COUGAR

We were in the Landmark, the book store. I was enjoying every moment with her in the comfort of the sofa in Landmark. We were talking, or may be she was talking and I was not bored with the same things she was speaking when we used to talk on phone. Even while I was going through the books in the shelf near-by, I was also checking out the sales girl out there. She was in her smart blue t-shirt. She was really cute.  I was continuously looking at her and was not actually listening to what Shilpa was speaking.  Shilpa kept her hands over my shoulder and it was reflex action that I pushed her hands away. What was wrong with me? I just got a flashing memory of my first love. It’s been long 8 years now, after our relationship had ended, but I still don’t want anyone to do what she used to do.

She used to keep her hands over my shoulder and I hated it so much that I always pushed her hands off my shoulder. She used to love that and did it over and over again. I was 18 then and was afraid of public display of affection. I don’t know whether keeping a hand over my shoulder qualify for pubic display of affection. I’ll tell her story one day. It was an old fashioned love story where we actually wrote love letters as there were no affordable mobile services in those days. But yes I was in love with her like anything. I couldn’t imagine anyone other than her. But things didn’t work out the way it had to. Shilpa asked me what is wrong with me and I told nothing. I got the flashes of my first love just as she kept her hands over my shoulders. It’s been 8 years and still I’ve not moved on.

Shilpa is a good friend of mine and I’m here to discuss some important decision in my life with her. I was in total soup and was planning to marry a girl whom I met a year back in Mumbai through a common friend. I wanted to talk about this relationship to Shilpa as there is no one here in Mumbai whom I could talk about this relationship.  I’ve no idea how I’ll convince my parents for this relationship.  I actually sat down to write down the positives and negatives of this relationship. The list of negatives over shadowed list of positives I made. I still wanted to be with her. Is it just the physical thing that is binding me to this relation?  My friend Kashy always says “Think with your brain not with your Dick”. I tied to convince myself that I’m thinking with my brain and I concluded that, if you think Heart is Dick, then yes, I’m thinking with my heart. I was lost in thoughts when Shilpa shook me up. “Come on lets grab a coffee”

When we were in the coffee shop, I was back in to my senses and Shilpa asked me to narrate my story from the beginning.  Taking a sip of my coffee I started my narration.

We met in a party of a common friend. It was casual and she looked much younger to her age. I was surprised to know that she was in the top management. I did get surprised and asked her age and she just told me that she was 79 born. This is real shit; I was flirting with a girl who is 5 years elder to me. Some how age difference between us doesn’t matter as I had no plan to marry her. I just continued flirting with her. First meeting was eventless if you remove that, she actually told me her age in our first meeting.   Next Saturday she called me up and asked if I was free in the evening. As usual I was always free for a beautiful lady. We went out to a pub with her friends and she wanted me to be with her as the couple entry is free. We partied whole night and we parted our ways in the early morning.

Things continued like this for some time and one day I was actually with her in her bedroom. There was no need to talk and she perfectly knew what was happening when my hands were under her top moving around her bosoms with our lips locked. It was so wonderful and beautiful. When I got up in the morning she was already up and made coffee for both of us.

I had no idea, she had a surprise in store for me after that wonderful night. We  were never alone like this and had never talked much about our families. That Sunday morning threw me a surprise that she was a divorcee.  I always knew I was not in the right track and I should stop being with her. Somehow I couldn't control myself and I kept meeting her every week. Phone calls became an integral part of our relationship. Our relationship moved above the physical barrier and we actually considered getting married. I always wanted to marry a rich girl. She is already rich and in top management and earning five times my salary. What else could I ask for? Financially I’ll become very strong the moment I marry her.

I was confused. All logic says I should not marry a divorcee who is five years elder to me. I knew all the pros and cons but still my heart says I should make a life with her.  My parents will be against this but at the end they will also agree to what I want. I will be staying almost 350 days in a year away home so it should not matter much to my parents. I was making points to convince myself. I’m here with Shilpa to get her views on this relationship. I didn’t want to tell anyone in Mumbai about her as they all know her and I don’t want people to look at her in a different way.

She was speechless and patiently listening to what I was saying.  She held my hands and looked at to eyes and asked me what is wrong with me? Why are you doing this? Getting married to a divorcee, five years elder to me just for money? I interrupted her and told that, I was not getting married for money. I love her and wanted to live with her. Shilpa didn’t talk for a minute and she started speaking.

You will have to face lot of ego issues as she is earning more than what you are earning. Even though she is in a different organization she is in the top management and will climb up much higher in the organizational ladder very soon. She is already in her thirties and would not be sexually active for much long. I’m not saying sex is everything, but it has a very important role in the relationship.  If she is not sexually active after sometime you may look out to satisfy yourself, which will definitely created some problem in the relationship.  You are not the first one to have such a relationship. Even Sachin Tendulkar has such a relationship, where his partner is elder to him. They are having successful married life but not every such relationship need to be successful. You should be logical in making a life changing decision. I would suggest you should think again about this marriage stuff and take a logical decision.

I already knew all these things but she lectured me about it as she was an expert in cougar relationships. My readers, please don’t read the below points I’ve noted from our conversation if it doesn’t encourage you. It was a boring lecture. 

Older woman with younger man romance or marriage is not a matter of awe anymore. Many men have found love, harmony and happiness with older women. Nowadays age is no more a criteria when it comes to matters of the heart. Earlier that was not the case and the woman involved in such a relationship was considered a ‘cradle snatcher’. Actually what makes guys attracted to older woman? The below mentioned may be some reasons or benefits of having an older woman as partner.

Maturity and Confidence: The older women bring a sense of maturity and confidence into the relationships. Older Woman has more experience with men and is more stable compared with younger women and men feel more comfortable with them. Young women tend to be more fickle minded compared to mature women. Mature women know what they want and are much responsible in handling relationship. Older women by default bring more life experiences into the relationship and therefore nurture the growth of their partner without trying to be in command of the relationship.

Older women are taboo: This factor makes young men attracted to them. Our Society is used to see older men and younger woman more than the other way round and thereby offer more acceptance to such relationships. The normal tendency of people is that they want what they cannot have or what is a ‘forbidden fruit’.

Lesser Competition: Young women may have several men chasing after them. Older women offer an alternative. Also to an older woman a young man feels more attractive and boost to her ego that she tends to shower her attraction on him. Also there are many liberated and attractive older women known colloquially as ‘cougars’ hunting for younger guys in places like the internet or bars looking for some fun life of a single and are easily available.

