DREAMS, DECEIT AND DANGER
(By Subbaram Danda)
It was totally an exotic course, conducted clandestinely in a far-flung holiday resort. The fee for it was hefty – Rs.1 lakh for ten sessions. It was titled “The Best Ways to Entice and Trap the Rich.” The course would teach how to exploit the weaknesses of the prosperous people and fleece them. Young men and women with vaulting ambition and no scruples were welcome. The programme was organized every three years by the International Institute for Unconventional Studies.
Rupika, a final year B.Com. student, came to know of the course. For long she had been dreaming of becoming wealthy in the easiest way at the earliest. The course would give her a shot in the arm. But unfortunately she was not in a position to pay the high fees. Her parents were ordinary middle class people from Kerala and they could just manage to pay for her studies and meet her other essential expenses. In a few weeks, her studies would be over and they did not favour her pursuing higher studies, as she was just an ordinary student. They would like her to start hunting for a job. But, when she got one, it could fetch her a salary not even enough to make her both ends meet.
Rupika was restless. She wanted to realize her dreams fast. She had mesmerizing looks. With blemishless fair complexion, chiseled facial features and slithering body structure she could easily captivate anybody. She had a pleasing voice too. She wondered whether her appealing personal traits could be of any use to her in her quest for riches. She approached her close friend and classmate Sharmila for advice.
Tapping one’s own skills
She sermonized to her: “Every human being is born with a unique skill, talent or attribute. That is why some are excellent singers, some famous actors, some outstanding sportsmen and some great writers. One’s life depends on how one recognizes one’s hidden faculties and exploits them. You are strikingly beautiful. You should make full use of it.”
She went on: “Consider how you can go up in life in one jump by tapping your charms. Don’t think in terms of what is right and what is not. When you move to the top, whatever you do will automatically appear right.”
Sharmila continued: “Do you remember our senior Ranjita of last year? She was not even half as beautiful as you are. She used to dress like a film star and move around like a model. Even before she could appear for her final examination, a rich guy fell for her. Now married, the two are living like the royalty. A girl, who has always depended on public transport, she travels now in posh cars and is a director of many enterprises. I think you don’t know how to push yourself up in this madly competitive world.”
She advised her: “The best avenue open to you is to do the course. Look for someone in your circle of relatives and acquaintances to lend you money for it. Learn all the tricks and then exploit your charms. Think over well and break the ice.”
This set Rupika wondering. Yes, she would certainly love to enjoy fancy villas, fast cars and fine dining. After a few days of intense thinking, she shook off her lethargy and got in touch with an aunt of hers practising as an attorney in Canada and told her a blatant lie that she would like to do a course in Management for which she needed financial assistance from her. Her aunt readily agreed to send her the required fees.
Marry or fleece
The course commenced shortly after her university examinations. There were about twenty participants, mostly women. Only three were men. The atmosphere at the first class was overwhelmingly cordial. The course director, a middle-aged lady, told them by way of introduction: “You might have read books, watched videos and attended seminars on ‘Fabulous Relationships.’ But this one is distinctly different and result-oriented. I assure you that at the end you will all be fully equipped to play the game successfully. You can dig gold, whatever your background is. Girls can attract a rich man and marry him. Or, fleece him and leave him. Boys can tag on to an affluent lass. It is all in the realm of possibility. You have my word on it. At all times, however, remember the eleventh commandment – Thou shalt not be caught.”
The subsequent classes too were fascinating. The theories and actions advocated were based on pure human psychology and behaviour. The methods suggested for achieving the goals looked very simple and practical. One general advice was: “Be classy – elegant, graceful and poised whenever you go hunting. Be confident in the way you carry yourself. Keep abreast of developments, political, economic and social. In short, you should appear a thoroughbred and stand out in a crowd.”
Of all the suggestions, Rupika fancied one very much. It was for girls: “Go to a meeting after it has started, never on time nor before. All invitees should have settled down in their seats. Dress yourself to kill. Walk down the side aisle of the hall projecting yourself in the style of a model walking on a ramp in a fashion show. Sure, many heads will turn towards you. You would create a lasting impression on them. Make best use of it.” Finally, the million-dollar advice that all the participants liked was: “Your words and actions should make your target person chase you, though the truth is you are the one running after that man or woman.”
