COINCIDENCE

By Akash Kulkarni

[1]

The place was a canteen. Though usually crowdie, the blame for a small and scattered crowd may be given to the time of the day. It was hot afternoon, but even with this and scattered crowd, hot pakodaas and hot smosaas were hot in demand. You may also get surprised by the noise it made, not at all proportional to the no. of occupants. The chief contributor to the noise were young people, half a dozen in numbers sitting shapelessly and mindlessly on same no. of chairs chit chatting about various social, economic, comical, socio economical aspects.

Let’s get closer to them to know what they are discussing, “The GDP of our country is as high as 7.5%, not interesting. This may be, “our country will be directly profited by foreign investments and we may earn up to Rs X crores this calendar year”, still not interesting. This surely is “do you know that actor is getting married to a singer”, a bit interesting but not enough. This surely is. The boy who looked 18 -19 said, “Our boss is after a girl”. The boy whom he referred as boss looked up only to be encountered by ten more looks. After controlling his smile and eagerness, he said in somewhat serious tone, ‘I’m serious about it’ and handed his mobile phone to the boy nearest to him. The mobile phone was promptly circulated in clockwise direction and everyone gave their affirmation as far as beauty of the girl was concerned.

So… how far have you gone? One of the boys asked.

Not much, our boss answered, only that she has observed me observing her once or twice.

So, you will become her “friend” with target of adding suffix “girl” to friend.

Few people smiled for his humor, boss had only dry smile on his face.

I saw her in one of the city’s library when I was waiting for one of my friends to come. Boss explained gravely.

So, you will become member of that library, and try it out, isn’t it?

Yes, returned boss in an angry tone as if to say it would have been much better if he shuts his mouth.

I will give all of you a treat of full meals the day he proposes her, said another stout boy who according to few people was bit jealous of boss.

So in this way the discussion ended with arguments of why the boy said what he said, to change the topic, the first boy who introduced boss and his love, said again, so who will pay today’s bill, I guess boss will do it.

Go away, boss said, give me 20 rupees each, remaining I will pay.

Boss collected all the money to pay at the counter. There was rush at the counter as if everyone in the canteen finished their eating at same time.

The boy at the counter, since he was well acquainted with boss and all the other boys asked him what there were looking in the mobile.

Nothing, boss said and showing him the photo of the girl that he showed earlier repeated in same passionate words of what he intended to do.

He would have continued on and on, but for the crowd behind him, he hurriedly paid the bill and rejoined his friends.

One of his friends warned him in casual way to not to show that photo anywhere and everywhere. But our boss was in no mood to take those cautious steps, he showed no concern to it, but added as if he was actor of an old play, “My love is true and open; no one is getting her but me”.

These lovers don’t understand sense. Do they?

[2]

As there are few unsaid rules which are to be followed irrespective of their mention in rule books, there are certain steps which are never penned anywhere but followed promptly to get the girl you wish. The first step is to follow the girl everywhere; to her house, to her college etc. you may not succeed in getting her attention, you may not get any chance to speak to her, but few important information is the main aim. In fact, it may also break your heart or it may make you more determined to get her.

Coming on to the story, boss was riding his bike. His first stop was a friend’s house (a kind of friend who is always helpful in these matters). The next was that “Dear library”.

As mentioned earlier he was happy with the development so for. She observed him eyeing her once or twice. What he had planned was to take membership of the library and everyday come and perform the romantic scene of waiting. He would try to bring up conversation, the first thing was to know her name, and thereafter “Facebook” is very kind for all these lovers.

He was on these lines of thought, dreaming of course, when smell of “vadapav”, as it often does, attacked his nose. He followed that smell, and guess what; near the corner of the road was all he wished at present. His love, that girl stood there with her scooty nearby. But stop… she was not alone.

She was talking with somewhat worried looks to a “traffic policeman”.

So, it took only a flash of second for boss to know what exactly happened. The road was a “one way” and she rode in wrong direction. Not every time we are caught by police but sometimes, we might as well.

So… this is it... boss thought and thanked his stars. She is caught by that policeman, this might be the perfect opening to our story if I help her get rid of her worry, get rid of that policeman.

So, he looked at himself in the bike mirror, checked his wallet, “enough money” he thought and in determined way walked towards them. He suggested his friend (who was with him) to wait there with his bike.

Now as he is crossing the road, lets in time describe the policeman and the girl. As we say, best for the last, we will describe policeman first. Of course, he had his uniform on, of course his belly looked out of shape, of course he was dark in color, but not dark enough surprisingly.

Now the girl. She looked 19-20, perfect in stature and shape, though more on the thinner side. Her face was the loveliest. Each and every muscle and bone on her face was in perfect size and perfectly positioned. The fair skin was but a compliment to it.

Every character now described in the story, lets come back on to the story.

Our mind almost equals the speed of light in these cases. So was boss’s. He was thinking what I should talk first. He thought it clumsy to directly ask the girl what happened, since he had had no conversation with girl before, rather ask the policeman about it. He may not answer it and ask who he was etc which he can manage to answer. He finally decided to think of nothing, but rely on instincts, all practice done, time now for the show off.

