The world is a stage (Short Story)

Early in the morning Sansala got ready to go to work. She was pretty as well as kindhearted. She never hurted anyone. Sansala lived with her parents and her sister Imalka.

             “Imalka ……please bring me the car key” she called her sister.

             “Ok akki (sister)” Imalka answered.

Sansala took the key and started the car to go. She was the PC of the manager Mr. Gamini Rathnayaka. Sansala was very trustworthy to her boss. He liked her very much. He had an idea to give his son Roshan in marriage to her. Fortunately, his son too loved her, and he told his father about this matter.

One day Mr. Gamini went to Sansala’s house. And asked about this matter. But her parents refused to agree this matter. However they wanted to ask Sansala regarding this matter. 

“Mmmm….. Is it so? Ok don’t worry I’ll ask her” Mr.Gamini said.

The following day Sansala was asked in the reception to meet the manager. She knocked Mr. Gamin’s office room.

 “Yes come in…..” Mr. Gamini called out.

“Excuse me sir did you call me?” she asked.

“Yes Sansala come in, take a seat.” He told her. But she was really shocked as this was the first time she was asked to be seated.

“No sir …..Its ok I can be like this” she replied.

“Sansala…. Please sit down I want to speak with you sit, sit” he asked her to sit pointing the chair in front of him. She sat down. He started to talk with her.

“Ah Sansala don’t you have any idea to get marry?” he asked with a smile.

“Still I don’t have any idea to get marry sir” she answered politely.

“Mmmm do you know my son?” he asked.

“Yes I know, you mean Mr. Roshan right?”

“Yes” he replied.

“Sir why do you ask about him?” she asked.

“Ok I’ll tell you, my son Roshan likes to marry you…”he told her frankly...

“…so what do you think?”

“Sir….sir….” she puzzled.

“Sansala… I’ll give you time to think. Think calmly and give a good answer.” He said with an air of finality. She nodded her head in dilemma and went out of the room.

In the evening she went home, the whole day she was thinking about the matter which Mr. Gamini told her. She was in dilemma what to reply. She didn’t know whether to agree or disagree.  Few minutes later she heard voice. It was her mother’s. She came inside the room. Actually she had come to tell her that Mr. Gamini came and discussed a matter. Before she started to speak, Sansala asked,

“Mom….you know my manager Mr. Gamini?”

“Yes I know him” she replied.

“Mother… he …. He….” She started and paused.

“Did he ask something about tour marriage?” her mother asked.

“Yes mom, but how do you know that?” Sansala asked.

“Well, dear, he came here to ask your hand in marriage to his son, but we disagreed at first but later we said we’ll ask you and let him know” her mother said.

“Well, mom what do you think about it?” she asked her mother clasping her mother’s hand in hers and continued,

“Mom his son Roshan is a nice guy, and I like to tell this matter to you. If you and daddy agree I can agree”

Sansala’s parents agreed to this matter.

Few months later they took the marriage of Sansala and Roshan in a grand manner.

Thus days passed on Sansala and Roshan lived very happily enjoying every moment. One day Sansala’s friend Mahima came to visit her Mahima is a very pretty girl. Hence she was proud and many boys came after her but she didn’t like any of them. If she wants anything, she tried to achieve that without fail. Sansala was surprised to see Mahima after many long years. Sansala received her with a warm welcome.

“Where have you been all these days Mahima?” Sansala asked.

“You know Sansala, I went abroad, so I wanted to continue my studies and complete my exams there. So, it took time dear.” Mahima answered.

While they were chatting, Roshan came to that place. Sansala introduced her friend Mahima to Roshan Sansala and Mahima enjoyed a lot on that day. When it became dark Mahima got ready to go. Sansala didn’t allow her to go alone. She asked Roshan to drop Mahima. Roshan went with Mahima and dropped her at her residents.

Day by day Mahima used to come to Sansala’s house. Although Mahima was Sansala’s friend she was very cunning. She used to speak with Roshan a lot. His appearance, behaviors attracted her a lot. She started to love him; although she very-well knew that he was married she loved him. She was insanely loved with him.  She started to spend more time with Roshan, whenever she comes to Sansala’s house. And Roshan dropped her to her home regularly.

One day she met Roshan in the garden with Sansala. She was so glad to meet them. She was so glad to meet them, but not actually meeting Roshan. Many times she tried to speak with Roshan personally but she couldn’t.

“Roshan wait darling, I’ll buy ice-creams and come soon ok wait” Sansala went. It was a good opportunity o Mahima to speak with Roshan alone. Directly she told him that she loved him. Roshan was shocked he couldn’t tell anything, he was silent. When Sansala came with the ice-creams and gave the ice-cream to Mahima, and the other ice-cream to Roshan. When they were walking Roshan felt very much uneasy to face them. After it got dark Sansala and Roshan went home.

Roshan was very silent n that night. Sansala was talking with Roshan but he couldn’t concentrate properly, as thought about Mahima.

“Roshan…. Roshan what happened to you ah?” she asked sadly but he was thinking deeply. She went close to him and spoke to him. Suddenly he shivered.

“Roshan what happened to you today what are you thinking about?” she asked. He said that he was not thinking of anything and he feel headache, so he went to sleep.

Days went on……. Roshan fell in love with Mahima. He used to spend his days with her going here and there. Sansala felt that he was avoiding her and he has changed. And he used to come to home.

“Roshan darling why are you getting late to come?” one day Sansala asked him. “Why you are not speaking with me like before?”Saying she burst into tears.

He didn’t reply her and he didn’t care about her. Again she asked. All got was blames from him.

“Sansala mind your own business ok don’t disturb me” he said and moved. She said nothing to him and went to sleep crying.

One day Sansala’s neighbor came to her house and told many things, but she didn’t like it, however she listened to her patiently. Suddenly as a hit she said,

“Sansala be careful of your husband ok.”

  Sansala didn’t care about that matter much because she trusted her husband very much more than her soul. Hence she forgot it.

One morning she went to shopping. There was big hotel close to the place she was shopping. So she went there to drink something because she felt so tired. As she entered the hotel she saw Mahima and Roshan there, laughing and enjoying themselves. Sansala got very upset; she never expected Roshan would behave like this. Unknowingly she dropped the bags which were in her hand and ran away from the hotel. Mahima and Roshan saw her. But they couldn’t do anything.

Sansala went home weeping. Her mother saw Sansala is crying. She asked her but she didn’t tell anything. Few minutes later Mahima and Roshan came there. Sansala wasn’t angry but she was sad, extremely sad, as she trusted Mahima as her good and best friend and Roshan as her life partner. When Sansala’s mother asked what happened, Roshan began to say something but Sansala didn’t allow him to speak. Although deceived her she didn’t like to harm Roshan’s reputation. She pretended to be happy and cheerful and said,

“Mother, all the world is a stage

  And all the men and women merely players.”

She went to her room. Her mother was puzzled. At last Mahima and Roshan felt that the work which they have done is wrong.

 (Author: SJ)