Nandini, a love story, Chapter-5

Uncle Podger

  I decided, actually promised myself, I will not be late again. But God knows what happened to me at the last stage of my painstakingly perfect schedule. The tick-tock of the wall clock beat on like a drum-roll in my busy ears from the morning, but I could not manoeuvre the correct order and sequence of the priority lists within the limited time and brain-work. I forgot my water or my phone or something that always hit my clock at the climax and I had to run behind the time to catch the bus.

    This might be my story from cradle to grave if I was not thrown into this severe situation when missing the bus meant- ‘cut off you from your accumulated casual leaves if you could not reach in time’. So I had to keep my focus and dedication on that grim-faced wall that ticked on the white-washed wall of my office.

  The tremendous nervousness and the fear changed my gear of Uncle Podger- a habit that I entertained for so long. Keeping in my head every warning of my mom I started reaching the bus stop earlier to ask every conductor about the root and destination for nearly 15 days till I got somewhat accustomed to it.

 The room I hired was enough big for a single girl with so much trash and luggage. My hobby list always accompanied me everywhere. Whether I got time to indulge in them or not, they were an inseparable part of me.

   Ripa, a lovely girl from Kochbihar used to stay in my adjoining room and we became very close within days. We used to cook our food together as our office time matched and it made the boringness of everyday cooking a bit enjoyable.

  She used to work in a Public Health Insurance Company that proposed a good mediclaim facility to Indian citizens. At night we sometimes used to share the same bed as often at midnight I with my dizzy eyes opened my door to welcome Ripa with her pillow and pale face. She was scared of ghosts who often visited her weak imagination.

Nandini, a love story, Chapter-5, phoenixfabulist.com

  That allowed me a scope to tease her the next day, disclosing to her fiancé Asraf, over the phone, about her night rendezvous with me. We giggled a lot and life became so enjoyable with money at hand, good accompany and utmost freedom under our feet.

  Dipesh became too busy with his study that we just got no time except at night to catch up with one another. Then only we had the chance to keep updating ourselves with every bit of details- a new dish he relished, or a new guy with an attractive moustache I met.  Sometimes our planning of the itineraries on our trip to marriage used to add a tinge of piquancy to our casual romance.

To be continued…

munu.ruku2020

Hey, I am Munmun, the phoenix fabulist who wants to tell you stories. I love to read stories and I love to weave stories. I feel life is an amalgamation of multiple stories, colourful threads, and threads of pain, pleasure, hope, and hopelessness. We just need to pick those hues and arrange them, knitting them with our own emotions and perception. So let’s celebrate the stories of life.