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| Sunday, 15 December 2002 |
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by Upatissa Attygalle Diyamanthi Paranagedera had a very romantic nature. As a schoolgirl she used to devour Barbara Cartlands and Ruby M. Ayres, the queens of the sugar syrup novel. In her twenties she joined a mercantile firm as a secretary to one of the executive officers. She was still a voracious reader of romances, but she had graduate, to novelists like Rosemary Rodgers and Jackie Collins who wrote love stories with more flesh and blood characters in them. Diyamanthi's boss was Rolex Raluwatta. His father was a rich businessman who had very humble beginnings. When he made his first million he bought himself a Rolex wrist watch with a rolled gold casing and strap. He was very proud of his possession as he considered it a symbol of status like todays businessmen believe the cellular telephone to be a similar symbol. Then when he was blessed with a son he thought no name was better for than Rolex. Rolex as a result had an unhappy childhood as all his schoolmates had bullied him by constantly asking him for the time. When Rolex reached his twenty fourth year, he was given in marriage to a very plain looking woman who had a very rich father. It was more a business merger than a marriage, arranged by Rolex's father who had lost most of his wealth during a financial depression. She couldn't have done better and Rolex couldn't have done worse. Perks Rolex was now in his mid-forties holding an executive post in his father-in-law's firm. The very top positions of Chairman, Vice Chairman and Managing Director were held by his father-in-law and his two sons respectively. Rolex's post was a name-sake, however he enjoyed all the perks of a top executive as the boos son-in-law. His home life however was an absolute hell with his domineering virago of a spouse having totally emasculated him in the domestic front. One day without giving any notice, his secretary, who had been with the firm for over forty years suddenly departed. She was sixty five years old and died in her sleep of a stroke. When Diyamanthi was employed as a replacement it was like getting a shot of some potent elixir. Rolex was ebulliently surprised to discover that his libido which he assumed had long since burnt out was in fact only been lying dormant. Rolex craved and hungered for Diyamanthi but had to first find the correct approach. He was aware that he was no tall, dark and handsome matinee movie idol. He was short, rotund and certainly dark, not only his hair but from head to toe. Rolex's most prominent feature was his midriff. It had gradually through years of indulgence in rich food and excessive imbibing expanded its boundaries considerably. Rolex no longer had a direct view of that part of his anatomy under his abdomen and had to be satisfied with the mirror image. For nearly a month Rolex played the part of a misunderstood, ill treated, uncared for and unloved husband with all the histrionics of a Tower Hall actor enacting a Greek tragedy. It however proved to be very efficacious in convincing Diyamanthi who being a romantic was naturally very naive and gullible. By the end of that month Diyamanthi found herself installed in a comfortable flat with daily visits from Rolex after office, and ones of longer duration during weekends and holidays. On a Sunday morning of the following month Rolex turned up at the flat with his head bandaged in white lint, two black eyes and his lips swollen. He staggered into the flat and flopped on the settee, and croaked, "Diyamanthi the cat is out of the bag!" "Good Heavens Rolex what on earth happened?" "What do you mean by asking what happened! Didn't you hear me say the cat is out of the bag? Well this is the result!" "But Rolex you look as if you were run over by a bus." "You don't know my wife. She is more like a steam roller. Some jealous bitch in the office had given my wife an anonymous telephone call and spilled the beans. My wife is going to give me a divorce on the condition that we get married soon after that. She does not want any scandal or talk of immoral behaviour to besmirch the good name of her father or the reputation of his firm." The situation required Diyamanthi to be sympathetic so she consoled Rolex with the expected words of comfort. In her heart however she was ecstatic with joy. She was going to be legally married to Rolex. No more lurking and hiding. She could go anywhere and be seen with him without feeling guilty all the time. After Rolex was granted his divorce he told Diyamanthi that in order to avoid news photographers and adverse publicity which would no end embarrass his ex-wife's family, he would arrange a Registrar of marriages to come to their flat with two witnesses and officially marry them without the usual fanfare. Diyamanthi who was an incorrigible romantic had planned a wedding ceremony and a reception to invite her friends and relations who had turned up their noses at her when she began her liaison with