‘All this should make one think,’ said Raja Rao, ‘not about justifying corruption but about developing the right climate for equitable growth.’
‘Does that mean, you have contempt for the corrupt?’ said Sathyam, and inexplicably feared Raja Rao’s response.
‘What right I have to judge others since I haven’t gone through it myself?’ said Raja Rao to Sathyam’s utter relief. ‘Perhaps, one should try to desist from it as far as one could earnestly avoid it. However, it’s the truly ambitious that won’t compromise, for they think in terms of greater glories.’
‘Well said,’ said Sathyam tentatively. ‘But what if I confess that I’m a corrupt guy?’
‘Set aside my views?’ asked Raja Rao a little surprised, ‘but what’s the matter with you?’
‘My friend, sincerity could occasionally fetch an accolade or two at the office,’ said Sathyam spiritedly, ‘which anyway won’t get added to the pay cheque, would it? It’s a fast buck that counts these days, and not being down to earth, you can’t make any. Oh, six years of honesty left me hand-to-mouth, but three months of worldliness, call it dishonesty if you must, got me all those goodies you might have noticed at my home. That was during your last visit, when I was out.’
‘How does your wife take it?’
‘In many ways, my wife is very unfeminine,’ began Sathyam, and finding Raja Rao looking at him in surprise, he added. ‘Let me explain. Haven’t you found her lacking in vanity, jealousy and curiosity in true feminine measures? That being the case, can’t you guess what might be her philosophy of life about bribe monies? She’s dead against this greasing of the palms mess, or lining the pocket chore, as some would call it. Anyway, it’s all one and the same, isn’t it? Since she won’t poke her nose into my finances, I’m not hard pressed to explain the source of my new life-style to her. Haven’t you heard the jargon of the incometax wallahs, assets disproportionate to the known sources of income? Let them catch me if they can. By the way, your wife whom I made my raakhi sister is also unfeminine that way, though she’s more pragmatic than my wife. Above all, Sandhya is an angel really.’
‘I’m glad you value my wife as well,’ said Raja Rao extending his hand to Sathyam,
‘Honestly, I think very highly of your wife. Since Roopa is a contented character, why do you want to acquire what she doesn’t value?’
‘That’s a good question,’ said Sathyam. ‘And I’ll answer you frankly. Anyway, keeping secrets is not the right way to promote friendship. Though you haven’t met Prasad, surely you could have heard about him, isn’t it?’