Denial

Dear Anit,
What can I say? It's winter again and time to write to you. I suppose
Darjeeling is covered in pristine snow once again. O, how I miss the
blinding whiteness of the Darjeeling winter. My work, my livelihood
keeps me confined to dull and dusty Calcutta. I envy married people
like you, Anit. You don't have to think about spending long evenings in
the company of the radio. You know I just can't stand television. There
is so much colour and such confusion on television. It feels that once
you start watching television all will become known to you. And when
you know everything people can no longer be controlled. They will
become demons and destroy the world.
It has been a busy year for me. There was a lot of work at the office
to begin with. Then there were my tenants-the boy and girl you sent
from Darjeeling. When they came the boy was very very sick. He was so
sick that he could not get up and go to the bathroom. His wife, the
girl, is a very nice lady. Such a serene beautiful face. She reminded
me of my dead mother all the time. When the girl Sheena took her
husband to Medical College the doctors there said that Gerry's had very
few days to live. Sheena was heartbroken. I asked her to visit the
specialist at Tivoli Court. Of course I knew he would be of no help.
But what's the harm in trying. This new doctor got your friend Gerry
admitted to his nursing home. And that's when the trouble
started.
One of my neighbours, an young writer called Andy turned out to be
Sheena's former schoolmate. He started visiting her in her husband's
absence. You know how things are. Sheena is such a sweet girl and this
is the only life she has. Andy tried to woo her as best as he could. He
would recite poems and sing songs for her. And such a rogue this Andy
is. He is married to a beautiful girl Lydia and still he wants to have
a side fling with poor helpless Sheena. In the meanwhile Gerry was
recovering slowly. I visited him often and assured him all would be
well. But things did go awry. Someone told Lydia about her husband's
escapades with poor Sheena. She confronted him and Sheena directly.
Andy professed undying love for Sheena in the presence of Lydia. Lydia
tried to stab Sheena but in the ensuing scuffle both Andy and Lydia
lost their lives. I have stated all this in my report to the police. My
dear Sheena was spared by the hands of fate.
There was more. Gerry was doing very fine when he suddenly died of
cyanide poisoning. It seems someone known to him added the poison to
food bought from home. So strange that I was feeding him that meal in
small morsels. The police have sent their regrets to young Sheena on
her bereavement. Indeed she is all alone in this world. If only a
mature, sensible person like me took all her responsibilities as his
own. But no, her wounds must heal first.
How are you and your wife doing? Maybe I will marry too. Perhaps I have
found the right girl for such a great person as myself. O, the things I
have to do to ensure that there is order in the world. Why can't the
unearthly powers do it themselves. Poison, gunpowder, steel fuse into
one and become my supreme weapon. Wishing you a happy new year
Sincerely,
Ian Bhattacherjee.