Saturday evening, nice and cloudy…a day on the toes walking
the escalators of South city mall accompanied by random shrieks of—“Oh..!! Shit…We
missed a pair of denim.” A sullen look and then the enthusiastic back up—“We
are dropping down tomorrow sharp at 10…” He threw him an upsetting eye-‘too early a call…I need to sleep’ but he
adhered to his own timing, lips carrying the lid of a cello pen; hands loaded
with stuffs, checking the list for what all was missed and a beeping cell phone
that received alerts from banks due to extensive swipes of credit cards. It was
9:30 pm, the show break of INOX, and everything out there was buzzing.
Yeah…I was a witness to the yet incomplete shopping of his
own marriage. Crave to fix the knot and the urge to look perfect on that
SEEMINGLY-SPECIAL day was daunting every cell of his. My brother is getting
engaged…the last few days before I will get to spot him in LADIES SECTION of
garments.
Such a change over!!!
It was quiet sometime
we had been on our shopping spree, time whistled, Kolkata was eyeing a
super-rocking Sunday…and I was gearing for some tummy fillers. Somewhere bro
jumped out of suits, indo westerns, denims and fragrances to KENTUCKY FRIED
CHICKEN. I just thanked god for that. There was some hunger buds left in him as
well…!!!
“Let us
get something…” he said.
I was yet to believe that command, for I thought there was
no hunger buds…only MARRIAGE BUDS. I was wrong. His hypothalamus still worked.
“Order
one basket…ten pieces will serve five pretty well”, Siplu, my brother’s best
buddy said.
‘Two chickens slaughtered on our shopping spree’, I
wondered.
Suddenly he turned towards me and asked “Any
drink???…Krusher’s???”
“Oh…Sure….umm…MANGO krusher…” I said in excitement. I was
blushing to myself. For some reason I was walking the memory lanes. I looked
around, as if I would have loved to see something…or may be…SOMEONE.
He winked at my excitement, as I sat down without helping
myself to blush. I heard his voice—“One mango krusher”
Minutes later I was helping myself with crispy legs of a
tender chicken. The first sip of mango krusher went down my throat and I felt
my cell phone vibrate in my pocket…I knew who had texted me… I wanted to take
out the cell phone, reply to that SOMEONE….and may be blush a little more. But
I could not, running the fears of being questioned.
Just when I miss you….I always find you around me….ALWAYS….
Soon I was on my way back home…with the taste of fried
chicken lingering in my oral cavity and the chilled Krusher partly in my brain
and partly in my clasp. My phone vibrated for the second time…Krusher slipped
down my throat…I was getting relentless. I slid down the left rear window of
the car as beads of rain water struck my forehead…bro turned up the stereo
volume. Oh!!! Man…What a moment that was….Bryan Adams into the vocals of a
midnight city awaiting the onset of Friendship day, the track went and so the
vibration; as the third text made its way into my inbox, I smiled and sloshed
myself into the track—‘Whatever I do …I do it for you’…Smiling to myself with
some memories…Bryan Adams and definitely the MANGO KRUSHER.
“Hey can’t you see??” bro honked to a cab driver who was
driving over at least ten sachet of some cheap liquor brand.
I took out my cell phone and replied back speaking to the
winds and the darkness around me—
“Thank you Tweety for being with
me….remember dear, mango krusher...??Hmm??....happy
friendship day…take care…”
And like every time whenever I talk to her in her absence I
stretch my left hand feeling she is there. This time I did the same but just to
find a teddy bear on the rear shelf of the car.
The last sip went down my ducts…Krusher ended….joy lasted!!!
CHEERS TO LIFE…!!!!
The tiredness of the past day still lingered as I woke up to
drooping eyes the next morning and was almost scampering for my uniform for I
had to go to college. It was quarter past eight and I barely have an hour to
get inside the college campus without being detained by the securities. I
dressed up in the least possible time and skipping my breakfast sprinted to the
bus stop. I exhaled in relief having made up for the lost time. I checked for
my cell phone, it showed-‘3 missed calls-Trisha.’
‘Oh Shit’, I said to myself as a sense of guilt overpowered
me. Even petty things appear guilty in an encounter with your SPECIAL SOMEONE.
The missed calls reminded me that last night I told her to wake me up for I
knew that the tiredness of a full day shopping would give me a hangover. She
did her part, as I stood there brandishing my irresponsible shoulders to spoil
her efforts. When I was engrossed in defining myself how irresponsible I am, I
found she had texted me.
“Where have you been Tanmay?? I called you up thrice…Are you
still sleeping?? Utho! You will miss
your college.” I smiled at her decency and replied her back.
“Tweety…I am in bus…woke up late…skipped breakfast…will
reach in time…m sryy, didn’t notice
your calls; was sleeping dead…L”
I was still yawning and these are the times when I find the
college rules are not student friendly. Much of our assumptions of an undisciplined
and independent college days go wrong when we find ourselves sitting up the
pants on the cold benches of a nerdy engineering college. Just when the system
of homework ends, shafts of uncertainty regarding a stable career tend to
dazzle and as soon as concerns regarding LIFE evokes in our cortex; LOVE sets
our heart melting into blobs of emotions.
