DISTANCE HELPS TO PATCH UP
“Kuhu” – I whispered softly near her ear. We were enjoying a time out at South City – a shopping paradise in South Kolkata. It was tough to go out with Kuhu because it raised many eyebrows. We were dating secretly to prevent ourselves from becoming the subject matter of gossips. Kuhu was busy with her Baskin Robbins cone and pretended not to listen.
“Kuhu” – I slightly raised my voice.
“Hmm” – she mumbled in a cream laded voice.
“Will you marry me” – I asked adding a lot more cream to her Baskin Robbins,
“No! Let me relish the ice cream.”
“Kuhu please” – I started nagging.
“Yes. Hope you are happy now. So shut your mouth and let me enjoy my ice cream.”
I was eagerly waiting for her to finish the ice cream. Once she threw the napkin into the trash, I spanked up.
“Kuhu, look I have something very important to say to you. Please no jokes.”
“Attention” – she tried to test my patience.
“Can we marry this year? I have some future plans which do not permit me time to get married within the next couple of years. I will be traveling abroad and I want you to be a part of me.”
“A luggage?” – Kuhu exclaimed.
“It’s serious Kuhu” – I stiffened my vocal cord.
“What about MY future? Do you ever think of me? I also have some future plans. I want to pursue my masters. I don’t want to marry now. Sorry but that’s true. Can we proceed for home?”
There was a grievous silence as we boarded a cab. Like we always did, we got off the cab a kilometer away from our home. She hurried towards home and I was in ultra slow motion to make sure that we reached our respective homes at different times.
Kuhu’s behavior made it evident to everyone that we no longer enjoyed each others company. Her father joined the lady in her non cooperation movement and soon Gupta’s and Bose’s parted ways. The moms were indifferent and continued the way they had been doing before. My dad was shocked for not being able to talk to Ashok uncle and finally broke the silence. A month later, things were back in shape except for me and Kuhu. I was dropped from her orkut friend list and she changed her sim connection. Durga Puja 2009 was very different from the previous one and we hardly made an eye contact with each other though I served Kuhu in each of the five festive days.
A month later, my visa processing began and I was ready to fly to South Africa. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I caught a glimpse of Kuhu from the cab while going to the airport.
I took up work and drinking to commemorate my first onsite. Within a month, I was working like a bull and drinking like a pot. My managers were happy as I helped to reduce the number of people at onshore by working in a 24X7 model. I was lonely and wanted to remain so. I was in grief but I still loved Kuhu.
Three pegs of whiskey forced me to send a friend request to Kuhu. To my utter surprise Kuhu accepted it and soon we started talking. On a Saturday morning, I called up landline number. As fortunes favor the brave, Kuhu answered the call.
“Hello”
“Hey it’s me”
“Hey so nice to hear you after a long time”
“Yeh!!”
“So whats up at Joberg. Did you get a vuvuzela?”
“Actually my customer got one for me. I will bring one for you.”
I was running out of talk time when suddenly out of no where I spoke out
“Kuhu – I don’t even have your cell number” and I broke into tears.
“923*******” her voice trembled.
“Thanks”. I disconnected the call to make sure that I do not hear the sobbing sound.
Days passed by and Kuhu and I started enjoying each others company like we did before. As a result, my internet and phone bills started shooting up. Kuhu had completed her graduations and was pursuing her Masters. We were getting along in a better way than we ever did.
“Kuhu” – I uttered her name.
“Hope it’s not the same surprise again”
“Come on! Not that, I was just asking if I could get a diamond pendant for you”
“Oh no! coz I won’t be able to defend it at home”
“Well someone is on the course of getting a Master Degree and guess it wont be difficult to explain her parents about her future plans” – I was dragging her to the edge.
“Hmm.. all men are persistent”
“Ha ha” – I was offended though I laughed to make the environment lighter.
“Please Avi don’t bring it”
“Not a problem, not a problem. I understand your situation Kuhu and I am fully supportive.”
“Thanks my Lord”
“Hey sweety catch you later else I’ll have to skip today’s lunch”
“Avik” – the voice stiffened, “How many times do I have to repeat the same lines. Why don’t you have the food before you at the correct time? It’s already 2pm at Joberg and I can now bet that you skipped your breakfast too. Avi I am sick and tired of it. Hang up and fetch something to eat.”
“Shona – love you”
“Yes it shows up. How much you care for me. Look my Romeo has been without food half of the day to talk with me. I am overwhelmed.”
“Crap. Bye” – I banged the mouse in disgust and walked lazily towards the kitchen.
The male ego in me revolted. It is the man who keeps track of his girl’s activities. I hated girls who interfered too much with my life. I loved Kuhu so much that I restrained myself from being angry. I sat down and started talking to myself.
“Kuhu says that she loves me but has not disclosed it to her parents. Well does Kuhu have other plans? I don’t know. How could I? She was sitting back in Kolkata far away from me. Oh! May be she wanted to dominate me. She was getting superior in educational degrees. Avi – can you manage with a bachelors degree when you girlfriend has a masters and maybe a doctorate in near future. Come on Avi, be a man. It’s the sperms that swim to hit the ovum. Don’t let the mirror screw your arrow. Well you need to spent some sleepless nights and then you’ll get the green grass of the other side.”
I hurried to fetch my Johny Walker to sooth the resent self. You feel so good after two large pegs. While still on a high, I chalked out my study plans. The OG was back at the center table and this time I had enough motivation.
