The Midnight Phone Call
written by: Arun Jindal
Rajni’s mobile phone rang close to midnight. Late night and early morning calls are usually harbingers of bad news and this call from Rekha, her daughter-in-law was no exception. There were no pleasantries as Rekha started her usual tirade against her husband Suraj – his inability to hold on to a job, his complete disinterest in family affairs and the lack of emotional support. Her tone was ominous and, suddenly out of the blue, she blurted “I am fed up and can’t take it any longer. I have discussed it with the children and feel a divorce is the only way out.” Rajni tried to pacify her but to no avail while her husband, Prakash, listened in total silence.
The call saddened Prakash but came as no surprise. He had realized shortly after Suraj and Rekha were married that the two were poles apart as far as their personalities were concerned. Suraj was an introvert, spoke little, had few friends, procrastinated and seemed to lack ambition. He worked at a leisurely pace and could not hold on to a job very long. Rekha, on the other hand was hard working, vivacious and very articulate, talented and ambitious. She could not be blamed for her sudden outburst. Prakash, in a perverse sort of way, was resigned to the fact that this was inevitable but not so his wife Rajni who was made of sterner stuff. Next morning she set up a meeting with her Guru and insisted that Prakash accompany her. Guruji studied the horoscopes of Suraj and Rekha and, after a pregnant pause, stated that the couple was mismatched but would stay together.
Prakash was at that time reading “The Big Short” by Michael Lewis, a book about the US subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 which shook the world. He was intrigued by one of the characters, Dr Michael Burry. Burry, while studying in medical school, also read extensively on finance and the stock markets and developed a reputation as an astute investor. He floated an investment fund “Milton’s Opus” to specifically buy CDSs (Credit Default Swaps) and bought about USD one billion worth of CDSs. He eventually sold them for a profit of over USD seven hundred million and many of those who had faith in him became overnight millionaires! The book further mentioned that Dr. Burry had a few peculiar traits. He was very poor at making friends and nurturing personal relationships but he had the uncanny knack of poring over data for hours at a stretch, finding patterns and, coming to conclusions that other professional investors usually missed. He never craved attention or recognition and showed little interest or emotion in his relations with his wife and family members. His condition was diagnosed as “Asperger’s Syndrome”- a form of autism.
It suddenly struck Prakash that his son, Suraj, exhibited traits similar to Dr. Burry’s. The boy had average grades in school and college, very few friends, avoided eye contact and the company of other human beings. He would, invariably, shrink into a corner at a family get together or in a crowd. He never held a job for more than a year or tried to further his career and always felt it was the employer’s job to realize his worth. Nor did he ever seek recognition or reward and was content with what came his way.
Prakash then did some extensive reading on Asperger’s Syndrome and came to a tentative conclusion that Suraj probably suffered from the syndrome. He went and met a psychologist through a family friend and described his son’s personality traits. Much to Prakash’s annoyance the psychologist kept fiddling with his mobile phone and eventually held up the screen for Prakash’s viewing. It was an article on Asperger’s Syndrome. He glanced through it quickly, had a brief discussion with the psychologist, and went home. A feeling that had lurked at the back of his mind for a long time, that his son was somewhat different from others, was finally confirmed. The burden that he had carried for the last forty years, that he was somehow responsible for his son’s short comings, was lifted from his shoulders. His wife Rajni, however, took much longer to accept their son’s condition.
Rekha called a few weeks later to inform that she was coming to India to see her mother who was ailing. She stayed a few days with her in-laws and spent most of that time spelling out her grouses – most real and some imaginary. Prakash suggested that she meet the psychologist he had met earlier. She agreed very reluctantly to do so. The psychologist listened patiently to her marital problems and her troubled relationship with her husband. After about half an hour he showed her the article on Asperger’s Syndrome and said “I am not an expert on the subject and cannot, with any degree of certainty, arrive at a diagnosis without meeting your husband. I suggest you read on the subject before you take a decision about divorce.” Rekha quickly went through the article and became quiet and pensive.
On returning home she read extensively about Aspergers. After dinner, Rajni and she withdrew to the guest’s bedroom, and talked late into the night. Rekha wept copiously and clung to Rajni like a forsaken child. It must have been a cathartic moment for her because she emerged from the bedroom the next morning calm and composed. She realized that her husband was the way he was because of the way his brain was wired: he had not deliberately ignored her or their children. He could not and would not change: she would have to change instead.
Rekha returned to her children and husband a week later. The tirades about her husband ceased. She left her job and joined Suraj in his selling agency business. They lived in a small two bedroom apartment and struggled for the next five years. They eventually became star performers and many awards came their way. Twelve years have gone by since that fateful midnight-call. Both children have prospered and became confident young professionals in the investment-banking field. The family has moved into its own independent home in an upscale residential part of town. The weekend conversations with relatives back home are now full of easy banter and laughter.
“The old order changeth yielding place to new, And God fulfills himself in many ways.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson.
- The Midnight Phone Call - October 17, 2024