Taking Charge: Young men do not have much experience with women and may not know what to expect with women. And it helps to have ‘take charge’ kind of women as a partner who has already been in the same situation earlier. Many people also agree to the fact that sex gets better with age and getting an experienced partner is considered a plus because older women know what they want and they have experience towards pleasing a man. Older Woman also mostly takes care of the fact that they don’t get pregnant by using contraceptive pills to protect them.

Intelligent and Confident: People gain more confidence as they grow older. Many young men find older woman attractive as tend to be less superficial. A conversation with an older woman can be interesting and intellectual whereas majority of younger woman tend to be silly, immature and sometimes shallow.

Independence: Majority of Older women is financially independent and has successful careers. Men like it when his partner is self-sufficient and self-supportive and don’t need him to take care of her.

The need for Mothering: It is said that all males have a child in them. An Older woman can easily fulfil that need in them.

Attraction and Love: While some may find it odd that some young man surrounded by girls his age would find an older woman attractive. This is because they many older women are attractive and may even find romance or love in them. How many men can resist 40+ women like Uma Thurman or Mimi Rogers or the Indian actress Maduri Dixit?

I had no idea what she was talking and only thing I could understand is that, I should not go ahead with this relationship. Now the real trouble is that how can I tell her that, I want to move out of this relationship? Why my relationships die so young? Will I be able to live without her? I’m not a person who will forget things so soon and can move on.  Even after 8 years I can feel my first love. May be they are right that love happens only once and rest everything is just an adjustment. Has it already happened to me or is it yet to happen?

I could have send her a SMS and told her it is over or could have called her up and told her. I always knew that I will not be able to speak it so easily when she is in front of me. I went back to old days. I actually sat down to write a letter. I wrote my mind and my decision in the letter. I walked to her house with the letter in my hand. I was tensed as a girl who is about to be kissed by her first extra marital affair. I was walking ahead with a heavy heart and decision that I’ve taken.

When I rang the door bell my fingers were shaking. My fears and tension vanished away as the door was opened. There were lot of people inside the house. I was confused what was happening and at the same time I was tensed that anything wrong had happened to her. I was relived when I saw her. She offered me a drink and I realized the party was hosted to celebrate her decision to marry again. I was shocked to know it. When the party was over and everyone was gone she came and sat next to me. We didn’t talk for few seconds and she started speaking.

Love happens only once and I was in love with my BF whom I married. There were some differences and we divorced and now he has realized his mistakes and has come back and wants me as his wife again. I enjoyed every moment with you, but I just cannot forget my first love. I didn’t know what to say. I hugged her tight and told her I love her and I walked out. I still had the letter in my hands. I was walking in the lonely streets all alone when my hands shaped the letter to a paper plane and I launched it high and saw it landing over the dump yard.

I was walking in the moonlight and my mind was blank when I felt a hand over my shoulder and I was surprised to see my first love standing next to me. I started walking again and she kept her hands over my shoulder and kept walking along. I knew it cannot be the truth and I was dreaming. Somehow I didn’t want to wake up from this dream and walked along with her.

A Girl Who Sends me SMS

                                                                                                                                                               Co-Authored with Sakshi Dogra

'A Decoder to Girly SMS'

Sir this is Tanvi from Sity bank, we are offering you cash back card. The voice from the other side kept on informing about the details and specifications of the offer her company is providing. I was least interested in the offer but I liked her voice and flirted a bit with her and was enjoying the response. The phone calls became quite regular for me as I had become her favorite client who was more interested in her, than the credit card offer. One day I received sms saying “wats up?” From unknown number and before I could ask who it is. I got another sms saying “Tanvi remember the Sity back girl”. From that day she kind of became my sms girl. We shared a lot of things on sms from her college pranks to my holiday plans. One day she told me that she is moving to Mumbai and has found a PG for herself. I asked her about the location and if the room was good.  She replied

“Hey ghar to sahi hai inlogo ka… N his wife is also here. So no prob…. Lol…..Al is wel…. N thanks 4 cuming wid me….. :-)”

“When did I drop you there?”

“Sum tym u cn b wid someone widout actually being there…”

“All is well? That is what I was going to ask you. But your typing speed is too good u responded before I could even ask u. U think the same way as I do.”

Even before I could keep my mobile back into my pocket, she messaged me a smiley “(J)” I had no idea, what it meant. I supposed, she was happy or smiling.  I never used similes in my messages.

“Hahahahaha… I hv gud typin sped dats y lol……”

“You really have good typing speed or maybe it is easy for you as you don’t type whole word or don’t care about the spelling.”

“(>_<)”

That was what I received as an answer to my reply. I had no idea what to reply to that message. Then to my relief there came another message from her side.

“Lemme knw whn u reach…..”

“Where am I reaching?”

“U wil hv 2 reach home after dropping me??? Hahahaha  :P”

“Why are you staying there? You could have stayed with me as my roommate is out of town. Only thing you need to take care is to have a pepper spray to keep me out”

Just after I sent the above message I got the reply from her “J lol”. Thank God I was aware of that abbreviation. After that we exchanged few more SMS and half of the lingo she was using was going above my head.

“:-D ill come in d mrng at 6 or 6:30 so dnt keep ur phone on silent… J”

“Are you really coming to meet me”

“:-P, I just want to say, I’ll cal u tom”

I woke up so early in the next morning. I took a bath and was ready, as if I was going for a date. I had no idea, why I was behaving like this.

Our SMS trail kept on going for days with all those Santa Banta Jokes, which actually didn’t make me laugh. I just sent back reverts like, nice one, gud one, Ha ha ha.. etc. . But I became used to the sms way of life. By the Valentine’s Day she had forcefully made me update her name in my contact list to the “Best Girl in the World” Her message “Happy Valentine dayJ” is stored in my inbox with that name. If I had all her messages in my inbox, I could have narrated a story in SMS itself.

 “Mrng.. R u goin 2 office? Leme knw whn u r free 2day ill call u…”

“Got free?”

“u dere :-/”

These kinds of messages became a routine. I too developed the habit of her sms that I started checking my phone after every now and then to see any sms from her.

“got free? I got d best thing of my life today J m on cloud 9 :D”               

Normally such messages are interoperated as if the person has cracked the best deal, has got some job, or has made his dream come true. I was anxious and excited to know what was happening in her life. So I called her up

“whts up?”

“Thank god u called I m so happy to have finally found the exact pair of shoes I wanted for so long m on cloud 9”

For a moment I was confused whether to  laugh or to get irritated but may be this was the thing about her which always made me talk to her more and look forward for her sms.

“congrats”

“why you sarcastic aren’t you happy to know this?”

Why should I be happy but I replied “Ya I am really very happy” and with this I learnt one thing what girls expect us guys to be like, that if she is happy for any reason you got to be happy at least sound happy.