“Kuhu” – I whispered softly near her ear. We were enjoying a time out at South City – a shopping paradise in South Kolkata. It was tough to go out with Kuhu because it raised many eyebrows. We were dating secretly to prevent ourselves from becoming the subject matter of gossips. Kuhu was busy with her Baskin Robbins cone and pretended not to listen.
“Kuhu” – I slightly raised my voice.
“Hmm” – she mumbled in a cream laded voice.
“Will you marry me” – I asked adding a lot more cream to her Baskin Robbins,
“No! Let me relish the ice cream.”
“Kuhu please” – I started nagging.
“Yes. Hope you are happy now. So shut your mouth and let me enjoy my ice cream.”
I was eagerly waiting for her to finish the ice cream. Once she threw the napkin into the trash, I spanked up.
“Kuhu, look I have something very important to say to you. Please no jokes.”
“Attention” – she tried to test my patience.
“Can we marry this year? I have some future plans which do not permit me time to get married within the next couple of years. I will be traveling abroad and I want you to be a part of me.”
“A luggage?” – Kuhu exclaimed.
“It’s serious Kuhu” – I stiffened my vocal cord.
“What about MY future? Do you ever think of me? I also have some future plans. I want to pursue my masters. I don’t want to marry now. Sorry but that’s true. Can we proceed for home?”
There was a grievous silence as we boarded a cab. Like we always did, we got off the cab a kilometer away from our home. She hurried towards home and I was in ultra slow motion to make sure that we reached our respective homes at different times.
Kuhu’s behavior made it evident to everyone that we no longer enjoyed each others company. Her father joined the lady in her non cooperation movement and soon Gupta’s and Bose’s parted ways. The moms were indifferent and continued the way they had been doing before. My dad was shocked for not being able to talk to Ashok uncle and finally broke the silence. A month later, things were back in shape except for me and Kuhu. I was dropped from her orkut friend list and she changed her sim connection. Durga Puja 2009 was very different from the previous one and we hardly made an eye contact with each other though I served Kuhu in each of the five festive days.
A month later, my visa processing began and I was ready to fly to South Africa. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I caught a glimpse of Kuhu from the cab while going to the airport.
I took up work and drinking to commemorate my first onsite. Within a month, I was working like a bull and drinking like a pot. My managers were happy as I helped to reduce the number of people at onshore by working in a 24X7 model. I was lonely and wanted to remain so. I was in grief but I still loved Kuhu.
Three pegs of whiskey forced me to send a friend request to Kuhu. To my utter surprise Kuhu accepted it and soon we started talking. On a Saturday morning, I called up landline number. As fortunes favor the brave, Kuhu answered the call.
“Hello”
“Hey it’s me”
“Hey so nice to hear you after a long time”
“Yeh!!”
“So whats up at Joberg. Did you get a vuvuzela?”
“Actually my customer got one for me. I will bring one for you.”
I was running out of talk time when suddenly out of no where I spoke out
“Kuhu – I don’t even have your cell number” and I broke into tears.
“923*******” her voice trembled.
“Thanks”. I disconnected the call to make sure that I do not hear the sobbing sound.
Days passed by and Kuhu and I started enjoying each others company like we did before. As a result, my internet and phone bills started shooting up. Kuhu had completed her graduations and was pursuing her Masters. We were getting along in a better way than we ever did.
“Kuhu” – I uttered her name.
“Hope it’s not the same surprise again”
“Come on! Not that, I was just asking if I could get a diamond pendant for you”
“Oh no! coz I won’t be able to defend it at home”
“Well someone is on the course of getting a Master Degree and guess it wont be difficult to explain her parents about her future plans” – I was dragging her to the edge.
“Hmm.. all men are persistent”
“Ha ha” – I was offended though I laughed to make the environment lighter.
“Please Avi don’t bring it”
“Not a problem, not a problem. I understand your situation Kuhu and I am fully supportive.”
“Thanks my Lord”
“Hey sweety catch you later else I’ll have to skip today’s lunch”
“Avik” – the voice stiffened, “How many times do I have to repeat the same lines. Why don’t you have the food before you at the correct time? It’s already 2pm at Joberg and I can now bet that you skipped your breakfast too. Avi I am sick and tired of it. Hang up and fetch something to eat.”
“Shona – love you”
“Yes it shows up. How much you care for me. Look my Romeo has been without food half of the day to talk with me. I am overwhelmed.”
“Crap. Bye” – I banged the mouse in disgust and walked lazily towards the kitchen.
The male ego in me revolted. It is the man who keeps track of his girl’s activities. I hated girls who interfered too much with my life. I loved Kuhu so much that I restrained myself from being angry. I sat down and started talking to myself.
“Kuhu says that she loves me but has not disclosed it to her parents. Well does Kuhu have other plans? I don’t know. How could I? She was sitting back in Kolkata far away from me. Oh! May be she wanted to dominate me. She was getting superior in educational degrees. Avi – can you manage with a bachelors degree when you girlfriend has a masters and maybe a doctorate in near future. Come on Avi, be a man. It’s the sperms that swim to hit the ovum. Don’t let the mirror screw your arrow. Well you need to spent some sleepless nights and then you’ll get the green grass of the other side.”
I hurried to fetch my Johny Walker to sooth the resent self. You feel so good after two large pegs. While still on a high, I chalked out my study plans. The OG was back at the center table and this time I had enough motivation.
