09-02-2023, 02:29 PM
Reena and Mansi watched him walk away and then looked at the painting.
"So what do you think this is?" Mansi said, trying to remember everything Dutt had said about shape and form and strokes and subtext.
Reena stared carefully at the painting.
"A big question mark on a fried egg?" Reena said. Both of them started giggling. "Sorry Mansi, but I am not really artistically inclined like you or Dutsahab. To me, most of these paintings look lie something a kindergarten child would make."
"I...like them." Mansi said. And Reena realized that she was getting more and more under Dutt's spell, although she probably didn't realize it herself. So this was the right time.
"Mansi...remember we spoke about a job for you?"
"Oh yes. In fact...I was going to bring it up myself." Mansi said. And then, more than a little buzzed by the champagne, started talking with a slight slur. "Amar has a great job as a professor and his salary is not bad. But it falls short, you know. Some extra money always helps. For helicopters and ice cream. So why not a job? He thinks I won't...or I can't...but he is also right. I never got any great education. Very basic. Like B.A. basic. And it was like...you know...it didn't matter if I could draw a perfect circle with just a brush...but more about whether I can roll a perfect roti. You know what I mean?"
Reena had trouble following that rambling sentence in entirety, especially the part about helicopters and ice cream but she got the general gist. She nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah...so...with Pinky...I don't care about her rotis. I mean...I do care about the rotis she eats. I mean...I don't care about the rotis she makes. In fact she shouldn't even make rotis. She should go to best colleges. And become like...Barkha Dutt or even Edmund Hillary. Why can't she be like Edmund Hillary?"
"You mean climb Everest??" Reena asked, a little confused.
"Noooo...become the first woman president of America." Mansi said.
"Oh of course." Reena realized what she meant but didn't say anything. gently, she took the half empty glass of champagne from Mansi's hand. She did not want the first time drinker to get so drunk that she would just fall asleep.
"So yes...I want to get a job. To save money for Pinky's college. We started a bank account for her college fees but I haven't been able to add anything much to it. If I start working and start adding money to it, she can go anywhere. Go to IIT...IIM...maybe even Stambford."
"Stanford."
"Yes, Stanford." Mansi said. And then stared at the painting. "I think I also see the fried eggs."
"Come with me, Mansi. Let's sit for a while."
Reena led the young housewife to a leather bench by the side. She had hoped the champagne would relax Mansi, but it had maybe been a little too much. She signaled a waitress over and picked up a glass of orange juice and handed it to Mansi who started drinking it.
Mansi was too inexperienced with drinking to realize that she was slightly drunk. She did realize that something was off. But she trusted Reena so implicitly that she still thought champagne is too mild to really be alcohol. They sat quietly for a couple of minutes as Mansi sipped the juice. Then a waiter came by with some finger food and Reena gave some to Mansi and had some herself.
"Mansi, I do have a job for you." she said.
"You do?" the orange juice and the food mad Mansi feel a little more normal.
"I do. In fact today is something like a job interview plus audition."
"Huh?"
"Do you like Duttsahab?"
"He is very nice." Mansi said and then found the question weird. "Wait, what do you mean?"
"Nothing like that, don't be silly." Reena giggled and slapped the young housewife on her shoulder. "I mean do you think he is a nice respectable person?"
"Of course." Mansi said.
"Well, the job is with him."
"With him?" Mansi was confused.
"Yes. He comes to Bombay often. Mostly it is social events and visits like these. Sometimes a business lunch. He is a widower. Alone with kids all grown up. And you have seen what a social butterfly he is. He likes company. So you will be like his...local guide plus personal assistant of sorts."
"What?" she was still confused.
"It is perfect, Mansi. Think about it. You have family commitments and household chores, so it's not like you can do a 9 to 5 job. Duttsahab's social responsibilities will mainly be in the daytime when your husband and daughter are away. And no more than a few days a month."
"I am still not sure what the job exactly is." Mansi said.
"Whatever we did today. Just like that. Accompany him at such events and keep him company. A big reason he likes company is also to avoid random bankers and industrial sales reps and account managers and other business folks from bothering him for orders or jobs or other favors. If he is in the company of a graceful young woman, no one bothers him. So you just spend a few hours in the afternoon with him, maybe 3-4 times a month. And you will be paid well."
"How well?" Mansi said, remembering that it was all about the money.
"I didn't ask the exact amount." Reena shrugged. "But you have seen how he is. Nice and generous. Trust me, it will be good. You trust me, don't you?"
"Of course I trust you." Mansi said.
"I know this seems very unusual. But believe me, it is a very common job. Not just in Bombay but also Bangalore, Delhi, even in foreign countries. Just giving innocent company to business people. I myself have facilitated many such arrangements." Reena gently rubbed Mansi
Mansi was silent and thinking about it. She liked Dutt's company a lot. And she had recently enjoyed her brief glimpses of the high society. If she got a chance to do this a few times a month and also got paid for it, what was the harm? Even if she got a couple of thousand rupees for it, it would be worth it.
"What do you think?" Reena asked softly.
"Just 3-4 times a month?"
"Yes, just that."
"Will you be with us too?" Mansi asked.
"No, sweetie, I have my own job. You understand."
"Can I do like...a trial thing?"
"Of course. Next time he needs company, I will arrange it with you. And you can go out for a few hours. And then make the decision."
"Okay." Mansi shrugged.