Our SMS life was at its peak that sometimes we spent entire day messaging. Once I told her that I was going on a date next day. She was so excited about the idea of me going on a date. She kept on telling me to do and not to do list. She was dressing me up through phone, even though she had not seen me even once. As always I was late for this date too.

I extended my hands to held her hand and I had to take it back as there was an sms beeping in my mobile

“Cal whn free… J ”

I was so excited to see her. She was looking gorgeous. I was lost in her beautiful eyes.

“So hws it goin :D”

I was talking to my date and at the same time I had to message back to Tanvi .

“What r u doin?”

“We are just talking”

“Wht are u talking :P”

I decided to ignore her sms for a while and to my surprise my inbox was filled with 20 sms in 5mins which read

“Y anit u replying >_<”      

“She is more important now”

“Still nt done >_<”

“Hmmm f9 huh >_< call up if u guys are done”

And many more I replied her “ill call you in 20 mins” which I totally forgot looking at my date and my inbox kept showering with Tanvi’s messages.

“Hmmm.. M waitin cal up as soon as u finish.”

“R u done nw…”

“Gud nyt… >_<;”

By now I have understood one thing whatever is the matter but a smiley like “>_<” is a danger sign so I called her up straight and I was right she was angry on me as I didn’t call her or messaged her in the time I had told her. I marked it as a point never to give time limit to a girl or to make sure to inform her to avoid her rage. I said sorry even though I felt that I was not at the fault but that brought a smile on her face and she was normal but the thing I learnt here is say a 'sorry' even if u didn’t do anything strange but fact. She was eager to know everything about my date from the starting without skipping any details. I was excited to tell her how my date went and she was whole ears to me.

But she ruined everything in the end saying that my date is not my kind of a girl. I should stop dating her. I was not going to listen to Tanvi. But after 3 months when I broke up with her, Tanvi just send me a message.

“Finally huh”

I had no idea what to do and she was all there to give me strength.

“Yo babes”  (Dear reader’s don’t confuse it for my msg, it is Tanvi’s message”)

“Pls cal me whn u r free..”

“U alive..”

“:-/”

“Knock on my phone once u r free… if pos….. J enjoy”

“Hey.. nyt if u sleepin…”

I have got a hell lot of reminder from her phone to call her back. I was sleeping and had no idea that my phone is getting a sms shower. If you receive any message like the above one, it doesn’t mean a good night wish, it is just an order for you to call her back. But unfortunately I woke up in the morning only. I send a good morning wish to her with a sorry attached to it.

“I dnt want 2 talk 2 u”

“N u seem to b very busy dat u have forgot to smile so here is one J tc”

“^.^,  ^0^,  *^.^*,  ~.~,  :-)   :-D, :-P, :-!, T.T, =). :^), 8-), :@,:-S,  :-X, :-\ :-D J”  I sent her all smiles I knew

“Just saw ur msg n smild lyk anythin misd u dearJ”.

 “You just smiled?”        

“Nt just smiled but smild lyk anything dere is a difference.. lol….”

I was amazed with this girl and was wondering how small things matter so much for a girl I reverted with a smiley and never knew these smileys will play such an important role in a girl’s life. One day I received a very disturbing message from her whose background she never explained to me.

“Sry didn’t pick ur phone my lyf has finished….. I dnt know whether il b able 2 cal u guys m sry luv u guys…”

I was so worried for her. I called her many a times and she never picked my call. But the next day she called me up and everything was suddenly alright. It became so normal after that. I use to send her some quick messages when I was in office. (Guys this is very important to send message to your girl even if u are very busy, just to show her that you are always thinking of her.)


One day her messages stopped coming suddenly she vanished in the thin air. Life became miserable for me. I lost my sleep. I really wanted to talk to her or badly wanted an SMS from her. I need to trace her down. Where did she go? I took help from one of my friend in a telecom company. I asked him to get the details of this number. He couldn’t help me for a week and after lots of bribing and contacts one day he managed to get the details. I got the address and decided to go there and find her. It was a very beautiful villa..She is a rich girl. When I walked up to the gate, the guards stopped me and asked me, why I was there. The gates just opened in front of me when I said I am here to meet Tanvi . I could feel the energy; I could feel that, I was getting close to Tanvi. Her mom took me upstairs. I had no idea what was in store for me. When we entered her room, I could almost see an ICU. I cannot believe my eyes that I was seeing Tanvi in a bed ridden state. I was confused and could not understand what was happening. I just looked at her face and stood motionless and came to senses when I realized the door behind me closed. I was all there near Tanvi and the house nurse came up to me and asked am I alright and I didn’t say anything and asked the nurse, what happened to Tanvi and she told me that Tanvi met with an accident 9 months back and is in coma from that time. I couldn’t believe my ears. How can she be in coma for 9 months and still send me SMS. I walked to the study table at the corner and took the mobile kept there and dialed my number from it. It was the same number but WHO WAS SENDING ME THE MESSAGES!!! I kept the mobile back on the stand and when I just turned towards Tanvi, my mobile beeped and the message read,

“Thanks for coming to meet me J”

AN UN-OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL TRIP

(A Travelogue, A Book Review... What ever u Call it)

It was a pleasant morning. I was ready for my long day of work. Today I’ve to travel about 250 Km, to a remote Village, finish my job there and get back home. It will be different from the corporate office where I work. Any city other than Mumbai, will be slow and less vibrant. In this case, I’m not even going to a city, but to a remote village in Maharashtra. My colleague will pick me up from Mira Road. We will be driving his car from there, but to reach there, I’ve to travel one hour in train. As soon as we took a deviation from Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, the topography changed drastically. The roads resembled the small Panjayath roads in Kerala. My watch depicted time as 10:10, like any wrist watch advertisement. I’ve started my day by half past seven in the morning and still we have not reached our destination.

My colleague and I were talking many things till we reached our destination. We discussed about the new book I was reading.  I almost narrated the whole story of “The Immortals of Meluha”.  I was so excited that I even narrated the Sequel of the book (“The Secretof the Nagas”), till where I’ve read.  We talked about Amish Tripathi, the author who preferred to use only his first name so that he can show his real intend to fight against discrimination of caste and creed. Amish was an IIM Grad who took a strange decision to quit his promising banking career to become an author.  The best thing I liked about this Banker turned Author is his marketing skills. This was first time in my life I’ve watched a theoretical trailer of a book.  The cover design of the book is also very appealing.  He has done a great job in mixing philosophy with imagination, just like great Vyas who wrote Mahabharat. Both of them have compiled philosophy and dressed it up with a beautiful story. Wonderful work indeed.

