The Necklace Box

What do you think is more desirable- a necklace or its box? Well if you ask me, I would say, "Depends." 

Here is a story that shows how...

"Your Sahab has brought for me a multi slot jewellery box. So, I have emptied these old little boxes. You can take them, if you like." Ratna said to Sarla while fixing a pin to her own pallu, standing in front of the mirror. Her diamond necklace was adding glamour to her royal blue silk saree.

"All of these?" Sarla asked in surprise while her eyes were stuck only to that maroon velvet box, with golden lace all around. That box seemed very costly and Sarla made up her mind to keep in it, the locket that she had thought to gift her daughter on her marriage. Thus, while there were half a dozen boxes on the bed, she unintentionally kept her hand on that very box.

"No, not this one Sarla. It is this necklace's box." Ratna said in a tone that was serious but not harsh, while scrolling her fingers on the necklace she donned, "Mumma had gifted me this." she proudly added, looking at herself in the mirror.

Sarla retracted immediately, "Ok then I will take the rest." But her wish did not retract, it just went behind the curtain of conscience.

"Please help me in pleating this saree, Sarla! This saree is a disaster. Doesn't get tucked the right way." Ratna said irritatingly. Thus, Sarla began helping her with the saree.

Sarla was some five odd years elder to Ratna. But it was Sarla who adressed Ratna as 'jijji'. She had been with her since childhood. Sarla's mother worked as a maid at Ratna's mother's house. When grown up, Sarla was married in a different city. Years later, Ratna too was coincidentally married in the same city as Sarla. Sarla still remembered Ratna's reaction when she had first seen her after marriage. She was happy like anything when Sarla had gone to ask for work. Ratna had said, "I feel someone from my Maike has come. Like my sister." And so did Ratna act always; like a sister. When Sarla's husband died, she helped her in the upbringing of Kusum, Sarla's daughter. She paid for her education and now, Kusum worked as a typist. Sarla too tried to be as humble and honest as she could and thus today, when Ratna had to get ready for a party, Sarla did not even once look at the clock to leave. She stayed till late evening helping Ratna and reached home at 8 pm. 

Kusum was not so happy at this haphazard return timings, "Amma! You don't realize they are taking undue advantage of your humbleness. They don't even increase your pay if you don't ask for it and you.... Amma... What are you doing to yourself?" 

"No Kusi. She does value me. See, today she gave me these many boxes." Sarla defended, while taking out the boxes from her bag one by one.

"She must have given them, because she does not need them anymore, Amma! She would have right away denied if it was of some use to her." Kusum immediately replied without even bothering to look at even one of them.

"Enough. Go and bring something to eat. I am hungry and don't want to argue with you. Go." Sarla reprimanded and in a fit of anger kept all the boxes back in the bag.

Kusum briskly went to the kitchen without uttering a word.

Next morning when Sarla came to work, Ratna's home was intensely vibrating. Everyone was active as if it was proper daytime. Ratna, briskly walked from one room to other with the lunchbox; Sinha ji, her husband, was shouting and panicking at his tangled shoelaces, which in hurry he entangled more; and Bunti, Ratna's son, rushed into the drawing area with his father's folders in one hand, chappati roll in the other and his own grey coloured backpack on his back.

Sarla first looked at the clock to confirm that she was not late. She then worriedly asked, "What happened jijji?"

"Arey Sarla!! I forgot to tell you yesterday about Shree's early morning meeting with some foreign delegates. We returned late yesternight and thus, woke up late today. Bunty too has his extra classes in the morning. These professors too, insensible people... huh... abruptly keep extra classes. But not their fault though, graduation requires extra effort. And he also has to leave for his Agra trip in the noon. Oh my God! He hasn't packed his bag for it. This boy... Offo.... Buntyyyyy!!!" Ratna spoke all in a breath and then went quickly into Bunty's room.

"Ok then I am leaving." Sinha ji stated as he paced out of the room.

"Drop me toooo." Bunty, coming out of his room, runningly followed his Dad.

"Which bag, Bunty!!.... For the trip?" Ratna shouted.

"Red one mumma. Will leave this one at home. Mumma! You don't worry. I'll do it." He shouted back.

"Oh yes! I know that." She murmured in a taunting tone and then abruptly shouted, "Shree!! Don't forget to get that mended."

"O.K." a faint voice of Sinha ji could be heard from the car. And then the car soon went.

Ratna took a sigh and looked at the messed up house.

"It will be cleaned. Don't worry." Sarla said smilingly picking up the broom.

"No...no... Sarla!", Ratna stopped her, "First throw those garbage packs into the cross road dustbin. Yesterday's lunch leftover. I forgot to throw it. It will start stinking. Just do that first. It is kept in the corner of the veranda. Go."

Sarla did the same and then did the households. In the evening, she went home.

Sinha ji returned very late that night. Hectic day it was. He came, had dinner and slept immediately.

