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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Wednesday, April 13

Russet Frazier woke up his daughter Cynthia at 9.30am kissed her and sent her to bathroom because Levis Hopkins was coming with some news or for further questioning. Russet was having a cup of coffee when he saw Levis Hopkins arriving, he parked his car but instead of ringing the bell or knocking at the main door he went to the deck and disappeared under it. He reappeared in the lawn and was making a circle in the home. Russet Frazier watched him with curiosity till he disappeared behind the building.
Finally Levis rang bell and Russet himself opened the door. Detective was standing there with a bunch of papers and a notebook in his hand.
“What is the news detective?”
Before he could reply his cell phone rang. His assistant was calling. Levis Hopkins again stepped outside to speak with him in privacy. He spoke for five minutes and reentered in home; found Russet Frazier was still waiting to hear his words.
“So detective what is new?”
Without replying him, detective crossed the maize of hallways and living rooms and went to the kitchen and filled a glass of water. Russet noticed that detective’s face was wet with sweat.
“Are you all-right Levis?”
Levis raised his arm just like Colombo and went to sofa and sat there, took a bunch of tissue papers from the packet lying on the table and wiped his face, looked around for the bin but then he put the papers in his pocket.
Russet Frazier was now very irritated, Levis Hopkins was more interested in imitating Colombo then doing his job.
Levis said, raising his hand again, “I know Mr. Frazier you are waiting for the news but I just heard a very disturbing news.”
Russet Frazier sat on another sofa and tried to sooth his nerves.
“I don’t know where to start?”
“Take your time Detective.”
Filipino maid brought coffee and cookies on a table.
“Thank you,” said Detective, sipping coffee with a slurp.
“First thing first, Rishi never slept in your home, he walked out to take a walk at about 10.15pm and when he returned doors were automatically locked. He slept on a concrete sill under the deck. Took bath in the ocean and then with water hose, brushed up his teeth there. His luggage stayed in Dr. Cynthia Frazier’s car, it must be still there.”
“I see, yes door get automatically locked at 10pm, one needs access code to get inside.”
“Well he said he did not know the procedure not he had access code,” Detective said wiping his face again with tissue papers. “And I do believe him.”
“He could have knocked the door.”
“He could have but he didn’t,“ said the Detective, “And the disturbing news is that, Dr. Ryan is found dead.”
Russet Frazier felt the ground slipping from under his feet, his mouth went dry and vision blurred.
He stammered, “So he didn’t make it in the hospital, but he was recovering.”
Levis Hopkins again raised his arm. “Mr. Russet, hold your horses. Hold your horses.”
Russet covered his face with his hands and sunk in the sofa. His heart began beating faster.
“Dr. Ryan was HIV positive, cocaine and marijuana addict, he slipped out of the hospital with his another girlfriend,” Detective continued, “Around midnight, his body was found in his girlfriend’s car, in the downtown San Francisco.”