I was wondering when will I be bold enough to take such unconventional decisions. There are so many similarities between Amish and Chetan Bhagat.  Both of them are IIM grads and were bankers. They both quit their jobs to take Writing as a Career. I’m also not much different from them. I’ve got a  B-Tech and an MBA. Similarly I’m also a boring banker who wants to be a writer. When I’ll publish my first book? I’ve no idea. My fantasy of comparing myself with these two great writers came to an end when Arun applied a sudden break.

I had almost pasted my picture alongside them. The reality was so far from that and Arun's sudden stoppage of car in-order to save a street dog crossing had brought me back from my dream land and I could see my picture fading out.

I told Arun that, Amish is an amazing writer who does his research well before he starts his narration unlike his much famous counterpart Chetan Bhagat. Just after reading two books of Amish, I just became his fan and was eagerly waiting for the last and third part of this Shiva Trilogy. Arun asked me why do I think, Chetan, doesn’t do his research well.

I like Chetan for the way he writes. I’ve read all five books he has published till date and also follow him on Twitter. I liked his writing from his first book, “Five Point Someone”. It may be because I could relate myself to the situations his characters got into. I could actually visualize me doing some of those crazy things his 3-idiots did when I was in NIT. I started hating him when I read his latest (“Revolution 2020”). How can he write the story like that? He had taken snap shots from my life and pasted it in his new novel. Protagonist of the novel was behaving like me when I was in such a similar situation. It was not the story of Gopal and Aarati. It is my story. I’ve no idea how he came to know about my autobiography. He had changed my Name to Gopal and her name to Aarati, He had shifted the location to Varanasi. When I read his novel, I almost felt like watching a flashback of my own life. He has the power to make the readers gripped to the story. Once you take his book in your hand you will put it down only once u finish it.

If you like Chetan that much, why do you think that Chetan doesn’t do his research well? Arun shot the most expected question in between my praising for Chetan. I took my bag and pulled out the “Revolution 2020”. I asked him to check out Page No.24. He asked me what the hell; I was doing and asked me to open the book myself, because he was driving. I told him that, as per Chetan Bhagat, the character Aarati wanted to watch SRK’s movie “Main Hoon Na”   and just  after a year in the story Aarati wants to watch “Chak de” (Page No. 87) How can FlyingAarati watch “Chak de” with Raghav just a year after she watched “Mai Hoona Na”? Arun as usual showcased his  memory power in front of me. Some times I feel the character ‘Calendar’ in the movie ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ was inspired from Arun. You are right Vineesh. ‘Chak de’ was release in 10^th August 2007 and ‘Main Hoon Na’ was released in 30^th April 2004.  This is a serious lack of research.

Someone please tell Chetan Bhagat , that there is no NIT in Lucknow (Page No. 31). NIT of Uttar Pradesh is in Allahabad. I fell bad that, I didn’t take up NIT Allahabad’s CSE branch, during my counselling in 2002. He should at least know there is no NIT in Delhi also (Page 164). How can he make such stupid mistakes? Some one need to scream at him that, Indian government is not filled with fools to have a NIT and an IIT in the same city. He claims to have completed his B-Tech from IIT Delhi and still he makes such stupid mistakes. I cannot blame him, because there were instances where people asked me many a times, how much donations I paid to get admission. They really thought that I was a fool and couldn’t get admission even in a private collage in my home town.

We have reached our destination. I had a good discussion about books and literature after a long time. This is where I miss my friend Sak. I really miss someone to discus about new books and literature. Shakuntla come back, to Mumbai. Mumbai rocks and Delhi Sucks, I was mentally fighting with my Delhi Friend and didn’t realize that I was climbing the stairs to the new branch my organization had launched in this small village. Is it just because of RBI guidelines to have branches in rural India, my bank had created one here? What ever may be the reason, I’ve a job to be completed. I’ll finish this first and get away from this deserted place as soon as possible.

This branch was entirely different from what we have in Mumbai. It had no Ac. The branch was filled with primitive people. Have I just reached inside the dense forest of Amazone? When did this kind of people start banking with one of the reputed private bank? I heard one of then fighting with the teller that, he was given fewer amounts than what he received last time. I asked the branch manager what is the issue? He told me that, these people stay in the mountains and are illiterate. They don’t even know how to count the money. Last time when he came, we gave him the instalment for the “Indira Awas Yojana” in the denomination of Rs. 500/- and today we gave him in the denomination of Rs. 1000/-. He is just confused that why the number of currency notes is less this time. I really felt bad for this man. How can some one live in this 20^th century like this?

I really got an inner feeling that; I need to do something for these people. I asked my colleague to carry on with the job for which we are here. I slowly started to understand, what is happening in the lives of these poor people. I needed a translator as these people were only conversing in Marathi. This was not the Mumbaiya Marathi that, I’m used to. It was really difficult for me to understand what they were trying to convey. I came to know that these people don't even have proper clothes to wear or food to eat. There are lot of middle-men operating and the real benefits Government is providing is not reaching these people.  I was furious and wanted to do something for these people.

On my way back to Mumbai, I told, Arun that, I’ll drive. This was a strategic move, I didn’t want to sit in the back seat and think about these people. I was very clear, I had to do something for these people, but had no idea, what to do. I decided to drive so I can concentrate on something else and get out of these troubling thoughts. Oh! God, it was not enough, new trouble is in the corner. When the cop stopped, my car I realized that, I was not carrying my Driving License with me.

I told him, I work for a reputed bank and it was a mistake that I didn’t have my license with me now.  That was the stupidest thing I’ve done that day. He told me that, his EMI cheque for the Housing Loan was bounced by my bank and was charged Rs. 350/- as cheque bounce charge. Now he is demanding me to give him that 350 rupees and can drive back home. I looked at Arun and he told me to go ahead and give the fine. I knew, I was not paying the fine, but bribing the Cop to get out of this shit. When I sat back in the driver’s seat with the seat belt on, I thanked my stars. Even the Atheist in me thanked God for my bank not charging him AQB non-maintained charges. It could have been INR 1000/-

I had a wonderful day outside the noisy and busy Mumbai. It was a very different official trip for me. I learned many things and came to know what is happening in the rural India. I’ve taken a decision to help the underprivileged. Will I really do what I planned today, or will I forget this episode and get busy in my urban life? Only time can give answers for this.  

DOMBIVALI FAST

Strong light beams were blinding my eyes. I could not see anything in front of me. Noise decibels are rising like never before and the girl in her red saree is looking down as if she is a bride. Oh! shit, she is a bride and why the fuck am I dressed like a bridegroom. For heaven sake I’m getting married!!!  I wanted to run away but I was fixed to the platform as if I was a statue stationed there for centuries. I’m trying to keep my hand down which has a nuptial knot. My hands rose to her neck as if it was remotely controlled by someone else. Oh! God save me or it will be game over and suddenly the platform broke and I suddenly started falling down. I woke up from my dream.

