The birthday party

Yasmin JALDIN

John and Martha were doctors. Married for the past five years they never thought of raising a family since they were engrossed in their profession. It was mundane to complete their tasks for the day leaving no room to finish it for the following day. So, very often they came home late had a quick dinner, lounge in the lawn, and retire to bed.

The wealthy couple lived in an enormous mansion inherited from John’s father, a rich businessman. They hired an Appu who performed all their household chores. The Master and dame looked upon their housekeeper to prepare their meals too and he was rewarded handsomely. Appu was a very honest man. Our Appu is our ‘good friend’ he prepares tasty dishes, they often said when he was introduced to their socialite friends. Appu was well versed in his culinary arts since he was employed earlier at an ambassador’s residence.

The following Friday was the dame’s birthday. She requested Appu to prepare her favourite dish, cuttle fish curry and string-hoppers. John called Appu that day and said they would be returning very early to celebrate the Madam’s birthday and dinner to be laid in the lawn. Appu laid the table and waited anxiously for their return. The time was now 10 pm, but they had not turned up yet. An hour later, the toot of a vehicle horn was heard, and he rushed to open the gate. The Master and dame apologized for their lateness since John was called to attend an emergency operation. They inquired about his health and went straight to the lawn.

“I am famished,” shouted the dame and started eating. Appu noticed that there was a deep blood splattered gash on her forehead and the master too had an equally deep gash on his head where the blood had dried up. When he inquired, they both answered that they had an accident and the wounds would heal the next day.

Appu did not take the matter seriously since he knew the couple knew their medicine. He also noticed however, that the master did not consume his favourite alcohol but supped his dinner voraciously without much chatter.

The fried fish and the dessert too were untouched. When he tried to serve them the master only waved his hand and the dame too gestured similarly. Having finished their dinner, the duo rose together hand in hand, bade him goodnight and retired to their room. Every morn as a ritual, they would wake up at six for their favourite jog, but today they were not up. Appu dared not to knock at their bedroom door nor peep through the keyhole; that was indecent he thought. But on an afterthought he went about preparing breakfast.

Two hours went past the master and dame were still in their room when he heard the telephone ring. Oh! It must be from the hospital was his thought. The message he received made him faint and sick. It took him a few minutes to recover from his reverie.

His good master and dame had met with a serious accident by the lake road, their vehicle turning turtle due to speeding, leaving them unconscious for some time. Due to the late night and incessant rain, there were few people on the road and no one had heard the crash. Even though a passing vehicle had rushed the injured to hospital, saving them was totally out since the two doctors had lain for over two hours losing a lot of blood; both had been pronounced dead.

A grieving Appu was shocked when he related the tale of the previous night. He had served their ghosts.