It was a windy night. The moon was fast asleep cuddled in the blanket of clouds. As I rummaged in my handbag for my wallet, the sharp edge of my file etched a deep cut on my finger.
“Ouch” I yelped.
It was my first month of training at my organization and I was very particular about the stuff that I carried. So in other words, my handbag not just contained my basic amenities, like compact, eyeliner, eye shadow, eye gloss, lip gloss, lipstick, face cream, face wash, and my cards; but also contained a study manual, a file and pen. So I always prejudiced and put the blame on the manual for burdening my shoulder.
It was already late and here I was at the ATM waiting to reload my nearly-empty wallet with ‘the human’s most precious invention’. Ever since I understood the concept of cards, I irrevocably followed a routine of keeping an empty wallet.
“Damn it!!” I said when I saw this young guy entering the ATM. I loathed waiting outside ATMs, and how unfair, I was only 2 steps behind him. ‘Why don’t these rich brats carry money with them’ I thought as I saw his car parked on the road beside the foot lane. ‘Must admit, beautiful car’ I thought as I saw the ‘W’ sign embedded on the front of the car. I have always been bad at identifying cars and its logos, so I didn’t give a second thought about the features, price and brand of the car. My only concern was the withdrawal.
As I reached the door I realized that the ATM center had 2 machines in it. ‘Awesome’. I inserted my card once at the entrance, and entered in. The door shut behind me. I walked up to the ATM and swiped my card.’
“What the…..” I said out loud as I realized that I was standing in pitch darkness. I looked around to confirm the presence of the guy. Yes, he was there, could see his vague figure. A power cut!!!! Now!!!
‘Lord!!’ I thought and walked towards the exit. To my surprise the door was locked and my strength was not playing its magic.
“I tried it. It’s not working. Apparently we are stuck inside” said the guy.
“uum ohk” I said. It was pouring cats and dogs outside. I could see it every time the lightning struck.
I took out my cell from my pocket and dialed my roommate’s number.
“Bad reception, I tried that too” he said.
I could see him watching me. Though it was dark, the lightening surely did a good job of lighting the room. I leaned against the wall.
“Do you mind if I smoke?” he asked.
“er…. Yeah surely I do. Please don’t smoke, am allergic to it. Moreover, it’s not allowed” I said.
He gave a hearty laugh which lasted for 2 minutes. I was sure that I didn’t crack a joke. Either the guy had a poor sense of humour or was mentally ill.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“Nothing …. Please don’t feel offended” he said in his not so Indian accent. “It’s just that you r so bloody freaked out”.
“What makes you think so dude? It’s not I who wanted to smoke” I said.
“It’s not I????.... Wow!! You Indians still follow the ancient English” he said.
“You mean the real English” I said. “And ‘YOU’ Indians???.... Hey you are racially Indian too!!” I exclaimed.
“Only racially. Not culturally” he replied. Ya Ya… the same Russell Peter’s dialogue I thought
If I had the financial strength, I would have bet for a million dollars that the bloody Alien smirked while saying those words. The guy surely must not have realized the impact of his heavy words, but I was burning with rage at his words.
It’s a well known stereotype that Indian Aliens come down to
“I love being an Indian; there is so much to learn. Family bonding, love and integrity” said the person whom I had developed hatred towards just a while back. My jaw dropped.
“Then why are you criticizing me?” I asked
“Oh no no no… that was not my intention. I was just being friendly” he replied.
“Wow!! Dude, next time, try being friendly to a stranger by not making a racial comment” I exclaimed.
I sat down on the floor, exhausted and a little scared. Vivid picture of my roommate came to my mind. She must be freaking out. She had warned me not to go out at this time of the night. But my born stubborn character refrained me from doing so. And here I was, sitting in this ATM center with a stranger.
“So are you a student” he asked.
“No, I work.” I replied.
He was still standing. Well actually, leaning against the wall. He walked swiftly towards me and sat beside me. For an instance my heart beat increased. I could feel my pulse throbbing in my neck. But somehow I managed to stay calm.