Thank God, it was dream, but the fact is that, it is the second time I’m seeing this same dream for last one week. What is wrong?  Am I game for marriage? Is it the God’s way of saying, its time to stop sleeping in different places and different bed?  May be it the effect of my Indian parents!! Indian Parents are the most classical creations of the God who keeps of telling you to Study till u are in school. Once you are out of School and get job they replace Study with Marriage.  I don’t know what to do so I decided to be prepared for the disaster. First thing I need is a place to stay once I get married.

My room mate was very clear that we need to buy a property in Mumbai so that we don’t need to pay the rent. So I also decided to check out few properties available in Mumbai. It was very clear that, it is going to be a tough job to get a decent place with in my budget. Now the plan was to get something outside Mumbai.

My roommate was in his village and I will be bored if I go back to apartment in Lower Parel. So after my office I took a Kalyan Fast from CST. I’ve planned to get down at Dombivali and meet a builder there whom I’ve spoken over phone. This will kill some time and I will not be bored in my residence all alone. It was a wise decision to alight the train from CST, so that I got a place to sit. By the time the train reached Byculla the train became Jam packed. Late Night Chat the previous day helped me to catch a nap in the noisy crowded train.

This late night chat has become a habit these days. She was just a fun friend in the beginning. I never knew when my Fun Buddy will become my F-Buddy. She was not a beauty quean, but was always amazing.  I always enjoyed her company. I ignored my friends for her. She was intelligent and not emotional like all those girly girls whom I’ve been with.  She was a good friend whom I can share anything and everything. She was one of those special friends with whom, I don’t mind shedding my tears. Today I’ll be meeting her again after 4 months. 

I was in deep sleep and the dream happened again and I woke up from my sleep. Were my imaginations going wild or does the bride in my dream had real resemblance to my F-Buddy?  I was sweating in the noisy crowded second class compartment. I could hear people shouting CST, CST. What the fuck is happening? Did I sleep so much that I came back in the same train to CST?  I looked out, and realized the train is moving in the same direction. The train stopped at Mullund station and I could hear, people making some strange comment about taking the chair to home and all. I couldn’t comprehend what they were trying to say and I tried to catch a sleep again.

I got out in Dombivali station and I started looking out for her. I called her and she asked me to come near the ticket counter.  She has gained a few kilos, but still looks stunning. We briefly hugged and moved out. We took a auto and directly went to meet the builder. I could smell her favourite perfume and she looked even more beautiful than last time. The builder gave an offer of 25% black money which will be almost 15  to 20 Lacks.  I almost knew this is not going to happen. I took the palm lets where the artistic view of the building and the garden around it. I loked at the swap land and wondered how it could be like the picture they have depicted in the palm-let.

I was done for the day and wanted to catch the next train and get back to Lower Parel. Then she gave me an offer, which I couldn’t reject. She told me, that we can have dinner and I can stay with her as her room mate is out of station.  After dinner we went to her one bedroom apartment. It clearly suggest that it was a girls apartment. There were colourful lamp shades, wind shields. I could see some pink chart papers stuck to the wall where there was Tom Cruse and Rahul Dravid smiling at me.

I offered to make coffee for her when she went to take bath.  I carefully prepared two cups of coffee and by the time she came out of bathroom with her wet hair. Water droplets were dropping of her wet hair. God has created girls in such a manner that, every moment she looks different and beautiful. We sipped our coffe and talked about many things. She took my coffee mug and went to kitchen to wash them. I double checked my wallet that, I’m not carrying any protection today. I’ve to go to Shabarimala in next 20 days. I’ve to be in my brahmachrya mode. This is becoming real test of my nerves. I told her I’m not well and need to catch some sleep. She took me to the bedroom and made me sleep in the bed. I could feel her hands over my forehead.  How can I sleep with a girl next to me and not do anything. I acted as I slept and was sleepless whole night. I could see her sleeping like a small kid next to me.



I was sleep less for the whole night and took a bath and was ready to go to office. She was still sleeping. I sat next to her looking at her innocent face. I woke her with a soft kiss over her eyelids. I bid good bye to her and told, will make up to the lost night someday.  She gave me a weak smile and pulled me towards her and kissed my nose and said good bye.

I took a fast train to my work place. When I watched, the movie “Wednesdy”, I couldn’t really feel the pain of the protagonist who lost his co-passenger. Today after living in Mumbai for two years I know how important these local trains are. I started talking to a daily traveller in the train and he explained how this train has become the part of his life.  He told me that; there many friends he got in his four hour train journey everyday.  He told me that there were instances, his train mates have planned picnics and shares a good chemistry each other.

As we were talking a guy in his late 20s gave my co passenger a wedding invitation. I was surprised to know that, these guys have nothing in common other than the train they travel. They work in different companies, gets into the train from different stations and get down at different stations. But still they share good relationship. By the time he had distributed at least 20 wedding cards in the compartment. Most astonishing part was that, he went near the ladies compartment and handed over a card to a young lady through the grill.

Now I know why they call, Mumbai local the life line. It is not life line; it is actually life for some people. My newly found friend stood up from his seat and a guy wished him good morning and sat in his place. I was so surprised by his gesture and asked him why he stood up, as it is going to take at least half an hour to reach CST. He told me that it is an unwritten rule in the train to stand up for those who are standing as I was sitting for last 70 -80 mins. Now I know why people were shouting CST in Mulund, while I was sleeping. They were expecting me to stand up for them and was suggesting I was sitting from CST.

It took me some time to understand the Mumbai Lingo, now I’ve to learn the unwritten rules of train travel also. After office that day I went to my home as I was sleepy. I’ve not slept the day before. I quickly went to sleep and as expected I was woken up by the same dream.

I lost my dream and switched on my laptop to check my mails as I’ve not done it for two days.  I saw a mail from my Dombivali friend. I opened it and it was her wedding invitation.

Epilogue:-

The very next day I had a very bad dream. I was attending her marriage and to my surprise; her bridegroom was the same guy who was distributing his Marriage invitation in Dombivali Fast. It was bad, but for the first time in last couple of weeks I had a different dream. 

