1
Sitting at the corner table of Leopold café I was waiting for my beer to be served. A Saturday evening couldn’t be better than treating yourself with food and alcohol of your choice at your favourite café when no one is there to be with you. This has been my favourite since the first time I visited the place three years back. I come to the place very often, twice or thrice in a month, all the way from Kurla. That evening it was raining, the first rain of the season. Sitting all alone, I was watching the people around, which is to be one of the best ways to spend my leisure.
I found love in the eyes of people, I found anger as well. I found people celebrating friendship, I found people busy with their cell phones and not talking with the person in front.
My Bira was served, so I took a sip. And then I saw her, drenched in her black dress. She seemed to be in a hurry. She looked around the house, and it was full that evening. She called the Floor Manager and quickly had words with him. Both the pairs of eyes threw a glance at me. There was an empty chair at my table. Am I so lucky, I asked myself. I fell in love with Leopold Café more when the manager came to me and said,
“Excuse me, sir, are you alone?”
I am Twenty-Seven, I stay in Mumbai, which is thousands of miles away from my hometown, I broke up with my girlfriend and I hardly have any close friend in this city. Of course, I am alone – I thought. But only I could say “Yes”.
“If you don’t mind, would you please share the table with that lady?” The Manager said pointing at her.
I looked at her and I had no reason to reject the offering. I thanked God for being so generous and agreed with a smile.
2
It had been fifteen minutes since she joined me at my table. The only word she said after taking her seat was “Thanks”, with a smile. And I thought ‘Here’s the chance boy, the love of your life has come to you, go get her’. I said to her, “Welcome”. She ordered one Bira and some Chicken wings for her. And the inside of my heart filled with joy as I found a similarity in choices for the beer brand. I couldn’t resist myself as I said “So, you like Bira too” with a wide smile on my face. She looked at me, smiled a little and went busy with her cell phone. I felt insulted, I condemned myself for saying such stupid things. I looked around to check whether anyone had noticed this, and I was satisfied as everyone was busy. I said to myself, if she has her attitude, you have your own dignity. I was determined, I would not look at her. So, I finished my Beer with that determination. I thought of leaving the café, but ordered another Beer, as I wanted to sit there a little longer.
Her food had come. I noticed her while she was having her beer and chicken wings. She had one beautiful pair of smoky eyes. Her untied, dark hair was still wet. The scarlet of her lips was mesmerizing. I felt like I haven’t seen such a beautiful lady for years. And then she found me staring at her, she didn’t seem very pleased about that. I turned my head to the other side as quickly as I could. My heart started beating faster as I expected her to say something. But she ignored me, yet again, and concentrated on the food.
Half of the bottle of my second beer was finished by the time she received a phone call. I listened to her saying on her phone “hey, where are you?” pause “I am at Leopold café, I was so hungry” Pause “Yes, I am almost done.” Pause “Okay, see ya”.
She hung up the phone and I took another sip of my Bira. I was constantly thinking about how could I get in touch with her. I wanted to begin a conversation, but I knew I would be ignored. I prayed to God to show me a path, and suddenly I saw someone entering. A young man, tall about six feet, having biceps like John Abraham and beard like Virat Kohli. He was coming to me, does he know me, I asked myself. He came forward and stopped by the table. In no time, the lady I fell in love with in the last half an hour left her last piece of chicken wings and hugged that muscle man. And I watched her be embraced in his arms. I put my head down as I couldn’t watch that. She paid her bill and left with him within few minutes, and I was alone again. I ordered another Bira.
3
It was 9’o clock in the evening. I came out of Leopold café with my broken heart and it was still raining. I decided to get drenched as I thought that would be the best way to heal the pain. I stopped by a cigarette shop and bought one gold flake lights. Finishing the cigarette, I boarded the first taxi I could find. The rain was slowing down then. I took my earphone out, plugged them into my cell phone and was about to play the Elvis Presley songs when I saw someone waving hands to my Taxi. I asked the taxi driver to stop and there she was. A Young lady, around twenty-two-twenty-three, came to the window and asked me “I am unable to get any taxi on this rainy night. Unfortunately, my phone got switched off, I couldn’t reserve any Uber also. I need to go to Andheri. Would you please give me a lift?”
I didn’t know how to react. “Sure, come in. I am going that way.” I replied.
I moved to the other side of the seat as she came inside. She said “Thank You” with a smiling face. I found her very pretty, although I knew she would ignore me anyway, so I said “Welcome” with a stern face and kept looking at the outside of the Taxi window. Suddenly I heard her asking “Do you stay at Andheri?”
Had she asked me! I didn’t expect that. I looked at her and pretended that I didn’t listen to her. So, I asked, “Sorry, did you say anything?”
She said “I asked, do you stay at Andheri?” and she smiled.
“No. I stay at Kurla, near Chembur. But I am going to a friend’s place tonight.” I said.
I turned my head the other round and kept looking outside.
“Well, you are from Mumbai only?” She continued asking me.
“I am from Calcutta,” I said.
“We say ‘Kolkata’ these days, don’t we?” she smiled.
“I prefer being this way” I smiled back.
“I am from Kolkata too. Doing my higher studies here. What do you do?” She asked.
I was delighted to know she is from the same city I belong to.
“I am a full-time Accountant and a part-time writer” I smiled.
“Oh, you are a writer! That’s great” I found her to be excited. Although I promised myself to stay calm, so I replied very serenely “Yeah, I do write, but haven’t published yet”.
“You will, ” she smiled. “I love reading. Shall I have the privilege to read your stuff? ” She asked after a tiny pause.
And I could feel my heart beating faster. I asked myself ‘Oh boy, is she the one, the Love of your life?’