Cynthia just arrived there; she listened to what Detective had just said. She collapsed on the sofa and then on the Iranian rug on the laminated floor.
Russet Frazier had not energy left to do anything but Detective jumped to his feet and checked her pulse, she was unconscious.
He shouted to the Filipino maid, “Bring us some water please.”
He lifted Cynthia to the sofa, and sprinkled some water over her face with his fingers and she murmured something and opened her eyes.
“Cheer up doctor. Please cheer up.”
To cheer her up he begun dancing like a monkey and she laughed with wet eyes. She reminded him of his own daughter.
“See I made you laugh. Now drink some water.”
Maid was standing with another glass of water, he gave her that glass. She drank water.
“Maam, I want to know more about Rishi, I think I fell in love with him.”
Russet Frazier was not coming to his senses.
“I don’t believe Ryan was HIV positive and a drug addict.”
“Sir, there are hospital reports, there are forensic reports and now there will be autopsy reports.”
“Jesus.”
Detective again raised his arm like Colombo. He said, “Doctor you can shed some light on something.”
“What?” Cynthia said showing up some interest in his amusing Colombo like acts.
“Have you ever heard about Moray Eel fish?”
Cynthia felt a chill in her spine.
“Yes-yes-yes-yes, I get it what are you trying to say, Rishi used Mooray Eel blood. Now I get it. It was that poison. Yes, yes.”
Detective shouted, again raising his arm like Colombo, “Hold your horses, Doctor. Hold your horses.”
Cynthia giggled.
“I never said who poisoned whom and neither do I know, but that poison protected your life.”
“But Rishi faked his illness.”
Detective was thinking, it was illegal to disclose the confidential information but he knew he could help Cynthia only by telling her the truth. She reminded him of his daughter who was ruined by a man like Dr. Ryan.
He decided to ignore the rules and ethics of his job.
“Listen missy, Rishi had three times more poison in his system; he did not fake his illness.”
Detective pulled out two papers from the bunch and handed both to Cynthia. She looked at both reports and chill went to her spine. Ryan had severe reaction of Eel’s blood because he was drug addict and immunodeficient due to HIV infection.
“Look doctor, legally and ethically I am not supposed to tell you anything, but you remind me of my daughter sooo…...”
Detective told them all he knew and though. He told them the laboratory just discovered in just five minutes that surface anesthesia was mixed in the perfume. Syringe lying on the grass was filled with Dr. Ryan’s blood and had his finger prints.
On the way to their home Levis Hopkins called Egyptian perfumer and perfumer gave a perfect description of Dr. Ryan and also told detective that Ryan gave him a liquid to mix in the perfume. Ryan was going to infect Cynthia with his disease but the poisoning killed his plans.
“Now the mystery is who poisoned whom? And was it poisoning or an accident?” Detective said, “We have no clue.”
Cynthia imagined the smiling face of Rishi, she felt a chill in her spine. Tears again fell from her eyes but she was feeling relaxed, crushing burden was no more. She went to bathroom and washed her face. When she returned to the atrium she sat on the chair where Rishi sat with her. She had a cup of tea there.