CHECKMATE

 ROTI, KAPADA AUR SEX - Part 2

“My name is AMRITA and I’m not the one whom you were mentioning.” I know someone named Amrita and I’ve serious doubts you are mentioning about her. Would you like to meet Amrita Didi ?    I couldn’t understand what is happening? All of a sudden where did this Vendor come into picture? How the hell did she knew what I and Shilpa was talking? Was she there all the time and listening to us? I had lot of questions popping up, in my mind, but I didn’t ask her any of them, instead, I asked, where her Amrita Didi, stays. She asked me to accompany her to Charni Road to meet her. Is this a trap?  I have no idea, but I still told her to meet me at Charni Road station in 2 hrs.  I didn’t want to take Shilpa along with me, as I was not sure what was in store for me.

Shilpa came back with a smile, eating her butta and handing over one to me. I paid Amrita and let her go; signalling will meet in 2 hrs. I need to take Shilpa home and come back to meet Amrita. I don’t know what, was that, inspiring me to meet this girl. I heard about Amrita for first time, just an hour before. Till now I’ve not heard a single good thing about her, still I want to meet her.  I stopped a Cab to take Shilpa home and she reminded me, that we have not had dinner yet. I told her, to grab a burger from McD and get back home so that I can go and meet a friend of mine.  She asked whether I was going to meet a female or a male friend. I never hide anything from her, but some how today I told her, I’m going to meet a male friend.

I dropped Shilpa at home and went back to Charni Road station in the same Cab. Amrita, the Vendor was waiting for me in front of the station itself. She asked me to follow her. I didn’t know, south Mumbai had this kind of a places too. She took me through some narrow lanes and started climbing a steep wooden staircase.  I was wondering the strength of the ladder, while I was carefully climbing up. When the door was opened it was full of smoke and it nearly suffocated me. I could see Amrita on the bed with a coffee in her right hand and a burning cigarette in her left hand. She was reading something. She turned her head to look at me, keeping her right hand stable, which held the coffee mug. Her white top had a red flower embroidered over her right chest. She took a quick puff of the cigarette and invited me in. Her white top was long enough to cover her black shorts she was wearing to give an illusion; she was only wearing a top. Her room was looking like a typical boys’ hostel room, which I’m familiar with. Lot of posters were stuck over the wall. Magazines were all around.  She just rolled a heap of undergarments and tops lying on her bed under the bed sheet and made space for me to sit down.

She was behaving as if she was expecting me. I introduced myself and she told me that, Amrita had already called her up and informed about my arrival. By the time Amrita had made tea and served to us, and she went out.  She was not the most beautiful girl I’ve seen till date, but there was something, that was pulling me towards her. We very quickly developed a bond between us.  May be she was the only girl till now; I’ve developed such a bonding so quickly.  I was getting suffocated with the cigarettes she smoked one after the other; I wanted to get out and asked whether she would like to go out for a walk?  She asked me, whether I was taking her, for a date. She was laughing as if she had cracked the best joke of the millennium and went inside and changed to a jeans and     t-shirt and came back in no time. She was definitely different. Unlike all other girls I’ve dated, till now, she dressed so quickly and was not even cared to use any cosmetics. We were out of the room in less than 5 mins. I was walking alongside the marine drive again for the second time today. We talked a lot about many things. She told me, she was going out with a guy named Surender. I was not interested in knowing about him. May be she also guessed it and stopped talking about him.

We had dinner and came back to her room. She insisted me to take a cab back home and she can go back to her room herself. Being a gentleman I insisted, I’ll take her to her room, and will take a cab from there.  I always thought that, Sex and Love are two different things and you can balance both very well if you are smart enough.  I hate girls, because they mix, love and sex together.  This is the point I started liking this girl. Her body language told me, that I can go for the kill. I was always good at reading the body language, when it came to sex.  I always took advantage, of the situation, baring a few instances. There were situations where the girl was willing but wanted me to start and I held my breath, saying nothing doing till the girl says, she wants it. She was special and I wanted nothing to go wrong and I waited and waited for the signal. May be I got the signal and was influenced by some other factors. I still remember those sleepless nights, which proved that, I’m not fully a Dog, there is some humanity left in me.

Today was not such a day and I knew it was going to happen. With in few moments we were together on the bed. My hands were searching for my jeans’ pocket to get the protection before the actual action begins. She was too good and I would never have spoiled the mood by stopping in between.   Next morning I woke up early and I had to get back to my office. I kissed the sleeping beauty and bid good bye to her and went back to my home. I was somehow falling for Amrita and I always made it a point to visit her as many times I could. It was during one of such a surprise visit, I ran into Amrita’s BF, Surender.  I don’t know why, the hell on earth should, I be jealous of him. It was me who is going out with his GF and why the fuck, am I getting jealous of him?  The best thing that happened to me that day was that, he became so friendly with me and it really helped me.  I maintained the friendship and I always had clue, what his schedule was, and always made it a point to visit Amrita, when he was away.

It was one of those beautiful nights, when we were relaxing after our stress releasing exercise, she asked me that girlish question. Taking a puff of her ‘Marlboro-Lights’, she asked what I thought about marriage? A sudden fear ran across my nerves. I’ve faced this question many times in similar situation.  I still cannot find out why girls ask this question just after a good session of sex. I was never expecting this from Amrita. May be there is a girl inside every girl. I was silent, but she was speaking, like she was in a different world. She told, me how she had to surrender to one of the rich guys in her village. How she managed to send her little sister to one of the best school. “My sister still thinks, she was good enough to win the scholarship for free education.” May be she will never know what her elder sister had to go through to earn her that. If u have a drunkard father and a home-maker mom, and you are the only hope for them, then you will have to do all these things.  Her story looked like a screenplay from a B&W  Bollywood movie.  Now I can imagine how she got into the management quota of one of the most reputed institutions in Pune even after coming from a middle class family. Somehow my mind started justifying her for being in many relationships in her student life and making use of them. She knew the art of pulling out heart from body. Somehow I  felt this was happening to me also, but still I was ready to take that pain.

Everything was going very well for few months other than the complaints from, Shilpa and my room mate, that I’m spending less time with them, these days.  It was a lazy Saturday morning and I was sleeping in my apartment and my phone rang. Amrita’s voice neither sounded happy nor confident, as she used to be. I told her, I’ll be at her place in 30 mins. When I reached her place, I found her in the same position as I met her in the first time. I went near her and sat with her. She didn’t care to pull her undergarments and other stuff underneath her bed sheet today. I took her hand and kissed on her palm. Definitely, I would have not done that on a normal situation. Kissing on hands is for good guys and I’m not one.  I held her hands between mine and slowly asked her, what is wrong and she looked at me moved her lips in such a fashion which produced a sound like this. “I’m Pregnant.”