*** END ***
Sitting at the corner table of Leopold café I was waiting for my beer to be served. A Saturday evening couldn’t be better than treating yourself with food and alcohol of your choice at your favourite café when no one is there to be with you. This has been my favourite since the first time I visited the place three years back. I come to the place very often, twice or thrice in a month, all the way from Kurla. That evening it was raining, the first rain of the season. Sitting all alone, I was watching the people around, which is to be one of the best ways to spend my leisure.
I found love in the eyes of people, I found anger as well. I found people celebrating friendship, I found people busy with their cell phones and not talking with the person in front.
My Bira was served, so I took a sip. And then I saw her, drenched in her black dress. She seemed to be in a hurry. She looked around the house, and it was full that evening. She called the Floor Manager and quickly had words with him. Both the pairs of eyes threw a glance at me. There was an empty chair at my table. Am I so lucky, I asked myself. I fell in love with Leopold Café more when the manager came to me and said,
“Excuse me, sir, are you alone?”
I am Twenty-Seven, I stay in Mumbai, which is thousands of miles away from my hometown, I broke up with my girlfriend and I hardly have any close friend in this city. Of course, I am alone – I thought. But only I could say “Yes”.
“If you don’t mind, would you please share the table with that lady?” The Manager said pointing at her.
I looked at her and I had no reason to reject the offering. I thanked God for being so generous and agreed with a smile.
2
It had been fifteen minutes since she joined me at my table. The only word she said after taking her seat was “Thanks”, with a smile. And I thought ‘Here’s the chance boy, the love of your life has come to you, go get her’. I said to her, “Welcome”. She ordered one Bira and some Chicken wings for her. And the inside of my heart filled with joy as I found a similarity in choices for the beer brand. I couldn’t resist myself as I said “So, you like Bira too” with a wide smile on my face. She looked at me, smiled a little and went busy with her cell phone. I felt insulted, I condemned myself for saying such stupid things. I looked around to check whether anyone had noticed this, and I was satisfied as everyone was busy. I said to myself, if she has her attitude, you have your own dignity. I was determined, I would not look at her. So, I finished my Beer with that determination. I thought of leaving the café, but ordered another Beer, as I wanted to sit there a little longer.
Her food had come. I noticed her while she was having her beer and chicken wings. She had one beautiful pair of smoky eyes. Her untied, dark hair was still wet. The scarlet of her lips was mesmerizing. I felt like I haven’t seen such a beautiful lady for years. And then she found me staring at her, she didn’t seem very pleased about that. I turned my head to the other side as quickly as I could. My heart started beating faster as I expected her to say something. But she ignored me, yet again, and concentrated on the food.
Half of the bottle of my second beer was finished by the time she received a phone call. I listened to her saying on her phone “hey, where are you?” pause “I am at Leopold café, I was so hungry” Pause “Yes, I am almost done.” Pause “Okay, see ya”.
She hung up the phone and I took another sip of my Bira. I was constantly thinking about how could I get in touch with her. I wanted to begin a conversation, but I knew I would be ignored. I prayed to God to show me a path, and suddenly I saw someone entering. A young man, tall about six feet, having biceps like John Abraham and beard like Virat Kohli. He was coming to me, does he know me, I asked myself. He came forward and stopped by the table. In no time, the lady I fell in love with in the last half an hour left her last piece of chicken wings and hugged that muscle man. And I watched her be embraced in his arms. I put my head down as I couldn’t watch that. She paid her bill and left with him within few minutes, and I was alone again. I ordered another Bira.
3
It was 9’o clock in the evening. I came out of Leopold café with my broken heart and it was still raining. I decided to get drenched as I thought that would be the best way to heal the pain. I stopped by a cigarette shop and bought one gold flake lights. Finishing the cigarette, I boarded the first taxi I could find. The rain was slowing down then. I took my earphone out, plugged them into my cell phone and was about to play the Elvis Presley songs when I saw someone waving hands to my Taxi. I asked the taxi driver to stop and there she was. A Young lady, around twenty-two-twenty-three, came to the window and asked me “I am unable to get any taxi on this rainy night. Unfortunately, my phone got switched off, I couldn’t reserve any Uber also. I need to go to Andheri. Would you please give me a lift?”
I didn’t know how to react. “Sure, come in. I am going that way.” I replied.
I moved to the other side of the seat as she came inside. She said “Thank You” with a smiling face. I found her very pretty, although I knew she would ignore me anyway, so I said “Welcome” with a stern face and kept looking at the outside of the Taxi window. Suddenly I heard her asking “Do you stay at Andheri?”
Had she asked me! I didn’t expect that. I looked at her and pretended that I didn’t listen to her. So, I asked, “Sorry, did you say anything?”
She said “I asked, do you stay at Andheri?” and she smiled.
“No. I stay at Kurla, near Chembur. But I am going to a friend’s place tonight.” I said.
I turned my head the other round and kept looking outside.
“Well, you are from Mumbai only?” She continued asking me.
“I am from Calcutta,” I said.
“We say ‘Kolkata’ these days, don’t we?” she smiled.
“I prefer being this way” I smiled back.
“I am from Kolkata too. Doing my higher studies here. What do you do?” She asked.
I was delighted to know she is from the same city I belong to.
“I am a full-time Accountant and a part-time writer” I smiled.
“Oh, you are a writer! That’s great” I found her to be excited. Although I promised myself to stay calm, so I replied very serenely “Yeah, I do write, but haven’t published yet”.
“You will, ” she smiled. “I love reading. Shall I have the privilege to read your stuff? ” She asked after a tiny pause.
And I could feel my heart beating faster. I asked myself ‘Oh boy, is she the one, the Love of your life?’
*** END ***
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