Rolex. But she realised that this was the only way to avoid undue publicity. Intention So one Sunday morning a Registrar of marriages in a national dress carrying a large register under his arm, accompanied by two other men to officiate as the attesting witnesses turned up at the flat. The Registrar patiently entered the necessary details in his register after obtaining them from the couple. He then got their signatures, followed by those of the two witnesses and finally affixed his own on the register. After thus having duly solemnised Diyamanthi's and Rolex's marriage, the Registrar let accompanied by the two witnesses. He informed Rolex that the certificate would be posted to him in a fortnight or so. Rolex's ex-wife never had any intentions of letting him and Diyamanthi get away scott free with what she considered to be an act of betrayal of her trust. The moment she heard they were married she got her father to fire them both from the company. Rolex who was used to the affluent life style attached to his executive post couldn't cope with his new life under terribly reduced circumstances. Soon he was coming home late in the night in an advance state of intoxication. Any word of protest from Diyamanthi was met with screams and curses from Rolex who now blamed her entirely for his present fate. When Rolex began to assault her in addition to his hysterical ranting, Diyamanthi packed up and returned to her mother. Won the hearts Diyamanthi got herself a job with a social service organisation. There she soon won the hearts of the inmates with her loving and gentle care of them. The officials of the organisation were also very pleased with her hard work, and the initiative she showed by suggesting many improvements in the running of the institution. Her suggestions were implemented and proved to be very fruitful. The Board of Management then decided to appoint Diyamanthi as the manager of the place. Diyamanthi worked tirelessly to forget the unhappy episode in her life. She stopped reading romantic novels altogether. She was now leading a very useful and perfectly contented life. Then she met Wilfred Bernard Sugeeva Randeniya. Architect Wilfred was a successful architect. His mother had died early in his life and he had to be brought up by Alice his ayah. His father who was a diplomat was a very busy man and Wilfred hardly saw him. After his father's death Alice stayed on with him. She had now reached a very advanced age where she required special attention and care. Wifred a bachelor with his work was unable to give her this care and attention. He was thus compelled to bring her to this institution which was highly recommended by several people. Wilfred visited Alice who was more like a mother to him everyday on his way home from work. Here he met Diyamanthi daily too and before long realised that she was indeed a diamond like her name Diyamanthi meant and that he would like her to be his very own ewe-lamb. Unaware So the next day without much ado he asked her, "Will you marry me?" Diyamanthi who was caught completely unawares, was unable to reply him, and suddenly all the horrors of her past came rushing back. She had not got an official divorce from Rolex so she was legally still married to him and not free to marry Wilfred. Diyamanthi who was no longer the romantic she was, pulled herself together and made a clean breast of her episode with Rolex to Wilfred. She told him that she had never bothered to take steps to obtain a divorce because the question of her marrying again never arose. She had never seen nor heard from Rolex since she had walked out of their flat ten years ago. Wilfred with all the gallantry of a knight said gently but decisively, "the past is past". Call When I received Wilfred's telephone call it was two in the morning. Wilfred and I had known each other from almost our romper days. We were good friends in school and the friendship continued into our adult lives though our work were in different fields. Like Wilfred in his profession, I had met with considerable success in business and was currently engaged in the production of films for TV and the cinema. "Hellow Upali did I wake you?" "You most certainly did. Don't you know that most civilised denizens of this city who work daily are in deep slumber at this ungodly hour?" "Sorry old boy but I just couldn't sleep trying to figure out what I must do about a matter of the utmost urgency. I then suddenly realised that if anyone could help me it is you." "I am flattered, but now tell me what your problem is." "Upali I have for nearly a month been seeing the most beautiful structure ever constructed." "I assume that it isn't one of your creations, so who's the architect?" God." "Did I hear you say God?" "Yes God. She is built in the most exquisite lines I have ever seen. Midway, I believe you are describing a female of our species, aren't you?" "Yes, yes, yes and her name is Diyamanthi. She's the Girl of My Dreams, she is my Chuda Manikke". Continued next week |
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