Plan of action
Meanwhile, Sharmila surprised Rupika with an invitation to her own wedding. “What a pleasant piece of news! Congratulations,” Rupika hailed her. The groom was a highly qualified youngster working for a major company in Japan with a fabulous pay packet. She would have a lifetime of luxury. She should have played her cards well!
Rupika pondered over her own future. She had several years to go before she could settle down in life. Till then she could afford to play the games. In the process she would like to build a sizeable fortune. She recalled what all she learnt at the institute. There was nothing that a determined woman could not achieve. What was important was a clear view of what she wanted, a time-bound plan of action, employment of necessary skills for the purpose and the constant monitoring of the progress made. Most essential, she should know how to wriggle out of a situation when things got pretty hot.
Rupika evolved her strategy. She would carefully flirt with a few men, live together or get along with them, extort money and ultimately manage to extricate. At the end, she would look for a guy, who would really care for her, and marry him.
To begin with, she wanted to penetrate the celluloid world. She knew it was a difficult and tricky proposition. One advantage for her was that she was already in the film world’s circuit. A year ago, when she had performed at her college cultural programmes, some directors had spotted her. Since then she had been receiving invitations for parties organized by them. She would like to strike now.
First success
One day she attended a party to celebrate the release of a musical CD of an upcoming film. She employed a few tricks she had learnt at the institute and became a star attraction there. A young guy Ritesh stalked her. He was not very handsome but apparently of a fabulous pedigree. They talked to each other animatedly. At the end he dropped her in his car at her flat. Their relationship blossomed fast. They met almost twice a week and every time he gave her an expensive gift. She felt she was on the right track.
The two moved closer to each other. She deliberately raised the question of their wedding but he argued that it would take the sparkle out of their relationship and they should put it off as long as possible. In fact, she wanted only such a reply. Meanwhile, she collected more valuable presents from him.
Suddenly, Ritesh’s meetings with her became few and far between. She learnt that his wedding with a distant relative of his was being finalized. This suited her because she had been hobnobbing with him for too long. Finally, he disappeared from her radar.
Rupika felt she still had a long way to traverse in her dream journey. She cast her net wider. This time she made use of the social networks. First, she managed to enter into a live-in relationship with a young thriving doctor, learnt all his professional secrets, blackmailed him and left extracting heavy booty from him. She played similar games with a few more persons.
Next, she threw her dragnet at a very famous film star of yesteryears. He was ailing and fighting his loneliness, having been forsaken by his own kith and kin. Though she had wanted to entrap him, she developed pity for him once she saw his plight. She stayed with him looking after him well. Out of consideration for her, he transferred a small house to her, though she did not expect it. He also promised to get her a chance to act in films but before he could do anything about it, he passed away.
This development stirred her conscience. She became convinced that a person’s good behaviour had its own ways of fetching rich dividends. She decided not to employ her skills for shady purposes thereafter. It was time for her to settle down in life once and for all. The wealth she had acquired was more than enough to see her through in life. She recast her plans and started looking for a well-placed life-partner.
Fabulous assignment
One day, a classified advertisement in a daily attracted her. “Charming female escort required to accompany a young businessman of a major industrial group to Singapore for a week. Reply with photograph.” A recruitment agency interviewed Rupika and selected her for the assignment. On the eve of their departure she met the businessman Pradhan in a five-star hotel. They liked each other at the very first sight. In his early thirties, he was single, tall and handsome and could pass off for a silver screen hero.
During their flight in Business Class, the hostesses lavished courtesies on them, as the businessman was their “classic customer.” In Singapore they checked into the Diamond Suite of a swanky hotel, informally categorized as the seven star property. She had never experienced such luxuries before. She wanted to gain his confidence and took great care of his requirements in all sincerity. However, on the first two days when he was fully immersed in his business matters, he did everything himself. She was kept in the dark about what he was doing and where he was going. This intrigued her.