I just became speechless and didn’t know what to be done. I stood up and went out of her house and she didn’t move a bit. She didn’t say anything or tried to stop me from going out. I went out and slowly walked aimlessly and was thinking hard, what has to be done to get out of this problem. I had no idea for how much time I was walking. I felt like I'm loosing all my energy. I just walked through the birds flying away from Marine Drive aimlessly.



May be after couple of hours, I got a call from Surender. He asked me to meet me at Carter Road CCD in an hour. I reached there before time and to my surprise, he was also there before time waiting for me. I could see lot of couples having fun in such a hot afternoon. I felt sad for them. They don't know how troublesome it could be if it goes wrong. They all could be in my situation.



He told me that Amrita is Pregnant and he is really pissed off. He needs my help to get out of it. What the hell is going on? A girl is pregnant and two guys are worried, to add to it, they both are discussing how to get out of the same.  Surender told me that he has to go on an official trip for couple of weeks and need my help to get out of this situation. I told him not to worry and I’ll manage the situation. That evening when I was with Shilpa, I wanted to tell her everything. I don’t like hiding things from her, but somehow I kept it to myself.

When I got inside Amrita’s house, she was cooking her lunch. She was in a much better mood today. Her confidence had come back. That gave me something to cheer about. I asked her, whether it was a false alarm, did her cycle started today or something? She looked at me as if I’ve asked her to calculate the escape velocity of a rocket to move out of the atmosphere to the space. She doesn’t know how badly I wanted her biological cycle to happen again. She told me that, she had confirmed it and she was sure about it. When we were having our lunch, she told me, that she knew a nursing home where we can do the abortion. I felt like she took a gun and shot me on point blank.  I didn’t say anything, not because, I also wanted it to happen, but I had no better idea than that. She asked me to meet her at Charni Road Station, the next day by 10:30 in the morning.

I reached the Charni Road station by 09:45 hrs in the morning and was waiting for Amrita to come. I could have walked to her house as the proposed time was 10:30. I still was waiting for her in the station. When she came I was so confused, to be happy or sad. I was just following her instructions. When I reached the nursing home, I felt so uncomfortable; the same way I felt when I was with Shalini in her last train trip (Unfaithful). The nursing home looked like a typical government hospital I’ve seen in the movies. The nurse who came out informed us that, we can meet the doctor. The lady doctor was in her 40s and was looking at me like, I’m a fugitive on run. She asked me to sign some documents. I glance through the document provided to me. The document stated my consent for abortion to be carried out for my wife. To my surprise the document was prepared on Surender's Name. I never expected, I would be signing legal papers in a doctor's consulting room.

 I was following Amrita’s instruction like a small kid and signed every place she asked me to sign.  I was smart enough to sign as Surender and held Amrita’s hand for a moment kissed her on her forehead and moved out of the room.  When I was moving out of the room, I could hear the Lady Doctor blabbering about generation X's way of life, where they have everything to prevent these things and still they have to do an abortion. I was emotionally so tired to react back. I just went out and sat down in the waiting room.  The waiting room was filled with many pregnant women. They all looked happy and were eagerly waiting for their check-up. I didn’t want to have eye contact with any one of them. I picked up a magazine and started reading.  I had to stop reading that magazine as it was a Maternity magazine and the next magazine I took was also on similar lines.  I was feeling so suffocated by looking at the baby faces posters all over the waiting room.

May be the magazines were not enough; that is why they had those horrifying images of abortion sticked to the wall. I felt very uncomfortable looking at all these things. I felt like I was about to loose my consciousness. I was feeling like a murderer sitting in the waiting room. I never thought I would be instrumental in taking away an unborn life. I just couldn’t sit there comfortably. I was sweating inside an air-conditioned   room. I have already drunk at-least 2-3 glasses of water.  I was feeling so uncomfortable and just went out of the waiting room and was standing in the hot sun and I was not feeling any heat of it.  I just stood in the hot sun like I was lost in a new world.

When Amrita Walked out of the Nursing home, I didn’t know how to react. I took her hands in my hands and walked along with her. We took a taxi to her home.  She said Good-Bye and started walking towards her home. I suddenly stopped her and held her hands. I tried to look away from her eyes and softly asked “Was it mine?” She pulled her hands away from my grasp and asked me, “What do you think?” Before I could say or react anything she started climbing the wooden staircase. 

ROTI, KAPADA AUR SEX

I’ve been getting suggestions from my friends about what I should write in my blogs. Some of them even suggested me to do a Chetan Bhagat. Many of my friends from around the world called me and told their real life stories and asked me to write that in my blog. Everyone had the same concluding statement. “Please change the name of the characters.”  I gave a patient ear to everyone.  I really couldn’t write their stories till now as I had my own real life experience to write about. Eighty percentages of my stories are based on true events, where I’ve been a part of it. Many of the real life experience my friends share with me automatically goes into low priority as they don’t fall in the theme of my blog “Love Sex aur Dhokha”.  This story was narrated to me by one of my dearest friend.

The story happens in Pune. The city of bridges (This city holds the record of having maximum number of bridges made across the same river. This city also holds the record of maximum number of two wheelers than any city. This city is very young. This city has a rolling population of students that keeps its average age young.  This is a city of rave parties, fuck buddies and chicks. This is the only city of Maharashtra where public transport (road) is efficient enough to cater to the need.

This story is about Sidharth, Varun and Amrita. I don’t call it a triangular story, because it has many more angles to it, and their sum will never give you 180. It is a story of a Guy (Sidd) who loved a girl. This is a story of a guy (Varun) who thought she was everything. This is a story of a girl (Amrita) who wanted everything. 

Varun and Amrita met first time in a classroom. Was it a love at first time? Who knows? They just exchanged a smile. Amrita was with her group of friends. Varun actually didn’t see any of the four beautiful girls with Amrita. He was stuck by cupid’s arrow that very moment.  Let me introduce you guys to Amrita’s friends. Priyanka, Deepika, Nisha and Shilpa. These five were the notorious 5 of the campus. Everyone knew about this gang.  But Varun could see only Amrita. She is not the best among the group, but yeah, love is blind. They became friends and their friendship moved to the next level. Everything happened so fast that no one actually realized what has happened. You guys will be confused that, who am I? Why am I telling Sidd’s and Amrita’s story?  This story was narrated to me by Shilpa. So u guys also listen to this story in her words.

Monsoon had forgotten to shower that day and we were enjoying the cool breeze in Marine drive when she started speaking.