May be mine had started to melt just a little earlier.
“Hmm… have a good day…happy friendship day. Take care…J”, she replied.
I wished her the same as my bifocals caught up with a
romancing couple through the steel beams of the heritage Howrah Bridge. It only
left me smiling. I plugged my headset to insulate myself from the ambience of
wailing conductors. The track was the same as of last night, Bryan Adams once
again singing into my auditory canal. I just loved that song. Gentle breeze
blowing across the river Hooghly threw up my hairs. I closed my eyes and the
setup took me to sketching the images of the very first time I met Trisha. We
met in Verdan market located in Camac Street, a bazaar known for its collection
of trendy garments at an affordable price. I was in the same store where she was
giving a kind of ‘test scream’ of her
vocals to the manager, complaining about a recently purchased sandal that lost
some of its affixed crystals.
“I want you to replace this and if you don’t I will go up to
the consumer forum.” , She said pointing her index finger towards the pot
bellied manager as he looked totally helpless in front of her rage. His pale
face seemed to change color with every passing second. Sweat streams were
crossing every square inch of his face. I felt sorry for him.
‘Such a desperate girl’, I wondered. There is no point in
arguing with a girl because you are destined to lose. They have got an
Expression Monitoring System pre-installed in their body to win over any kind
of situation. They can make you walk the moon, sob through the night, seduce
you to bed and even force you to replace a sandal. She looked way cute compared
to the storm she generated in that store. She was mesmerizing in her cerulean
blue embroidered kurti teemed with a
pair of black leggings that followed up to a strapped purple stiletto. And with
that mascara in her eyes that went behind those curly strands for split
seconds, any guy would feel a twitch in between their legs. Well...she was not
only cute…she was a ravishing beauty too.
“Why are you smiling?” she said stretching her lips and the
index finger was in its usual place. I was yet to emerge out from my admired
images and she was already there standing a feet ahead of me.
‘Was I really smiling?’ I questioned to myself. I wasn’t
really aware whether I was smiling or not but then again I don’t want to step
into that manager’s shoes. I really pitied his condition and I didn’t want
myself to suffer that. Finding no clue whether I was smiling or not, I
said-“Sorry” trying to pull up a genuinely guilty look over my face.
“What sorry Haan??...That
means you did that intentionally…right??”, and this time I had all her fingers
curled in interrogation in front of me.
I was perplexed and was not finding anything to answer. I
stood there obeying silence as her eyes were fixed at me.
“Hello…I am asking you something”, she spoke.
“I am really sorry” And this time I sounded a little more
genuine.
“Okay” she said and started to walk away. I remembered my
gods.
The manager having dropped his gun was waiting near the exit
with a fresh pair of sandal. She took the packet and left the store leaving the
manager with a free advice, “Learn to behave with customers.”….Free advice is a
mark of Kolkata; they are as readily available as eighteen plus videos in a
teenager’s cell phone.
In a few minutes even I left the store after an hour of
window shopping thus earning myself straight fit denim and a round neck
tee-shirt. I spotted her a few yards away from the store talking over the
phone. She noticed me winking at her and once again started to walk up to me. I
was ready for an emergency sprint this time; adrenaline was rushing in my
veins.
“Hey”, she said with a smile and the pitch was lot soothing
than what I and the manager had experienced few minutes back.
“Hello”, I greeted back.
“I am sorry for shouting at you like that”, she said as she
made a sad face.
Ah!! Those great
girly expressions. My ego was defeated before her cute sorry.
“It’s okay”, I said and smiled.
“Hmm….Why did you smile by the way??” Once again the same
question, but this time she was not charging, she was just asking.
“I was not aware whether I was smiling.” I said retaining
the smile.
“But this time you are”, she laughed. “By the way I am Trisha...nice
meeting you”.
“Pleasure here…I am Tanmay.”
We shook hands as she announced that she was in a hurry and
her mother had called her up quite a number of times. We parted as my eyes
followed her, a long way before I lost the sight of her cerulean blue kurti
amidst the bustle of Verdan market.
Thereafter we got hooked in facebook, our friendship grew
deeper, and so was MY relation. As time passed by we became the best of
buddies. Every morning she used to wake me up, we both used to sit for the
breakfast together, feed each other in imagination; I used to prepare for my college
and she for her school. We used to wish each other good day after which our
daily routine began. The most interesting part was that all this used to happen
over SMS’s. As she was preparing for her class twelfth board examinations, she
used to do late night studies and kept mostly busy but still we never forgot to
wish each other good night in the sweetest possible manner.
“Good night Tweety…sweetest dreams….J”, I used to say.
“Good night baby…sleep
well…J”,
used to be her good night messages mainly. She would ensure that I have fallen
asleep by asking, “Slept dear??”, and if I didn’t reply she would start up with
her night study plans. I usually used to keep quiet at times so that she could
devote most of her time to books. In many a ways we used to care for each other
so much…!!!
