hmmmmmmm 5

She was surprised to see him... She couldn’t find words to say…
“can I come in...?”
“Ohhh... Ya!!”
“Sorry to bother... But my car broke down….”
“Oh k... Oh k... Please do come in...”

As he entered, he saw an old lady sitting on the sofa watching some typical Saas bahu serial, she took his cell, charger n went inside…,
“Feroz, get him a towel..”
He saw a young boy looking at him and slowly coming close to give him the towel, taking the towel from him.. He realized that he was completely wet.
“Feroz.. Bring a t shirt n shorts from Papa’s room…”
as she brought a steaming cup of tea for him, keeping it on the dining table she said,
“you can change your clothes, Feroz will show you the bathroom..”
“Feroz...”
The boy came near to him, taking his hand he walked towards the door also handing him over a pair of shorts n t shirt.
Coming out he asked her about his cell as he thought of calling his sister.
“I’ve kept it for charging... You can call up after having the tea...”
he took the cup in his shivering hands.

The old lady looked at him but preferred to continue watching the television set.
“She’s my Daddi...”
“Oh k… Your parents aren’t home...?”
“They have gone to receive my brother… and Daddi wont sleep till she catches up with him… they’ll be back in an hour or two I guess”
 “your brother.. if I’m not wrong, he’s studying in Delhi..??”
“Yes, he’s doing his masters in mass communication there...”
“Oh k”
“would you like to have something..??”
“Ahh.. Not really”
“you must be hungry... Isn’t it..? It’s quite late as well”
“that reminds me that I need to call my sister...”
“I’ll get your cell”
he wondered for a second, that was she the same girl who wasn’t willing to talk… and now she’s being so considerate.
Giving the cell in his hand she said to herself ‘thank god he didn’t allow his arrogance to come in between, or else he would have been out in rains’
“yes Mom”
“No.. Don’t worry... I’m at her place”
“he’ll come in a while...”
“Shall call you once he reaches... Okk”
“you n dad, Please go to sleep... Let her stay awake for me...”
“Okay...”

She was nicely seated in the swing in the corner of the room, with her iPod playing, reading some book. He thought she’ll talk to him or ask something, but instead Feroz served him dal, rice, sabji and roti, as she saw Feroz, she said, “bring warm water, and I’ll take care of the rest... You go and sleep... ok!! N wear sweater...”
She got up from the swing, came n sat on the chair in front of him, keeping her book on the table continuing to read it.
Feroz kept the glass of water on the table and went inside.
His cell buzzed
“Where are you..?”
“Oh k.. Jus 10 mins ahead.. The turn next to Spencer’s daily”
“Seventh lane, you’ll see my car”
“Oh k...”

Hmmmmmm hmmmm 4

It was getting dark; the thunders were getting louder, as the lightning struck the road glittered… She liked the rains but only when they gave a pleasant feeling. The darkness, thunders, and lightning weren’t as lively as she was.. and she hated it.. She always thought, it should start raining when she would be nicely tugged in her bed at night and when she woke up in the morning it should be fresh, pleasant, neat… Ok!! Some drizzling is fine..

Her chain of thoughts suddenly stopped as their car halted, surprised she looked at him.

He was saying, “Please start.. Not now dear.. please..!!!”

She was wondering who is he talking to.. to the car???

Is he crazy?? Oh well!! Guys do talk to their cars… rolling her eyes, she had realized it.

It was pouring badly outside, hardly any vehicle crossed them, the street lights were flickering… and she was stuck with him in the car.

After a few more verbal persuasive approaches towards his car, he somehow managed to get it started…

they were now at the entrance of her society, the watchman stopped them.

She spoke to the watchman with a smile, ‘oh this girl, talks to the watchman so nicely… and she couldn’t speak normal with me a few minutes before.. Wow!!!!’

“Seventh lane, second last row house”

“OK”

as if I’m her chauffer!!!! He thought.

“Hmmmm… here itself..”