“So you work, that good. Where? I am still a student, in my final semester of MBA”.
“Hah” I smirked. All this while, I was too busy thinking about other stuff, that I didn’t acknowledge the fact that this guy standing before me was a ‘kid’. I was probably a year older to him as I had completed my post graduation six months ago. ‘A kid, immature and is talking like a grown up brat.’ I thought.
“What??” he asked.
“Nothing…… So which college are you graduating from?” I asked. Somehow I knew that the answer would be a big-shot college. But I waited for him to brag.
“
I raised my eyebrow in disbelief, but didn’t want to make him aware that his reply made a big impact on my judgment about him. “Wow!! That’s nice.” I said. “So you are here to attend the seminar on ‘Impact of ultra structure development on microeconomics, huh?” I asked.
I had read it on the morning’s paper that LBS was organizing this seminar in IIMB. Had also checked if I could sign-up for the same, but my financial crisis ceased me from doing so.
“Wow, you are good. I must admit. How on earth did you know about that.” He asked.
”I just completed my MBA in the month of June, and I keep myself updated with such news” I replied.
“So are you gonna attend it…. the seminar??”
“The registration dates are up, and also its way too costly” I replied sincerely.
“I can get you in!! I know the organizers.”
Though I loathed the subject micro economics, the idea of attending this seminar appealed to me. But I hardly knew this lad.
“Why do you wanna help me” I questioned him.
“Is that important? I mean, can’t you just thank me and accept the offer?” he said in a child like manner.
“Sure thank you” I replied.
“I wanna get outa here” I cried out.
“Well I don’t. As a matter of fact this encounter seems like the best part of my trip to
I looked at him in disbelief. Sadly he couldn’t see my face.
“You are such a kid man!!!” I exclaimed.
“Kid! Don’t call me that” he said.”I turned 23 this June”
I made a mental note that the guy sitting next to me was a fully fledged adult and was a year older to me.
‘He had to burst the bubble!’ I thought.
“I am cold, hungry and wanna go home” I said. Like a reflex action he took off his leather jacket and put it around me.
“Chivalry …. Not bad” I said.
He smiled. I could see his face clearly as the lightening struck. He was very handsome, a little child like though. His while complexion reminded me of a horror show.
I was not sure if I was sane, but I had fallen head over heels in love with this stranger. Just then a thought struck to me, ‘he s the kinda guy who goes out with gals with killer looks, why the **** will he remotely be interested in a gal like me’
As I was being drifted away by my thoughts, he intervened.
I looked at the time on my mobile. It was 1.45 AM.
“I am doomed. I won’t even get a rick now” I said in a panicked tone.
“What was that?” he asked in a confused tone.
“Cab!!! I was referring to cab” I said.
“I can drop you home” he said.
“I don’t accept lifts from strangers” I replied in a naive manner.
“Ya, a stranger whom you spent the last 2 hours with” … “honey! In that case you better pray for us to be locked in here till the morning, that way you’ll get to go home safe, and I’ll get to spend more time with you”
“And why exactly do you wish to spend time with me?” I asked him.
“Because, before I leave this room, I am gonna make sure that I ask you out and u accept that offer”
My jaw dropped. I shook my head in disbelief. “Stop joking dude” I said.
“Stop being skeptic about my intentions” he replied. “What is wrong if I put forward my aspiration?”
“Aspirations???? Whoa!! Kiddo, you are walking way past the line” I said and laughed out.
“Line??? I don’t see one” “Oh you mean the hypothetical line”.
“Dude, stop it. You are making me uncomfortable.”
“I thought you were already uncomfortable in here”. “Relax I was just pulling your legs”
I punched his bicep.
“Ouch, that hurts” he said.
“That’s what I meant when I called you a kid”
“Ohhh so what you mean to say is that adults don’t feel pain? Hmmm that’s a new theory that you have come up with. I should probably ask my government to carry out research on this theory”
“Adults have increased strength because of their leveraged hormonal action. Especially men, Androgen plays an important role in the same. And research has already proved it. So you don’t need to walk an extra mile to do that.” I replied in a smug manner.