In the following days, he entertained her like a princess. They went out in a white Mercedes limousine, visiting the famous tourist attractions – the Merlion (the iconic water-spewing lion statue), the Singapore Flyer (a giant observation wheel), Sentosa Island (a vast theme park), Jurong Bird Park (an avian sanctuary) and numerous malls. One evening on the way to an acrobatic show by a visiting Chinese troupe, he told her, “I have made a cool profit this time and I think it is all due to your lucky company. I am really pleased about it.” That night they went to a cosy restaurant, where they were served dinner in gold plates.
Unexpected gesture
What surprised her was that he never tasted liquor. Nor did he behave indecently to her at any time. He appeared out and out a gentleman. Would he marry her? Would her final dream come true? Could she propose to him?
On the last day of their stay in Singapore, he gave her a present. It was a gleaming jewel case. When she opened it, she could not trust her own eyes. It contained a dazzling diamond necklace. A guarantee card issued by an Antwerp firm said the 10-carat diamonds used in the necklace were of high quality in terms of their three C’s – colour, clarity and cut. A tag disclosed a price of 15,000 Singapore Dollars (7 lakhs Indian Rupees)!
Pradhan placed the necklace round her neck and fixed it. Unexpectedly, he kissed her very passionately like the French and left her speechless. He handed her the e-ticket for her return journey and said, “I am going to Kuala Lumpur for some newly cropped up work. I have a request to you -- don’t ever try to contact me hereafter.” She was petrified. She regained her composure fast and asked him, “Why?” His reply was more puzzling, “It is my style. That is how I worship beauty -- only once. Good Bye!” He remained a great riddle to her ever after. It did not take long for her to realize that in Singapore everything went the way he wanted and she never had her say in anything. Her plans to enter into wedlock with him were dashed.
Fresh move
As the wheel of time rolled by, she began her search once again for a civilized man for a matrimonial alliance with him. One day she met Dushyant, a fair young man with excellent physique, at a restaurant. He too responded to her gentle overtures. The two hit it off. His visiting card was very flashy -- an accountant in a multinational corporation with top professional degrees and membership in several social service organizations. She too discreetly flaunted her newly-acquired riches through her designer attire and expensive antique jewellery. They met frequently thereafter.
Rupika studied Dushyant carefully. He looked well-mannered and appeared typically made for her. To pull him closer to her side she wanted to play an old trick. She remembered what her lecturer had told the class -- “To tighten your grip over a relationship, now and then keep your person at a distance. This will boost the person’s longing for you.” She tried this on Dushyant. When she got a chance to participate in a fashion parade in Mumbai, she flew there without informing him.
Dushyant made calls to her mobile. Deliberately she did not answer. He sent an SMS, “Where are you, dear? I am feeling fish out of water without you.” No response. Next day another message went out, “I am becoming anxious about your whereabouts. Reply at once or call.” She wanted to prolong the suspense. “If you are angry with me, tell me. My unconditional apologies to you. Don’t torture me like this.” She had a big laugh but kept quiet.
The following day Rupika received yet another SMS, “Hi darling, something interesting happened last evening. I never expected things will take such a turn all of a sudden….” He cut short the message. This created curiosity in the girl. Could this be a ploy or he really meant something? Was the bird flying out of her hands?
Continuing war of words
A day passed. She could not manage the anxiety any longer. She replied, “How are you, dear? I have been busy in Mumbai working day and night for a modelling unit. Tell me, what the development you were talking about is.”
Dushyant was happy that his bait had paid off. Now it was his turn to tease her. “Temptress, come back soon. I want to discuss an important matter with you. Rest in person.” Rupika felt enough was enough. She would not like to lose him. “Coming back tomorrow by Air India morning flight. Pick me up,” she replied.
When she landed, she was surprised not to find her fiancé at the airport. She took a taxi and went to her flat. She picked up the newspaper thrown inside. A front-page heading shocked her: “A serial-groom cheating five girls arrested.” A report with a photo of Dushyant said he married them one after another over three years, lifted their jewels and fled. He was trying to ensnare yet another girl. Unemployed and a college drop-out, the man presented himself as a highly qualified accountant. Apparently a seasoned cheat, he had undergone a dubious course many years ago in a secret school known as the International Institute for Unconventional Studies.”
Rupika was flummoxed. She was outsmarted in her own field of expertise! The net result was that her matrimonial dream had again been shattered.
October 27, 2012
(2,760 words)