Stopping his car, as she gathered all her stuff he thought let her say something I am not asking when n where we’ll be meeting again and she was wondering is he arrogantly jus going to see me pick up all this n not utter a word??

Walking towards the gate, she turned back n said, “thanks.”

Starting his car with anger, that’s all she had to say?? He mumbled.

taking the turn, his car protested again!!!

Oh.. No.. No no.. please… get me home!!

she didn’t listen to him, she stopped, as it was 10 30 by now.. he instantly called up his sister, “oh I’m sorry..”

“ yeah.. its not starting, I don’t know whats wrong..???”

“Ok.. ok.. I’ll check with him”

“Yeah.. and will call you back as well”

“No.. its ok.. its raining, but not that bad”

“yes.. I’ll call”

he knew it was pouring real bad.. but then he had to lie…

he searched up in his cell for a no. n called up..

“hey hi..”

“Oh.. I actually… No no.. I’m sorry to bother…”

another late night meeting.

He called up someone else,

“hey hi..”

“oh I’m sorry.. I forgot..”

“No no.. Can’t come now…”

“Ahh.. Well my car has some prob, it isn’t starting at all…”

“Yeah.. I tried that”

“oh.. that would be really nice of you”

“yeah.. Oakwood society”

“yeah.. That one itself..”

“Thanks man..”

“I’ll be waiting for you in the seventh lane, thanks once again...”

as he finished the conversation with his friend, he saw a car passing by him..

Where are they going now?? He thought to himself, as he had seen the car in the parking area of her house.
Coming back to his thoughts, with the rain pouring badly; he saw his cell the battery was drained out. He didn’t have any option but to go back to her house as it was necessary to call home and tell that his friend was coming to pick him but would be late as he stayed quiet far.

He wore his jacket, picked up his cell, its charger and started to walk towards her house wondering if anyone would be home.

As he entered the gate he saw the lights on, someone is home ‘thank god!!’ he thought.

Standing outside the door, a little wet, quite frustrated, he rang the bell… the door opened, he saw her she was in a light yellow top, white shorts, with ear plugs (white iPod), white slippers  and a book in her hand… He thought white must be her favorite color.

hmmmmmmm continued -3

They stared at each other.. wondering if they could read each other’s thoughts, both were silent. He started to drive, n she just looked down playing with her cell. The song started.. “ jaane kya tune kahi.. jaane kya maine suni…. Baaat kuch bann hi gayee…..”
He saw her blushing, n he too was smiling to himself,
“ 50 glorious years…?”
“yes”
“ you too like Kishor kumar??”
“ yeah.. from our college days, in hostel we use to listen to these songs.. late night stuff”
“ hmmmmm..”
“Actually this CD is mix of all my fav songs, not just Kishor Kumar”
“I too like listening all kinds of songs”
“Bryan Adams??”
“Summer of 69, everything I do.. here I am..”
“All time favorites...”
“Enrique Iglesias, Ronan Keating, Avril Lavigne…??”
“ Oh.. all of them.. Although not completely into them.. but listen to most of their songs”
“What about the typical bollywood stuff??”
“Depends on my mood”
“Perfect..!!!”
“Jagjit Singh’s ghazal..?”
“yeah.. for a calm evening”
“Jab mila tu.. from I hate love stories”
“to begin the day with..”
“exactly”
it was unbelievable for both of them.. that they could so relate to each other… his cell buzzed,
he was driving with one hand and answered the call.. “Sister” he said to her,
“yeah.. coming in half an hour”
“No.. it’s not raining that bad”
“have eaten.. so no issues”
she was trying to say something to him..
he pulled over the car… “hold on a minute…!!”
“what happened???”
“now you can continue your conversation..”
“Sorry…??”
“yeah.. you are talking on the phone n driving as well.. which isn’t right.. so……”
“Ohh Come on…”
“…?”
“It’s ok...”
Starting the car, he picked his cell..
“Nothing..”
“oh k.. oh k.. tell mom to have her food”
“and you also have your dinner.. n yeah dad’s medicine, just take care of it”
“ok..”
she was calm.. looking outside the window, he was eager to catch up with their conversation the musical talks.. he was happy.. n glad that they kicked off so well!!!
but he didn’t know as she wasn’t even looking at him..
“Oakwood Society right..??”
“Hmmmm...”
is she giving me silent treatment..?? Just because I didn’t stop the car!!!
“I don’t know the exact location of your house”
“I’ll tell once we reach the entrance”
“ok”
if she doesn’t want to talk, I too I’m not interesting in talking….
Miss attitude!!!
How silly was I to think of what if, for him.. ahh Mr. arrogant!!!!

