Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Perfect Stranger-The story chugs along...


Was this some dream?! How come every bit of my wishes was coming true?? There has to be some catch dude. Thing’s just can’t go so lovey-dovey for so long! But who cares?! Today, I might be the destiny’s child! Fingers crossed..
“That’s a classic. You believe in love stories?”
As soon as those words left my mouth I swear I was kicking myself very hard. She gave me such an expression that closely bordered ‘ who the f&^@# you think you are and how typical boy are you; over smart and cheap’.
She was about to say something when I cut her short.
“You need not answer that at all. That was so silly of me to have asked such question. Hehe hehe.” Blurted out the overcautious and guilt filled me with a sheepish laugh. I didn’t want to get insulted in front of everyone!!
She just shrugged her shoulders and went back to reading her novel. ‘There goes my chance of having an interesting encounter.’ I plucked out my diary from my bag, a pen and my Sennheiser headphone. Hooked it onto iPod and started scribbling. And the moment a song started playing, I felt like my heart and the iPod were syncing as the song thudded softly in my ears reching all the way to my heart…

Mann yeh sahib ji
Jane hai sab ji
Phir bhi banaye bahane
Naina nawabi ji
Dekhe hai sab ji
Phir bhi na samjhe ishare
Mann yeh sahib ji
Haan karta bahane
Naina nawabi ji
Na samjhe ishare
Samjhe ishare
Dheere dheere..

Sang my favourite singer and I couldn't help myself from looking over to her side. Bollywood songs are becoming so meaningful and pure these days..!
Only then had I realized that I was looking at the one of the god's best ever creation. I understood the beauty of feminity! Those mascara lined eyes with a strand of hair hovering in front of them. As if fighting to get the attention of those beautiful eyes. And with a book, trying to protect those eyes from constant stares of others.( Read 'me'!) The song was written for the occasion I felt, seemed like the lyricist himself might have been in my current position which inspired such beautiful lines!
It was so magical...Thanks to the Indian Railways for providing those perfect seats! 
The side berths.
As it happens usually with me when I see or feel something very beautiful and mersmerizing, my hands started working up something. I had entered sub-conscious state.
Never had it felt so pure,
ever did it happen before.
Never wanted to look away,
from the eyes that could inspire a folklore...

