The idiot

Dancing with Ruma

If Beckham can bend it and Ralph can wreck it; I can definitely blow it.

CHAPTER-21

My mother left for Banglore to stay with my elder brother after our trivial argument. My social life was not even close to what I had imagined. First the break happened and later the spat with my mother- these two were the major events which affected me to great extent.

Although my social life was getting back on track, my performance at office was still below me. Without doubt Mr. Awasti was unhappy with my recent performance and chastised me for my lack of interest. To him I have grown from productive to sterile. There was no denying that my poor performance didn't bode well for my promotion. But I was determined to come back strongly rather than throwing my budding career away on a whim.

***

Mahesh asked me to meet me right before lunch at our secret place as he had big news for me. I had asked him to get inside information about Mr. Awasti and Malvika.

Mahesh used to choose his clients with great measures and scrutiny. No wonder he had only eleven clients before I got the honor of his service. Mahesh had a widespread information collection and distribution network. He collected inside information from pantry boys, cleaners, service boys, electricians, gardener, security guards, office boys, courier boys and who-so-ever for that matter. He then distributed the collected information to concerning clients at a negotiated price as per oral contract.

He looked happy when he approached me. "What did you find about Mr. Awasti and Malvika?" I asked, eagerly.

"Nothing!" he replied, smiling.

"What's the big news then?" I asked, lowbrow. To be honest I wasn't interested in any other news other than that.

"It's about Rahul sir and Radhika madam."

"Tell me?" I asked.

"Rahul sir went in to the ladies toilet yesterday," he said, looking at me to see my reaction.

"Really!" I said, standing agape.

"I knew that bastard was doing it," I murmured.

"Before I could see who she was Priya madam called me," he said in such as a depressing tone as if he has lost the chance to disclose the biggest scandal on earth.

I wondered if he was back with Radhika.

"Was it Radhika?"

"No. It wasn't." He cleared the dust.

I wondered may be Mahesh was the one who told Radhika about it.

May be Radhika was one of his client too.

I couldn't have asked him that as per our oral contract. Before leaving he told me that he overheard Malvika talking flirtatiously to someone in her cabin but he wasn't sure it was Mr. Awasti. I asked him to get more information about Malvika.

***

My colleague, Akshay Sinha, threw a party to celebrate his promotion to manager for his office staff and friends. He invited us to a very swanky restaurant/bar--one of the best in the city. It appeared as if he knew the owner. Whatever, I show up at 6:00 pm and everybody seemed to have a nice time.

It didn't take me long to locate Radhika and Rahul sitting separately, with other colleagues around the table. As I walked by their table, I saw Malvika amongst them and immediately stopped. I stepped back, found my bar stool, and settled for a beer.

I was tad jealous of Akshay, whose project was a howling success, as he made it to Manager before me. I settled on a bar stool and hurried a beer to suppress my anxiety. Ruma walked to me with a glass in her hand and moved the guys to sit next to me. "You guys please scooch. Let's do scooching," she said with a warm smile. Everyone obeyed. I thought I wish I was just born with that special touch. She took her seat.