hmmmmmm.. hmmm..

The boy kept the bill on their table, she took money from her bag as he picked it up to check it.. he saw the bill.. she said, “ We both have our share in it.. right??”
He wasn’t like other guys who might have thought about this incident as an ego ride.. he n she both knew their purpose of sitting in front of each other.. “paying for two cups of coffee….” After a long pause as he said, “you know guys always pay up for their alcohol n that’s completely respectable..” While keeping money on the table, she confessed with a smile that coffee for her was too as addictive as alcohol would be for guys, N he respected that.. Independent, he thought to himself.. unknowingly feeling that she was just the way he wanted her to be, winding up there.. suddenly his cell buzzed.. as he saw the name on the screen.. “Ahh.. Sorry.. It’s from office.. Don’t mind, please”
she had read what his face had said, looking at her wrist watch she said “ yeah.. yeah.. Not a prob!!”
walking towards the door she saw that it had started drizzling just coming out of the glass door she felt a chill in the air he was still talking on the phone.. he passed her n was about to take a step down.. .. she caught hold of his wrist, he stopped talking n looked back…. She whispered, “its raining..!!” and he simply understood by looking at her lips.. he was amazed with himself.. n so was she.. she hadn’t thought that she would ever hold his hand.. like a lightening she felt his hand..
they shared a comfortable silence..
“why did you look at your watch, when the cell rang..??”
“ Office calls after office hrs amuse me..”
“ if there is an urgent work???”
“at times its ok..”
“ n when it is not ok..??”
“ I don’t mean.. one shouldn’t entertain office calls, but there has to b a line drawn between personal life n professional life”
“ So.. you never get a call…??”
“ I have already notified.. unless its very imp, don’t call.. just text me to keep me informed”
“ Intelligent..!!!”
“ Oh I too learned it from my senior.. I wanted to reply to a client n it was in my understanding “urgent”.. so I had called sir.. n he didn’t pick my call.. twice…. He simply messaged me, text me the problem.. shall reply to you…”
“ Wow.. amazing senior you have!!!!”
Looking at her wrist watch she said “Hmmmmm.. n that’s what I simply follow..”
“ I too will float a mail tomorrow to all.. that’s a nice way to deal it”
realizing that the drizzling had slowed down he said.. “I’ll get my car..” she nodded with smile.. he felt that her smile spoke so many things that she hardly needs to use words.. her smile had made him feel a lot comfortable throughout their conversation.
Trying to gather rain drops on her palm she stood there as he walked by to get his car.. she walked towards the main street.. looking at the dark skies.. hearing the rain drops.. with a thought what if..
as he started his car.. seeing her waiting near the street light.. he too thought what if….

Sitting next to him, with her bag.. her folder bag.. her laptop bag.. cell in her hand.. she just didn’t know.. where to keep it all…. Taking each bag from her n placing it behind.. he helped her out.. for the first time.. he actually smiled at her.. it was like.. for so long everything was under your control, n you can’t manage these silly bags…??? N she too started laughing.. n suddenly they both realized that they understood each other beyond words….
Her cell buzzed.. she looked at him, n said.. “Mom..”
answering it, “ hmmmm..”
“will be home in 20 mins..”
“ No.. jus coffee..”
“ hmmmmm.. hmmmmm..”
He thought does she know any other words then humming??
she said.. “Should we meet again..??”
her sudden question.. he looked at her and with a firm voice said “yesss”
She looked out of the window.. it had started raining badly…. There were thunders as well.. and she turned towards him.. “ oh you know my place..??”
a easy yes came from him.. he put on the music system.. the radio started.. before he could adjust volume or any button.. “Put your fav CD naaa”
“ that’s what I was doing.. you too don’t like listening the radio..??”
“ not really.. the Rj’s speak a lot.. you know..”
“seems like you lose the rhythm of the songs” Both said it at the same time.

hmmmmm...

