Kesto, could you help me?” It was Manish Sen, Munmun’s husband and Prankrisno’s boss.
“Of course, Dadababu.” He jumped out of the car door to see his employer half-dragging his wife from the open elevator. She was obviously quite intoxicated and not in control of her own faculties. He lifted her free arm and placed it around his neck; the beautiful actress was cradled between them.
“Seems like your Didimoni had a bit too much to drink.” He always had a way of stating the obvious. This was not the first time he left an important party because of his wife’s drinking problem.
“She should go home….. of course she should…. but it looks like I may get the new contract tonight.” He sighed. “If I play my cards right.”
Prankrisno opened the rear door to the car and said, “It’s no problem, Dadababu. I’ll drop her off then come right back.”
Manish looked grateful to their Cook cum Gardener cum Driver ( actually all in one ) as he helped his Didimoni to get into the car. Up until this moment, she had been inanimate.
She spoke with slurred words, “I don’t want to go home, dear!” She turned her head towards her husband. “Let’s go and find a nice hotel so that we could enjoy sometimes more like we used to?”
Prankrisno felt embarrassed hearing such personal talks of his Didimoni. But it was his duty to ignore the private words of his employer and his wife.
“No, dear….. I’ll be home later tonight, after I get that contract I’ve been working on.” He let her go so that Prankrisno could manipulate her through the door of the huge car. “Kesto will make sure you get home all right, OK dear.”
She made a rude noise at her husband’s answer, but Prankrisno was not amused with the task of handling his drunken Didimoni. This time Munmun spoke to the Cook instead of her husband. It was something she normally never did talk to the help.
“He would rather work on some contract than giving time to his wife…. bloody shit!” She then spoke over the Cook’s shoulder to her husband as Prankrisno finally got her onto the rear seat. “Looks like, you are having some affair with someone else?” There was venom in her voice. “Like your Rinadi ( AparnaSen ) or Priya aunty ( Supriya Chowdhury )?”
However Manish didn’t react after his wife’s crude remark….. rather he closed the door of the car. Meanwhile Prankrisno stood back up out of the car as he heard his Didimoni’s first sob.
Manish attempted an embarrassed smile…. then pressed his palm into their Cook’s shoulder as he felt few rupees being passed to his pocket by his employer. Next he said, “I know this goes beyond your duties, Kesto, so after getting her home, you can take the rest of the night off.”
But Prankrisno wondered if his Didimoni’s last comment was true as he replied, “Of course Dadababu, as you said and thank you.”
Manish waved to their Cook’s statement away and said, “I should get back.” He walked back towards the elevator. “I called home and Parveen will handle your Didimoni once you get her there.”
Prankrisno nodded….. after all, it was his job as well as duty. His master then quickly stepped into the open elevator and closed it’s doors. He was left alone in the large cement parking complex. Well, he thought, it’s a job….. beats digging ditches.