Russet Frazier called the Mayor, instructed him to call off the investigation in the poisoning of Dr. Ryan, since he is dead now. Mayor understood him.

Detective was still sitting in the atrium; amusing Cynthia with more Colombo gestures, he got a phone call from his boss to stop proceeding further because Dr. Ryan was dead and now any investigation could be only one way, lopsided and unfair to the other party involved who was equally a victim.

Detective rose to leave, Cynthia and Russet came to the door to see him off. He went out but returned again just like Colombo.
He said raising his arm, “Doctor, I have a favor to ask.”
This time Russet too laughed and Cynthia giggled, “What can I do for you Colombo.”
“Rishi’s belongings are in your car trunk, I can take them to him.”
“What!”
He raised his arm and began to turn. “Never mind doctor.”
“Wait detective, where is he now, is he sick?”
“He is fine, probably even finer than yesterday. We put him in Econolodge near our precinct. He wanted a free accommodation and we gave him one for just one day.”
“Never mind about his baggage,” Russet Frazier said, “he will be coming back here. He owes us a stay. He cheated me twice.”
Detective said, going to his car and raising his arm, “That is fine with me. I will give him your message.”

Detective was gone.
Cynthia went to the back of her house to retrieve the rock that she threw away from her deck, in the grass but that was not there, only a thud scar was left in the grass. Lawn maintenance crew had arrived in the morning and took it away as it was a piece of useless piece of debris. She went to the kitchen and opened up trash compactor to salvage whatever was left of the shawl but garbage too was gone. Rishi was gone and left no mark. Then she remembered his backpack in her car. It was indeed there, with a paper note inserted in such a way she would never miss.
‘A coach got to do what a coach got to do.
Sorry for the inferno, bad will burn and good will survive.
You can throw away this bag,
Rishi.’
She hugged the bag, took it at the beach, sat there, and pressed her face into it and wept, a strange aromatic smell made her sneeze several times. Then she remembered, oh it should be sniffing snuff, she laughed. She opened the bag and removed the polythene bag containing a torn packet of snuff. She smelled it and sneezed several times and laughed. She looked at her watch it was 2pm, she remembered that detective said Police put Rishi in the Econolodge for just one day. She ran to the home, dialed 411, asked for the motel’s phone number. Motel receptionist said Rishi had checked out at 11.30. He did not leave any forwarding address or phone number. She again helplessly wept.
What good were her billions when Rishi slept on a concrete slab, in a windy cold night, took a bath with cold water with the garden hose.
Good morning Rishi. Were you comfortable at night? And he had replied: Yes.
Now he was sick, Government hospital gave him basic treatment and discharged him. He is childish; he may drink or eat some stupid food and hurt his kidneys. As Detective Colombo told, and Rishi’s blood tests report also manifested, his blood contained three times more lethal poison then Dr. Ryan, his kidneys must be, still severely inflamed. He needed rest, care and treatment.

2

Detective Levis Hopkins stopped his car exactly at the same place where Rishi and Cynthia had breakfast. His mind was not in the scenery but he only wanted to think few things.
After all Rishi won, he wanted to lead and successfully lead the investigation in a certain direction, seeking a certain result. In other words he used poison, he used Police department; he used himself to save Dr. Cynthia Frazier’s fate from the hell. He took calculated risk and poisoned himself too. Even if Levis Hopkins or any other detective could find some petty proofs that Rishi had poison in his possession, some circumstantial evidences but still the case will not survive at the grand jury. Anyway that was not the perfect crime, police force can go to India to make investigation, they can check his internet search records and all, and can probably still catch him but still the case against him was still very difficult. He knew that now Police Department was not interested in the investigation against a dead druggie complain. Also Russet Frazier does not want to proceed further, he wanted to disassociate with whatever has happened to Ryan so probably he pulled the string and put a halt to the investigation. Probably that was also Rishi’s plan.
He thought and thought.
Point was that, how Rishi knew about Ryan. Detective Levis Hopkins was only wondering how that was possible. The way Rishi saved Cynthia; it was like catching the bullet in the teeth.
He arrived to only one conclusion: Circumstances were not leading Rishi but he was leading the circumstances. He wanted to meet and know Rishi, as a friend. Wish his daughter too had some friend like him.

He sat in the car and arrived at the motel but Rishi was gone.
Cynthia called him because he had given her his visiting card.
“Colombo, Rishi has left the motel, please find him please. I know he is very sick and irresponsible.”
“Daughter, I will do what I can.”
“Thanks Detective. Thanks.”
He disconnected the phone.
He had no idea how he was going to find Rishi. He went to the lobby, showing his badge, asked the girl at the reception if Rishi called anybody from his room?
Rishi did not call anyone from his room but received one call; she gave him the printout of that call summery. It had time and duration of the call.
He dialed that number; call went to University of California. A woman picked took the call.
“Maam, I am Lieutenant Levis Hopkins, Police Department.”
“How may we help you?”
“To whom this phone is assigned, specifically.”
“Lieutenant, at least twenty people use this phone like, research scientists, professors, students and associates.”
“May I know your name Sir.”
“My name is Abraham Higgins, Junior Scientist.”
“I believe you have a pencil and a paper ready, write this phone number first.”
Detective Levis Hopkins gave him the number of Econolodge.
“Now Abraham Higgins, I request you to find out who called at this number, yesterday at 5pm.”
.”Lieutenant, you suspect any criminal activity here?”
“Hold your horses, Mr. Abraham Higgins, Junior Scientist. We only want to know who called at this number. I assure that we do not suspect any criminal activity at your place.”
“Thank God,” Abraham Higgins said with relief, “I will spread the word around, that’s all I can do. Most people do research work in the fields, some time they report here in the morning or evening. You know what I mean.”
“Yes I know what you mean, just do your best and give me a call.”

