08-02-2023, 09:39 AM
The lunch proceeded smoothly with a lot of conversations between the three of them. Reena talked frequently about Dutt's businesses and his contacts and his influence, which was always followed by Dutt acting very modest and self-effacing. He instead was more intent on talking to Mansi. And he was so charming and easy-going about it that the young housewife found herself not feeling as out of place as she was earlier. Dutt talked to her a lot about art, the different styles of painting, and so on. Mansi listened like a young student.
Dutt also peppered his art lecture with a few questions about Mansi's own life, her upbringing, her likes and dislikes. The more she talked, the more Dutt was able to get a complete picture of her personality and her psyche. She was a very simple, traditional, and conventional middle class housewife, but she was also hiding a deep sense of dissatisfaction with her life. Was that dissatisfaction merely financial and situational? Or was there something physical in it too? He would have to figure out how to gauge that without scaring her off. He began making a mental list of other small tricks and tactics he could use going forward.
When they finally got done with lunch, Reena pointed her to the bathroom to wash up. After stepping in and closing the door, Mansi again looked around her wide-eyed. The bathroom looked fancier than her living room. Not a spot of dirt or mold anywhere. A huge wall-length mirror. And the counter full of small artisanal soaps and different kinds of lotions and shampoos. Once again, Mansi felt like a child, just touching and examining all those things as if they were wondrous toys. Even the faucets were so ornate.
When she came out, Reena and Mansi were back on the couch having beer. She joined them.
"So did you enjoy lunch, Mansi?" Reena asked.
"Yes, it was delicious." Mansi smiled. "And I got to learn something new. Using chopsticks."
"Happy to be of help." Dutt said.
They all talked casually for a few more minutes. And then Dutt suddenly said,
"Oh, I just remembered." And he took out a small envelope from his inner pocket. "At a meeting with the Food Mart chain folks today, I got these complimentary gift cards. They don't have a branch in Delhi. Why don't you two take them?"
"No no, that's okay." Mansi politely declined.
"How much are they for?" Reena reached over and opened the envelope.
"I don't know. It doesn't say. It's just like a debit card with their logo. To be used only in their store. Maybe a couple of hundred rupees."
"Why not? Thank you." Reena took one and held out the other for Mansi.
"No, aunty, it's okay. You keep both."
"Don't be silly, Mansi." Reena pushed one into her hand. "Duttsahab got them for free anyway. Why let them go to waste? I know they have a big store in Borivali too."
Mansi nodded and put them in her purse. A couple of hundred rupees might help stretch her budget a little.
"Thank you, Duttsahab." she said politely.
"Don't mention it. Anyway ladies, I need to leave for a visit to one of my factories in Dahisar." Dutt got up.
"Oh okay." Reena said. "I have an appointment soon too."
Mansi nodded, hoping that with Dutt gone, she might get a few minutes alone with aunty to talk about job opportunities. But then Reena said,
"Duttsahab...you said Dahisar. Why don't you drop Mansi off at Borivali on the way?"
"Sure, happy to." Dutt nodded.
"Oh no, I don't want to delay you. I'll just take the train." Mansi was overwhelmed by all these favors he was doing her.
"What delay? It's my factory. I can reach there any time I want. And Borivali is just on the way."
Mansi demurred some more but there really was no way to refuse the offer. She couldn't explicitly say that she had hoped to talk to Reena aunty alone. And honestly, she was a little relieved. It was a heavy lunch and she was feeling a little lazy. It would be nice to get a ride all the way instead of struggling through the local.
So she said her goodbyes to Reena aunty who hugged her and kissed her on both cheeks before letting her go. She accompanied Dutt down the lift in silence and to the hotel lobby.
"Driver, bring the car to the front." he called and said.
Dutt also peppered his art lecture with a few questions about Mansi's own life, her upbringing, her likes and dislikes. The more she talked, the more Dutt was able to get a complete picture of her personality and her psyche. She was a very simple, traditional, and conventional middle class housewife, but she was also hiding a deep sense of dissatisfaction with her life. Was that dissatisfaction merely financial and situational? Or was there something physical in it too? He would have to figure out how to gauge that without scaring her off. He began making a mental list of other small tricks and tactics he could use going forward.
When they finally got done with lunch, Reena pointed her to the bathroom to wash up. After stepping in and closing the door, Mansi again looked around her wide-eyed. The bathroom looked fancier than her living room. Not a spot of dirt or mold anywhere. A huge wall-length mirror. And the counter full of small artisanal soaps and different kinds of lotions and shampoos. Once again, Mansi felt like a child, just touching and examining all those things as if they were wondrous toys. Even the faucets were so ornate.
When she came out, Reena and Mansi were back on the couch having beer. She joined them.
"So did you enjoy lunch, Mansi?" Reena asked.
"Yes, it was delicious." Mansi smiled. "And I got to learn something new. Using chopsticks."
"Happy to be of help." Dutt said.
They all talked casually for a few more minutes. And then Dutt suddenly said,
"Oh, I just remembered." And he took out a small envelope from his inner pocket. "At a meeting with the Food Mart chain folks today, I got these complimentary gift cards. They don't have a branch in Delhi. Why don't you two take them?"
"No no, that's okay." Mansi politely declined.
"How much are they for?" Reena reached over and opened the envelope.
"I don't know. It doesn't say. It's just like a debit card with their logo. To be used only in their store. Maybe a couple of hundred rupees."
"Why not? Thank you." Reena took one and held out the other for Mansi.
"No, aunty, it's okay. You keep both."
"Don't be silly, Mansi." Reena pushed one into her hand. "Duttsahab got them for free anyway. Why let them go to waste? I know they have a big store in Borivali too."
Mansi nodded and put them in her purse. A couple of hundred rupees might help stretch her budget a little.
"Thank you, Duttsahab." she said politely.
"Don't mention it. Anyway ladies, I need to leave for a visit to one of my factories in Dahisar." Dutt got up.
"Oh okay." Reena said. "I have an appointment soon too."
Mansi nodded, hoping that with Dutt gone, she might get a few minutes alone with aunty to talk about job opportunities. But then Reena said,
"Duttsahab...you said Dahisar. Why don't you drop Mansi off at Borivali on the way?"
"Sure, happy to." Dutt nodded.
"Oh no, I don't want to delay you. I'll just take the train." Mansi was overwhelmed by all these favors he was doing her.
"What delay? It's my factory. I can reach there any time I want. And Borivali is just on the way."
Mansi demurred some more but there really was no way to refuse the offer. She couldn't explicitly say that she had hoped to talk to Reena aunty alone. And honestly, she was a little relieved. It was a heavy lunch and she was feeling a little lazy. It would be nice to get a ride all the way instead of struggling through the local.
So she said her goodbyes to Reena aunty who hugged her and kissed her on both cheeks before letting her go. She accompanied Dutt down the lift in silence and to the hotel lobby.
"Driver, bring the car to the front." he called and said.
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