Ritu Siddharth
Chandana hastened to board a bus that had begun to move.
“Will this go to Shastri Nagar?”trotting along ,she asked the guy sitting near the entrance.
“Yes”, he nodded.
She held the side railing and jumped onto the moving bus, her bag dangling precariously from her shoulder; sat next to the man near the window, “Uh!”she gasped in relief. He moved to give her room to sit with a comfortable space between them. She bought a ticket for Alankar theatre, 3 stops before Shatri Nagar.
Every 2 months it was customary for Anand to leave his bike for service in the morning and collect it in the evening on his way home, so today he had to use the city bus. He lived in I.G.Nagar, 30 mins from his college.
The bus was overcrowded mostly with men, Chandana had difficulty keeping her balance. Anand rose to offer his seat.
“O, it’s alright , my stop’s just 15mins away, I’ll manage”, she said half wishing he should not change his mind.
“It’s okay.I’ll take over after 15 mins when you get down”, he returned.
“Thanks”, she smiled, only too glad to sit.
While getting down again she had difficulty. He extended his hand to support her. After she got down he took his seat and resumed reading his magazine. 2 months later the same commutation. She looked up and smiled at Anand in recognition. Sweet smile. He smiled back and soon after forgot about it.
Next time, she sat next to Anand.
“I thought you stayed in Shastri Nagar”, he remarked.
“No, we stay in Nehru Avenue!”
She gathered he is a lecturer in a college; has a sister studying in dental college; his father a retired govt employee; mother a graduate but preferred to be a housewife.
“ My father’s a business man, nice man”, she gave her introduction. He gathered she was a lone daughter, much pampered who had a childish obstinacy and ran tantrums at home until her father obliged.
“You’re getting down here? I thought you stay in I.G. Nagar !”,she appeared surprised as he rose to get down at the oncoming stop, one day.
“I’ve to buy gift for my sis”, he said. Suddenly he felt his bag lighter and discovered the cover containing Rs.25000 missing. Profound shock was visible on his face.
“What’s wrong?”she asked ,concerned.
“My cash’s missing, O my…” his face turned pale.
She gave one look at his bag, “May be you left it at home ; your bag seems to be intact”, she observed; “How much do you require?” He did not reply.
“ I have my debit card , I’ll come with you, you can use my card”. He hesitated. “O come on now!”, she said, pulling him by his bag. They entered a jewellery shop; he chose a ring; it cost Rs.40,000. “Uh! That’s a big amount”, he mumbled. He asked the salesman to show pieces costing less. “You get it if you wanna this ring”, insisted Chandana looking at it. “Yeah, it’s beautiful, your sis’ll like it”, she suggested. She led him, as he hovered over less costly items. She swiped ,bill was paid.
In the nearby stationery she bought a greeting card , signed it , “Give this to your sis, on my behalf”, she said handing it to him as both boarded their homeward bound bus .
“Thank you so much”, Anand spoke half embarrassed .
“Take care”, she grinned as she got down, he gave an embarrassed smile.
Chandana was right. He had left his cash on the table in his house. Anand returned Rs.25000 and paid the balance in the following month.
“You don’t use your bike now-a-days?”Chandana asked when he came earlier than his usual 2-month interval.
“I’ve given it for repair,had a small accident,…will take a few days and a few thousands”, he said heavily.
“Oh!’she showed her concern.
“So I can see you everyday , I guess”, there was a latent delight on her face.
“Possible…maybe”.
She observed he was reserved…just gave a second look when a pretty or smart girl passed by, nothing more; she liked that; with her he spoke very little but she liked him.. fair, clean shaven, sharp nose,lush of dark hair parted at the side, hairy arms, neat nails…yes she liked him.
“You like your job?
“Evryone must…natural…to survive, or else life can be a burden”.
“Hm..”, she nodded understandingly.
He resumed reading his magazine. She remained mum, occasionally noticing his hand when it flipped a page…she liked it.
“Ah! Let me see that”, she said grabbing his hand, tried to look into a page that carried nothing of interest to her. She felt his fingers, smooth, strong, wanted to hold them longer but he asked, “What ! You like Indian budget!”
“Huh.. no ..I thought it was ’bout my college”. He believed her. She knew she managed to fool him!
The next day she sat next to him. He handed her a magazine. “Give me after you finish reading it”, he said intending to keep her occupied.
“Huh, …uh…no..um…no”, she completed her sentence atlast.
He observed each day she sat closer to him than the previous day.
“Did your sis like it?”
“What?”
“Your present”.
“For what?”
“Her birthday!”
“Oh that! Yah, she was overjoyed”.
“Did you tell her you missed your purse and borrowed from me?”
“No”.
“O..”, she was disappointed.
“Did she like my greeting?”
“Ah, no, I forgot to give her”, he lied.
“O”…she was disappointed.
“Does she have a phone?”
“No, she wanted one”.
“Can I gift her?” she beamed.
“Why should you?”
“O!” she looked at him biting her lip , disappointed. “I’ve very few friends..but those who are, are very good ones. They’ll do anything for me. They come to my house, we have small parties now and then; we go to movies, sometimes on picnic too, you know!”she said, turning his chin so that he looked at her.
“O”, he resumed reading and wondered why she was telling all these.
“Ay, I got new earrings,…like them? My dad got them for me”, she told holding his chin and turning his head again towards her.
He sucked in air through clenched teeth. What a chatterbox!
