Saawan barse, tarse dil
She woke up twenty minutes late, which meant she would miss the train. Damn! A quick shower and she was wolfing down her coffee and maska-pav over her mother's curious glances. Damn!She musn't seem too obviously in a hurry, her mother may wonder why she suddenly got interested in getting to college on time. Where were those earrings she'd set out especially for today? And the blue sandals? Damn!
He couldn't see properly with his glasses all wet from the rain, was that his bus ambling down this way? His umbrella had done the turn-upside-down-and-make-people-laugh thing again. God, he hated that umbrella. Especially today. He hated having to travel by bus. He hated these stupid glasses...She was going to laugh when she sees him - in his ridiculous glasses and wet clothes. But he couldn't afford contacts, not with the money his parents were paying for his entrance exam classes. Which reminded him, he still needed to study for the test today..
Finally, she decided on her second favorite earrings, which didn't really match her pale yellow churidar, but hey, she looked good in dangling ones. She walked out nonchalantly waving to her parents, and then sprinted down the stairs and caught a rickshaw straight to where they were going to meet. She thought once about the money, then decided that it was worth it. Especially in this rain.
No, not his bus. What was with the traffic today? Everything seemed to be moving extra slowly. Ok, he'd probably have to wait a while, why not whip out that textbook and refresh the formulas? Of course, there's no chance she'll see him in the bus-stop so he didn't have to impress anyone. Maybe if he waited long enough in the bus stop, he'd dry off, and also get some studying done. Man, he was really worried about these exams.
NOOO...She thought, as there was a sickening squilch and the rickshaw refused to budge. It was stuck in a pothole. Bombay roads! "Memsaab...aap utar jaayiye, abhi bahut mushkil hai isse nikaalna yahaan se!" What? Get down and walk in this downpour? TODAY?? In her pretty dress, with her hair done, and...what will he think?? Seeing that she had no choice, she stepped out and started walking in the rain. Any other time, she'd have been devastated to be walking in her favorite outfit in the heaviest downpour of the season with mud splashing her shoes and clothes and her efforts to look good dissolving in the rain. But not today. Today, these thoughts were quickly replaced by one as she trudged along the muck and slime. "I'm going to meet him".
He looked up to see that his bus had finally arrived and was starting to leave. Jumping over the side of the bus-stop he ran to catch the bus he had waited forty minutes for. In the process his bag got jostled around a pole and his book fell out. His precious book with the problems that'll undoubtedly appear on the exam and cost him his chance at an MBA education and a six figure income and contact lenses...These thoughts were quickly replaced by one as he dangled from the entrance of the bus. "I'm going to meet her".
The inspiration for this came from a song in a movie called "Dahek" (which I haven't even seen!) The video totally captured my imagination - it took place in the rains for one thing, and that's enough romantic context to keep me happy :) Then there's the incredibly expressive looks at the end of the song when the couple finally meets after braving the elements and the roads and fallen milk carts and what-not - there's shyness, desire, excitement, a tinge of embarassment...Sonali Bendre and Akshaye Khanna, in those 20 seconds of not saying anything, say so much. Aah..young love :)
He couldn't see properly with his glasses all wet from the rain, was that his bus ambling down this way? His umbrella had done the turn-upside-down-and-make-people-laugh thing again. God, he hated that umbrella. Especially today. He hated having to travel by bus. He hated these stupid glasses...She was going to laugh when she sees him - in his ridiculous glasses and wet clothes. But he couldn't afford contacts, not with the money his parents were paying for his entrance exam classes. Which reminded him, he still needed to study for the test today..
Finally, she decided on her second favorite earrings, which didn't really match her pale yellow churidar, but hey, she looked good in dangling ones. She walked out nonchalantly waving to her parents, and then sprinted down the stairs and caught a rickshaw straight to where they were going to meet. She thought once about the money, then decided that it was worth it. Especially in this rain.
No, not his bus. What was with the traffic today? Everything seemed to be moving extra slowly. Ok, he'd probably have to wait a while, why not whip out that textbook and refresh the formulas? Of course, there's no chance she'll see him in the bus-stop so he didn't have to impress anyone. Maybe if he waited long enough in the bus stop, he'd dry off, and also get some studying done. Man, he was really worried about these exams.
NOOO...She thought, as there was a sickening squilch and the rickshaw refused to budge. It was stuck in a pothole. Bombay roads! "Memsaab...aap utar jaayiye, abhi bahut mushkil hai isse nikaalna yahaan se!" What? Get down and walk in this downpour? TODAY?? In her pretty dress, with her hair done, and...what will he think?? Seeing that she had no choice, she stepped out and started walking in the rain. Any other time, she'd have been devastated to be walking in her favorite outfit in the heaviest downpour of the season with mud splashing her shoes and clothes and her efforts to look good dissolving in the rain. But not today. Today, these thoughts were quickly replaced by one as she trudged along the muck and slime. "I'm going to meet him".
He looked up to see that his bus had finally arrived and was starting to leave. Jumping over the side of the bus-stop he ran to catch the bus he had waited forty minutes for. In the process his bag got jostled around a pole and his book fell out. His precious book with the problems that'll undoubtedly appear on the exam and cost him his chance at an MBA education and a six figure income and contact lenses...These thoughts were quickly replaced by one as he dangled from the entrance of the bus. "I'm going to meet her".
The inspiration for this came from a song in a movie called "Dahek" (which I haven't even seen!) The video totally captured my imagination - it took place in the rains for one thing, and that's enough romantic context to keep me happy :) Then there's the incredibly expressive looks at the end of the song when the couple finally meets after braving the elements and the roads and fallen milk carts and what-not - there's shyness, desire, excitement, a tinge of embarassment...Sonali Bendre and Akshaye Khanna, in those 20 seconds of not saying anything, say so much. Aah..young love :)
posted by RTD2 at 6:51 PM
6 Comments:
:-)) Cute story indeed! There is a small pocket of space, time and age when you can feel that way, and it beats a lot of other feelings. Everyone should experience this at least once.
Very sweet ! Enjoyed reading it.
very interesting story really !
Wonderful !
Nice juxtaposition of narratives. This was well inspired!
:-)
Thanks all :) I guess the romantic in me is out of the closet!
RT!
I love this song too and that was an awesome story leading up to the song.
You should try this more often.
G
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