So, he reached the spot and stood just a bit nearer to police than the girl and asked in casual manner, “what happened”?

As the policeman was talking to the girl, he turned to look at the intruder.

He looked hard at the intruder, boss made his facial expression or at least tried to make it look casual and cool, stood looking partly at police and partly at girl, as if he wants her to recognize him.

After a long, hard look at boss, police asked, “Hmmm... who are you?”

Boss after watching with corner of his eyes towards the girl, to see her reaction, said “I am her friend”. The girl’s face seemed now more nervous and anxious. She tried to say something, but was cut short by boss as he said, “I... I mean, we both are same library members” and pointed towards the library few meters away.

The police after a seconds look towards girl to know if there was any opposition to what boss said about there being known to each other, seeing nothing he said “she was riding in wrong direction, even when all know this is a one way.”

The girl again was about to say something, boss interrupted again, oh sir let her go, it’s a mistake, she won’t do it again.

Police again said, how can I let her go?? Haan tell me... Isn’t it a dangerous thing to do what she did?

Right sir. what you say is 100% right. Boss said in sterner voice than before, but it’s a silly mistake, she won’t do it again Ok…

All this while, the girl was standing trying to speak and defend herself, but our boss was in full momentum and won’t let anyone speak.

Do you know what penalty is there for this offence? Policeman said after a few seconds of awkward silence.

How much? Boss asked suppressing his smile on the thought that at last this man comes to main point.

Policeman answered dryly “Rs 500”.

Aaa… this much, this much huge amount? Boss asked showing a bit more surprise than he should on hearing the amount.

Yes, police put on a plain face again.

Boss knew these typical policemen, so he said in a pleading tone, sir please sir make it a bit small.

How much you have? Police asked his eyes moving in halves towards girl and boss.

Boss saw this as a chance and moved closer to the girl and asked in a hushed tone, “How much do you have”?

The face of the girl needs observation at this moment, there was of course worry, but a line of anger was there as well which boss thought was due to his dominance and not allowing her to speak for herself and strange enough her eyes showed she was smiling inside as well, which for boss was bit surprising, for he thought that smile was due to the fact that she knew exactly what he was trying to do, to impress her and get her talking with him.

It was as if all the muscles and bones that made her look beautiful had extra shift to convey these multiple feeling at the same time.

50 rupees, she said with worried face.

Ohh… ok then let me handle this. Boss said and turned 180 degrees to face policeman who was ready with his receipt book. Boss was happy that girl had no money or at least not enough money to contribute to what he was paying which, made his case that little bit better.

How much will you pay? Policeman asked.

“200 rupees”, Boss again answered. So, his words were followed taking out his wallet taking out 200 rupees and handing it to police.

He first thought 100 rupees were enough, but 200 rupees made his debt bit large and his case “that much better”.

You paid all the money, isn’t it? Police asked after a few seconds.

Yes, answered boss promptly and slightly surprised at first but thanked policeman for his “out of the box” and friendly question. Police turned towards the girl and said, “won’t you return the money? how much do you have?” give it to him.

50 rupees girl answered slightly bashful in manner and attempted to give money to boss, when boss said, no no keep it. Return the money the next time we meet, with a good 20-ton weight on word ‘meet’.

Then can you come… day after tomorrow at the same time and I will return the money, girl said with kind of facial expression and voice which every boy loves.

O.k., I will come a… at 5.30 we will meet in the library. Boss said.

Yes, girl said and in a hurried way put on her scarf and rode away. Boss saw her going until it was out of capacity of our human eyes in this case boss’s eyes.

He almost felt he would jump with joy and start dancing on road itself, sky was the limit for his happiness, there could have been no better start than this. Though there were clouds in the sky which were, he had expected from her at least a ‘thanks’ or a ‘name exchange’ and ‘number exchange’ at best. Though, he tried to shoot and scatter

the clouds away to fly higher and thought I will get her whole then why cry for the number or the name.

[3]

The girl who was helped by our boss last evening was sitting next morning, watching a serial on TV which she missed last night.

From bedroom, her father came out holding two hundred rupees notes and pushed those in his daughter’s hands, who paid no attention to her father’s action.

After a couple of minute’s silence, her father finally spoke. ‘Return the money as early as possible’.

o.k. I will return it tomorrow; I already told you this yesterday, finally girl answered after finishing the serials ‘watch today’ piece.

Listen carefully, said her father, in warning tone, what he will try is, to become your friend and then close friend and then trick you to lose your heart for him.

“How do you know that”, retorted the girl. She was unhappy with her father possessiveness, but its natural as well, she thought and tried not to talk in heartless way and hurt her father.

“Because, I saw your photo on his mobile phone”, the one which came in papers when you won that silly library essay competition, yesterday afternoon in the ‘canteen’, he was saying, his love is true and he will get you at any cost.

So, if this happened then why didn’t you warn him then and there or even in the evening when we all met. Girl asked again in somewhat annoyed way.

Listen, her father said, it was mere accident that we all met in evening, I just wanted to see what he would do. Answered our policeman.

Oh… said girl, I thought you would never let me return his money.

No, he is a good boy, be only friends, said her father aka our policeman.

For sure, was what girl answered with a smile.

By Akash Kulkarni