10-01-2019, 04:45 PM
"Please excuse me." Dutt said, putting his bluetooth on his ear. "As always, work beckons."
"No problem, Duttsahab." Mansi said.
The car soon sped down the western express highway as Dutt talked business and Mansi stared out the tinted windows. Once again, she noted how different Bombay looked from the insides of a plush limo as opposed to from the insides of an auto rickshaw or local train like she was used to. That's when her phone rang. It was Reena aunty.
"Hello aunty." she answered in a low voice to not disturb the busy Duttsahab.
"So Mansi, you were so eager that you made this arrangement without me?" Reena said in mock disappointment.
"What? No...I thought..."
"Relax, sweetie, I am just kidding." Reena laughed. "Is Duttsahab free?"
"No, he is on the phone."
"Okay, no problem. I spoke with him earlier about this. So you are accompanying him shopping for his grandkids, right?"
"Right."
"For the compensation for today, I had this idea. If you like something for Pinky, you can buy it and he will just pay for it. If not, I will give you the cash when we next meet. Or you can just sms me the details of that bank account you have set up for the college funds. I will communicate it to him and he will transfer the cash directly."
"Oh ok." Mansi said. She told herself that clothes from where Dutt shopped would be too expensive for Pinky. Better to just sms the account details.
"Good luck." and Reena hung up.
They reached the mall and went up to the fancy outlets for kids' clothes. Mansi had seen these outlets from outside when they occasionally went to watch a movie at the multiplex in that mall. But she had never had the courage to actually walk in. Now that she was inside, she noted to herself that she didn't feel as out of place as she used to. Maybe the time spent with her two older friends in recent days had made her more uncomfortable in such settings.
Dutt also noted that Mansi was a lot more comfortable and self-assured. He took out his phone and showed her several pictures of his grandkids so she had an idea of what would fit and suit them. She made a mental note of it all.
"How many clothes do you want to buy for them?" she asked.
"As many as you find to be great." Dutt said with the casualness of a multi millionaire.
Mansi nodded and browsed through the shelves and the rows, trying to find something perfect. She saw the prices, which were really high, but on the tags, she also noticed that many of these clothes were made in Italy or France. All this while, a salesman was hovering politely a few feet away. Finally Mansi found a sweatshirt that would be perfect for one of his granddaughters.
"This one is really good." she said, taking it off the shelf and holding it up.
"Looks very pretty." Dutt nodded.
The salesman hovered closer.
"Would you like that one, sir?" he asked Dutt, because it was obvious who was in charge.
"Ask madam."
"Ma'am?"
"It's not bad. But the price seems a little too much. Give us a more realistic price." Mansi really liked the dress, but she was so used to haggling as a daily routine, that she almost instinctively said this.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" the salesman was taken aback.
"The price says...3500 rupees. How about...1500?" Mansi said in her best haggling voice.
"Ma'am...Sir..." the salesman was so confused.
"Would you excuse us for a moment?" Dutt smoothly said.
The salesman nodded and walked away. Dutt then walked up to Mansi and said softly but firmly,
"Mansi, what are you doing? This is not some bargain stall from Linking Road. These people don't bargain. The prices are fixed."
Mansi blushed and felt very embarrassed. She was so used to bargaining for clothes than she did not know this would be out of place.
"I...I am sorry." she stuttered.
"It's okay. I understand." Dutt said, and put an arm around her shoulder to gently press it in solidarity.
Mansi had to fight off a shiver. So far his touches, after he taught her to use the chopsticks, had been occasional and fleeting. This was something a lot closer. A lot more expansive. He had almost engulfed her petite body in her casual embrace. She even felt one of her breasts gently press against his side. What bothered her was that the act hadn't bothered her. It made her feel almost...excited.
Dutt gauged her reaction instantly, and held her like that for a few more seconds. Then he felt Mansi stiffened as the natural reaction of her body gave way to cultural discomfort. He let go at once.
"You can put this one aside." he raised his finger and said to the salesman.
The salesman was lost in thought, trying to figure out these two people. He wasn't sure exactly what they were. Didn't seem like father-daughter. Didn't seem like a couple either. The old man was clearly a rich polished guy and the young woman was a middle class type. She seemed too decent and homely to be a call girl. And she did not seem like a working professional, so was not his employee either. So what were they exactly? That's when Dutt called him over.
"Yes sir." he said and took the sweatshirt aside.
