RECAP

T returns to find that KK is already very attached to her. The initial phase of the
new-age Eco-induced Incursion Disorder (EID) research comes to a conclusion.
T settles down to life on the island of Mauritius. Sheila’s intermittent poor health
compels T to continue living with KK Dus2r and his robot nanny, Nene, on the
same premises.  Sun returns to his head offices at Kovalum island, India, but
remains in constant  touch with them. Sun realizes that he wants a more
permanent relationship with T. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about her
and for the first time his errant thoughts veer towards passion. He confesses
his misdemeanor to Sheila, when he is caught out by her. However, he tries
to excuse it as a desperate measure, when T had had not relented and walked out on KK.

CHAPTER 10

Fast forward to …

2082 

“Wake-up T, ‘tis 5 a.m.”
“Wake-up, wake-up….”
T depressed the irritating button on the headboard, shutting out the chant.
The blinds swished open, and the 60 inch virtual screen on the opposite wall came to life with a
“Hi! Sun’s left a message for you from St. Petersburg”. 

As T yawned, Sun came on the screen. He was in the rear seat of a Russian cab,
the Pagdi-donned cabbie, telling its own story, how anti-pagdi legislations in U.S.
Senate drove all self-respecting die-hard cabbies to the iciness of Russia. 

“Taaaa.aan! Its terrible out here, these Russians have so many lists of do’s and don’ts
that I’m sure my memory is going to crash from overload…. Can’t talk to you any more,
another don’t …. If I don’t surface by 48 hrs, you may know I have committed an
unforgivable don’t …but don’t come looking for me here… and DO look after Mom and KK. Ciao!” 

She shook her head, exasperated with his random joie de vivre. She was sure these banter
were aimed at keeping her in a state of perpetual perplexity. 

Just then, the new e-housekeeper, Kiko’s voice shrilled, “Your herbal drink is ready, T.”
While T sipped her drink, the voice droned on, “Have told Sheila to baby-sit, the
Robot Servicing Unit has informed that Nene’s upgrading will be done by noon tomorrow,
Salon appointment is at 2, PTM is at 3. I have intimated your salon and they have
re-arranged your session, so you can attend the PTM on your I-Top while you get
your toe-job done….” 

As Kiko hummed on in her monochromatic tone, T mulled over the events that had shaped her life.  

It was great being a part of Sheila’s circle of friends. It gave her a sense of
belonging, which she hadn’t had for a long, long time.  She smiled when she recalled
her fears that Sheila minus her geriatric scale-backs would be a crotchety woman. Not
only were these fears unfounded, T had been surprised with Sheila’s pliability and
willingness to be out-manouvered.  

Sun had become a good friend. An epitome of exemplary conduct, except when
those ‘gremlin-like’ moods of his surfaced and he drawled in that pesky manner,
“Taa.. an”. This was invariably followed by some raillery bound to get her hackles up. 

KK was of course, the atypical child. A brilliant kid, he was also finely tuned to the
subtle nuances in relationships. This meant that she had to handle some issues with kid
gloves and sidestep others. Yet, she was increasingly happy with the option she had
exercised, to host KK Dus2r’s upbringing.Even though she sometimes wondered if it
was Sheila’s repeated relapses or KK’s infallible attachment that had driven her to
make the choice.  

T’s early morn musings were interrupted with a “Hi Tan, ‘tis me!” Sheila’s face popped
up on the screen, her face barely visible over the folds of her quilt, “just thought to
remind you to switch on the I-cam, still can’t get to depend upon this e-housekeeper,”
there was a shriek from somewhere, “the last one had disk burnout on that very day
you had sunstroke.” She stifled a yawn, “Just feeling the age, dear. Never mind,
I shall love baby-sitting KK from my bed. Have some great plans of taking him on a
heritage tour today, to his Dadu’s village. TLC from me!” 

Many hours later, at the salon pool-side, while her personal chiropodist took care of her,
T attended the virtual trans-world Parent-Teacher Meet (PTM) with KK’s teaching
fraternity. The Indian moderator claimed to be ‘awfully pleased’ with KK’s exceptionally high
IQ levels. Nothing unexpected, thought T. The Math and Creative section teachers were
gaga as well, while the Chronicles teacher commented upon KK’s lack of interest.
The world topography teacher from Dallas though made a completely different observation.
He remarked that KK was developing a skewed perception and was of opinion that KK needed
some on-site learning and practical experiences. 

T listened to the analysis submitted by the moderator. It went thus, ‘It is to my opinion that Krishna Kumar Dus2r is living in extreme conditions of information-superhighway combinedwith seclusion. His real exposure is limited to an island, where majority of inhabitants belong
to the super-intelligent 20-30s age group, mostly scientists and environmentalists. Our joint consensus is that he needs mainland subsistence. An exposure to a child-centric milieu and a
wider spectrum of real-life contact, would greatly balance his development.” 

For a long time, T remained lost in introspection. As was inevitable, her thoughts retraced
her childhood at Sparta, replete with commercial and hi-tech educational aids masquerading
as toys. Yet, her earlier memories included play with the other Greek children, fishing and
frolicking during festive occasions. So, should she relocate to give KK a conventional
environment? 

Didn’t the ‘attachment parenting’ i-books she had been devouring of late, also advocate
touching base with the roots besides an all-round experience for proper nurturing? 

Yes, it was time now to get about and cracking. Time to join the parenting bandwagon.
Time too, to explore her social dimensions to the hilt. For a moment she wondered
whether she was committing hara-kiri with a complete relocation. Then immediately,
she shook-off her misgivings, reminding herself of her new-found status as a parent.
She owed it to KK. 

With the classic dexterity of a Spartan woman, T set in motion her new-found objective.
Of course, Sun toed the line with T, that KK needed an extension of his edification. But
nothing prepared him for T’s declaration that she wanted to begin with India.  

Tan and KK, here?  

Didn’t this augur well for a potential familial structure? The kind of family he had been
fantasizing about in recent years? But hold on, what if it was a mere nine-day wonder
for Tan before she returned to her present Arcady of Mauritius? 

Surya Dus2r, he warned himself, don’t be chicken-hearted. Aren’t you known for your
manipulative wheeling-dealing in corporate fiefdom? Have can you let go of this
opportunity to make your presentation to Tan? To persuade her by all means,
fair and foul, to a merger of two like-minded souls? 

Sun smiled. “Where would you like to begin, Rajasthan, the Mecca of the cultural
hoi polloi, or Southern India, where I have my base?” 

T wrinkled up her nose in concentration, a newly-fangled habit of hers when
she was pensive, and finally relented,“Southern India, where I can be close to
backwaters or the sea, and near your base. I have always stayed close to water,”
she confessed. 

Sun was euphoric. This was indeed Manna from the heavens! His beam radiated
across the virtual screen. At the same time he could not resist teasing T, “Are you
sure this is for KK and not because you have stretched your mental limits at that island
you are so fond of?” 

“Oops!” exclaimed Sun, as he pretended to dodge the virtual punch T aimed at his jaws. 

“So, Swaagatham, Tanya Guptopolos Dus2r, to the land of culture, agriculture and traditional nurture!” 

                                                               To Be Continued .....