying the comforts of a palace? Love satisfies the soul. You know me; I have grown old now, but I tell you honestly, in all these years of widowhood I have not even raised my eyes toward another woman. I have seen many beautiful women, and several times people even pressed me to marry, but I never felt the desire. For me, the living joy of love remains contained in the sweet memories of that love.”
While they were talking in this way, the two men reached the office.