Sanjay Nikalje|Blog

Spy research...

Studying in FYJC, Jai Hind. A science student. Staying at Kandivali. ‘Kandivali’? Did I hear it properly, I asked myself. I stopped her immediately, and asked her, you stay at Andheri right? Her eyes widened hearing this, and I tried to hide my face looking down at the coffee-cup and scolded myself for leaking the top secret of my illegal research about her, she probably guessed my the research activity. I had a sip of coffee. She continued saying that, yeah my father stays at Kandivali and my mother stays at Andheri. Now it’s my turn to widen my eyes, I doubted the Nicotine and Caffeine level in the coffee, and looked up in her eyes with an expression as if I was wrecked in tequila shot instead of coffee. It was difficult for me to anchor myself in this turbulent water of ambiguity.

I like a mad fellow, couldn’t believe my ears the logic they were hearing, as if it was too much for them to believe, I even smelled the coffee. Before I could ask anything, she told, her parents have divorced from past three years. So she stays on one-month rotational basis with each of them.

I couldn’t believe why the heavenly king, the God have given so many darker shades to a beautiful face life. I think it was too much in a first meeting. I tried to divert the mood and started explaining about the project, I took another 45 minutes in explaining. Now her face seemed to reflect the buoyance of mood. The project topic was covered, well I never wanted to end this meeting, because after this there won’t be any reason to talk to her on phone or even meet personally. I wanted to stop the continuously ticking clock. The clock seemed harsh enough, it did not stop.

We got up to leave. But I could easily guess, she wanted to speak more. But she didn’t. We took a cab, till Churchgate Station. We greeted each other and she boarded the 7:43 PM Churchgate-Borivali train’s ladies coach. I boarded the general compartment just next to the ladies coach, but I was not able to see her through the compartment. Don’t know what happened to me, just wanted to have one glance of her, I wanted to see her desperately. I thought I will get down and sneak her through the ladies compartment window and board back, still 3 minutes were left for the train to start. My mind said, what you are waiting for, just execute the plan. I don’t know what all mad things I will do for this girl, I got down from the train. To my surprise, I found Alma on the platform instead of train compartment. Even she was feeling the same what I was feeling, that’s why she got down from the train? Or she forgot something? She smiled when she saw me. I got my answer.

We sat on the bench on the platform. Well we both didn’t utter a word, as if silence said a lot than words could say, next train came, and we looked at each other’s face and boarded the train. The spur of the moment made me forget to take her phone number and the train started. I looked upon myself with despair for losing the final chance to contact her again, what a dumb fellow I am.

I cursed myself throughout the journey for not taking her number, because she used to call me for project I never asked her details or her number, I have to pay a price for it. I reached home around 10.00 PM, I just removed shoes and the phone rang. Not many people had landline facilities, so our neighbor’s have given our residence number as their care-off number, so we had kept the phone near to door, to avoid people penetrating the house. I was in angry mood, for missing my Alma’s contact number and I was finding the phone’s ringing as a teaser to me. I felt like I should bang it. I had to pick-it, or it will cry until I pick. I said ‘Hello…Who is this?’ in a strong harsh voice, so that the person’s mettle at the other end should vaporize and should keep the phone. A female voice said, ‘Hey its Alma, I just forgot to ask you whether the Capillary Fringe lies below or above the water table?’….. What? I said, you really called me to ask this?. She said,’ No, actually I thought…. I mean…was feeling like …..Ummm(a pause). No actually I wanted to know whether you reached safely’. It was as if devaluation of the dollar would jeopardize New York's position as a financial center, yes girl tell me what you feel like, and my existence lies with you. She said nothing and kept the phone before I could say anything. I was aware what I was going through.

My family members sat for food after sometime, and the phone rang two times, mom picked-up and said ‘Hello’ but no one replied. My mom burst in anger, why do people give a call when they don’t want to talk, the government should take action against such people, or the only job they have is to irritate others…and she kept going for next five minutes. Before she could finish, the phone rang for the third time, dad said he will pick this time. I rushed myself to the phone and said dad that I will receive it. My doubt was correct, it was Alma. Mom, screamed from within, who is it Varun? I said, ‘Mom, its biggie, sorry it’s Madhu’. Oh Mercyful Lord, I have started lying also for this girl to my mom. I asked her what happened, she said, ‘Nothing, thanks for the coffee and project explanation, have to submit it in two days’. I said, my pleasure, actually I wanted to thank the project, which made us meet and clarify the doubts you had about me. I asked her, ‘You had food?’ she replied ‘Yes. Actually, thanks for taking all the efforts for me.’ Before I could say anything, Mom called again from within ‘Varun, first have food then chat with your friends’. ‘Okay I will call you tomorrow, Good Night’, she said and kept the phone.

After two days she called me, and said that she has done the required binding of the project and put my name in front page as ‘Project Mentor’ and how her college friends were teasing her by my name. She said, the professor also mentioned, that it was brilliantly executed project. And then she said, ‘You are brilliant Mr. Varun Arya, you have fantastic knowledge, I respect you, I …’. She stopped. Don’t know what made her stop, and I wanted to hear the sentence from where she stopped. It is very difficult to make an accurate prognosis of what exactly was going in her mind.

It was necessary for both of us to have a break, because we were nearing our final exams. Next 30 days were very crucial from exam point of view. I told her let’s not talk for next few days and just concentrate on exams, she said ‘Okay, I understand.’ But she called me within 8 days.

Sanjay Nikalje|Blog

Friday, August 14, 2015

Did she really loved me....? Part-6

How to create any mathematics tables with excel...

Write that you like...