After that first meet at Verdan market I have met her couple
of times. In those times we came to know a lot about each other. Our main
hangout place was a nearby mall named Riverside, we used to go up there and
talk our heart out either over a cup of coffee or KRUSHER’s…Mango krusher to be
more precise. It was her favorite flavor and gradually it became my favorite as
well. At times I helped her out with her studies. All I can say is that we had
a great time together. Slowly but steadily she made her way into my heart as I
started to develop feelings for her. Apart from my mom and the text books of
mechanics she was the one I talked too and spent time with. She became my most
precious belonging.
It was early January and the city was experiencing the
realms of winter. I was on my college vacation as the mid semester examination
was over and Trisha was taken to some serious studies at home for her upcoming
board examinations. I woke up to my vibrating cell phone.
Trisha had messaged
me—“Good morning dear…have a good day… :) woke up??”
“Very good morning…hmm…just woke up”, I replied back. I sat
up on my bed, still under the cozy blanket and looked out of the window. I
could barely see anything. It was all foggy and the glass panes were frosted.
Dew drops rolling down cut through the haze as saffron streaks gleamed across
my face. I drew my eyes close for a split second, the light appeared two strong
for those yet sleepy eyes. I stepped onto the cold mosaic floor and my feet
froze. I walked up to the sink and splashed water on my face as I received
another text from her. She wanted to hang out with me today since she was
getting monotonous with her intense study plans everyday and I was not made to
decline to such offers; the decided venue was-Barista Lavazza at Riverside mall,
5:30 in the evening. I was on all smiles throughout the day. As the sun took
plunge in the calm western sky, I was getting ready for a great time.
Finally I (we actually) arrived at the scripts of the much
awaited moment. Winter evening with special people at coffee shops always
leaves you with cherished memories. We ordered ourselves Affogato Italiano as I
sat there in the back drop of instrumental MJ tracks, the Italian coffee
delight and my beautiful Trisha in studded spaghetti. An air of silence between
us before we began chatting was something very charming. It was an evening that
I will never forget for it kept me waiting for an answer. I proposed her and
she was yet to accept…
…Something within me always said that-‘She will be mine someday’ and I
respected my inner voice with all my heart.
It had been more than a year we are together and seven
months had passed since I proposed to her…!!!
********************
I was walking out of my college campus and the city was
eyeing a rocking friendship day evening. I was strolling along the bustling
streets as I decided to call her up. She received the call on the very first
ring as if she was waiting for my call or preparing to call me. Well, I was not
much concerned with it.
“Hi….how was your day dear??” she said and I could almost
she her beautiful pink lips curving into a smile on the other side of the
phone.
“It was great…” I said and decided to come to my point
immediately without wasting any further time.
“Tweety…Won’t you like to spend some time with me this
friendship day??Hmm??” I asked and eagerly waited for a ‘yes’.
She laughed. “Why not…what’s the venue?”
“Umm…Kolkata Maidan…” I said.
“She you in half an hour”, she said and hung up. Imaginary
fireworks shot up the evening Kolkata sky somewhere in my mind. I was walking
the ninth cloud!!!
I was on all smiles throughout my journey till I stepped
onto the lush green bed of Maidan. I decided to call her up…as I could see the
same spaghetti clad beautiful girl smiling to me from a distance. She looked
differently happy today. Why wouldn’t she be, she notched up good percentiles
in twelfth, cleared the engineering entrance exam with flying colors and was
all set for a new life. Before I could say anything, she pointed me towards a
bench.
We sat together. Sun was setting and the orange red light
gleamed of her cheeks, she was looking like a heavenly angel, beautiful and
chastised. High tech engineering studies through the day took some toll on me,
as exhaustion was depicted through my face.
“Baby you told me something at Barista that day…Remember??”
she asked taking my fingers on her palm. I was going numb. It was all happening
for me.
“Yes Angel…” I replied in almost inaudible verse.
There was a brief silence…I was getting relentless. I wish
someone would have pinched me and said that it wasn’t any dream, it was
reality. I was sitting in the lap of a setting sun amidst those green beds with
tangled fingers with my Trisha.
She leaned forward, placing her hands across my shoulder,
whispered in my ears-“I love you dear…”
I couldn’t believe it for a moment as she repeated her
words…and almost uncontrollably it went off my vocals, “Love you too.”
She held my chin on her palm and came near…further near….my
heart skipped many a beats.
“Tweety everyone is seeing us”, I whispered as I could feel
her breath on my face.
“I can’t see anyone”, she said and closed her eyes as we
locked our lips.
The earth seemed to have paused on its journey; for I could
feel nothing more than those Nivea coated lips and the rampaging tongue making
my world go upside down every time they met mine.
The captivating orange shade in the western horizon spread
across; as the Sun took to disappearance and we sat there romancing, living to
bits the tranquility of a serene evening.
Behind the arc of romance lay those iron tram tracks, as I
could hear the rattle of its wheels. This gothic transporter of Kolkata can
take you to Verdan market from Maidan over six pennies…where it all began.
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