Next morning Sarla reached as usual on time. Today the house was not vibrating, it was burning in anger and arguments. Sarla once again asked in the same worried tone, "What happened Jijji?"

Ratna's voice was barely understable due to weeping, "Sarla!! You remember that necklace, the one I wore day before yesterday. It got stolen." A chill went through her spine, as Sarla opened her mouth wide in shock.

"It hasn't been stolen. YOU have donated it." Sinha ji shouted angrily. Ratna remained silent, crying still while Sinha ji continued, " Why the hell did you keep that box outside over the garbage pack? That is an open invitation."

"I kept it so that you can take it with you and get its pin mended...." Ratna tried to explain.

"But you didn't bother to tell me this." He immediately interrupted.

"What!!! I did not tell you??" Now it was Ratna's turn to get angry, "I told you five times to take it, even when you left the room. And you say, I didn't tell you?"

The quarrel continued but Sarla was too stunned to participate, mediate or even hear it. She slowly picked up the broom and engaged herself in work.

After few hours, an inspector came home with Sinha Ji. He began to talk about the necklace while repeatedly noticing Sarla as and when she came before him. Not his fault though, Sarla was being too noticeable. She was sweating, slightly shivering, and somewhat stammering while talking to Ratna.

"So, anyone ...you doubt?" The inspector asked the couple.

"No one as such. May be someone from outside." Sinha ji said in an extremely slow tone ,face lowered.

"Are you sure? Only these?" He said, looking straight at Sarla, while she held her head low.

Ratna understood his indication and immediately said in her heavy throated voice, "Arey no. I have no reason to doubt her. She has been with us for decades. I have not a trace of doubt on her." 

"Fine. By the way, who threw the garbage pack?" The inspector asked.

"Sarla did. I asked her to do." Ratna immediately responded.

"So Sarla!!" The inspectors voice fell on Sarla like a baton, she held her saree's pallu tight in her fist in nervousness and fear, as the inspector asked, "when you went to throw the garbage, was the necklace box there?"

Sarla stammered badly, "hmm?..yes..na.. no.. i mean... no".

Inspector looked at Ratna with a frown, an eye movement and clever smile, indicating at Sarla's nervousness.

"Oh please! Don't interrogate her. She is extremely fearful by nature. She begins to shiver even on a cracking sound of crockery, even if it's Bunty who broke it. She fears that we will punish her for it." 

"Fine. As you say. By the way, Bunty?" He quickly questioned.

"My son. He has gone on a trip." Sinha ji replied in advance to a question that he thought may be asked.

"When?" A new question came.

"Yesterday at about 11.30 in the noon." Ratna replied.

"Any doubts on him?" Inspector said.

"Oh no no! He is a very good boy." Ratna immediately replied.

After some minor conversations, the inspector left.

That day, Ratna talked to Sarla with extra kindness, so that she may feel that Ratna doubts her not even a trace. 

When Sarla returned home, she opened the door and was angrily stunned when she saw Kusum holding the necklace against her neck and adoring herself in the mirror. She immediately went in, closed the door and snatched the necklace from Kusum, as if Kusum had stolen it. She quickly kept it in the box and the box in her bag.

"I shall return it tomorrow itself." she murmured while having dinner.

"Whatt? And what will you say? That you wanted to steal the box and the necklace came with it unintentionally?" Kusum irritatingly questioned.

"Yes. I will tell them the truth." She replied.

"And they will believe you? No way amma." Kusum countered, "Better let us bury it in the backyard for now, and tomorrow, I shall talk to a jeweller on how much can he pay us for this piece."

"Shut up Kusum. Just shut up. And eat." Shouted Sarla.

Kusum became silent. Silent with a storm inside.

At midnight, Sarla came to Kusum, "Let's bury it. Its thought is not letting me sleep. I will never return it. Nor spend it. Let it just lie deep in the soil. It's of no use to me. The box is. But with the necklace in it, I just can't use it."

Kusum was not completely convinced, but helped burying the box, keeping it inside a polythene.

Next morning, when Sarla reached Ratna's house, everything was normal but there was a standing smell of stress and sorrow. She could feel every moment that Ratna was almost broken by the theft. She secretly cried in her room several times, stood before the worship area and prayed several times. "I wished to give it to my future daughter-in-law. God please!!" Each moment of sorrow was suffocating Sarla, it was crushing her self respect and choking her conscience.

She made a decision, "I will return it tomorrow. And tell the truth. She may think whatever she wants but at least I will be free from this every-moment-guilt." This gave her some confidence. She did all work and went home.

At night she shared her plans with Kusum. Kusum was in complete disagreement, "Amma!! You will lose your job. Why don't you understand?"

"Doesn't matter. I just can't live with this burden on my mind. And one day, you yourself asked me to leave the job na?" Sarla strictly replied.

"Yes, but by that I meant that you leave it and not that you are fired. Amma!! O Amma!!.. I don't understand....If you had to return it right away, why did you even steal it in the first place." Kusum irriratingly asked.

