MALANG

3. Meet you, meet you not

Kabir:

They said that black suited me. But today, I was dressed in white. I had worn a crisp white shirt with a navy blue jeans. A white jacket was there alongwith but since Jaisalmer wasn't that cold in the morning, it laid hanging from the free edge of my chair.

It was nine thirty in the morning. I was a sitting inside a posh cafe, waiting for Ms. Nitya to come and handover my blazer. Sorry, just kidding. I was only waiting for her to come and sit down with me. To talk with me and to spend some quality time together. Yeah, getting my queries answered was also an important issue.

I took out my phone and opened whatsapp. Nitya's number was the first one there in my chat history. I opened that contact and saw her online. Immediately I typed- where are you?

Nitya had said that her office started from ten. She wanted us to meet before that. The meeting time was selected by her while the meeting spot was selected by me. This cafe was the nearest to her office and hence I locked it. Now just look at her, it was almost nine forty-five and she had no trace to show!

Nitya, you there? I typed again.

-On my way. Will be there in five minutes. She replied this time, only to leave a sour taste in my mouth... The taste of so-called disappointment.

And how long will you stay? Just fifteen minutes?

-I can wrap the meeting in five minutes. You don't worry about that.

But I really wanted to spend some time with, Nitya!  A cold sigh left my throat. I drank some water to moisten it. There was no point in texting Nitya anymore. Also there was no point in planning new strategies for my game. It was a clear cut victory for me.. only that the game was played unfair from Nitya's side.

"Would you like to order anything, sir?" A waiter asked me with a pen and a note pad kept ready in his hands.

I shook my head. "Err.. I was waiting for som..."

I couldn't complete the sentence. A female voice cut my line inbetween.

"Two black coffee." She said with an air of authority in her voice. I liked that tone, but it wasn't something that I wanted. I just wanted Nitya to come, but here her best friend Vani was standing infront of me.

"Hi, I'm Vani." She smiled as she extended her right hand towards me.

I shook hands with her and gestured her to take a seat. "I know. But why are you here? I had asked 'Nitya' to come and meet me."

"No, you had asked Nitya to return your blazer after dry cleaning it." Vani smiled wide as she kept the packaged clothing on our table. "Here it is, Mr. Bira."

And I thought that only I was the master of this game! I took the packet and kept it on my lap. With a fake smile, I resumed-

"Now that you are here, I can't ask you to go away. But just tell me one thing Vani..."

"That why Nitya isn't there?" She cut me again. I shook my head. The answer to this question was known to me. Nitya hadn't come because she was too intelligent to lose this game.

"What else then?"

"How did you know that I like black coffee?"

Vani's smile widened and so was the twinkle in her eyes. Her expression had a subtle pride in it as she replied- "I have heard all your interviews, Bira. I am really a crazy, crazy fan of yours."

"Okay." I nodded to myself. "But why a black coffe for yourself? I mean black coffee is strong, not everyone likes its taste you know."

"I know. But I am habituated to it now." She answered reluctantly. I furrowed my brows. She added thereafter- "Nitya likes black coffee. So yeah.."