I saw those eyes staring back at me. I was at peace with myself..Those eyes. Staring. The intensity in those eyes..filled with romance? Ermm.. confusion? Can't be. Those eyes staring..STARING!! With ANGER n DISGUST!!!!
HOLY $H!T!!! She's staring at me! How long had I been staring at her?! 
Or how long has she been observing this?!!! no no no no..this is not happening to me..and I had realized that the song too had changed!!
Bhaag bhaag dk bose dk bose... yeah my heart and my iPod were truly in sync...
I couldn't afford to stay there anymore if I wanted to reach Delhi alive! I threw my diary on the seat and my headphone and bolted towards the wash basin. It is generally my place ofwhoosaah(remember the chief from the movie Bad Boys?!)
I looked myself in the mirror and observed that I was sweating as if I had a nightmare! Whoa..I didn't expect from myself to react in such a way! 
As I was washing my face with the cool soothing water.. A hand tapped me on my shoulder. I jumped with surprise thinking that my nightmare had followed me to the wash basin, my place of whoosaah. But it was a young man, my other co passenger? He was the dude. Thin lanky frame with a shirt 3 sizes over him, long hair pasted to each other with some glue(oil) which smelled of jasmine!!!( I recalled later, it was parachute jasmine ROFL!!) and square shaped glasses. No sooner I placed him to be a south Indian, he came closer to me and whispered in a threatening tone..
"Dude. I was looking at the way you were looking at that girl. You pervert." He said in a typical South Indian accent.
"EXCUSE ME!!". Who are you? Her bhrata shree?"
"No."
"Her cousin?"
"No"
"Her uncle?!!"
"No"
"Her neighbour?"
"Nope"
"Bodyguard?!!What are you to her?"
"No. I am an Indian man who cares for other women's safety and self respect. It was I who told her the way you were looking at her. "
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME DUDE!!!! What the hell are you?!! 
A super hero?! Waiting to tear apart his clothes to flash that red underwear over blue leggings?!!!! And he didn't stop at that..
"If you look at her EVER (brandishing his index finger as if the sword of Tipu Sultan) EVER till Delhi, I am going to thrrow you aaut of the window. You get me?
Waatt? Waatt are you looking at?"  
"Dude you cant throw me out of the window, windows don't open in AC compartments do they?"
"You feel that I am joking? Look at my face. YOU THINK I AM JOKING?!!"
Yeah dude. Typical problem of most of the males of our country. They feel as if they were God sent to protect the female race...
"Ok sir, I won't look at the girl from now on. Mother promise!"( Having stayed in South India for most part of my life I learnt, that phrase was the most respected one there!)
I was shocked at his confidence, rather than anything. I mean I was much more healthier and had athletic built than him. Wondered what the love for respect of girls makes a man to do. 
Still reeling from that shock, I went back to my seat to find Sameera reading a diary. Thank God. She didn't look at me..Wait wait wait. A diary?!! A DIARY!!?!!
MY DIARY?!!!! I am so DEAD now!! Was this the beginning of the end before the beginning?!
She realized my presence. Lifted her head up. There was a slight hint of smile playing at the corner of her glossy lips and a major twinkle in her eye. She suddenly went red!! Was it a rash?! Were my writings so bad that created a rash?!! 
Before my mind could think of anything else..
"You are a fantastic writer. I loved those few lines which you had written, about me??"
COME AGAIN?!So was she blushing?!!!
 A hawker who was selling tea in the compartment was walking by my side. I nudged that hot steel tin with my hand to check it if I was dreaming.
"AAARRGGHHHH!!!" No. I was definitely not!
"What happened?!!"
"Nothing!! It was the hot can." I said half in trance, and a lot in pain! looking at my reddened hand which was in her hand as she was blowing cool air from her lovely lips onto the wound. There was a little concern in her mascara lined eyes..
And I wondered if it was the beginning of a new beginning ;)
To be continued...


Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Perfect Stranger

"Yeah mom, I will take care of myself.Ok? Will call you once I reach there. Bye!".
Finally I was on my way to Delhi. For a well deserved break from exams, studies and monotonous life.
Was wondering when a 60 something person came and sat in front of me. There goes my another chance of an interesting journey..I sighed to myself. Then sometime later another young man joined us.
I DIDN'T PAY OVER TWO GRAND TO TRAVEL WITH MEN!! c'mon..not again!
But all my previous attempts at having an adventurous journey were nightmarish, so why should it be different now?? But at least I was in Rajdhani. So no drunkard could come on board( I had a drunkard for a co passenger for an entire 2 day train trip previously).
The departure time was fast approaching. Thank God. Atleast I could now think of what all I should do in Delhi. Just then I heard a sweet voice." Excuse me please may I know where's this seat?"
Where's this seat??! Are you kidding me? This isn't a ship!!! But still wanted to have a look at her.( She was the only female passenger in the entire compartment. Wait a minute. Was she Sameera? (Before you Sherlock Holmes clones rake up your brains, I had checked the passenger list. We all do it right?!) And wait another minute! her name was somewhere close to mine on the list!
Yes. She was indeed on the opposite berth.! She came. Adjusted her luggage. Sat down. Pulled down her glasses resting on her head. And settled down with a novel.
I re-checked at my expression. Was I gawking at her? Drooling?? Nope.
What prompted this reaction from her? But man she was a beauty.
5'4'' something. Dark brown hair, step cut. No make up(thumbs up!!) but a thin line of mascara which made her eyes more beautiful. Maroon coloured glass frame and glossy lips. Wow.
Then I started praying. Real hard. "Dear God. Thank you so much for getting this damsel in same compartment. But please do something that would make her talk to me first! PLEASE!!!
Then I heard the barks of a dog inside the compartment. German Shepherd. The sniffer!! I opened my eyes just in time to see some fear in those mascara lined eyes. When the dog came to our seats, she jumped onto the seat next to me and tightly grabbed my hand..THANK YOU GOD!! I NEVER THOUGHT THAT MY PRAYERS WOULD BE ANSWERED SO SOON!! and thanks to my trainer that he made me do those extra body pumping sessions the entire week.!
"Excuse me? The dogs are gone. Now you can relax." I prayed that I don't say those words. But I blurted out before I could know...Then one of the most amazing moments of my life came to an abrupt end..
" I am sorry. I am dead scared of dogs. I didn't know what I was doing. I just..."
"It's okay. I understand. Its natural."
"Thanks. By the way I am Sameera."
" I kn(ow)...ahem ahem. I am Akash."
"Nice meeting you."
" So you not scared of dogs?"
"Not at all. I have a dog back at home. So I know how to handle them. In fact I just love dogs."
Wow. What a topic to strike a conversation.
" Oh! lovely. So going to Delhi I suppose?"
"Yeah going to meet my cousin there. She stays in Gurgaon."
"That's where I stay!"
GOD! Didi please don't come to pick me up at the station!! Though I love you a lot!!
I got my first real six string bought it at five and dime...
" Excuse me. Hello? Didi! kaise ho? Yeah I am in the train. WHAT?!! kya hua? oh..but I don't know how to reach that place. Okay. I understand. SMS me your address. Will manage it somehow. Ok. Love you didi. Bye."
WOW!!!
" Any problem?" she asked genuinely.
"My cousin won't be able to pick me up tomorrow at the station."
"Ok"
Ok? That's it?! What happened to the good old sahanubhuti? Wait. I just met this gal. Why should I expect her to help me?
"What was the book you were reading?" I asked the girl, seeing a familiar book in her hand.
"Erich Segal. Love Story."
Was this the journey I always dreamt of ?
To be continued...