"Please. At least YOU don't say this so rudely. That day, when Jijji asked me to throw the garbage pack, I went to throw it but I saw, over it, the necklace box, kept like something useless, with a side of lace hanging out defectively. The first feeling that may have otherwise come in my mind was of gratitude, on jijji surprising me by offering the box in an unusual way. But your sentence, 'She would have right away denied if it was of some use to her' went so deep into this" she said slapping herself on the head twice hardly ," that it seemed to me that she will better throw the box than giving it to me. I interpreted something, I had to regret later. I thought that, if this is useless for her, I have full right to take it. The anger kept me from realising even the weight of the box. I secretly kept it in my bag without a trace of guilt of theft. But by the time I reached home, I was so burdened by the guilt that I did not even dare to look at the bag and took another bag to her home the next day." And she began to cry.

Kusum could feel her mother was in pain. The wound of conscience are the most unbearable ones.

"Okay amma. We shall do as you wish", she agreed, "Tomorrow morning, the first thing we will do is to dug it out from the backyard. Fine?" Kusum lovingly asked.

"Okay." Sarla said wiping her tears and slept, as relaxed as she used to sleep before having the desire for that box. May be because the desire had vanished again.

Next morning, before they could even leave the bed the door banged violently. 

"Open it. Open. Open otherwise we shall break it." The voice said.

Sarla opened the door and the inspector stormed in with a local goldsmith. Kusum was shocked at the sight of the two.

"Where is the necklace? Say, where is the necklace?" He shouted at Sarla.

"W...wh...which neckl...?" Sarla stammered.

"Hey heyyyy... Don't try to act innocent. This goldsmith has told me, you had come to ask him the cost of an average diamond necklace and had promised to bring the necklace today evening." Inspector's voice was at its harshest all the time.

Sarla at once shockingly looked at Kusum, who could not even face Sarla. Tears were running through Kusum's cheek. Tears of regret for the act of going to the goldsmith. But the inspector kept on shouting.

"Ok ok... I will find it myself." Saying this, the inspector began messing up the house. Violently opening drawers, pulling down containers, curtains, violently removing the quilts and covers. But all he could find was a locket, a small ring and empty jewellery boxes. He took them all. "These are also stolen items, right?" Again harsh tone.

"No no sahab. I have got them made for my daughter's marriage. Please don't take them." Sarla fell on his legs.

"Ok fine. But I will first confirm Sinha ji for this. And will tell him that you have already sold away the necklace." He said bluntly and left.

Sarla was crying like anything. Kusum stood up quietly and went into the backyard to dug out the box. She shouted in terror, "Ammaaaa!! Am....ma!!" She couldn't speak because of shock. Sarla came running and fell on the ground, looking at the scene.

The soil was dug up already and there was no box inside. Sarla felt like getting herself buried into the soil, there and then. She could not get up. Kusum somehow supported her and brought up in the room, "Amma! The inspector did not get the necklace. You just don't accept now that you stole it. Forget it Amma. Forget it." Kusum advised.

Sarla nodded in a no, drank some water, wiped her face, picked her bag and got up to move.

"Amma?" Kusum was puzzled.

"I will tell her, Kusi! I may be jailed, but I will remain alive. And more importantly, my conscience will remain alive." She said and left.

Today when she reached, the house was again vibrating but in happiness, satisfaction and joyful surprise.

She again asked worriedly, though this time worried by herself and not at the Ratna's vibrating house, "What happened jijji?" 

Ratna replied excitedly like a kid, "The necklace was in the home itself, Sarla!! In Bunty's grey bag. And we did not know because Bunty had hurriedly kept it in while leaving for college that morning and then had gone on the trip forgetting to tell us about the necklace. We didn't inform him as we didn't want to tense him. And he did not inform because he forgot. Dumb Boy!! But today when he brought it out, I can't express how relaxed I am."

Sarla was still in shock and asked, "When did Baba come?"

"Yesterday in the night. He had gone to your home to give you a packet of petha... You know na how stubborn he is... Won't see the time when he wants to meet you. But you were asleep by then, probably. So he came back. Here is your packet." Ratna replied.

Sarla began to cry heavily at this. Ratna quickly hugged her, "Arey why are you crying Pagli. Can we ever doubt you? You are like my sister, Sarla!!" Minutes later, the door bell rang. It was the inspector. He was shocked when told about the necklace being found and they were shocked when they heard about his raid on Sarla's house.

"I want you to immediately return what all you took from her house. Now." Sinha ji softly, yet strictly (yes I know a difficult combination) said.

The inspector gave her the stuff and left. Ratna went in her room and brought some money and said, "Whatever this inspector has damaged, get it mended."

"And Kaki!! Please get the wall of your backyard constructed higher. When I was passing through your house, I found that it is very unsafe. Anyone can climb in." Bunty said from his room.