Sati

The Flyer

Manav waiting outside the kitchen eager to ask more about his mother's book, also curious about all those many pages which flew out Arunima's package. Arunima comes out of kitchen with Manav's tea and see him standing right in front of the kitchen door. He looks at her and smiles, she smiles back awkwardly; she holds her tea tray up and shows it to Manav, Manav leaves his way and points his hand towards the table. Arunima places the tea tray and turns back to see Manav standing right in front of her again. Manav tries his smile again, but fed up with this awkward smiling, Arunima directly asks,

"You want something sir?"

"no, no... I met with Mr. Amar Metha yesterday"

"You got to know about your book?"

"no..., he puts his head down and moves to his right to reach to his tea cup"

Arunima poring his coffee for him, "I haven't heard of the book you told sir, but once if you got to Book Baba maybe he might know something. Maybe I am not sure"

"He might know about books, you said know?, where is he?"

"he is in Haora sir, very far, you should travel half day and reach his place and come back before dark. But...."

"but what...?"

"he is a very angry old man. He loses his temper very easily"She frowns; 

Manav's focus goes on her forehead fold when she frowns and the bindi which is stuck between those lines.   "He loses his temper. And it is very far, going till there and if you don't find anything, it will be waste of time sir"

"don't worry about that. You just give me the address I'll go"

"I haven't been to his place sir. Mr.Amar Metha told me where he lived and I knew how far it was"

Sipping his black coffee, Manav wonders and asks "then how do you know this person?"

"Sir I met him in Kavita Shukravars. He attends regularly"

"Kavita Shukravar?  Wo kaha hai, what's that"

"its in Calcutta Book house only sir, every Friday"

"What brings him there? Every Friday from so far he comes?"

"yes sir. Who ever writes will come on the stage and recite their work. Nice place sir, Nice function it is"

"interesting you've been there means next time tell me I can also meet that guy"

"ok sir"

"this Friday.... We can go together, obviously you will be going by bus anyways i'll take you and drop you back like I did yesterday"

"no sir i'll come by myself"

"No worries. Its dangerous path. There are Naxalites there"

"Rubbish. Then how do you go every day?"

"I am used to it sir."                                                                                                                                                    Sipping his few last drops of his black coffee, Manav grins and says 

"if you are used to it means, what Naxalites will spare you that you travel every day?                      Or do you know how to fight them? Huh!?                                                                                                 "Arunima giggles and goes into the kitchen.Manav trying to get an answer from her, goes into the kitchen, and stand in front the stove where Arunima was prepping his breakfast.