CONTAGION

The big boss was looking tired when he came back home from the head
office. The Lady of the house felt surprised when the Orderly brought
in a Two-in-one and a pressure cooker along with the Sahab's
briefcase.
"Whose is all this?" She asked her husband.
"Whose else?....The chief's!" he was plainly annoyed as he uttered
those words." As I was about to leave after the meeting,he said, "My
Two-in-one and the pressure Cooker have been out of order for quite
some time.There is a good shop in your town. Send them back after
getting the faults removed."
"Our tape recorder has also been in need of repair since long. Don't
foget to send it along with these things," said she..."O,yes, I now
remember; be strict with Ram Khilawan...he has started stealing."
"What has he done?"
"I went to Virmani Store today. There I casually mentioned that we
had been charged excessively for the repair of our mixy. I was told
that Ram Khilawan got a few rupees added in the bill."
A moment Later, the peon, Ram Khilawan, returned from the grinding
mill with the flour.
"Ram Khilawan", shrieked the boss, "Since when have you been stealing?"
"I haven't understood you, Sir," he said without any sign of perturbation.
"Virmani was telling that you made him add a few rupees in the bill
related to that tube light."
"O, that?" said Ram Khilawan. "That day in the evening you had given
me the mixy to get it repaired.
The store was closed. I took the mixy home. Sir, my wife is quite a
sharp-witted person. She asked me' what it is, whose it is' and so on.
I had to tell her all...yes, all. After that...nobody could stop her.
She came down on me like an avalanche, saying, who knows what and how
many things acquired at goverment cost are taken home by the officers.
She insisted that she too wanted a stone slab and a stone pestle. Sir,
it was to meet the cost of these two things that I got a few rupees
added to the cost of repair of your mixy." After a brief pause during
which he cast a defiant look, first at his boss and then at the mem
sahab, Ram Khilawan assertively said, "Would that be called
stealing...Sir?
"You have started talking glibly. Go and do your work." This time the
boss's voice sounded hollow.

MIRROR

"Congratulations!" Said the tall mirror.
"Thanks, but you....?" He checked himself from what he was about to say.
"Your novel has won a prestigious award today...., but still you are
not happy."
"No, no!......I am very happy. It's a lucky day for us today. My work
has been rewarded, and my wife has been sworn in as a minister."
"Then why are you so off colour?"
"What nonsense are you talking?" he said in a sharp tone. "There will
be a party at our place today. We will feed the poor of the whole city
as well. This is how we celebrate a happy event."
"You are hiding something," Said the mirror with the faint appearance
of a ironical smile on its lips. "May I....remind you of something?"
"Start barking," he growled.
"Today, in the morning, when you saw your son and your servant,
Chhotu, sitting together on the sofa, each feeding the other with his
hand, you had flared up in a fiery rage. Chhotu's cheeks still bear
the print of your fingers."
"Rubbish!" He laughed mirthlessly. "Can such a small matter make one
sad? Now stop yapping. I have an awful lot to do...; guests will start
coming any time."
"Chhotu!..........Ramdeen!" Starting at the mirror, he cried. "Take
the mirror away this instant and dump it in the storeroom. Put my
enlarged photograph up here instead to create a decorative effect.
This must be done before the guests begin to arrive.