Some writing prompts help bring out the good stuff
Don’t we all go through such hard times where the road ahead is forked. One is an easy way out. The other is challenging. Almost all the times, we know what ought to be the righteous choice. On moments such as these self-doubt creeps in stealthily, suddenly everything that we have taken for granted starts to fall apart and circumstances turn out really bad.
Continuing from where I left in the previous part, I invite you to read further. On my way back from that first hearing, fear and helplessness were beside me. Either I felt like crashing into a party uninvited or some nauseating guests had come calling on my door. In either situation my first reaction would be-I needed to protect my family. But from what and from whom? As I had stated it earlier, on one side was this nuisance of a rowdy advocate who looked like he could turn into a knife wielding criminal at the slightest provocation and on the other hand were the power-hungry office bearers seething with resentment, whose seat of power was no more theirs.
I have heard it somewhere that cancerians* are overthinkers. And, I am exceptionally good at that. Literally hundreds of subplots continuously unfold in my mind at any given point of time. Are they unrelated? Never mind, I have developed an in-built mechanism that helps me corelate each and every character I come across. It’s also true that such a complex layering never permits me to forget anybody or anything easily.
But that day several scenes from popular films were more dominant and playing out on my mind’s screen. Come to think of it. I had not only climbed the proverbial and forbidden court-steps, I was actually getting involved in a fight that I had nothing to do with. In fact, somewhere I was excited about what gibberish I managed to utter in front of ‘the judge’. Who ever said films were only entertainment ? Wish I could have someone record my gallant performance for posterity. Yes, in a typical fashion a trembling student faces the school principal, I too had politely assured her ladyship about settling this out-of-court. I bet she chuckled at my demeanor. It was surely not very convincing, I think. She must have been so used to seeing through the right and wrong intentions of advocates from her raised chair. I quite got a sense of how important advocates must be feeling while arguing their cases.
Constant worry was now nagging at me. Back in the courtroom, your verbal assurances are null and void. Anything you agree to, has to be committed in writing. So had I. How do I now deal with this situation? If I don’t take any pre-emptive action, it would certainly be projected by the tenant that I have given in to his demands. Which implied I must have been bribed into it. And that would mean I had to face horrifying and snide remarks every time I walked past by someone in the housing society. Just like they show in the pictures. Imagine the trauma my family would have had to bear every living moment. Thankfully, better sense prevailed. I called for an emergency meeting before he could spread any malicious rumour about me. I then explained the seriousness of the problem and also mentioned that we would discuss it again with him.
My stance was appreciated. However, it was unanimously decided to fight this nuisance with all our might. Though nobody knew exactly how and thankfully nor did anybody cared to know what I had signed on! But things moved on smoothly. Believe me, this was a typical dramatic scene where people give lofty talks about coming together and then disperse as soon as their wives call out for them.
You see, several forces in the universe join hands and come to your rescue if you set your mind on accomplishing something. In this case, though the earlier pack of corrupt office bearers actually wanted to bring us down, they also feared for this manipulative tenant who had bribed them to get his illegal water connection legitimized. So, they too stood by us in this resolution. That was certainly half the battle won. Now I knew for sure, whether we win or lose the case, at least I will not be blamed.
Often solutions lie in plain sight. We only refuse to look in the right place. In one of our now regular arguments, suddenly me and my wife freezed and our eyes locked in a eureka moment. We had needed some legal counsel at the time of our marriage. She was now a good family friend. Sure, she could help in this. The firm where she worked was not a big one but it also took up civil court cases.
If I had presented the depth of research and detailed study I carried out on the blue-print of the housing society, I am sure I could have earned a degree in architecture. Our newly hired advocate was meticulous in her approach and true to her profession, she did not get carried away by my elaborate analysis of the technical aspects. This stuck with me till the end of the case. I believed my knowledge would have helped resolve the case quickly. Or was it just one of my far-fetched logic. Remember things are closer than they appear in the rear view mirror.
I got the cue. My part was done. At least for now, as they say, I should let the law take its own course. I guess this tale could continue into some sort of series. But I have decided to wait until the next hearing.
legends*star sign
P.S: This was my second and concluding piece in response to @RavyneHawke‘s writing prompt about a time in your life when someone pushed you to do something you didn’t want to do. The outcome was a mix of positive and negative one for me. Would you do it again? Never. Hope to soon come up with another interesting story in my next article #Essay #Fiction. Do like and show appreciation and follow me for more!
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