Posts
(A great experience on a beautiful
rainy day).It was five in the evening and the one kilometer walk to the chai shop was turning out to be really pleasant. It was then Amit felt the fat drops of water fall from the sky like marbles being dropped from atop a building. He looked up, squinting his eyes and had to bring his head down the next instant. He started heading to a temporary shelter nearby, but stopped.
"Hey, let me enjoy this."
He loved the rain. It had been a long time since he got drenched. The last time was when I remember returning home from school. He'd dance and jump with glee, splash through the small puddles in the road. He was probably was the only little Johnny who wished the rain won't go away.
Now he stood on the pavement, as amused onlookers in cars and rushing bikers looked at him. He smiled back and then turned his face to the heavens, enjoying the shower, spreading his hands, trying to soak it all in. He smiled. Because he'd always wished he met the girl of his dreams on a rainy day like this. He looked up, reminding God about this small favor.
*******
He reached ITER Chowk and got down from the auto to pay, when the girl came running from nowhere, almost colliding with him.
"Auto bhaina? Master Canteen?"
She held the sides and looked at the auto guy and then at Amit impatiently.
"Excuse me, may I...?" He pointed at his open wallet, eyebrows raised.
She rolled her eyes and stepped aside. Some cheek, Amit thought.
He walked across to the ITER Chowk, and started walking towards the college , already planning for the day ahead, going over his Assignment one more time. Goodness... the Assignment File. He'd forgotten his backpack in the autorickshaw. He ran back out, almost running over a short, stocky old man. He muttered an apology and tore past to the main road.
"Shit, I didn't even note the number of the auto." And why would he, the auto guy hadn't knocked him down. Well, the girl had, almost. He held his head, thinking fast.
Please, not on a Monday.
A hand tapped his shoulder. Vicky.
"What's up, Amit?"
"Arre, I left my bag in the auto yaar. Stupid girl, rushed him off."
"Anything important in it? I notice you normally have only your CD/DVD’s and novel in that. And why an auto today?Didnt U get a city bus today?"
"That's a long story. Now how do I locate this guy? I had my Assignment File in it. I don't even have the time to rush back hostel to make another copy. The Owl's gonna kill me." Owl was short for our Business Communication Lecturer Mr.S.K.Mishra.
It was as good as gone, they both decided. His bag... and his Sending Marks..
******
Later that evening, he sat at his computer, browsing through his facebook account and blogger account. He looked out the window. Dark clouds had loomed up again.He thought of some Ekta kapoor’s daily soaps where the actress would say..”Ye aane wali toofan k sanket hain”..and he smiled... His cell rang.
"Hello?" It was an unsaved number.
"Uhh..am I speaking to Amit?"
"Yeah? Who's this?"
"I'm Neha. Did you lose a bag this morning, or someone you know who lost a bag?"
He sat up. Great. Ms. Rush Hour.
"Yeah, it is mine. If only you'd been a little patient this morning, I won't have left it in the auto."
He waited for a reaction. None. Maybe he should've toned down a bit. He didn't care.
"Anyway, where can I come get it?" He wondered how she got his number.
"Uh, do you know this Cafe Coffee Day outlet in Master Canteen?"
******
He arrived five minutes late. There was no sign of her. She'd insisted on telling him what she'd wear etc, but he had waved it aside. "I'll carry a Black Bag. And I'll recognize you" was all he said, hoping she'd remember him too.
He paced outside impatiently for a while. And then he saw his bag. Inside the cafe. She was sitting beside it. Ah! She must've walked in from the other street. He pushed the door and walked in.
He approached her and stopped in his tracks. Hey, it wasn't her.
She stood up. "Amit?"
"Yeah."
"Neha."
They shook hands awkwardly and sat facing each other. He smiled sheepishly. Who the hell was this girl. And now he bit his tongue for having said all that to her on the phone.
"You know, I thought..."
She smiled. "Yeah, that was Asha, my younger sister. She didn't trust the rick guy and brought your bag home instead. I saw your file labeled 'Business Communication Assignment-II'. So I thought maybe it was important."
"Yeah, it is..but...thanks." He smiled. How did she get his number?
She read his mind. "Your College I-Card was in the bag."
He wondered when he'd slipped his college I-Card inside the bag. Anyway...
******
They walked out an hour later, laughing and chatting like old friends.
"Can I drop you home, Neha?" He knew now that she didn't stay very far away. It was the least he could do for the trouble she took.
“I don’t think U have come here in a
bike”..
"No, it's ok... I'll walk."
He looked up.
"It might rain any moment now, are you sure?"
"Precisely. I love getting wet in the rain." She smiled, looking up longingly.
"Hey, me too," he said
"Really?"
"Ummmhm"
"Nice"
"Ok, then let me walk you home?"
She continued smiling, puckering up her nose...unsure. "Ummm..."
"Come on," his eyes pleaded.
She smiled. "Ok."
And then it poured. They started walking slowly, oblivious to everything else.
Amit looked up and smiled. "Thanks," he mouthed silently.