“Nice”, he commented almost under his breath.
“Ok , read, I wont disturb”.
“Ay, look! That …..”, she laughed, resting her elbow on his lap, and craned her neck out of the window…a crow had whisked away some eatable from a woman. He turned to give her a hard glare but softened when he noticed a child like innocence on her face .
‘I must change my timings’, he resolved. But, 2 days later they met again.
“Would you mind changing your place?...I want to sit here”, she told the man sitting next to Anand. Anand closed his eyes in exasperation, ‘now what?’
She chatted away gaily till her stop; waved bye and got down. ‘Uh!’he sighed in relief.
Anand did not turn up for a month. On the first Monday of March he appeared. He was in the fourth row. At once she went to his side, flung her bag on the seat, held his shirt and began to wail aloud against his chest. Anand was shocked. He looked around . Few commuters turned to look at her, then at him.
“What’s it? Lost something? Having stomach pain? Your people alright? Got your result?...What’s it ..say”, he grabbed her shoulder and shook gently. “Where ’d you go all these days? You know how much
I missed you?”she looked up into his eyes, while her eyes flooded afresh.
‘My God , what’s the new issue?’ he cursed himself.
“What happened sir?”one of the commuters was inquisitive.
“O, she’my cousin, she lost some cash; she’s afraid her dad’ll be angry”, he managed a lie. 5 mins later she blew her nose, wiped her eyes and was normal. “24th is our college day. I’m doing mimicry. Please come and see”, she extended her invitation.
“Yes, yes”, he replied hurriedly, thankful that it was over.
2 weeks later she came with her father, their car being sent to service station for minor work and Chandana had opted to commute by city bus. Anand glanced at her. She chatted away leaning on her father’s lap just the way she had done with him. ‘She is nutty from the core’, he thought.
She caught sight of him just as he lowered his head. She walked briskly to him, “That’s my dad, give your number”. He dodged. “O, please give, next is our stop!”.
Anand was late to sleep. He had a bulk of answer papers he had to correct in 2 days. He lay down exhausted. Chandana appeared momentarily in his mind. He did not know why. Patchy thoughts of her came to him… he extended his hand to support her…she grabbed his hand…gibbering away with her father, leaning on his lap just the way she had done with him…she wailed burying her head in his chest…the innocent look in those eyes…her expression when she was fascinated by something…often childish. He tried to sleep but could not.
Anand was taking a class. “No, don’t do that Chandana”, he drifted away. The boys giggled. “Your fiancé sir?”asked a cheeky boy.
“Sorry”, he apologized and completed his lecture.
Lunch hour.Chandana’s image reappeared. He talked to his colleagues. She appeared again…he was not irritated any more. He wanted to meet her but the girl had completed her college and was seen no more in route 51.
Five months passed. Anand saw her one day, with her parents in a shopping site. The same chatterbox, holding her mom’s chin for attention. She saw him but did not rush to him as she may have done earlier. He was surprised . He decided to meet her himself..
“Hello”, he greeted.
“Ma , Anand’, it was a briefest introduction.
He touched their feet in reverence.
‘Ayushman bhav”, blessed Mr.Rajendran.
“Stay close to us”, her mom whispered to her daughter.
Anand took her aside as the parents shopped.
“Forgot me?”he asked.
“No ,you don’t like me”, she responded.
“Who told you?
“My mamma”.
“How?”
“I told her about you; she told you have no interest for me…that I was wasting my time and life for you. She said she would choose a guy good enough for me”.
He was dumbstruck.
“Will you answer if I call?”he asked.
“Ya”, short reply.
“Shall I take her to a movie tomorrow,aunty?”he asked her mother. She looked at her husband.
“Okay”, said her father.
“Ok! You mean I can go with him!”Chandana’s eyes widened in glee than astonishment.
“Hm..”he nodded patting her cheek affectionately .
The next day, Anand reached their house. Mr Rajendran was ready in his car. Anand was disappointed when her father accompanied them to the movie. During the first half of the movie Mr. Rajendran sat between the pair, in the following half he let her sit next to Anand. She leaned towards him and he constantly pushed her away.. “Behave yourself”, he said in harsh whisper. Her father heard it…he let them in the back seat on their way back.
The following Saturday Anand was taking her to Mamallapuram. Again ok signal from Mr. Rajendran. They rampaged the sculpted rocks, climbed the light house. As evening approached they walked on the beach holding hands. He watched her grin wide when the waves rushed past her feet and waited for the next one. At one point he drew her close and kissed her cheek. His breath and lips felt hot on her cheek.
“You like me?”she asked surprised.
“A lot”, he said.
She smile widened. “You didn’t tell me! My mamma told you have no interest for me!”.
He did not reply, his grip tightened momentarily.
“Mamma, he kissed me! He said he likes me a lot”. Mrs.Rajendran was shocked. Just then phone cluncked.
Chandana guessed, “That’s him”.
“Give the phone to me…”, the mother took his call.
“Chandan, next Sunday we’ll go elsewhere…where d’you want to go?”his voice soft, thinking he was speaking to the girl.
“No, she’ll not go out anywhere. If you want to meet her come to our house”, Mrs. Rajendran spoke with sternness .
Sunday: Anand arrived on his bike. A hoot. Chandana ran out to meet him. “Wait , let me park this first”, he was heard saying, holding her with his free hand. Her mother smiled ,she was content.
…Concluded.