Detective Levis Hopkins was assigned to another case and he was very busy. He called Cynthia and gave her the news. He had a quick lunch in a Chinese restaurant and drove to another crime scene.

3

Rishi took BART train to downtown San Francisco, left the train at the nearest station to Chinatown. He was week, had fever and still had severe pain and inflammation in his groin. He bought a coke, sat on a bench and watched the activities of tourist and people. He left the bench, walked to a Chinese herbal shop. Shop had an unqualified but experienced Chinese medicine doctor too, whose services were free for the genuine customers. Rishi told him that he was poisoned by Eel’s blood, doctor inspected his groin area, and inflammation was spread and visible outside too. For fifty dollars doctor gave him four medicine bottles, two brand named and two without any label. He instructed Rishi about the dosage and suggested green tea at each half hour interval. Doctor assured that he will start recovering instantly.
Rishi had green tea from a restaurant and took first dose of medicine indeed that worked like a magic. Each hour Rishi had green tea and a dose of medicine. At 4.30pm took the BART train and after a transfer he arrived at Dublin-Pleasanton station but little late. He crossed the parking lots and when he reached at the intersection of the station access road and main road, Rarisa stopped next to him. Nobody had to wait.
Rishi opened the door, tossed his bundled up clothes in the back seat, shook hands with her and she drove off because that was not stopping zone.
“What’s up Senor Rishi.”
“Long time no see Senorita.”
“Yeah, ten years, long ten years.”
“I thought twelve.
She said, nodding, “No, ten.”
She said, looking at his face, “In those ten years you got so week Rishi.”
Rishi said looking at her skinny figure, “You too lost lots of weight.”
She was smiling. “Yep, yep.”
“No more separation, “Rishi said, “That’s why I brought my pajama and toothbrush.”
Smile disappeared from her face and drops of sweats appeared on her forehead.
Rishi continued, but this time he had a mischievous smile, “Now take your car to some locksmith, for another key.”
Now she knew Rishi was joking, she fell to laugh.
“So Rishi what is your plan for today?”
“A Buddhist center has offered me a room, hope the offer is still good, if not, I can sleep in your car.”
She was again nervous but again she realized Rishi was only teasing her, she laughed.
“Which Buddhist center, there are several in San Francisco area?”
“The one, with a tall Japanese pagoda style temple, I think it is in the Japanese area.”
“Is there a park in front of it?”
“Yep, there is a park in front of it?”
“My brother lives just two blocks away from it, he visits that temple. He is a doctor we are going there to visit him.”
“I assure you that I will behave.”
She giggled, “I know you will behave. He is just like you, always laughing and always mischievous.”

4

Detective Levis Hopkins was informed at 5.00pm that Professor Rarisa made a call to Econolodge. She was working in the field and was not to return to her cubicle and nobody had her cell phone number because she recently changed it, because her ex-husband was harassing her on the phone. They had her address; she lived twenty miles away from Cynthia’s home. Levis didn’t have any time to spare. He passed that information to Cynthia and also gave her the address of Rarisa.

5

Cynthia punched Rarisa’s address in her GPS and followed the directions. She arrived at her little townhouse at 6pm. Home was locked; she pressed the bell of a neighbor and asked about Rarisa, a woman opened the door and directed her to another town home where another Japanese family lived.
She pressed the bell of that home; an old lady opened it and welcomed her to her home. She told her that Rarisa had told her in the morning that she would be going to her brother’s home; she may or may not return to sleep in her home, she may leave to her field work straight from her brother’s home. Cynthia asked the old lady for Rarisa’s brother’s address or phone number. Lady said she has the keys of Rarisa’s home and was to go there to bring her cat to her home otherwise she may get depressed. Rarisa was receiving most of her mails at her brother’s address so his address can be easily found from any of her mail.
They walked to Rarisa’s home, lady opened it. It was a cozy small home. A cat came and rubbed its back to Cynthia’s legs. Old lady lifted it. From a heap of mail she found Rarisa’s brother Dr. Kiyoshi’s address. It was near the same Buddhist center where Cynthia used to visit.
Cynthia arrived at Rarisa’s brother’s home at 7.30pm but it was locked. She drove to the Buddhist center to spend some time there with Mitsuki and then to return again to find Rarisa.

