The grey canvas

📌Chapter 15- Kolkata calling

Ayan:

KOLKATA. 8a.m.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.

We collected our luggages and proceeded to check out.

Outside, not many people were there. Whoever present, were waiting to receive their loved ones. Since we had no such folks waiting us, we headed straight towards the cabway.

Rows of cabs were there along with their drivers, all ready for service. Bhai approached one of them. He gave him an address and shared few words in bengali, none of which entered my tiny brain and I hopelessly retired to the work I had been doing, i.e carrying our luggages upto the cab's deck.

We settled ourselves comfortably while the driver started the engine. He took a turn and drove the cab out of the airport premises, only to meet a people stuck highway ahead.

Kolkata's traffic was nothing less than Delhi's. It was eight in the morning and people had started rushing after their lives. It felt good to see this rush. Becoz it was different from whatever I had seen or experienced so far in life. In kolkata, people were busy, but not in a hurry. Infact a strange lethargy rulled upon everyone and everything and it was one hell of an amazing encounter.

I was already in love with the lazy ambience of this city, which I later found out to be called as 'lyadh'.

Bhai told this to me. He mentioned about few other terms too and narrated some significant histories of this city. A bright glow kept lingered to his face as he spoke. It was so good to see him like that. Relaxed and happy. He still had a mild fever on, but the one hour long sleep in the flight had worked wanders on him. He looked much fresh now and was genuinely contented to be back to his city after god knows how long.

It was evident how much he loved and missed Kolkata. But he still chose to live in Delhi....why did he have to take such a decision? Why did he have to stay away from his city, from his people, from his parents...

Parents? He never mentioned about them. Not even accidentally. But why??

I had just stepped into the city and so many questions had already geared up in mind. I wanted to ask all of them right then and there but I controlled my urge, just becoz it wasn't the perfect time or place to ask about his past. Neither I knew if he was a state to open up everything to me.

"Bhai, where are we going?" I went for a different question instead.

-"Corner courtyard hotel. Its in Ballygunge." He replied in a moment. I nodded. But then the point stuck me. Why a hotel and not his home?

"Why hotel?" I asked the initial half of my question, for which I received a flabbergasted look from him.

-"Where else do you want to stay? Hotel Grand??" His eyebrows were knitted in suspicion.

"Maybe at your place?" I pressed my lips in my mouth. My heartbeats grew faster.

-"Thats not happening Ayan. I don't have a house over here." He shrugged.

"You are simply lying!" I stated nonchalantly and he got a bit more furious.

-"What nonsense are you blabbering?" He gritted his jaws in anger. His temperament was reaching the seventh heaven. However, I still remained calm and unaffected.

"What nonsense are YOU blabbering?" I pointed towards him with my eyes drawn in narrow slits. "You, being a kolkata bred, don't have a house over here and I am supposed to believe that?!"

-"Don't believe. Your wish." He shrugged again.

No. This was not going. Bhai was giving in at me without any arguement, definitely meant my loss even if he didn't win!
And that was not affordable at all, not at any damn cost...