"Great!" Reena was delighted. Stage 1 was complete.
------
"So what do you think this is?" Mansi said, trying to remember everything Dutt had said about shape and form and strokes and subtext.
Reena stared carefully at the painting.
"A big question mark on a fried egg?" Reena said. Both of them started giggling. "Sorry Mansi, but I am not really artistically inclined like you or Dutsahab. To me, most of these paintings look lie something a kindergarten child would make."
"I...like them." Mansi said. And Reena realized that she was getting more and more under Dutt's spell, although she probably didn't realize it herself. So this was the right time.
"Mansi...remember we spoke about a job for you?"
"Oh yes. In fact...I was going to bring it up myself." Mansi said. And then, more than a little buzzed by the champagne, started talking with a slight slur. "Amar has a great job as a professor and his salary is not bad. But it falls short, you know. Some extra money always helps. For helicopters and ice cream. So why not a job? He thinks I won't...or I can't...but he is also right. I never got any great education. Very basic. Like B.A. basic. And it was like...you know...it didn't matter if I could draw a perfect circle with just a brush...but more about whether I can roll a perfect roti. You know what I mean?"
Reena had trouble following that rambling sentence in entirety, especially the part about helicopters and ice cream but she got the general gist. She nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah...so...with Pinky...I don't care about her rotis. I mean...I do care about the rotis she eats. I mean...I don't care about the rotis she makes. In fact she shouldn't even make rotis. She should go to best colleges. And become like...Barkha Dutt or even Edmund Hillary. Why can't she be like Edmund Hillary?"
"You mean climb Everest??" Reena asked, a little confused.
"Noooo...become the first woman president of America." Mansi said.
"Oh of course." Reena realized what she meant but didn't say anything. gently, she took the half empty glass of champagne from Mansi's hand. She did not want the first time drinker to get so drunk that she would just fall asleep.
"So yes...I want to get a job. To save money for Pinky's college. We started a bank account for her college fees but I haven't been able to add anything much to it. If I start working and start adding money to it, she can go anywhere. Go to IIT...IIM...maybe even Stambford."
"Stanford."
"Yes, Stanford." Mansi said. And then stared at the painting. "I think I also see the fried eggs."
"Come with me, Mansi. Let's sit for a while."
Reena led the young housewife to a leather bench by the side. She had hoped the champagne would relax Mansi, but it had maybe been a little too much. She signaled a waitress over and picked up a glass of orange juice and handed it to Mansi who started drinking it.
Mansi was too inexperienced with drinking to realize that she was slightly drunk. She did realize that something was off. But she trusted Reena so implicitly that she still thought champagne is too mild to really be alcohol. They sat quietly for a couple of minutes as Mansi sipped the juice. Then a waiter came by with some finger food and Reena gave some to Mansi and had some herself.
"Mansi, I do have a job for you." she said.
"You do?" the orange juice and the food mad Mansi feel a little more normal.
"I do. In fact today is something like a job interview plus audition."
"Huh?"
"Do you like Duttsahab?"
"He is very nice." Mansi said and then found the question weird. "Wait, what do you mean?"
"Nothing like that, don't be silly." Reena giggled and slapped the young housewife on her shoulder. "I mean do you think he is a nice respectable person?"
"Of course." Mansi said.
"Well, the job is with him."
"With him?" Mansi was confused.
"Yes. He comes to Bombay often. Mostly it is social events and visits like these. Sometimes a business lunch. He is a widower. Alone with kids all grown up. And you have seen what a social butterfly he is. He likes company. So you will be like his...local guide plus personal assistant of sorts."
"What?" she was still confused.
"It is perfect, Mansi. Think about it. You have family commitments and household chores, so it's not like you can do a 9 to 5 job. Duttsahab's social responsibilities will mainly be in the daytime when your husband and daughter are away. And no more than a few days a month."
"I am still not sure what the job exactly is." Mansi said.
"Whatever we did today. Just like that. Accompany him at such events and keep him company. A big reason he likes company is also to avoid random bankers and industrial sales reps and account managers and other business folks from bothering him for orders or jobs or other favors. If he is in the company of a graceful young woman, no one bothers him. So you just spend a few hours in the afternoon with him, maybe 3-4 times a month. And you will be paid well."
"How well?" Mansi said, remembering that it was all about the money.
"I didn't ask the exact amount." Reena shrugged. "But you have seen how he is. Nice and generous. Trust me, it will be good. You trust me, don't you?"
"Of course I trust you." Mansi said.
"I know this seems very unusual. But believe me, it is a very common job. Not just in Bombay but also Bangalore, Delhi, even in foreign countries. Just giving innocent company to business people. I myself have facilitated many such arrangements." Reena gently rubbed Mansi
Mansi was silent and thinking about it. She liked Dutt's company a lot. And she had recently enjoyed her brief glimpses of the high society. If she got a chance to do this a few times a month and also got paid for it, what was the harm? Even if she got a couple of thousand rupees for it, it would be worth it.
"What do you think?" Reena asked softly.
"Just 3-4 times a month?"
"Yes, just that."
"Will you be with us too?" Mansi asked.
"No, sweetie, I have my own job. You understand."
"Can I do like...a trial thing?"
"Of course. Next time he needs company, I will arrange it with you. And you can go out for a few hours. And then make the decision."
"Okay." Mansi shrugged.
"Great!" Reena was delighted. Stage 1 was complete.
------
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