Episode 35

‘The samosas aren’t that bad. But the pani puris… The pani is too hot. Did she add the supermarket’s entire green chilli stock?’, asks Naren, gracing his presence for the BLANK group’s meet.

‘It’s okay I guess’, I champion Anitha who made the samosas and the pani puris but maybe with a bit too much zeal.

‘She says she diluted it as it was very hot. Can you imagine the first person who had it? Not going to have a good night’, he goes on.

‘Hey, this was her first time. If it is too much for you, don’t eat it’, yes, I am offended, on her behalf. I saw her slaving most of the day with these things.

‘I am the boyfriend. If I don’t….’, he hangs his head down dramatically with exaggerated shaking and a sigh deep enough to create vacuum around him. I laugh in spite of myself.

‘It’s bad isn’t it?’, Anitha asks, joining us under the tree Naren and I were standing.

‘It’s good Anitha. The pani puri, my god, I can feel the heat in all places, I have been wanting to have something this hot in forever. Brilliant’, Naren says, doing a one eighty and sounding sincere. I try very hard not to gape at him.

‘Thanks Naren.’, she smiles, sounding unconvinced.

‘Samosas are good. The pani is too hot. You can’t dilute it?’, I go for honesty.

She sighs. ‘It is diluted’.

Okay.

‘Karthik said he would get the readymade one, but I don’t think it will help. By the time he gets it and we make it, people might be gone.’

At the mention of his name I look for Karthik, my more-than-boyfriend, who is as usual having a conversation with Vivek and surprisingly Aravind.

The turnout was indeed good. We had a table with a three large plastic containers full of jewelry by Ishitha. One container had earrings, the other had bracelets and bangles, and the third one had assortment of many things like key chains, small containers, some decorative stuff, all small and very pretty. My colleagues had not only joined us, but brought their friends and other interested women who had gone  crazy at the earrings and bangles and helped a lot by buying a good number of them eventhough when one of them was trying on a earring, the dangler fell off and Ishitha  had a mini melt-down.

 Everyone had started arriving by five thirty in the evening. Once there was quite some crowd of around twenty people, I made a general announcement on what our group is and how anyone can give ideas and stuff. Fortunately, everyone listened.

We had then informed them of the stall.

I had also got the idea of getting people with similar interests to interact so I made an excel sheet(sigh) of all people who came in that day and their interests and tried introducing people with similar interests to each other. Aravind then went on recite a short story and a poem. The short story bounced off of me, but the poem did not entirely suck, it was a satirical take on young people’s obsession with belonging and was witty.

There were a group of book lovers who had started a discussion on some books and were wondering if they should read a new one before the next meet and discuss on that one too. I had introduced a girl probably just twenty or twenty one and who could sing and play guitar to Bala. There was another lady who had been an amateur model and trying to get work in television serials and I introduced her to Bala’s roommate. Wow, this could work, if people wanted it to.

One of the girls was interested in Ishitha’s jewelry-making and has been asking me if I can organize a class where she and a couple of her friends can learn few things. I made a note of such requests on another sheet on my excel as well. I had been pretty busy and seen with Vivek’s tab getting info and introducing people.

By the time we were ready for snacks, there were thirty eight people and I had an excel workbook with lot of sheets based on people’s interests. We were going to do some eating and then get ready to listen to Bala’s performance. Samosas were moving fast, the soft drinks were over, cake slices from Anitha’s chef friend were almost done, but the pani puris remained.

I look at Karthik now, wondering what he things of this. Karthik catches my eye after several seconds of me staring at him looking like a star-gazing idiot. Well what can I say, Karthik in a white Linen shirt and light blue jeans makes me want to use words like gorgeous and beautiful, in reference to a man, which I have used before but only in reference to Johnny Depp. Karthik isn’t Johnny Depp of course, he is his own brand of gorgeous and more so in my eyes and star-gaze I did.

‘Unexpected, but looks like there are a lot of people with a lot of free time in this area.’, I hear Aditya say behind me and I turn back to look at him.

‘He is just unwilling to credit you or Anitha with anything’, Ishwarya adds, standing next to him. Ishwarya as always, is very smartly dressed again, in a shirt and jeans, looking cool and smart. Aditya on the other hand was being lazy and was in shorts which we all frowned upon when he made his appearance.

‘Thanks Aditya, those were extremely encouraging words’, I add with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

‘You should go to a coffee shop or something next time, where there are more chairs and place to sit and if refreshments are needed people can order and pay for their own’, he suggests.

I look around. He is right. There were few spots for people to sit, along the cement fencing around the flower bed and garden, and some benches here and there. People were taking turns sitting. We had brought down very few chairs.

‘You are right. But food…’, I say looking at Anitha who is now talking to Karthik and Bala.

‘I will talk to her if you want’, Aditya offers. Cool.

‘Great’.

He squeezes my right shoulder in return. ‘So, Ishitha huh? She seems talented…’

‘Oh yeah, I don’t wear that kind of jewelry, but man, those key chains are pretty good. I bought a couple’, Ishwarya agrees.

‘Another slice of cake, Ishu?’, Aditya asks Ishwarya and she nods.

‘Congratulations are in order I guess’, Ishwarya tells me when he moves away.

‘Thanks’

‘You should come up with an app, it might make things easier..’, she says.

Not the first person to suggest. I am a developer and a couple of more guys as well, we could do it. But only second meet and an app? I nod thoughtfully.

‘I can help if you want. I mean, my brother can. He is anyways looking to present some project for his assignment in his class’.

‘Ohhh.. Really? Thanks Ishu, will let you know…’

Wow, more offers from people.

‘You are very busy’, Karthik comes to me at that time.

‘Yup’, I smile, while he moves closer and stands next to me.