“I don’t speak Greek and Latin” he replied.
“Then I suggest u to keep your basics strong. They might expect that from you at LBS”
“Yeah I know that I sound too dumb. Could never figure out, what played role in my admission. The lump sum amount that dad paid, or my sheer luck”
“Doesn’t matter as long as you keep your grades up” I replied.
“I am trying my best to”
“Well in that case, that’s what matters. At least you have not taken it for granted”.
“Thanks” he said after a long pause.
“For what” I asked.
“For not calling me a spoilt brat. That means a lot to me” he replied.
For a minute I considered telling him that ‘brat’ was the first word that came to my mind when I judged him the first time. But why hurt someone. So I thought otherwise.
The silence played its role well; I was feeling really uncomfortable. Once again I explored inside my hand bag, this time a little more carefully, for my ear phones. It took me less than half a minute to put it on my ears and set a song on my cell phone.
‘Avenged sevenfold- Afterlife’ read the display on my phone.
My passion for music was getting me high.
‘I don’t belong here… we gotta move on dear…. Escape from this afterlife….’
As I realized that I was humming the tune, I forced myself to remain silent.
“Do you like The Ministry of sounds?” he asked.
“huh? No… I mean Yes I like em’ but not a follower”
“So Who’s yer’ Fav?”
“You dun wanna know” I replied.
“No! Tell me…..”
“I like soft music…. Bryan adams, punk style…. Kurt Cobain….”
“Whoa!!!! You are a Nirvana fan…… Didn’t know whom I was dealing here with”
“Do you mind elaborating your implication sweetheart!!!?” I exclaimed.
“Nothing” he said.
“Whom do you worship?” I asked.
He replied the names of a few rock bands. I had never heard of any of those except pink Floyd of course.
“I like PF too, the lead in few of their songs are really good”
“I agree” he said. “Some old songs never lose its identity”
The Lights turned on. I was extremely happy. “YES!!!!!” I screamed in relief.
In no time it went off again.
“No! No! No! No! No!” I exclaimed as I struggled to pull the door open.
“Why god! Why!” I cried.
“Gal! Live with the fact that you are stuck here with me” he said.”C’mon am not boring you with my talks, am I”
“It’s not that” I said “My roommate gets scared if left alone in the room, I don’t want her to freak out”
“You are the one who should be freaking out, not your roommate” he answered.
“Why should I freak out” I asked.
“Honey, you are the one stuck up in an ATM center with a total stranger in the middle of a night like this!!” he said pointing a finger at the glass wall.
“You are not a stranger exactly” I said.
“Oh, is that so…. What’s my name?” he asked.
“Hmmmm that’s something I should have asked. What is it?”
“Neeraj…. ”…. “n urs?”
“Palak” I replied.
“I thought that was a vegetable” he smirked.
“That’s paalak” I refuted.
The lights turned on, this time I was quick enough to insert my card and unlock the automatic door. A pulse of relief ran through my body.
“So palak…. Mind giving me your number?” he asked.
“Sure” I said as we walked out of the room. “Give me yours first”
As he told me his no, I saved it on my phone and returned him a call.
“That’s me” I said.
“So how are you planning to go home” he asked.
It then occurred to me that I didn’t have any means of commuting.
“Hmmmm…” I said.
“Would it kill you once to take a favour?” he said. “Come, I’ll drop you home”
He walked me to his car and opened the door for me. The trip back to my home was not so eventful. We only exchanged glance and listened to Radio Indigo. It was easy to direct him as the roads were deserted.
We big farewell with a hug and I walked inside.
I had a tough time dealing with my roommate who as I expected had freaked out in my absence. Though she remained quite as I narrated her my experience.
“So you spent a night with a cute stranger in an ATM center?” she said after I was done with the narration.
“Handsome… to be precise” I replied.
“And you hav his jacket” She said.
So it was the jacket that was keeping me warm.
I was already tired and went off to bed. I opened my eyes to the sound of a msg beep.
“It was a nice experience being with you, stranger from the ATM center” read the msg.
I smiled and fell asleep.
