Surreal Musings Of A Romantic Fugitive - Part II

Wednesday, the following week 2007

I arrived bleary eyed in her city. I watched the blue haze of smoke as the auto pulled out of the city station. I remembered again how two of my closest friends had set this meeting in motion and today was the first step to anywhere! I had not slept the whole night and I looked an untidy mess – overnight greenish stubble and touchy as a grizzly, “at least I don’t smell bad” I consoled myself. I had showered before I boarded the train. She had asked me to call her when I arrived. I dialed her number and tried to catch her voice over the roar of the auto. That voice again…

“Hey...have you come in!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, I just did.” (My throat was dry and I swallowed hard. I was nervous as hell. “I am not good at being cool,” I thought. More than anything, I wished I had a Don Juan persona tucked somewhere under the layers of my skin and if I could somehow coax him to come out, that would be a magnum opus in this situation.

“I know we are going to meet on Saturday, but can we meet today for a few minutes?” her Voice asked back!

“Sure” I said, trying not to sound nervous. “Give me thirty minutes.” My auto pulled into the driveway of my friend’s flat and I jumped out with the phone cradled between my ear and shoulder.

“Meet me at Café Coffee Day at 12.30 pm. It’s on my way to the office and I can spare a few minutes.”

“Cool.” I waved at my friend as he opened the door into the living room. Hugs were exchanged over a mug of tea and muffins. I got into the shower and made a mental note to shave my face extra close this time. “What was I going to say?” “What is a good opening line?” “Should I hug her friendly or just shake her hand?” “What if I make a total ass of myself and end up playing chess with the salt and pepper shaker instead?”

A little after 10 minutes of crooning in the shower, a close shave and a douse of cologne, I hiked my way to the Café. I was, as my usual habit, early. I walked nervously up the stairs and grabbed the first chair that was in the patio and sat down. With my back to the tables and my view of the road, I felt it would be good to size my blind-date from afar before she saw me. It would help me get over the initial embarrassment of looking an attractive woman in the eye and not allow my face to show it, or so I thought. I exhaled nervously and began a slow rhythm of tapping on the coffee table.

I did not have to wait long. Watching people and cars go by, my eyes fell on a tallish girl who walked with long purposeful strides towards the café. She was, in one and two half words – very fine-looking! She was just as she had described herself…dusky with a hint of acne, but the sun-kissed angle of her chin was fine and her long oval eyes were a lighter shade of amber. She was, I thought, quite beautiful.

Her identity was confirmed when she put the phone to her ear and my phone rang almost immediately. She glanced up at me as I waved to her.

“Hey!” I tried to appear calm.

She smiled warmly, said nothing but put her hand out for me to grasp in greeting. The handshake was warm.

“Hope you weren’t waiting too long?” Her large brown eyes searched my face as we sat down at the coffee table.

“No, not really.” I mumbled. Don Juan refused to show. Damn table was too small. Thermal Meltdown of Alpha male confidence.

The order was given and two cups of coffee appeared as if by magic.

“Happy Birthday,” she smiled and said as her hand dipped into her bag and came out with a small gift wrapped package.

“Thanks.” I replied. This time I tried to meet her eyes. A quick glance and then back to the coffee as if I could conjure up an invincible aura from its pitted surface.

“So do I look like my picture?” that smile again.

“Better.” This time I really looked and even smiled back. Her face flushed ever so slightly and she acknowledged the compliment with a slight raise of her eyebrow and looked away.

The conversation became easy after that. We spoke about things, friends and places we had in common. As the conversation flowed, I could tell by the way she looked at me, she felt safe. Her eyes bored holes in the back of my head…searching, probing. It seemed as if her mind was asking her hundreds of questions all at once. Okay, so I had Forrest Gump show up instead but at least he was honest!

The seconds flew by fast and her time had come to go to work. I walked with her to the Bus stop. She shook my hand warmly as she hopped on to her bus. We had decided to meet on Saturday and spend the day together. I did not know if I had made a good impression or not, but I was hopeful...

I am driving swiftly back to where I came from and the dawn is just breaking. The road I am on, along side a narrow rolling great beach beyond which I can glimpse the sea, would lead me to the Bay of Bengal if I followed its end.

I look ahead where the shelf of cloud seems to meet the sea and the sky is gentle azure - luminously inviting. I pull over suddenly while the tires skid gently on the sandy gravel. I hear the thwack! of the door shutting behind as I walk forwards – seemingly trying to get a clearer view of this fine picture. I inhale deeply – my chest filling up with moist air as I feel a strange but peaceful calm which I have not felt in years. My mind is clear, as clear as the sky as I walk back to the car - the sandy gravel crunches under my shoes. I kick a few large sized pebbles with my foot and think out aloud…. “What the heck! This is Tsunami country…anything could happen here.”