The Great Encounter

The Great Encounter.

Manish was a studious boy. Ever since his childhood, his thoughts were upon the things that were best in the world. Good education, good job and journeys to foreign lands. But he did not have a realistic view of the world. Everything was good to him, and he believed in everyone around him.

Wandoor is a small town in Malappuram district in Kerala , India. Like the general Indian society, Wandoor has its rich merchants, middle class employees and some poor people. Most of the district is filled with green trees, hills, rubber plantations and fields. As Manish was a normal boy, everyone around him felt that he will automatically land somewhere higher.

‘Here is a magazine for you’, said Rajesh to Maneesh, taking a book that was kept inside his trousers. That was the beginning. The single weakness in Manish’s mind began to grow and began to influence his behavior. That book was a book that dealt with the most powerful thing that influences the mind of a common man; yes, the ever troubling, sometimes glorifying thing-the phenomena of man –woman reunion. Maneesh became a troubled boy that moment onwards.

Nilambur, the nearby town had four film theatres and at that time a lot of foreign, English films were screened in those cinemas. A lot of avid people filled the cinemas for the noon shows. Only erotic films were shown for the noon shows.

‘Let us finish this chemistry portion before the film begins’, said Rajesh, as they sat at the middle of the theatre waiting to watch ‘The Girl’. Maneesh beamed, feeling fine, studying and enjoying the favorite things in life. ‘We will study, we will watch films, we will play and life will be like this forever’, Maneesh was in an elated mood.

They spent the two years, enjoying the outdoor life and attending classes that were important and life seemed to be moving so smoothly, until Maneesh found some troubling undercurrents in his mind. He becomes addicted to sex. He had studied the Hindu philosophy earlier and wanted to be a very noble man, but now he realized that he has no power against the most powerful thing that affects the mind. Rajesh, on the other hand, though it was he who used to supply his friend with some porn magazines, was not that much affected by the whole thing. Examination came and next, there was the entrance examination for engineering courses.

Bothe of them passed with first classes. Rajesh got through the engineering entrance, but Maneesh failed. Misfortunes, gloom and a series of troubles then entered Maneesh’s life. ‘What do I really want?’ asked Maneesh to himself. Good job? Going to the USA? Watching Wimbledon live? All okay , but the strongest thing was related to the taboo subject-to make love with as many women as possible. Especially, he wanted to have that with the leading beauty in the tennis world.



One day as he was walking down the valley behind his house, he met the woman that he really wanted. The beauty queen from Europe, who was also the number one tennis player in the world. She was standing there beside an Opel car, with her driver. He could not believe his eyes. She said, ‘Ranjith, I used to get your letters and I decided to meet you. I know how ardently you love me. Come, let us have a nice time’.

Ranjith became delirious. Right on the grassland they lay. Then…

The telephone rang. Ranjith took quite some time to come to his senses. He looked at the watch. It was three in the morning. It was Jaleel on the other end. ‘I have realized my dream Ranjith, I am going to the USA tomorrow’.

‘I have also realized the greatest dream in my life, Jaleel, today, I got what I needed’, Ranjith seemed to regain his lost energy.