22-10-2022, 10:18 AM
Yours truly is no exception to this rule. I feigned interest in the pile of tissues in the waste bin behind her
as I dug into my pocket. Finally, I produced the hundred rupee note and extended my hand to pay. At the
same time, she stretched hers too and ended up accidentally touching my fingers. I cringed as my fingers
tingled, feeling like a biscuit that’s been dunked in the tea a bit too long. I went back to the table with
eyes squeezed shut hard.
‘Excuse me, sir,’ I heard a voice in a couple of minutes. It was her voice. She meant me. Me !
‘One schezwan paneer Frankie.’ She gave me a roll with salad and cubes of cottage cheese lathered with
sauce and gravy peeking out of the open end.
She had pronounced ‘Schezwan’ as ‘Shej-waan’. In spite of the culinary wonder in front of me, my heart
sank. I felt like stabbing myself with a spoon. Smooth .
‘Thank you, sir,’ she said. ‘Hope to see you again.’
That night, I slept smiling ear to ear. In spite of having absolutely no dreams involving her, I woke up
fresh as a deodorant!
The next day I borrowed a fifty from mother and pressed the elevator button. The same noise on the
ground floor lobby, the same guys playing the football, and this time, a penalty shootout. I saw Fatso
taking his position in the D and stopped walking. It was the Tall Stick taking aim this time.
‘Ready!’ screamed the goalkeeper from Fatso’s team. The next instant, the ball was kicked. Fatso used
brute force and jerked aside the guys from the opposing team standing on both sides and jumped high, his
head deflecting the ball to a corner.
‘Foul!’ alleged a hysterical bunch. Fatso couldn’t care less and bent double laughing. Tall Stick pushed
him to the ground but Fatso was clearly having a time of his life. I grinned at him. I was impressed.
Again.
The same traffic, the same pedestrians, the same road, the same mall, the same first floor and the same
Frankie Girl. Bless her. I walked up to her and went straight to the counter. Today, I had taken special
measures to make myself presentable. I was wearing my best pair of shoes and my wrist sported father’s
metal-strap Sonata watch. I had taken the pain of applying a small amount of face powder, just the perfect
amount that separated complexion from make-up. My gait was confident and tone smooth. I went up
directly at the counter and ordered without referring to the menu. She gave me her known-you-since-ages
smile and asked me to take a seat. Since there were hardly any customers, the mood was relaxed. I took
the seat facing her, careful not to slouch.
She was an epitome of effortless grace. The way she fluently dealt with cash, her eased-out demeanour as
she mimicked one of her colleagues, the elegance with which her features aided every word of hers and
the voice that wafted, like an elixir to the ears. The more I observed, the more I was drawn towards her.
Ask what her name is , I scolded myself. It won’t compromise the national security . But I knew I
wouldn’t. I dreaded the moment I would finish my roll and walk back.
Finally, she summoned me and I went up to the counter. Taking the Frankie, I turned back. I wanted to
disappear from the spot that made me feel like a coward. I hurriedly walked to the escalator. Even when I
heard a minor commotion in the background, I didn’t bother to check it. Like I even cared. As I was just
stepping on it, I felt a pat on my shoulder.
It was her.
My heart violently jolted into a see-saw. She smiled at me. The same sunny smile. I smiled back stupidly,
not knowing what else to do.
as I dug into my pocket. Finally, I produced the hundred rupee note and extended my hand to pay. At the
same time, she stretched hers too and ended up accidentally touching my fingers. I cringed as my fingers
tingled, feeling like a biscuit that’s been dunked in the tea a bit too long. I went back to the table with
eyes squeezed shut hard.
‘Excuse me, sir,’ I heard a voice in a couple of minutes. It was her voice. She meant me. Me !
‘One schezwan paneer Frankie.’ She gave me a roll with salad and cubes of cottage cheese lathered with
sauce and gravy peeking out of the open end.
She had pronounced ‘Schezwan’ as ‘Shej-waan’. In spite of the culinary wonder in front of me, my heart
sank. I felt like stabbing myself with a spoon. Smooth .
‘Thank you, sir,’ she said. ‘Hope to see you again.’
That night, I slept smiling ear to ear. In spite of having absolutely no dreams involving her, I woke up
fresh as a deodorant!
The next day I borrowed a fifty from mother and pressed the elevator button. The same noise on the
ground floor lobby, the same guys playing the football, and this time, a penalty shootout. I saw Fatso
taking his position in the D and stopped walking. It was the Tall Stick taking aim this time.
‘Ready!’ screamed the goalkeeper from Fatso’s team. The next instant, the ball was kicked. Fatso used
brute force and jerked aside the guys from the opposing team standing on both sides and jumped high, his
head deflecting the ball to a corner.
‘Foul!’ alleged a hysterical bunch. Fatso couldn’t care less and bent double laughing. Tall Stick pushed
him to the ground but Fatso was clearly having a time of his life. I grinned at him. I was impressed.
Again.
The same traffic, the same pedestrians, the same road, the same mall, the same first floor and the same
Frankie Girl. Bless her. I walked up to her and went straight to the counter. Today, I had taken special
measures to make myself presentable. I was wearing my best pair of shoes and my wrist sported father’s
metal-strap Sonata watch. I had taken the pain of applying a small amount of face powder, just the perfect
amount that separated complexion from make-up. My gait was confident and tone smooth. I went up
directly at the counter and ordered without referring to the menu. She gave me her known-you-since-ages
smile and asked me to take a seat. Since there were hardly any customers, the mood was relaxed. I took
the seat facing her, careful not to slouch.
She was an epitome of effortless grace. The way she fluently dealt with cash, her eased-out demeanour as
she mimicked one of her colleagues, the elegance with which her features aided every word of hers and
the voice that wafted, like an elixir to the ears. The more I observed, the more I was drawn towards her.
Ask what her name is , I scolded myself. It won’t compromise the national security . But I knew I
wouldn’t. I dreaded the moment I would finish my roll and walk back.
Finally, she summoned me and I went up to the counter. Taking the Frankie, I turned back. I wanted to
disappear from the spot that made me feel like a coward. I hurriedly walked to the escalator. Even when I
heard a minor commotion in the background, I didn’t bother to check it. Like I even cared. As I was just
stepping on it, I felt a pat on my shoulder.
It was her.
My heart violently jolted into a see-saw. She smiled at me. The same sunny smile. I smiled back stupidly,
not knowing what else to do.
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