Out for Lunch (XLVI)

I decorated myself with the sparkling dress I have bought in Bangalore last weekend. More than enough make up is the first thing obvious in the dressing table mirror. I wiped off too much lipstick using tissue paper.

This company wants its employees to look like a fashion model or something, strict dressing especially make up regulations. I had to carry a mini make up kit in my hand bag and have to look fresh always.

I wondered what on earth all this is for. Anyway I learned a lot of make up tricks and methods here in this internship along with computers.

I rearranged the entire set of make up articles into the drawers of the dressing table. Packed my hand bag with touch up mirror, wet tissue and half a dozen other make up stuff, checked and rechecked myself in the mirror.

The romantic rhythm of the song ‘Tu hi mera pyaar Mahiya’ is till playing in my laptop. Muttering its lines I Turned off my laptop, walked to the door, no big confusion, I had only 3 pairs of sandals here in Bangalore, and obviously the pink one suits this dress and I wore it.

As in the movie ‘Just my Luck’ as soon as I stepped onto the footpath, 3 autorickshaws lined before me. I smiled to myself and stepped into the first one, “Indira Nagar”

Ruminating the phone conversation, ‘..lunch, will you?’ , ‘No compulsion, if only you wish’ I watched the Sunday traffic.

In a signal a hot couple was making the summer heat hotter with their romantic charms. As soon as the signal cleared that guy flew like air in his Hero Honda Unicorn with his girl friend clutching on to him scared or of love, bringing an enigmatic smile on me.

Very well I could have had such a ride now if only I said yes for him to pick me up in his bike, but he is neither my boy friend nor I dared a bike ride with a guy. Mobile rang disturbing these thoughts, “Hey, where are you?”

“On the way, in auto. You already there!”

“Ya I am waiting here”

“Oh sorry”

“No probs, just that I wanted to confirm whether you are coming, you sounded reluctant”

“I told you, I will come”

“Not like that, ya but anyway k fine come soon”

“As fast as this auto could go and its driver could drive it”

“ok ok fine, hope you remember the place”

“Ya I do cya in Nandhini Palace”

I hung up and wondered what it might be. Why does he sound anxious? I heard from lady seniors whom I made friends in the past month about what exactly is a lunch with a guy.

‘It’s nothing like romantic or love or stuff like that. It’s just kinda friendly meet where you get to know each other personally well’

I wondered why someone would need to have lunch together to know each other personally. What more one will learn in an hour or two that he hasn’t learned in all these days?

Conversation with Anu ruminated in me, “hey Shantanu is in Bangalore”

“What why?”

“I am not sure, but one thing is sure he is in Bangalore”

“How do you know?”

“We had the last phase election campaign meet today. He was missing and I asked 4th years about it and they said that he is off to Bangalore on something important”

“What! you are in elections?”

“Ya where else I could get to do at least some damage to Kiran”

“That rogue pulled you too into elections with the same strategy”

“Whom do you mean?”

“Who else the great Shantanu”

“Hey he didn’t pull me in I myself wantonly got in, I knew Kiran is in the opposite side”

“Oh how do you know about it, Shantanu would have told you, didn’t he?”

“Why are you so skeptical about Shantanu, none has to tell me it’s obvious that Kiran is the 2nd most important person in the opposite side”

“Well anyway just be a bit careful I never do encourage these elections”

“Ok I will be fine, by the way Shantanu called me a couple of days back”

“About?”

“He used to call me often on account of elections, but then he asked me about you”

“About me!”

“Ya he enquired whether you will be free this weekend. I said you don’t have office on Sundays”

“Oh well fine, I just now spoke to him, but he never told me that he is here”

“May be he plans for a surprise; anyway wait for his next call”

“Ok I will, take care of yourself”

“Take care, bye”

The Auto driver interrupting ruminations, “Ma’am Nandhini Palace” I walked into the restaurant. I don’t know where to look for him in the hotel, never been alone to such a place.

I took out my mobile phone from my hand bag and when I was about to press the call button, mobile flashed ‘Shantanu’

“temme”

“I am in Bangalore.

"I know, Anu told me"

"Oh fine, hmmm.. Can you come to McDonalds this evening?”