Once I completed my 12^th grade I wanted to get out of Delhi, and Pune was the best option I could think of.  When I first came to Pune the city looked so different to me. But this city adopted me quickly.  We five become best friends. It was great to be away from home and have all the freedom in the world.  It was almost 3 weeks in the new campus and new life was spicing up. That day when I went with my friends to the canteen I had no idea; I would be meeting with Dev there. Dev was my senior.  He was so cute and a perfect BF material. All my friends were helping me to get closer to Dev. We made it a regular routine to reach canteen when Dev comes there.  All of my friends were helping me somehow. They would call me up and say Dev is here, Dev is there. I would dress up quickly and ran to get a glimpse of Dev.  All my friends were very much excited to get me close to Dev. In this process we actually didn’t know what was happening between Varun and Amrita. Their relationship has grown to that extend that, Varun started gifting expensive gifts to Amrita and she was enjoying it.  We knew she had a BF before joining the College. So why the hell is she going around with Varun? She would always say,  "ladka acha hai! koi toh chahiyena collage mai, time pass ke liye.  You need to have a BF to go to Pubs and restaurants, or else who will make the payments?"

We were all surprised by her strange fundas. But she was always a great friend. She was a girl who knew how to have fun. She was so daring and was ready to do anything for fun. I always loved her company. I still remember the way she hugs me and kisses me in front of Dev, just to make him feel uneasy.

Amrita and Varun was having an easy going relationship till Sidd came into Picture. Sidd was the son of Amrita’s  school principal. I never liked Sidd. He was a moron. He would come in his sports bike to pick up amrita with a cigarette always between his lips. He would remove the cigarette from his lips only to kiss Amrita.  We were all astonished by the strange behaviour of Amrita. Why was she going around with this guy when there is Varun, who is ready to sacrifice anything and everything for her? Amrita was always smart enough to hide her relationships from both of them. I started hating her when she started taking money from Varun, saying that she had no money to go to Nashik to meet her Aunt.  She used to go to Mumbai, with that money.  She was using Varun like an ATM card.

I felt sorry for him. Not only me, Priyanka, Deepika and Nisha were also sad for him. Amrita managed the show, for some time, very much efficiently. She was making a card castle and it has to fall down one day.  We never expected it to fall this way. Every one of our class got a mail from an unknown individual with an attachment of Amrita’s naked photo. We were so taken back. We didn’t know what we have to do after we deleted that mail. We had no idea how to face our classmates or for that matter Amrita. We decided to stand by Amrita and we were sure it was done by Sidd. We went to Amrita and told her don’t worry and everything will be alright. She cried and told us that, she never expected Varun to do this. We all were taken back and was shocked, to know it was done by Varun.

It was 1:30 in the night and I was in deep sleep when my phone rang. It was Varun calling and I was confused. I had no idea, what to do. I received the call and there I could hear Varun crying. Then some how he grasped his strength to ask how is Amrita and she has switched off her mobile and that is why he had to disturb me at this odd time. He asked how Amrita is doing and asked me if I had any clue of the person who sent the email.  I couldn’t control any more. How cruel are you? How can you still call her friend and ask about her after doing such a heinous act. He told me, he had not done that. I was not ready to accept what he was saying. I cancelled the call and went back to sleep.

Next morning Varun was waiting for me. He came near to me and told me, he wanted to talk to me. I don't know why I went with him to the CCD. He was crying, he told me that, he was not the one who had done it. He was also afraid by the fact, who took her full nude photo as he had never captured her complete nude. I could guess it would be Sidd. But why is Amrita putting all blame on Varun?

I had decided to ask these doubts to Amrita. She would definitely know who would have clicked these pics as these pics where not shot with out her knowledge, as she was posing for the same.  Everything turned upside down when I went to our room. When I entered the room all my friends were there in the room and everyone was looking at me as if they were looking at Kasab. The words that came out of Amrita was horrible and I was speechless for couple of seconds. “I thought you were going around with Dev. I never even imagined you were waiting for my breakup so that u can go around with Varun.” “How can you even talk to some one who has just pulled your friend to hell?” “He is a jerk and the only thing he wants is Sex.”  I just wanted to ask her about Sidd and her visits to Mumbai, telling Varun, that she was going to Nashik to meet her aunt. But words didn’t come out of my mouth.

I didn’t speak a word and went to my room. Dee came to my room. I call Deepika as ‘Dee’. She sat near me and didn’t speak a word.  Tears were rolling out of my eyes as if it was a fountain.  She just lied next to me and wrapped her hands around me. We both had no idea how long I was crying and when we went to sleep. Something we never wanted to happen just happened, next morning. Amrita moved out of our house to stay somewhere else. We had no idea where she was going. After few days we came to know about her that, she is in a live-in relationship with a guy called Rahul. We were all confused, how can she just walk into anyone’s life like that.  Its not even a week, she had a break up and she is with a new guy now. Sidd also visits her regularly.

She just walked out of our life, as if nothing has happened.  It was a difficult phase in our life and everyone in our campus used to ask us about Amrita and we had no answers. Everyone started looking at us as if we are all like Amrita and just can do anything for Sex and money. We tried to erase all memories of Amrita from our minds, but it was not that easy. She has been a part of our life for some time now.

There were lot of rumours about Amrita , that, she was addicted to drugs and is a regular member in every rave party in the city. She sleeps with any random guy just to have drugs.  It was too much for us to digest.  We started hating her like anything, when she registered a police complaint against Varun. She wrote in her complaint that, Varun was taking advantage of her and was raping her for two years.  I just don’t understand this guy, who is still ready to accept Amrita if she comes back and ready to go to any Jail if she will be happy. How can Amrita do such a thing to a sweet heart like him?

I could see tears forming in Shilpa’s eyes. Marine drive was cold that night and sea breeze was ample enough to dislodge our hair. I held Shilpa tight towards me. She was complaining about the hostel pics, Amrita had recently uploaded in the facebook featuring all five of them. She couldn’t finish her story before tears started falling from her eyes. There were many girls who cried over my shoulders, but no one has yet cried for her girl friend.

I asked her what could make her stop crying and she came up with an innovative idea. 

Let’s have a Butta.In Mumbai, during monsoon, the  Butta-man around the street corner is in business always...
Roasted on coal-fire and a touch salt, lime&pepper...the roasted corn is great. Ok dear! There is a butta man there, why don’t you go and get a roasted Butta from him. I’ll make a call and join you. She went to the Butta Man and I tried to make a call.  

The phone was engaged and a female was standing behind me by that time. I turned around and found out, she was a hawker trying to sell mineral water and potato chips to me. I could easily identify, she is not a regular, hawker and she looked pretty even in her shabby cloths. I didn’t know why I asked her name while paying for the water bottle.

She reverted back to me “My name is AMRITA and I’m not a ……….!!!

This story is not a work of a fiction. I’ve twisted the story a little bit to safeguard the identities of the individuals involved.