Eight days ago

I was in Bangalore for a conference with a couple of my team mates. I had the task of introducing my company to a few high level executives who would be present at the venue. The idea was to tell them two lines about what we do and e-mail them in a few days, once I got back to office. The plan was to catch them right after they spoke on stage, before the others did, and get a couple of minutes of their time. I guess I was managing it quite well. The business cards were piling up. I was happy since it was my first event representing the organisation.

The three of us had split tasks the previous evening since there were multiple auditoriums. I had a couple of hours to spare before lunch and decided to explore. There were a few start-ups who were show-casing their products and industry bigwigs who were there to create some brand awareness.

I first saw her when I was walking across the lobby thinking about what the lunch menu would be. I was actually two steps past her stall when my mind registered something and I looked back. She was handing over complimentary coffee mugs to anyone who visited. I went back a few steps and joined the end of the line to grab a coffee mug. Thirty seconds later, the guy in front of me took the last one she was giving away. I still stood in the line, poker-faced. She shrugged, shook her head from end to end and smiled. I fell for those eyes and the dimple.

After what seemed an eternity, she said, “Come visit us after lunch. I might be able to get some more of those.”

“Sure, I’ll be back” I said and slowly walked away smiling to myself.

I spent most of the next hour looking at all the innovative products that were being showcased. Sometime later, the team mates arrived and we had lunch. Only the dessert was worth eating. Food in five star hotels suck, with very rare exceptions. After lunch, we headed in different directions, to three different auditoriums.

The debates on stage made sure that the next couple of hours went by, fast. I was seated on the last row (it’s a habit from school) and moved towards the exit as soon as they broke up for tea time.

My mind was blank as I walked towards her stall again.

‘Hi’, I muttered.

‘Hi’

‘Did you save a coffee mug for me?’

‘What?’

‘You told me you’d give me one after lunch’

‘Oh, they got over. I’m sorry’

‘No problem. I’m Pranav' I said, as I held out my business card.

‘Kriti'

‘You are from the Chennai office. The development occurs there right?’

‘Yes’

‘I’m from Chennai too. Would you like to join me for tea? I don’t seem to find my team mates anywhere.’

‘Sure, why not?'

She cleaned up her desk, fetched her fancy little bag, and we started walking towards the lobby.

We spoke, standing amidst the crowd, for fifteen minutes, about the bad food, the kind of audience present, her work and my work.

We parted ways when when there was an announcement about the Vote of Thanks, which was to begin shortly. My mind barely registered anything. I wanted to talk to her, again.

Six days ago

Monday morning, I woke up to this text on my Whatsapp.

‘Hi, Kriti here :)’

My groggy eyes opened completely and I replied.

‘Hey’

The only thing I remember over the next three days was that we spoke a lot. About everything under the sun. Books and authors, music and artistes, movies and directors, start-ups, food, politics, the stock market, her favourite colour and just about anything we seemed to have an idea about.

Wednesday evening I asked her out. On Whatsapp.

‘Kriti, can we go out for lunch this Sunday afternoon?’

After approximately 30 seconds of ‘typing………’

‘Sure’

‘Eden at 1 pm ? You’ll love the pasta there’

‘Cool’

Sunday Afternoon 12:25 pm

My Uber was on time. In 20 minutes, I was at one of my favourite restaurants, Eden. I knew the staff since I’d been going there for over ten years. I went in and spoke to the manager for a few minutes. At 12:50 pm, I went down again to wait.

Twenty minutes later, there was no sign of her. I called.

‘Hey, where are you?’

‘Inside the restaurant. Corner table as usual’

‘Oh. I’m waiting for you downstairs’

‘Downstairs?’

I ran up the stairs and looked around. She was no where to be found.

‘I don’t see you. I’m also inside’

‘What? Don’t kid me’

‘Dude…’

‘I don’t see your car as well.’ I said as I walked down again.

‘Yeah, I parked it at Sterling road’

‘What?’

‘Yeah’

‘Oh my God, you are at the Eden in Nungambakkam. I am at the one in Besant Nagar.’

We were fifteen kilometres away.

Awkward ten second silence.

‘How the hell could you mess it up like this Pranav?’ I said to myself.

‘Cool. Tell you what. I have my guitar classes at 3 in Mylapore. Let’s meet up at Novelty Tea House in 30 minutes.’ She was fast at making decisions, I observed.

‘Sure’ I said.

I booked my second Uber that afternoon. The surge pricing had gone up exponentially.

Sunday afternoon 2:15 pm

The security guard opened the door as I walked in, wiping the sweat off my face. I glanced around the place for a few seconds, till I spotted her, looking out the window fiddling with the coaster on the table. She seemed a little restless, perhaps she was angry too. She turned around right at the moment I was thinking about the various scenarios that could occur in the next few minutes. She looked at me and smiled. My mind went blank and I fell for those eyes and the dimple, all over again !

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