NEVER GET MARRIED TO DHARMA

One of my students got married sometime ago. She was a wonderful student and her thought process was quick as a reflex. It should not have become a problem with her, but since all her batchmates were getting married one by one, marriage did become a problem weighing down like a rain-laden cloud upon her mind. I saw her growing morose by the day. Lost was the vivacity, the quick flash of smile, and the chutzpah that comes naturally to people with high intelligence. Therefore when I saw the original nature back on her face one day, I knew that she would tell me about her marriage before long. In fact, it took just a few hours.

"Sir, there is some news," she said.

"Oh!" I looked askance giving her no indication I had read something off her face.

"If things go right, I will be marrying soon."

She then went on to tell me how the parents had talked to a particular family and how she had talked to the boy etc. etc. Before long, the marriage was solemnized. She left the town to settle where the hubby worked. Recently, she was back for a few days and we got talking.

"So, how is the married life?"

"Uh.uh." She said.

That is no response from a newly married lady. So I probed without making it too obvious. What came out was a story.

"You know Sir, when I was a student here, there was a guy called Dharma in our class."

"Yeah!" I said seemeing to remember the boy.

"He was a big buff for table-tennis. He was always in search of someone to play the game with. Only, everyone seemed reluctant to play with him."

I remembered the guy quite clearly now.

"I didn't understand why no one wanted to play with him. But it became clear to me after I watched him play a game with another friend. Dharma had a simple philosophy to the game - return the ball to the opponent's side without much fanfare. That is exactly what he always did - just retun the ball." Her eyes were now lost in remembrance.

"I mean, you spin it this way or that, play a great shot, give the ball a top spin - whatever - Dharma would return the ball back without any emotion in his face or in his bat! Neither the eyes, nor his body, nor the hand holding the bat, ever showed any animation. Only, the ball was back to the other side.

"This can't go on very long. The other guy lost patience, grew angrier by the moment, tried everything that he knew of and yet the ball was back on his side of the net without losing its innocence. You see, the other guy always lost not only the patience and the game but the will and desire too, to engage in any other game with Dharma."

"But where is this leading us?" I asked completely bewildered by the direction of the conversation.

"Actually Sir, it is quite straightforward. My hubby is the Dharma of conversation. I mean, you can tell him anything... ANYTHING AT ALL! and the answer would be a monosyllable - yes, no. Then you start getting more irritable and animated because of the irritation. So you raise your voice, so you say many things you normally wouldn't and so on and so forth. And the reaction would be the same - yes, no."

"You see Sir, I many times get this feeling like I should climb a very tall tree, stand on the very tip of it, and loud and clear shout to all and sundry 'NEVER GET MARRIED TO DHARMA!"