Ultimate Reunion

From Awkwardness to Familiarity

"Can I have your mobile number?" he asked her the next day. Sumedha hadn't gotten up and they were on their own.

She was surprised at the request, but complied immediately and also noted down his number.

"I had wanted to call you," he explained.

"Why?"

"I made fun of what you said yesterday. I didn't mean to... I appreciate your sincerity."

"That's fine. I didn't think anything of it. You don't need to explain," she mumbled. His unexpected almost-apology had made her nervous.

"That's good. When learning is your goal, you shouldn't get distracted by petty things."

"Honestly," she found her bearings back for a moment, "It's good to know that you do joke about something. Makes you less intimidating." And she bit her lips. Had she taken too much liberty?

It did surprise Mukundo, but didn't annoy him. He was only amused. "Shall we start?" he asked, smiling.

She nodded and got the Tanpura.

--

Gayantri Devi was lying on a cot in her veranda. Mukundo awkwardly stopped in his tracks on noticing Piyali seated beside with her.

It had been a few weeks since Piyali had started learning under him and he had thought it appropriate that he should acknowledge to Gayatri Devi how thorough her training had been. But with Piyali around... Piyali jumped up on seeing him. But she regained her composure quickly and greeted him with folded hands. "Nomoshkaar, Mukundo Babu."

"Nomoshkaar," he replied managing to put up a graceful smile and proceeded to greet Gayatri Devi. "Nomoshkaar, Gayatri Ma."

"Mukundo! How nice to see you. It has been ages."

"You haven't been coming to concerts and programmes for ages."

"I can hardly get up by myself these days. Piyali. Shona, will you please bring a chair for Mukundo? Or ask Munni."

"I will bring one," she replied and went inside.

Piyali was quite at home here, Mukundo noted, then turned his attention to Gayatri Devi, "Ma told me you were not well."

"It's the age, son. It's the time to pass the baton. I am so happy that you have taken Piyali under your wing. This girl has great potential. Like her father."

"Her father?"

"You wouldn't know probably. His name was Debendra Banerjee..."

"I have heard that name... From Pandit ji."

"A brilliant man. Not worldly-wise, though. Didn't know how to run his life. But left a daughter behind who worships at the altar of music."

"I must thank you for recommending her. She is indeed good," he acknowledged unhesitatingly.

Piyali came back with the chair and asked Gayatri Devi, "Shall I get some tea, Ma?"

"Not for me," Mukundo refused, "I am fine."

"How can that be, Mukundo? I don't remember when you had come home last time. You must have some tea. Tell Munni Piyali..."

"Yeah," Piyali went in a second time and came back soon. Munni, the house help, brought tea and snacks after a while. Mukundo and Gayatri Devi kept talking. About music, about people in the field, concerts, awards... Piyali remained silent through the conversation. She was in an august company. And feeling out-of-place.

Interjecting when there was a pause in conversation, she said politely, "Ma. I will leave now. I have to take Priyendra to the doctor."

"Oh. Right. Poor, little thing. Flu it is, isn't it? Okay my child. Do come again soon."

Piyali nodded and touched her feet.

Mukundo also got up. "It's time for me to leave too."

"So soon?"

"Have to meet somebody. I will come again," he said as he touched Gayatri Devi's feet for blessing and then turned to Piyali, "How will you be going?"

"I will take a bus... or tram..."

"I can drop you home."

She jerked her head in surprise; so visibly that Mukundo hesitated for an instant. He hadn't said anything inappropriate, had he?

"No, Mukundo Babu. I will be fine. Besides, my home is in the opposite direction to yours."

"I have to go that way only. It's not a problem. Come with me."

"Go with him, Piyali. It will save you some time." Gayatri Devi supported Mukundo and that sealed the deal.

--

Her sitting in the car created a bit of a situation. The passenger door didn't lock despite her trying twice.

"You need to pull it harder," Mukundo told her.

The next time she pulled it too hard. It did successfully lock the door, but the loud bang startled them.

"Steady."

"I... I am sorry... I have never been in a car like... this. Did I break something?"

"No. Relax. What kind of car have you been in?"

"The taxi... Ambassador..." The ambassador taxis usually seen on Kolkata roads could take a lot of slamming; in fact they demanded slamming, else they won't lock.

"It's okay. Shall we go?"

She nodded, still looking nervous.

"Who do you have to take to the doctor?" he asked to divert her from her embarrassment about the door.

"Priyendra. My younger brother."

"What happened to him? Nothing serious, I hope."

"No. It's the flu, I think. Everyone has it these days. But better be sure..."

"Yeah. Where do we go from here?"

"I... This is not the bus-route. I don't know the way."

"Tell me the address."

"It's near Garia haat."

"I know the way to Garia haat. Once there, you would know the way to your home, right?"

"Yeah."

He talked to her some more. Mostly about her studies and college. He was curious about her father, but wasn't sure if he could ask her about it. Pandit ji had talked about Debendra Banerjee many a times. He admired him. "But he will perish. He isn't made for this world," he would lament.

When Piyali asked him to stop the car, Mukundo realized that Pandit ji was right about her father. He hadn't left his family in a comfortable neighbourhood.

"I will drop you to your house. Where do we go from here?"

"Just few hundred meters from here. The car... won't go in. It's a narrow gully." She didn't want to be seen as embarrassed about her poverty. She spoke nonchalantly, but the blush that crept on her face and the way her eyes refused to meet his gave her efforts away.

Mukundo pretended not to discern any of that. "Okay," he said and waited until she had disappeared from his sight into one of the narrow streets. The area was only one grade above the slums that were aplenty in the city. The simile of a lotus growing in a dirty pond was quite accurate,he thought!