Whisky, Women and World

Chapter 10

I waited at the same place where I picked up Simran in the late hours of the night. I expected to see Simran again, but she was nowhere to be found. At first, I was uncertain about the girl—it seemed like Simran had passed on all my character knowledge to her. I was completely taken aback when a young woman suddenly appeared and hopped into my car. She tossed her duffle bag into the back seat without saying a word. I just stared at her, with a huge question mark in my mind. She looked around nervously, as if she was in a hurry. I again glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, and I could see that she was clearly uncomfortable in that place. I decided to act and started my car's engine, and we drove away.

She had a faint air of desperation in her eyes, and a hint of anxiety in her breath. The girl was oddly dressed for a summer night in Chennai. Her gray hoodie zipped up to her neck, the California logo embroidered on it. Beneath the hoodie, she wore a saree, like Simran wore. Simran had called her 'the bird', but looking at her now, she seemed much more mature than I had expected. She had thick skin and appeared to be in her mid-twenties. Her face was pale with fear, and there was no makeup. I noticed her eyes were constantly wandering with nervousness, and her smell was nothing special, so my car was not filled with any distinctive aroma. She was an ethereal figure with an aura of mystery surrounding her.

The atmosphere inside the car was heavy and silent for the first ten minutes; the only sound was the whooshing of the engine, the indicator signal as I changed direction, and the occasional honking of passers-by. Her eyes darted around the streets, never settling on one point. She held her fists tightly together and shook her legs nervously, an outward sign of her inner turmoil. I watched her for a few moments, and then broke the silence.

"Where do you want to go?"

She didn't respond, just sat there expressionless. This was as if she hadn't heard me or I didn't exist at all.

"Do you want to go to my place?"

My body tingled when she scowled at me with anger and fear. It was clear that my question was totally inappropriate for the occasion. Who could blame her for being angry when a man who looked as disheveled and untrustworthy as I did called her to his place? It must have seemed like I was a rapist or a serial killer.

"Did you eat?" I posed my next question, hoping she could answer it.

Her lips formed a thin line as she shook her head slowly from side to side.

"Do you want dinner?"

She said nothing again and remained still, frozen in place. I was famished and decided it would be wise to forgo any more questioning and simply focus on filling my rumbling stomach.

I parked my car at a familiar spot on a food street, where I intended to have my dinner. I was surprised to find the food street empty during the week. On weekends, the place is usually bustling with people of all ages, the atmosphere is filled with laughter and joy, and finding a parking spot can be quite a challenge. We stepped into the small Chinese stall, cigarette in my hand, and she followed me behind. I wasn't sure what she would like to eat, so I decided to take the initiative and order for us. I asked the girl behind the counter for two servings of soupy ramen and a plate of chilli beef as a side. As I paid for the food, I could feel her eyes on me, watching my every move. Nervousness was written all over her face as she bit her nails anxiously. Her body shook uncontrollably and I could sense her discomfort. I decided to occupy myself with my cigarette, not wanting to add to her distress by staring at her or asking questions.

She ate the noodles hungrily, savoring every bite, seemingly oblivious to the world around her. The food aroma wafted through the air. Her lips curved at the edges in a small smile as she closed her eyes in delight. I pulled out another cigarette from the carton, the smoke swirling around me as I watched her seemingly lost in a parallel world and observed her innocence. She didn't seem to intend to leave me a single piece of beef, as she kept taking more noodles.