Although Mansi felt embarrassed at being gently scolded for bargaining and a little disconcerted at what she had felt when Dutt gently put his arm around her, she tried to shake it off and concentrate on the job at hand. Dutt knew that he had taken another slow but steady step so he stood back. And decided to make some calls while Mansi shopped.
At the end of an hour, Mansi had chosen almost a dozen different clothes for his grandkids.
"Is that everything?" the salesman asked.
Dutt looked at Mansi and said,
"Why don't you get something for Pinky as well? My gift to her." there was a slightly suggestive tone in his voice.
"For Pinky?"
Actually, Mansi had seen a couple of really gorgeous frocks that would look great on Pinky. But the price was so high that they would use up her compensation for the day, assuming it was again five thousand rupees. And in fact leave her a little bit in debt to him.
But then on an impulse, Mansi decided, why not? She knew how much Pinky loved such new clothes. Mansi had already saved five thousand on household spending because of the gift card. She had deposited the other five thousand in the college account. So, she told herself, a little indulgence for this month is okay. Especially for Pinky's happiness. Being in that high end expensive college, her classmates always wore clothes that were more elegant and expensive at college events and get together. This would make her fit in.
So Mansi went and picked up the two frocks. Dutt smiled and asked the salesman to pack those separately. He paid for the entire thing and called his driver to come pick up the bags and take them to the car.
The old man and the young housewife then went to a toy showroom and then to a fancy Belgian chocolate shop. Mansi gave her opinions on what to buy, and finally their shopping for the day was done.
They were walking back towards the lift to go down when Dutt suddenly stopped outside a women's clothing store. Mansi stopped too. He was looking at a mannequin dressed in a black formal dress.
"Mansi...let me ask you something."
"Yes, Duttsahab?"
"I have a corporate lunch event to attend next Thursday in Worli. Would you...like to accompany me?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Mansi looked at him. She knew the meaning of what he was asking. Was she happy with this trial run and would she be interested in continuing this arrangement? She thought for a few seconds. She continued to find him very nice and charming and polite. The money was good. The hours were great. And it was for Pinky's happiness and future. It was a no-brainer really.
"I'd be happy to." she nodded.
"Great. Well...it's an event organized on the roof deck of a tall building. I don't know those idiots want to organize an outdoor event in this heat, but that's how it is. If you wear a sari, you might feel a little too hot and sweaty. Do you have something like this?" he pointed to the dress.
"No problem, Duttsahab." Mansi said.
The car soon sped down the western express highway as Dutt talked business and Mansi stared out the tinted windows. Once again, she noted how different Bombay looked from the insides of a plush limo as opposed to from the insides of an auto rickshaw or local train like she was used to. That's when her phone rang. It was Reena aunty.
"Hello aunty." she answered in a low voice to not disturb the busy Duttsahab.
"So Mansi, you were so eager that you made this arrangement without me?" Reena said in mock disappointment.
"What? No...I thought..."
"Relax, sweetie, I am just kidding." Reena laughed. "Is Duttsahab free?"
"No, he is on the phone."
"Okay, no problem. I spoke with him earlier about this. So you are accompanying him shopping for his grandkids, right?"
"Right."
"For the compensation for today, I had this idea. If you like something for Pinky, you can buy it and he will just pay for it. If not, I will give you the cash when we next meet. Or you can just sms me the details of that bank account you have set up for the college funds. I will communicate it to him and he will transfer the cash directly."
"Oh ok." Mansi said. She told herself that clothes from where Dutt shopped would be too expensive for Pinky. Better to just sms the account details.
"Good luck." and Reena hung up.
They reached the mall and went up to the fancy outlets for kids' clothes. Mansi had seen these outlets from outside when they occasionally went to watch a movie at the multiplex in that mall. But she had never had the courage to actually walk in. Now that she was inside, she noted to herself that she didn't feel as out of place as she used to. Maybe the time spent with her two older friends in recent days had made her more uncomfortable in such settings.
Dutt also noted that Mansi was a lot more comfortable and self-assured. He took out his phone and showed her several pictures of his grandkids so she had an idea of what would fit and suit them. She made a mental note of it all.
"How many clothes do you want to buy for them?" she asked.
"As many as you find to be great." Dutt said with the casualness of a multi millionaire.
Mansi nodded and browsed through the shelves and the rows, trying to find something perfect. She saw the prices, which were really high, but on the tags, she also noticed that many of these clothes were made in Italy or France. All this while, a salesman was hovering politely a few feet away. Finally Mansi found a sweatshirt that would be perfect for one of his granddaughters.