6

Rarisa and Rishi arrived at Dr. Kiyoshi’s home. He was at home but was preparing to go to Buddhist Center. Rishi and Kiyoshi liked each other instantly. Dr. Kiyoshi was MD in Oncology but he did free charitable practice from his home and had a job as Research professor in a medical school. After introductions they all walked to Buddhist Center that was only two blocks away.
They entered in the gate, Kiyoshi and Rarisa bought incense sticks but Rishi went to meet Mitsuki in his office. He was not there, a monk went to find him and Rishi sat on the chair. Rishi knew what was going to happen but anyway wanted to see Mitsuki.
Mitsuki arrived, as he saw Rishi he froze where he was. He closed his eyes and pulled him up together.
He said with an icy tone, “Get out from here.”
Rishi looked at him, still sitting on the chair.
“I said get out from here,” Mitsuki shouted, “you are not welcome here.”
“It is a temple.”
“Yes it is a temple; everybody is welcome here except you,” Mitsuki said, “Kindly leave the sanctity of this temple alone.”
Rishi rose from the chair, turned and walked in the direction of the main entrance.”
Mitsuki walked behind him to make sure Rishi was leaving the temple premises. When Rishi was near the main gate he shouted, “Wait.”
Rishi turned to face him.
“Outside there is notice board, fill up a form and apply for our Vipassana program. We will deprogram you first.”
“Thanks for your kind information.”
Mitsuki was very disturbed, he resisted his urge to spat on Rishi’s face or hit him. “Now take your filthy dogface away from the sanctity of our temple.”
Rishi turned and stepped out side of the entrance. At the notice board he unpinned a form, filled it and inserted it in the box hanging on the wall.

He went to the park; relax-fully lay on the grass to wait for Rarisa and Dr. Kiyoshi. Children were playing; old people were taking stroll and cherry trees were in full blossom.
Rishi became one with everything, his senses were awake and he was awake.
An ice cream truck came, ringing its bells. Many children rushed to it to buy ice-cream. Two children, brother and sister went there, they had no money, and they were sadkt looking at the truck. Rishi went to the truck and bought them ice cream.

Mitsuki went to a bench, sat cross-legged and made an effort to meditate to calm himself down. He asked a monk to bring him a cup of tea.
When he was drinking the tea, a Japanese woman passed.
Was he seeing a dream? Was his fate playing games with him? A phony Buddha was kicked out of the temple and a real emerged. He jumped from the bench, ran behind that woman, passed her and stood in front of her and leaned.
Rarisha too leaned to respect him in Japanese traditional way but she was dazed with confusion.
“Do you remember me?”
She looked at his face and tried to remember, he was wearing maroon colored monk’s clothes. She shook her head side to side.
“Please-please, try to remember me. We met.”
“We met but where?”
Rarisa was very uncomfortable she wanted to run away.
Tears were felling from Mitsuki’s eyes. Buddha failed to recognize him; things were not suppose to happen this way. He was very hurt.
“You gave me water at the airport.”
Now Rarisa remembered him, pitiful Japanese neurotic man, so he is a monk too.
“Oh yeah! I gave you water bottle at the airport. Now I remember they you were not wearing these monks’ clothes.”
“You want me to give up these monk’s clothes. I will give these up.”
“Why do I want you to give up anything in the world?”
“Then you don’t?”
It was too much for Rarisa, she said, “Bye sir, I must leave.”
She began to turn but Mitsui grabbed her wrist in desperation.
“I beg you to wait. You can’t just abandon me after you gave me water.”
“Look someone asked me to give you that water bottle; luckily he is here in the temple.”
“Some one asked you to give me that water bottle,” Mitsuki wondered.
“Yes.”
“Please take me to him, what is his name.”
“His name is Rishi.”
Mitsuki blanked out, he fell down with a noise as all bones in his body were suddenly turned into rubber. Monks and people rushed to him. She rushed to find her brother to look at him. He was unconscious.