Ishu smiles and excuses herself and moves away, probably looking for Aditya.

‘Thanks for helping with the list thing’, I tell him. He helped me by redirecting people to me so that I can collect their information for my excel sheet or noting down things on his phone so that I can add them to my list later.

‘No problem. Anything for you Priya’, he says.

Way cooooool.

I say looking at him stupidly, ‘So, satisfied? You need to do more observing?’

He chuckles turning towards me.

‘I did observe a lot. You have developed a habit of tugging at your necklace often’, he says.

I am wearing the pearl and the ruby necklace even though it doesn’t match my green tee and blue and green cotton palazzo pants.

‘Well, it gives me moral support.’, I tell him.

‘So, what you are saying is, me and a whole bunch of your friends here doesn’t give you moral support?’

‘Not so constantly’

‘You know I would constantly support you right?’

‘I know no such thing.’, I tell him, because, let’s face it, he thought this was unsafe.

‘Priya… I know I can be an idiot at times, but I always get over it and once I do, I will support you’, he says, his tone as that of being reasonable. Really?

‘Well, let’s see if you keep up the track record’, I add jokingly, even though I meant every word.

You see those forwards and memes on the internet about being explicit and dealing head on with men? Total bullshit. Men need to be handled, at times, because they were like those cute puppies chasing their own tails for considerable lengths of time when the mood strikes them and not so cute either.

'Pri.. Really though. I am kinda impressed. This could be something.', he says.
Wow, a direct compliment. Okay, he hasn't especially been stingy with compliments. It's only the apologies that are his pet peeves.
'Thanks Karthik.', I couldn't keep surprise out of my voice.
Karthik gives me a knowing smile. Needless to say, I continue to star-gaze.

‘Let’s move on to some music now? Our very talented Bala will perform for you some immortal works of Ilayaraja. I have been to his rehearsals and this man is good’, we hear Aravind making the announcement.

I find Bala and after pointedly looking at him for a few seconds he turns to look at me and I show him a thumbs up and mouth ‘All the best’ and for some weird reason wink at him. He smiles back, his one-sided dimple showing.

‘You two are best buds now?’, I hear Karthik murmuring, his arm going around my shoulders.

‘Shhh… He is going to play now. He has a serious case of nerves and yep, he is a good friend now’, I say, sounding stern. Karthik chuckles and his arm pulls me closer. I try to wriggle out, but really, he is strong and also I didn’t exactly not like it.

Bala just straightaway begins a song on his keyboards, one of my all-time favorites Ilayaraja number ‘Ilamai enum’. I have heard him play this before and he was much much better. This was very average and I couldn’t enjoy it as he missed few notes, played few incorrect ones and in between actually paused for a second or so.

‘He is nervous isn’t he?’, Karthik asks me.

‘Yup. Let me go talk to him’, I say, trying to move his arm away and he moves.

‘Keep the crowd occupied’, I tell Aravind and I go to Bala.

‘Nerves?’, I ask.

He nods. He looks mortified.

‘It wasn’t bad, you know’

‘I stopped midway, I am sure you noticed’

‘Lot of them didn’t. Don’t worry, you are going to play more right?’

‘I don’t know…’

‘Come on… you have to. I attended too many of your practices and rehearsals for you to stop now’

‘Ugh’, is all he says.

‘Talk to them Bala’

‘They won’t be interested’

‘Try?’

‘I dunno…’

‘Okay, talk to me or Aravind or Anitha and play’

He looks undecided and uncomfortable for a long time. Finally he nods.

‘Cool’, I say pat his left shoulder like some coach and walk back. When I reach wherever I had been standing with Karthik, I mouth ‘talk to us’.

Bala moves to Aravind who seems to have recited another one of his poems and says something to him.

‘Okay, here we go, Bala to perform another one for us..’

Bala makes initial tunes of another Ilayaraja song, ‘En iniya’, and then pauses to talk.

‘This used to be my ex’s favorite song. In fact, I think she fell for me when she heard me playing this on one of our practice sessions for some college event. I got especially good at this one just to impress her…’, he says and a lot of woohoos and yeahs and I-get-yous from the people in the crowd.

Bala relaxes just a little bit and plays some more and explains about certain notes.

Slowly, his confidence increases and by the time half the song is done he gets really good at it. I wish he had the confidence to play this on a guitar. I still find myself humming along and find a few others doing it too.

Bala proceeds to add anecdotes and talks on his experiences and starts playing really well and I find myself humming all along.

‘You hum well’, I hear Karthik say during one of the pauses.

‘I can sing too you know, I did get trained’

‘Why don’t you perform then?’

‘Not that interested. I sing to myself these days.’

‘In the bathroom?’

‘In the bathroom, while getting ready, when doing anything that doesn’t require a lot of brain activity and so on’

‘You do hum well’, he reiterates.

I smile. ‘Yeah I probably do’

‘I like it’, he says.

I turn to look at him. Something tells me that he has been looking at me this whole time.

‘Okay’, I say, very profound and all that.

‘Priya’, I hear my name being mentioned and I realize that Bala is thanking me for all the help.

I smile very good-naturedly at him.

He then plays another song and we all applaud him.

People start dispersing, a few offering to help with the tables and in cleaning up and stuff. I feel a relief that this ordeal is done. The minute I feel the relief, another panic seizes me.

Shit. I race to find Karthik sampling the last of the cake talking to Anitha and Vivek.

‘Karthik’, I nearly scream.

‘hey, Pri… Is everything alright?’

‘No, it isn’t.. Come let’s go, I need to train you…’

‘Train me?’

‘About my father? For tomorrow?’

‘Shit’

Karthik seems to agree with my sentiments.

'Crap', he adds, yep, they are synonyms, I agree.