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A night to remember...

Today was the farewell of one of my greatest friend..Naturally, I wanted to give her something good. Something which was true, special and great too! no compromises on that!! So had made her a collage of all the places she would miss in mumbai along with a few sentences I had penned down. Fortunately she loved what she got n SURPRISINGLY she too gave me a gift, an asskicking tee ;)
We had gone out for dinner at Aromas in Hiranandani, powai..a fantastic place!! n then we started chatting up. We wouldn't be talking face to face for some considerable time.
After sometime we began observing the people around who were in the restaurant..then the actual fun of the  night began. We saw a girl who had been waiting for someone since a LONG time, we started guessing, who could be she waiting for? I had a bet on her guy who bunked the date. And she said-"No way,she might be waiting for her lady friend, ladki ek ladke keliye itni wait nahi karti kabhi, seedha usko bol deti ki I was waiting for u since ages, now go to hell!" As expected she was right, a girl turned up after sometime. and I was wondering, when was the last time I was right about a girl, even a wee bit????!
Then another good friend of ours had joined us and the fun raised many notches! We were sitting inside and there were tables outside the restaurant too..the seating was such that, there was only a glass separating the ones sitting inside and out, n it feels like you are sitting next to them..enter..the central characters of our fun- a couple..a girl in black and a balding, bespectacled, skin n bone guy..my friend was at her wicked best today!! she went all sharmili type and suddenly asked us to click a picture of her,as if she was on date with that guy!(remember, only a glass separated both of em?)
And then, the couple were holding hands and we started mocking them , n they didn't even get a slightest hint on what we were talking about them(i hope so!)..the girl started adjusting the guy's hair,or of whatever was left of it! n we came to a conclusion that the reason of his baldness could be the girl pulling em out in the name of styling them :D
Then came the turn to check out my gift-the tee, one of my friends told me to go n change into it which came as a whacky surprise to me! fortunately other came to my rescue saying that chicks do that, boys don't!! Thank you so much for saving me yaar!!!
So instead, we just spread the tee on ourselves which made us look like scarecrows!! 
It was an amazing evening today... the wickedness flowed today so spontaneously today. It was one of my best times spent ever..and i owe it to the 2 gals who made my evening..if you are reading this..I would like to relive those moments..again n again n again..

P.S: one more reason for us having such a great day was the video spoof of Shraddha (remember the videos of a girl with sweet voice and some "my style" songs  that are doing rounds on youtube?) Please do check it out!!