Funny Love Short Story – No More Surprises
Photo credit: mconnors from morguefile.com
Life was going at usual pace till 2 months back and it was not the same again. Clock was showing 6 PM and I was busy getting ready for American onslaught. It was the time when American clients were reaching their offices in U.S. American morning is generally Indian nightmare in an IT company. People at offshore has to be ready to attend their queries, grievances and sheer work load. But the pressure of work could not stop me from catching a pair of curious small black eyes staring at me from the diagonal of my seat. Whiff of smile was passed without any delay from my ever smiling face and the same was reciprocated from the diagonal.
The usual work of queries and review carried me away from that stint. Days passed. During a meeting I found that pair of eyes again in front of me. For few seconds I was completely lost in the thousand nautical miles depth of her eyes. I came to know that she was the fresh entrant into my project in which I was working for last 4 years. I knew in and out of my project and she was the novice. The pursuit of knowledge or interest brought her to my desk one day. Despite heavily loaded with work, I sneaked few minutes to impart her knowledge about the project. But my experience helped me to gauze her pathetic analytical skills. Anyways you cannot expect everything from everyone.
We met during tea breaks, lunch breaks and toilet breaks too. We were very natural while talking to each other. She never felt like she was talking to a senior. I never felt I was talking to a junior. She was fearless and loquacious often. I admired those qualities of her more than her looks. The chemistry was brewing in the laboratory of office. Eyes of both often looked for other to meet and so were the enticing smiles.
We often devised silly pretexts to meet each other at our desks. The effort was to elude other’s hawk eyes. Meeting of senior and junior is often looked with suspicion rather than appreciation in an office. But the force of attraction was strong enough to belittle the force of gravity of other’s perspective. The brewing chemistry was getting thicker and it needed some catalyst to emulsify. God was looking into the matter and he threw the catalyst. Girl’s birthday was round the corner.
Though I had never celebrated a girl’s birthday, I had often heard, girls give lot of importance to their birthday. I was always a green horn in such fields. I needed some guidance to handle the situation. Finally the help came from ‘Uncle Sam’. I mailed to one of my best friend currently in New York, to call me. He called me next morning. I asked him how to celebrate a girl’s birthday. After pondering for few minutes, he said, “Wish the girl and take her to any nearby restaurant in the evening. And don’t give her any gift for now “. I relied on his wordings as the gospel truth. He had celebrated birthdays of many girls.
The D Day arrived. I woke up in the morning and wished her. She was still sleeping as her room mates had celebrated her birthday around 12 in the night. But I wished and was much relived to clear the first hurdle. I opened newspaper and my eyes caught on an actress’s statement. She quoted, “Girls like surprises especially on their birthdays. “ It amused me. I looked for any present available in my closet for her birthday gift. I found a set of scented candles with different fragrances. Those were special candles used for festivals, special occasions and meditation. I had bought it from Pondicherry stall from international trade fair. I thought to present her this gift.
My office cab was about to come. I got ready soon and ran away from house with the gift in one hand and a pair of sandwich in other. Gift was wrapped in a red and green paper beautifully .I folded the gift in a newspaper to hide it from other’s attention. I met her in the office. She was looking splendid in red party wear. She had kept her hair open. Office at least my heart, was blazing with embers of her beauty. First time since we met, I praised her dress and her presence. She blushed which turned her fair cheeks into pink. The change in color of her cheeks created flutter in my heart.
A cake cutting ceremony was organized and the whole team went to canteen for that. It was the prime time for me to put the gift in her bag. I opened her bag and put the gift and ran away. I could not chain it in hurry. I wanted to surprise her. Surprises bring natural smile to one’s face. When I reached canteen, she had already cut the cake. She gave me stern look for coming late. I apologized through gesture. Everyone except us left after having the cake. I smeared some green cream on her smooth velvet cheeks. Pretending to be miffed, she gave a pat on my shoulder. It was so gentle; it would be rude to call it a pat.
Then we came to our seats. I realized she would see the gift. I was completely perplexed to see her reaction; I went out of office for tea. After an hour, I came back. She asked me to meet outside. I sensed some upcoming danger. She had brought the gift in a polybag. I understood.
She said, “Why did you put it in my bag? Everyone came to know about this. I cannot accept it. “
I was speechless. In the fit of ‘super’ excitement after finding gift in her bag, she gathered all of her friends. She opened it in front of all. After a pause, she said, “we are colleagues. It is not college. We come here to work. I am frank to everyone. Yes, you are also frank. You should not have brought it.”
She put the gift in front of me and left. The cheeks which had turned pink three hours back were slightly red. My heart beat rate had slumped like Sensex. I was reluctant to hurt her and spoil her birthday. I kept mum. Difficult to understand what to do, I took the gift and my bag and went out of office. I sat on the bench outside the office premise.
I took out my I pod and started listening Ghazals sung by Abida Praveen. My usual practice to calm down my temper. I was looking into the dark sky teeming with glittering stars. I was lost in my thoughts. I was thinking again and again about what went wrong. For few minutes there was no world, no air, nothing beside me. Millions of neurons of my brain were revolving at 360 degree again and again.
Then I felt someone is staring at me from left side. O no, not again a pair of curious eyes of a girl. I took my bag, bowed my head and ran away like Usain Bolt from there. I vowed not to surprise anyone ever in my life.
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