MOST POPULAR PATTERN

Most people marry once. Some divorce and remarry. Some marry because they have lost their spouse.  While some do so, because they have put themselves in a tight corner. This is about those “Could not be avoided type” of marriages.  

First let me tell the story of one of my colleagues, whom I met in 1982. He had married a very rich girl, which had landed in a divorce. He was a lusty and robust man.  His second marriage was with his distant relation. His wife had a stuttering disability, and it could have been one of the reasons she could not find suitors to marry. So she chose to settle as his second wife. She soon delivered a child. It was a happy family.

She became pregnant once again after four years. This time her mother could not come down to help her. Therefore, she deputed her teenage daughter to help her pregnant sister. All was well for some time. Then my virile friend could not keep off the young blooming sister.  Unfortunately, the sister was also drawn to her, brother- in- law.  The predictable happened. They had a clandestine affair. However, these are things, which one cannot sweep under the carpet for long. Our macho man got the sister too pregnant. Then as expected, there were, tears, emotions, melodrama and guilt complexes. The two sisters became sworn enemies. I do not know whether he married the younger sister or not, due to legal issues. Nevertheless, he lived with both sisters, one in the first floor, and the other in the ground floor.

The last I heard of was that one of the sisters had committed suicide. I do not know whether it was the first or the second.

He had a very close friend. We will name him Sundar, for narration’s sake.  Sundar  was lean, unattractive, and tall. Sundar had a very nice, innocent ,faithful and good wife.  They  had  two sons. The younger in the fourth standard, and the elder one in plus two.  Sundar was influenced by his friend’s, second marriage. He too tried his luck with some women.

One day I saw Sundar in  a restaurant with his new found love.  He stole a glance at me, but avoided looking in my direction, all through the time he was in the restaurant.  I knew this fellow was up to something illegal. I did not wish him, and came out.

Later I came to know  that, this guy too had followed suit and married her as a second wife. Had I not met his family, I would not felt sad. However, knowing his childlike wife and growing children, I wished he had been more considerate of the feelings of others.

Once while working with a very young guy, he told me about his principled strict dad. He admired his dad for all the qualities, but felt let down, when his father suddenly married his mother’s younger sister. He told me,“ I never expected my dad to do something like that.”  I laughed and asked, “ Did your  aunt come down to help your mom during her pregnancy?”

He was surprised. He asked, “ How did you know sir?”

I said,“ Easy, that is the most popular pattern.”