Cynthia was parking her car at that time. Many monks knew she is a doctor, one saw her arriving.
As she was opening her car a monk screamed, “Mitsuki San has fell down he is unconscious.”
In a rush she took her stethoscope from the back seat and ran after the monk to the fallen Mitsuki. Monks have put water on his face and now he was conscious. He looked at Cynthia with pitiful face.
She said to monks, “Please you all leave us alone, he is fine. Bring some tea.”
She helped him to stand up, they sat on the bench.
He sobbed and told her about the event of his day.
“Insulted him and kicked him out, I almost spat on his face and beat him up.”
What could she say in reply; her story was similar too.
So Rishi came here, this only means he was at Rarisa’s brother’s home.
She rose abruptly. “Mitsuki, don’t worry all will be well. I got to go.”
She didn’t tell him where she was going, he was not in sound mental state to act or react.

She returned to Dr. Kiyoshi’s home and rang the bell.
A skinny Japanese woman opened the door.
“Hello.”
“Hello, how are you. I am here to find Rishi?”
After the mishap in temple it was another surprise for Rarisa.
She said, letting her come inside, “But how you know Rishi is here?”
“It is a very long story,” she said raising her hand for handshake, “I am Cynthia, Rishi’s friend.”
“I am Rarisa, Rishi’s friend.”
“So your brother is a doctor.”
“Actually I am a doctor too,” Rarisa said laughing, “PhD in Cauliflower.”
Cynthia tried not to laugh.
“Now where is Rishi.”
“He has gone out for a walk with my brother.”
“Is he OK.”
“Yes he is fine, why did you ask?”
“I just asked.”
Cynthia and Rarisha starting chatting, Cynthia was happy that she has made a new friend. Rarisa called her brother; they were only five minutes away.
“I am going to move my car from your driveway, I will park it in the street,” Cynthia said, walking to the door, “I want to surprise Rishi.”
When she returned, she mischievously asked Rarisa, “Can you hide me somewhere in your home.”
She took Cynthia to the back yard from dinning room door, they heard the voices of Rishi and Dr. Kiyoshi entering in the home and both were laughing.
Rarisa called her brother on his cell-phone.
“Kiyoshi, come out for a moment.”
“Rarisa, what’s the matter?”
“Damn it, come out from the front door,” she order.
“OK, OK, calm down, I am coming.”
Rarisa ran around the home to speak with her brother. Cynthia entered in the home from the same dining room door. Rishi was sitting on the sofa, she could see his back. She took off her sandals, and cat walked to him and closed his eyes.
“Rarisa!”
She shook his head side to side.
Rishi’s hand followed her hand and it slid to her elbow where she still had the bruise.
“Tina!”
Frustrated, she hit him on the head.
She sat with him; tears were flowing from her eyes.
“Cynthia, wish I had a penny for each of your tear, I would be richer then Papa Russet.”
She was laughing when Rarisa and Dr. Kiyoshi entered in the home.
