It has been raining cute guys on the Durgapur-Kolkata bus route.
Last to last week I met one on the SBSTC bus. Today I met another on the Volvo bus.
And here goes the whole story.
This afternoon, I boarded the bus and asked the first available uncle, "Is this the 3.30 bus?"
The grave Uncle nodded a yes. Fraction of a second later, I realized that he was standing at my seat.
As I nudged my way in, I had a fleeting side-glimpse of a good-looking face staring at me. He was my co-passenger and obviously Grave Uncle's son.
The good girl that I am, I wholly concentrated on arranging my luggage and did not for once glance at the handsome face still staring at me and my antics.
The bus eventually started.
Like a well-behaved and true Bhartiya Naari, I arranged myself, drank some water, took out a book and started reading.
Yes, I always carry a book for emergency sake.
I could feel he was fidgeting in his seat.
"Yaaarrrr, talk if you want to!" I exclaimed inwardly. We,girls, have these extra pair of in-built sensory system which tells us all!
I finished the book. Only a few pages were left anyways. It was "The Time Machine". Although it had made a good read at home, now, I was least bothered whether the Time Traveller came back or got lost for good.
After sometime.
"Errr, have we crossed Bardhaman?"
I tried to act cool. "Mmmm...Seems not yet" .
And looked out of the window to double-check. (As if I had any idea!)
Again silence.
"Do you...Kolkata...Durgapur.."
How long was it? Fifteen-twenty minutes?
"Sorry?" I sat up and paid attention.
"Is your home in Kolkata?"
"No, my hometown is Durgapur, but I stay in Kolkata", I responded.
"Ok...no..actually I can't keep quite while travelling...as if we all are in some Maun-vrat...so.."
"No no...It's okay"
Oh yes! I don't have annny problem in talking to cute guys! And if the cute guy is dying to talk to me, I definitely talk! I love you God!
"Where is your home?", I asked.
"My home too is in Durgapur. I study at Kolkata. In fact, I have completed my graduation a few days ago. Now preparing for MBA."
Whaaatttt??? I did a quick mental calculation. This guy is at least six years younger than me. Then why doesn't he look like? All my enthusiasm deflated like a pierced balloon. Dear God, did I tell you that I don't love you THAT much either?
"What do you do in Kolkata?", he asked.
"I work." His face clouded a bit.
"Okay....How long have you been working?"
"Six years...almost."
He looked crestfallen. I could see his brain cells doing the math I had done a few minutes before.
"You don't look like", he mused.
I felt like patting his back.
"Yes, Bachcha, yes. I understand. I am disappointed too!"
Ten minutes break at Shaktigarh. The perfect time to message three of your girlfriends and spread out the news that you have stumbled upon a younger, but a cute guy nonetheless, in this crisis period of scanty supply and deteriorating quality.
Break over. He returned. And so did a flood of messages.
Yes. We girls are very helpful and prompt in moments of urgency.
Friend#1: Younger doesn't matter. Keep talking and get all the details.
Okay. One vote.
Friend#2: Uh Oh!
No vote. :(
Friend#3: Ah ha! I was about to call you, but won't now. Opportunities like these don't come everyday. Just forget age, weight and all related numbers and talk.
Two votes!
The message was loud and clear. Keep mining. You never know when you strike gold! ;)
So I talked.
And he talked too! Of his relationships.
Of his school days' "friend", his intermediate "friend", his college GIRLfriend with whom he is stable now (glad to know!).
Yes, I lost count and got confused in the middle. But being a very good listener, I clarified ALL my doubts and obtained very detailed information with pictorial evidence (Dumbo! his girlfriend's snap of course! Another sweet child.) as per the advice of my Friend#1.
Plus, I am a loser. My whole life I have been listening patiently and making other people's love stories.
I was born on this earth to become a successful agony aunt!
So I resigned to my fate and listened carefully to my new-found brother's exploits (I couldn't help but feel fraternal love. Sniff! Sniff!).
After sometime, I actually started enjoying myself.
Hearing about his career, his ambitions, his successes, his failures and giving him advice on various career and relationship (don't be surprised! I DO give very good relationship advice! Strange, huh?) aspects, I really felt like an elder sister. Or an eighty year old grandma.
But while talking to this stranger boy today, I took time to stand a while and look back to realize how long a journey I have traversed, how many milestones I have achieved and is yet to achieve, how much older(!!) and wiser(?) I have grown.
I felt like I have traveled light years.
To make a long story short, I spent three very good hours of my life on the bus, thanks to a stranger talkative boy.
And there's a happy ending too! He informed me specifically that he has two elder cousin-brothers who are perfectly available!
Dearest God! I love you the most!
"Point noted". I said to him. "If you handle my case successfully, I'll give you more assignments!"
My single, alive and kicking girlfriends! Are you listening?