“We both are right in our own perfect little world.. but not together, I guess”
he knew she was talking the truth.. coz as he had put across his thoughts.. n heard her out.. he related himself to her but knew, that may be this is not what he wanted from her.
His silence didn’t bother her.. she was calmly sipping her coffee, she thought to herself.. was he as predictable as she had assumed.. or was there smthg hidden in that silence., as he rose from his seat, “ a sandwich..?? I’ve just come from office, a bit hungry..” keeping her cup down she looked at him, “ not sandwich.. may b one more cappuccino would be ok”
he went to order.. she saw him walking away.. wondering why she didn’t have any thoughts on him???..
As he came n sat back.. he just casual asked, so you too must be having a hectic work schedule..? she nodded.. “yeah at times..but every person who works has a few days as hectic.. n few easy going..” he thought that was so true.. reminded him of his meeting in Delhi.. it was just 3-4 hrs of work.. rest of the day was off.. spending 5 days in Delhi was surely easy going, then the time here.. 7am to 9pm!! 14 hrs.. unable to be with family n friends, he exactly knew what hectic meant..
they both lived life somewhat similar.. they both knew what they wanted.. and how right they were in wanting it.. n yet they both were sitting there.. trying to make a conversation.. as the guy came n placed his sandwich n her coffee on the table.. they just saw at each other with a pleasant smile.. conveying yes, I do understand what you are thinking..
“ how long have you been into advertising..?”
“ I’ll be completing 5yrs soon”
“so what exactly is your job profile.. creative writing??”
“ Ahh.. No I’m into product analysis.. whichever brand we endorse, or make ad’s for I do a research on it.. the direct customer the company is targeting.. and how all the campaign must work.. n all”
“Seems interesting..!!!”
“yeah.. grass is always greener on the other side..” smelling her coffee she said with a smile..
“ So true.. this is what happens at home, with mom n dad talking about how they work at home n office.. it’s a chaos..!!”
she just nodded.. he thought her nodding was cute.
“ and you..? you always wanted to get into software company??”
“ can say so.. did the engineering just like the others.. got selected.. started working, it just happened.. although I’m into gaming softwares so its kinda like exciting.. new project.. new game to launch..”
“Wow..!! that’s nice at least you won’t come home n play video games.. ;)”
He knew.. girls hated when guys didn’t give them the desired attention, although he wasn’t into any relation.. he knew what she meant….
“ that’s so obvious of you girls..”
“oh no.. but I would love playing game that is more interactive.. you like the game for 2 players???”
“ So you too…????” he was amused.. she was a girl in salwaar kameez, pretty nails, jhumaas, mozdis.. n she played video game.. WOWWW!!!!!
putting her elbow on the table n placing her chin on her palm she said.. “Yes I do.. but I haven’t played much.. mostly table tennis.. n off course I like winning it!!!!”
“ not baddd..”
“ but I don’t like that typical., you know.. boxing n punching stuff”
“ yeah.. violent games are not always on the list.. they eventually getting boring”
“good to know, you agree on this”
“hmmmmm”
he wiped his hands with tissue.. sipped a little water.. she just observed him, mannerism.. she thought n chuckled..  her smile had something that he gazed at her.. she was simple.. but with an elegance..
“ I like those tiny winy games on cell as well.. the levels that we have to win over.. n that’s the best way to seem serious in a meeting where you are bored to death…”
“ that’s what I do too!!!!”
he spontaneously replied.. feeling an ease with her..
he knew that there would be a connection between them, but hadn’t thought about what their practical lives demanded..