As Kiyoshi saw Cynthia, he stopped and gaped at her for some seconds.
Rishi opened his mouth to introduce Cynthia but Kiyoshi said, “Stop.”
“You are Dr. Cynthia Frazier.”
Wiping her tears with a napkin Cynthia nodded she found Dr Kiyoshi was of her own age and very handsome.
“What a lucky day, today,” Kiyoshi said, shaking hands with Cynthia, “Two new friends, not just one.”
“You have a thermometer, Dr Kiyoshi.”
“Who is sick?”
Touching Rishi with her elbow, she said “He, biggest heartbreaker in the world.”
Kiyoshi went in the dining room and returned with a digital thermometer that read temperature from the ear, it read Rishi’s temperature in an instant, he had 102F temperature.
No kidding, reset the instrument, tapped it, as if it may be malfunctioning and tried again and then again. Temperature was 102F. He touched Rishi’s forehead.
“No kidding.”
“Three doctors, huh,” Rishi said, “Cauliflower doctor suits me more.”
Nobody laughed at the joke.
Cynthia said, “Let’s go home Rishi.”
Kiyoshi said, “He can stay here.”
“No, you don’t know him,” Cynthia sobbed, “but I know him very well.”
“Wait I will give him Tylenol, you can stop here for some tea.”
“Wait Cynthia,” Rishi pleaded, “Let’s have a cup of tea here.”
Rarisa brought water for all and gave two Tylenol caplets to Rishi.
“So, Rishi,” Rarisa said, “how many girlfriends you have?”
“Like I am some sort of stud.”
They roared to laugh, except Rishi.
Rishi said, hitting Cynthia gently, with his elbow, “I am her Coach.”
Rarisa said, placing her hands on her waist, “Oh! So there is an opening.”
Cynthia said with a smile, “Good idea Rishi.”
Rishi said, raising one eyebrow, looking at Rarisa, “When should I report for the job.”
There was another laugh.
Dr. Kiyoshi went to kitchen to make tea. They laughed more.
After they had tea, Rarita and Kiyoshi walked Rishi and Cynthia to her Mercedes, they exchanged each other’s phone numbers, shook hands and waved as Cynthia drove away.
“Let’s see Mitsuki first,” Rishi said, opening the power window, “Poor guy must be crying.”
“Thanks Rishi, it is already nine,” She said, “I have to go to work tomorrow. I am a responsible person. I am not like you. Now please close the window, you have fever.”
“OK.”
“Tomorrow morning I will drop you here at Buddhist Center, you can spend whole day with Mitsuki.”
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo.”
She laughed. “Then why you gave him water at the Airport.”
“Why you sent him at the airport?”
“You think it is my fault?”
“No, you think it is my fault.”
“Why you poisoned yourself?”
Rishi said, “You think it is my fault.”
She was enjoying the conversation. “No, you think it is my fault.”
“Yes I think it is your fault.”
“Tell me how?”
“You fell in love with Dr. Ryan.”
“Like it was my fault? Huh!”
“You bunged at his home - what is his name arrrrrrrrr - Dr. Kochi. I was having fun there.”
“Like I ruined your fun at his home - what is his name arrrrrrrr – Dr. Kashogee. You still had your fun.”

