It all started as the air-conditioned bus I was traveling in slowed down and docked in an open yard in the centre of the city. It was early winter- 6th of November, 2003- and the wind had a dry chill in it. As I stepped out of the chill inside the bus, I was pleasantl greeted by the most beautiful atmosphere I could have found in the bustling city of Pune.
….My watched chimed 6 AM….
I collected my lugguage (only one single haversack), hoisted it on my back and ambled out across the yard to the side of the road on the gate- the Ferguson College Road. I was to be picked up by a friend who stays in Pune. As I thought of my friend, I could not suppress a smile. But it was a very funny kind of a smile, considering that I knew her only since a few months. Her father had recently started working with my father on a particular project.
….My watched chimed 6:30 AM…
My bus was supposed to reach the city at seven and I was sure that Ria and her father would be arriving to receive me according to that ETA. So I waited patiently, feeling slightly irritated because I desperately needed privacy in a wash-room.
The drive was not too long by Pune standards, though for me, a fellow from Nagpur, it was a good drive. We crossed the entire Apte road, across the famed Hotel Shreyas where people wait in queues to enjoy traditional Maharashtrian food, then across the Mhatre bridge, onto the narrow Tilak road where numerous shops were lined up, shutters closed giving me a impression of comfortable slumber. Finally we arrived at the Sadashivpeth.
…My watch chimed 7:15…
The area was full of bungalows and apartment complexes of all sorts. It was an ideal place for families to stay… narrow lanes, no traffic, no shops, neihbourhood-like air. The car entered the driveway with a rumble of gravel being run over and small puffs of dusts rose. Ria’s mother had been waiting at the gate to receive us. Hoisting my haversack on my back again, I followed my hosts across a very well done garden and lawn into their living room. I removed my watch, dumped my sack in the room meant for me, and asked them to excuse me. I was finally very near a toilet.
…My watch chimed 7:30AM….
I had traveled by that bus at least half a dozen times before but I still had not got used to it. I had not been able to sleep a wink. A good lunch later, Rahul (Ria’s brother) and Ria offered me a tour around the city. Since I had nothing on my schedule, it being a Sunday, I could not decline.
…My watch chimed 1:00 PM…
We had just had a dinner without a sweet-dish. It was purposefully done. It turned out Rahul and Ria had planned to treat me out to what they called a ’’Mastani’’. The best Mastani peddler they said was to be found on the Karve road. Food joints there were supposed to stay open till as long as midnight. So, we hopped into an auto-rickshaw and weaving in and out of the surprisingly dense traffic, reached the famed road. We let the rickshaw go paying him some undisclosed amount and we were out.
Curious to know what a Mastani is, knowing that it was the name of the girlfriend of a Peshwa, I followed the brother-sister duo as we traipsed down the street to their favourite joint- a roadside shanty. Rahul asked for three chocolate Mastanis accurately guessing my liking for the flavour. It turned out to be nothing more than chocolate milkshake with an ice-cream on top, topped with hot chocolate sauce.
...My watch chimed 1:30PM…
After that anti-climax, I took time off to observe something more than just Ria’s wonderful curls and beautiful eyes. I knew her brother had noticed me. Karve road was a six-lane busy road full of shops of all kinds. It was a Sunday so a few had their shutters pulled down but most of the others were open and there was good business going on there. Very near Karve road is the famous residential area of Kothrud. Rahul learns in a college there- the MIT of Pune.
…My watch chimed 1:45PM…
And with that chime, my eyes brought me back to my gorgeous host. The reason for the monring’s funny smile seemed to be coming up now. I looked away hurriedly as I felt her brother’s gaze once more.
Making it a point to have Ria sit in between Rahul and me as we traveled by another rustic cab, Rahul decided to take us out to see the Saras Baug. Saras Baug is a large garden in the middle of Pune. It is a huge spread of green grass with a Ganesh Mandir in the centre. When I saw this stretch of green in the concrete jungle of Pune, I learned how it must feel to see an oasis in the Gobi.
…My watched chimed 2:00PM…
A garden was just not the place for Rahul to be, I thought. Ria seemed to have noticed I was a little uneasy about something.
’’Are you OK, Laxman?’’ she asked in her sweet, jolly voice.
’’Yeah, I’m fine, ’’ I replied immediately.
We spent the next hour strolling in the garden and getting to know each other better. We talked a lot about each other’s lives. The garrulous Rahul told us stories about himself though I was more interested in hearing Ria. That gave me an excuse to look at her intently and that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to speak to her a lot though I did not know what.
…My watch chimed 3:00PM…
Tired (actually out of cash) Rahul said we should all return home. Their parents were gone to some kitty party and the three of us were once again left to ourselves in the house. To be with a BE third year seemed now to be the most irritating thing that can happen to a 11th grader who wished for some private moment with another 11th grader… of the opposite sex.
…My watched chimed 3:30…
Finally, in the evening, I seemed to have struck gold. Ria said she needed to go to the market for some shopping and Rahul had a tuition with his teacher at college. Their parents had still not returned and Rahul didn’t want Ria to go alone.
’’Only if it’s fine with you, mate, ’’ said Rahul winking as I offered to keep her company.
’’Oh, of course it’s fine, ’’ trying to look as though I didn’t know what that wink meant.
…My watch chimed 6:00…
So there we were. Ria and I on her Kintetic DX. Though it was me riding, she was the one steering telling me a series of rights and lefts that I don’t remember. We finally found ourselves in the midst of a maddening array of shops lined on both sides of what was called the Laxmi Road. I could see now why Rahul had winked.
There were many shops here devoted to youthfull pleasure. There were also many food-joints here full of young guys and girls (in that combination) having a gala time laughing at what were certainly half-jokes (by the looks of their faces).
…6:30…
Ria was buying stuff for the dinner. Since I was paying attention to her more than anything I forget what se bought. Every once in a while she looked up and found me gazing at her and blushed. I wasn’t being very successful at keeping my crush on her a secret.
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