Fate and Ice cream parlour date.

It was a tiring half-hour auto ride. I was wearing my favourite blue shirt, which had been nicely ironed by my mom looong back, and I had kept it saved for a day unknown, never knew it would come in use today. I never expected her to call me up and tell me.. "Will you like to be a coolie for an hour or so?". She lived in a different city. Was coming to my city, to meet some relatives, she had no enthu to meet, but it was the marriage season, she could not avoid. But, she told them to pick up an hour later than her train was supposed to arrive. And called me instead, two hours before her train reached Bombay. "Abbe, aata hai kya?". I was in eighth heavens :-)

Owing to the hurry, and as I later realised, I forgot the trusted umbrella, and it was pre-rainy season in bombay. The one you can never trust. I had an hour to get ready. So, ditched my class, asked my wingie to give my proxy in the HSS class. Got a lucky lift from hostel to main gate. Got an auto, and was on my way, to meet the you-know-who of my life. It was fate that I had an afternoon off that day when she was coming, fate that she actually wanted to meet me, (and who knows maybe get it over with). Anyway, I reached the train station, with zero planning or thoughts to what I was gonna say or do. And yeah, obviously, I was excited.

Her train was late, by abt 40 minutes or so, the announcement board didnt show her train's name, I thought, did I hear the wrong station? But this is what she told me. So, I waited.. And finally, it came, the train and the girl-I-was-dying-to-meet-for-so-long. We never doubted we would be able to recognise each other. We did recognise, thankfully. And she didnt even let me lift both her bags. One for each it was. Anyway, since I had just 20 minutes left, we decided (it was more my suggestion) to go to the nearby Baskin Robbins shop. I loved icecream and she knew it. So, she agreed. I had a cone of Alphanso Mango and she had a cup of chocolate crumbs.

It seems funny now that we didnt really talk much, and more often than not, caught each other looking in each other's eyes. Who knew eyes can do so much talking.

I didnt have time to pick up any gift for her. I dont know how it would have looked. She did tease me about not saving any chocolates I had brought from UK for her. Well, what could I do but blush.

Then came the call, her cousin was coming to pick her up in 5 minutes. Suddenly, her attitude totally changed. I felt like I was an outsider again. And almost like she was feeling guilty about meeting me. By this time, we had stepped outside the icecream shop, and a few rain drops had started falling.

I felt like I had too many things to say. But before I could say a word, she said.. "Listen, I've gotta go now. My relatives are crazy and I dont want to give them wrong idea". I was a bit taken aback, thinking, "I was the wrong idea??!!". But an ever-optimist, I replied.. "Hmmm, okay. So, when do we meet next?". She tried to smile, but couldn't. She waited a moment for the railways announcement to get over and said quietly.. "I am not so sure about it. sorry. thanks for coming."

She went away towards the main entrance of the station. She didn't look back.

I stood there, drenched in rain and pain, as the local train crowd buzzed past me....