"This one is really good." she said, taking it off the shelf and holding it up.
"Looks very pretty." Dutt nodded.
The salesman hovered closer.
"Would you like that one, sir?" he asked Dutt, because it was obvious who was in charge.
"Ask madam."
"Ma'am?"
"It's not bad. But the price seems a little too much. Give us a more realistic price." Mansi really liked the dress, but she was so used to haggling as a daily routine, that she almost instinctively said this.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" the salesman was taken aback.
"The price says...3500 rupees. How about...1500?" Mansi said in her best haggling voice.
"Ma'am...Sir..." the salesman was so confused.
"Would you excuse us for a moment?" Dutt smoothly said.
The salesman nodded and walked away. Dutt then walked up to Mansi and said softly but firmly,
"Mansi, what are you doing? This is not some bargain stall from Linking Road. These people don't bargain. The prices are fixed."
Mansi blushed and felt very embarrassed. She was so used to bargaining for clothes than she did not know this would be out of place.
"I...I am sorry." she stuttered.
"It's okay. I understand." Dutt said, and put an arm around her shoulder to gently press it in solidarity.
Mansi had to fight off a shiver. So far his touches, after he taught her to use the chopsticks, had been occasional and fleeting. This was something a lot closer. A lot more expansive. He had almost engulfed her petite body in her casual embrace. She even felt one of her breasts gently press against his side. What bothered her was that the act hadn't bothered her. It made her feel almost...excited.
Dutt gauged her reaction instantly, and held her like that for a few more seconds. Then he felt Mansi stiffened as the natural reaction of her body gave way to cultural discomfort. He let go at once.
"You can put this one aside." he raised his finger and said to the salesman.
The salesman was lost in thought, trying to figure out these two people. He wasn't sure exactly what they were. Didn't seem like father-daughter. Didn't seem like a couple either. The old man was clearly a rich polished guy and the young woman was a middle class type. She seemed too decent and homely to be a call girl. And she did not seem like a working professional, so was not his employee either. So what were they exactly? That's when Dutt called him over.
"Yes sir." he said and took the sweatshirt aside.
Although Mansi felt embarrassed at being gently scolded for bargaining and a little disconcerted at what she had felt when Dutt gently put his arm around her, she tried to shake it off and concentrate on the job at hand. Dutt knew that he had taken another slow but steady step so he stood back. And decided to make some calls while Mansi shopped.
At the end of an hour, Mansi had chosen almost a dozen different clothes for his grandkids.
"Is that everything?" the salesman asked.
Dutt looked at Mansi and said,
"Why don't you get something for Pinky as well? My gift to her." there was a slightly suggestive tone in his voice.
"For Pinky?"
Actually, Mansi had seen a couple of really gorgeous frocks that would look great on Pinky. But the price was so high that they would use up her compensation for the day, assuming it was again five thousand rupees. And in fact leave her a little bit in debt to him.
But then on an impulse, Mansi decided, why not? She knew how much Pinky loved such new clothes. Mansi had already saved five thousand on household spending because of the gift card. She had deposited the other five thousand in the college account. So, she told herself, a little indulgence for this month is okay. Especially for Pinky's happiness. Being in that high end expensive college, her classmates always wore clothes that were more elegant and expensive at college events and get together. This would make her fit in.
So Mansi went and picked up the two frocks. Dutt smiled and asked the salesman to pack those separately. He paid for the entire thing and called his driver to come pick up the bags and take them to the car.
The old man and the young housewife then went to a toy showroom and then to a fancy Belgian chocolate shop. Mansi gave her opinions on what to buy, and finally their shopping for the day was done.
They were walking back towards the lift to go down when Dutt suddenly stopped outside a women's clothing store. Mansi stopped too. He was looking at a mannequin dressed in a black formal dress.
"Mansi...let me ask you something."
"Yes, Duttsahab?"
"I have a corporate lunch event to attend next Thursday in Worli. Would you...like to accompany me?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Mansi looked at him. She knew the meaning of what he was asking. Was she happy with this trial run and would she be interested in continuing this arrangement? She thought for a few seconds. She continued to find him very nice and charming and polite. The money was good. The hours were great. And it was for Pinky's happiness and future. It was a no-brainer really.
"I'd be happy to." she nodded.
"Great. Well...it's an event organized on the roof deck of a tall building. I don't know those idiots want to organize an outdoor event in this heat, but that's how it is. If you wear a sari, you might feel a little too hot and sweaty. Do you have something like this?" he pointed to the dress.
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