They fought the whole way she was driving, she entered in her driveway.
“Why you slept outside, under the deck, in the cold.”
“Like it was my fault? You locked me out.”
“I didn’t lock you out, how should I have known you always roam in the nights.”
“I had to wear all my clothes, two pants, two shirts, two socks and two shoes.”
“You never had two shoes.”
“At night I had to enter in my backpack, it came up to my shoulders only.”
“Like it was my fault? You should have knocked the door.”
She parked her car; they did not go inside but went to beach.
She was in a fit of laugh, they sat there till 10pm then they rose.
When she was punching codes to open the door, Rishi said, “Do you have any sleeping bag. I can put it outside.”
She was laughing.
He continued, “And a bucket, a mug, a piece of bathing soap, a piece of cloth washing soap and some coconut oil.”
They entered in the home.
She giggled, “You won’t need a sleeping bag because I have called Security Company to disarm one door for you. It will stay unlocked, as long as you are in America, feel free to come or leave.”
“Can I bring my friends?”
“Yes of-course.”
“Some of them drive eighteen wheeler trucks, some drive double and triple trailers and tankers, and some of them drive taxis. Can they stop by to have a chat or cup of tea?”
She sat down on the carpet to laugh, her chest was tired. She forced shut Rishi’s mouth with her both hands, but some how he finished what he was saying.
“I guess they must leave their vehicles somewhere else, couple of miles down the road. Pops Russet won’t like their primary mode of transportation standing next to his cars.”
They ate dinner in silence. She took him to downstairs, showed him the door that would stay unlocked and then took him to the same suite, cell-phone with its box was still there at the same spot. His backpack was neatly lying on a table.
“Good night Cynthia.”
She said, raising her arm, “Hold your horses. Hold your horses.”
“Change your clothes, don’t dare to take a bath, you still have fever. I will be back.”
She went out and returned with her stethoscope, blood pressure measuring equipment and thermometer etc. and a cardboard box containing medicines. She ordered him to lie on the bed, moved his night shirt to his shoulders and checked his belly, pressed it at various places, he jumped with pain, his liver and kidneys were still affected. She checked his blood pressure, it was low, checked his eyes, heartbeat tongue and pulse.
“You are allowed to drink one bear but real slow.”
“Thanks for this advice.”
She laughed, went to the refrigerator and opened two beers.
“You know, it is second time in my life I am drinking a beer.”
“Mine too.”
“You are lying.”
“No I am not. It is second time in my life I am drinking A beer,” he clarified, “A beer, I mean just one beer.”
She laughed again and then yawned. She rose and drained her beer in the bathroom. She gave him many medicines, told him when to take which one.
“Good night Rishi and drink slowly.” She took his hand and kissed it and was gone.
Rishi finished his beer, wanted to have another but resisted his urge to not hurt Cynthia’s feelings. Then he remembered there was a bar at the same floor. He went there and brought two same brand beers and drank both. He hid the empty bottles behind the TV. He was very tired, he had survived two most agonizing and torturing days of his life. He fell to a dreamless sleep.

7

Rarita and Kiyoshi waved goodbye to Rishi and Cynthia, they came to the park. Kiyoshi sat away from his always chattering sister to meditate in silence. Rarisa wondered about the strange events of the day. She picked up Rishi from the train station and then Dr. Cynthia was chasing her for two hours, she ended at her brother’s home. She thought about the monk who fainted when he heard Rishi’s name.

Dr. Kiyoshi was in meditation but a man shook him and disturbed his tranquility. That man was the father of a little girl whom Kiyoshi was treating for free. They discussed about the girl till Rarisa came to them and said the man to leave them alone and see Dr. Kiyoshi, only in the office hours. Man apologized and left. Rarisa left Kiyoshi to meditate and again sat away from him and tried to meditate in vain. They sat in the park till 9pm and then walked to home.
“Kiyoshi San, did you really knew Cynthia before?”
“Don’t you know who is she?”
“How can I know who is she?”
“She is the daughter of Russet Frazier.”
She stopped there, bewildered she shouted, “What did you say!”
Kiyoshi laughed.
“Kiyoshi, I was thinking about the strange events of today but there is more to add.”
“She seems down to earth.”
She said, laughingly, “She is madly in love with Rishi.”
“I think she reveres him,” Dr. Kiyoshi said with a simile, “he is all yours if you want?”
“Nah-nah. I am at-least ten years older than him. I just love him like I love you, like a sister. He walks like you and talks like you and laughs like you. You both are idiots. He was sick but still roaming all over in the San Francisco like a crazy. I saw him buying ice-cream to two kids in the park, just like you – Free service to all.”
Dr. Kiyoshi had no answer to her endless chattering.
“And then why a billionaire’s daughter was crying for him and took all the trouble to find him, like she was his mother?”
“Rarisa San, stop jumping to conclusions.”
“You should go out and find some girl like her who will take care of you.”
“Girls are not cauliflowers…,” he said to tease her.
“No, you don’t know him,” Rarisa said, mimicking Cynthia, “but I know him very well. Wish some girl says this about you.”

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