MUSINGS

I Am Fasting
By Daniel F. de Souza

FOR the last several days I notice a radical change in the behaviour of Delisa, my otherwise bubbly sister. It's a sudden transformation without any apparent reason whatsoever. I am appalled at her behaviour. There are times when she just refuses to talk to me. And I am at a loss to understand the reasons for this. Just the other day I again found her not her jovial self and even before I could tell her about my observations, she appeared before me in a flash and snatched away the novel that I was reading. Inspecting the cover she looked at me with bewilderment and said, "I hope you are in your senses and know the present period of time."

"Oh, yes, I sure do. We are living in a highly inflationary period. So, what am I supposed to do? I am not the one to be held responsible for the inflation. You could perhaps go and catch hold of the ones who are actually behind all this inflation," I said with a chuckle.

"Well, I am not really referring to the present inflation, what I am asking you is about the season we are living in," she said.

"Oh…we have just entered the summer season and picnic times are here again," I said nonchalantly.

"Stop it. You don't have to sound so funny. I hope you know that we have just entered the Lenten Season, a season for repentance and introspection."

"Oh, I see, very well….very well. And what am I supposed to do now?"

"Instead of reading the Bible during this time of the year, you are reading this novel of Sidney Sheldon? Why don't you have some simple, common sense? I would not mind you doing this some other time of the year, but surely not now. Can't you make a little sacrifice and read the Bible at least for an hour a day?" Delisa looked at me with questioning gaze.

"Who the hell has told you that I don't read the Bible? You mean to say I should be reading the Bible from the rooftop just to show the world. I don't believe in such a thing. That is something the hypocrites love. And by the way, could you tell me, where is it said that one must refrain from reading the novels during the Lenten season?"

" Well, I am just telling you for your own good and its up to you to accept or reject it," saying this Delisa walked away with my novel. Seeing her reaction I said sternly, "Delisa, now will you please give me back my novel and will you please get lost from here?" Quite impatient was I. Just then my better half appeared with our pom Tasha in tow. "What's the matter, is anything wrong?"

" Well, nothing wrong with me exactly, but, I think there's a problem with Delisa."

" You two can't get along without interfering with each other," she said with disgust and leaving Tasha there she headed back inside.

Just to clear out the whole thing I called out to Delisa and asked, "You are advising me to do sacrifices in the Lenten season, well, are you practicing what you preach?"

"We don't need to do any sacrifice, since our life is itself a big sacrifice. And you, men, have ball all the 12 months of the year. And that's the reason why you have to abstain from all your fun and frolic during the 40 days of Lent. All these wars, strife, earthquakes and cyclones taking place are all because the sins of men have gone out of proportion and it's high time you, men, did something about it."

" Your talk reminds me of our great grandma. It's nice to see you shaping just like her. But tell me something, why is the burden of our sins hanging so heavily over your head? Now, can you give back my novel please? Let me get back to my reading as I want to finish the same today itself. I am sure your talks won't get me anywhere. Delisa you better get going. I want to have an early lunch. Instead of wasting your time with some unnecessary talk, you might as well check what's cooking in the kitchen. I would love to have the roast pigling for lunch today. It's in the fridge for quite some time now, just shift it into the microwave. Come on Delisa, don't waste your time…I am really famished."

" Oh Good Lord! What's the matter with you? Don't you know that today is a Friday and one is not supposed to eat meat on Fridays during the Lenten season? One should abstain from all such things, and that's what you call a sacrifice. Once in a while we must all observe a complete fast. I am observing a fast today. I won't touch any food, neither will I even look at it the whole day." Delisa gave me this long preaching, but in a much composed manner than before.

"Oh…..no Delisa. I am not cut out for such things. I am willing to do anything in the name of sacrifice, but, for heaven's sake please don't ask me to go off food. I will surely die of hunger. I have no objection if you wish to observe a fast today, but, please, for God's sake, see that I don't have to starve in the name of God. Come on now be a good girl." I tried to talk things softly with Delisa.

"I have just told you that I am observing a fast today, I don't wish to even enter the kitchen, fcomet about me preparing something. So don't you tempt me into indulging into something that is against my conscience." Saying this she made such a face that it looked as though she was starving for more than a week.

" Look here, Delisa, I think you have got it all wrong. And the way that you are going, I don't think your sacrifice will be ever acceptable to God. Do you know what the Bible says with respect to fasting? It clearly points out that when you fast you should look cheerful and lively, nobody should know that you are fasting. You should wash your face and annoint your hair. But, I am sorry to say, that the way you fast is really unbelievable. You look as though you are starving for several days. If any one were to see you today, they'll surely think we are starving you to death. It would do you a world of good if you read the Bible yourself. You need to learn a lot from it. Practice what you preach, or else you may lend yourself in trouble someday."

Hearing my loud voice, Tasha, my pet pom, got up with a start and not knowing what to do, started looking in Delisa's direction and began to bark.

" Have you seen this, even Tasha has sensed the wrong that you are doing. If only she could express herself with words...' I said.

Deslisa did a typical politician like turn around, for after silently staring at Tasha and myself for a quite a while she said, " Oh, I am so sorry….I have wronged. I failed to understand the real meaning of the word 'fast'. I tried to see things from a different angle and got it all wrong and in the bargain I flunked." Delisa looked quite crestfallen and she came and sat down beside me.

"To tell you the truth, I was fully aware of your intended fast today much in advance as you have gone about telling every Tom, Dick and Harry about your fast. Now you don't have to take the trouble of getting me the roast pigling, as I am not so keen on eating it, nor am I having my lunch today."

" Why do you say so? I have accepted my mistake….and I assure you it won't occur again. Tell me what is it that you would like to have for lunch today?" Delisa said, handing me back my novel.

" Oh no…. thanks a million….I want to skip my lunch….please for God's sake do not put me into temptation….I am fasting today!" I said to her softly and got back to reading Sydney Sheldon. Tasha, my sensitive little pom looked up at us with her gleaming eyes and began wagging her tail and smacked her cold little nose with her tongue as if to say everything is fair in love and war. And so was it with me and my loving sister Delisa.

Sincerely yours,
Daniel F. de Souza

Daniel F de Souza
is a regular free-lance writer
for most of the dailies in Goa.
He is a regular contributor
to the Konkani publications,
particularly "Gulab".