“Vikash, you think Samar would make it for the trek today?” asked Ashutosh. “Knowing him I think he would definitely be here.” I replied. “Hmm…but we were not in touch for the past 1.5 years. I doubt if he even recollects what was discussed. I mean this is ridiculous dude, how can you not keep in touch with your best buddies?” said Ashutosh. “I agree Ashu but he is not the only one to be blamed. We too are equally responsible for not keeping in touch! We could have at least exchanged a few mails and kept in touch!” I explained. “Alright! Let’s wait for another hour or so and then leave. His number too is unreachable – at least he could have informed us about the new number.” said Ashutosh.
Ashutosh and I had come down to Mumbai after 5 years. We had plans of going on a trek to Visapur, Lonavala. During our good old college days, the three of us – Ashutosh, Samar and I were known for our trek tours. We had made this plan about 1.5 years ago when Samar had come to Cincinnati, USA to spend some time with us. Ashutosh and I had migrated to the US with our families about 10 years ago. Samar always wanted to pursue his career in India while we craved for the West. All of us were doing very well and were looking forward to a bright future. In these 1.5 years the three of us got extremely busy with our work and hardly kept in touch. Of course, Vikash and I being in the US were in constant touch but had lost contact with Samar.
Going for treks during monsoons had its own beauty. It was 6 am in the morning and we were waiting for Samar at a local tea stall in Powai. It was raining heavily and in order to beat the cold we had to go in for a hot cup of tea with fried pakodas.
Ashutosh came with two cups in his hand and a little boy followed with a plate full of hot and fried pakodas.“Here you go brother!” said Ashutosh as he gave the cup to me. “Man, nothing like a hot cup of ginger tea with fried pakodas.” I said. “How about dumping our original business plan and starting a franchise for pakodas in the US?” asked Ashutosh. “Yeah, sure go ahead!” I replied. “Let’s discuss it once we go back to the US.” replied Ashutosh. “What? You serious about this?” I asked. “Yeah, I am serious-ly joking about this!” replied Ashutosh with his typical wicked smile. “Very funny!” I said and got back to enjoying my pakodas.
We were startled by a loud knock on the window. It was Samar. “Sorry for the delay guys! I was stuck somewhere!” said Samar. “Where the fuck were you all these years!” asked Ashutosh. “I am sorry guys – I had plans of getting in touch with you about four months ago but something happened and I forgot all about it.” replied Samar. “Hey that’s alright! At least you remembered the trek and came all the way from Bangalore.” I replied. “I am sorry for being rude buddy but when did you reach Mumbai?” asked Ashutosh. “Yesterday! I am staying with my aunt.” explained Samar.
He was a changed man – he was not his usual self. The old Samar was a jovial and talkative guy – this guy was a stranger, at least that’s what I felt. “Let’s move guys!” said Ashutosh. “Guys, we will be taking the Mankhurd route via Ghatkoper and then hit the highway.” I said. “No, don’t do that!” replied Samar. “Why not?” I asked. “There has been an accident on the Mankhurd route and we may not be able to get out of that route.” explained Samar. “How do you know all this and it’s only 6:30 am in the morning we won’t get any traffic.” explained Ashutosh. “I heard it on the news and we will not be able to move out of that place because three trucks have over turned and are blocking the way.” explained Samar. We bought his explanation and took the Airoli route via Ghatkophar. It was raining cats and dogs and the foggy climate was making our journey even more interesting.
Around 8:30 am we reached Lonavala and decided to have our breakfast. “Guys, we are meeting tomorrow at my place for lunch and dinner. We won’t get any time today to catch up on the last 1.5 years so we can keep all of that for tomorrow and enjoy our trek. What say?” I asked. “Count me in!” replied Ashutosh. “Hmm…yeah sure!” said Samar. “What took you so long to think?” asked Ashutosh. “Samar, what is the matter with you? You are not the same old Samar we knew. What has happened in these last 1.5 years that has changed you so much? You hardly spoke in the car; you are not eating – what is the matter with you?” I asked.
I wanted my friend to open up. “All I can say is that something terrible has happened that has changed my life completely. I am fasting today hence won’t be eating anything.” explained Samar. “You are freaking us out, Samar. Can you be more specific?” asked Ashutosh. “Ashu, Vikash – whatever had to happen has happened. All is fine now except that the after effects still haunt us. Believe me when I say that things are back to normal now. I would not like to get into the details. I hope you understand.” explained Samar. “As long as things are fine we have no issues, buddy! Let’s stop this discussion and leave for Visapur. We still have to cover about 5-10 kms to reach the base of Visapur.” I said.
Around 9:30 am, we reached the Lohagad base and started our trek. Initially, it seemed to be a very easy climb but 15 minutes later, we realized that it won’t be that easy. We then reached a place where one path leads you to Lohagad and the other to Visapur Fort. Being a Saturday, it was crowded and most of the people were heading towards Lohagad. Hence, we decided to head for Visapur Fort.The scenery was beautiful but the roads were muddy and we had a tough time climbing up the hill. We lost our way twice and had to hire two kids to show us the way. There were occasional showers and the rocks were slippery so I had already started working on my will – one wrong move and I could end up falling on my head. In fact, I fell on the same knee thrice – it’s the worst thing that could happen on a trek.“Ouch!” I yelled. I was unable to put my foot in the front – the pain was unbearable. Samar asked me to sit on the nearby rock and started massaging my knee. He had a healing touch and I could bend my knee and was able to stand. “I have already started work on my will. You never know when you might face the angel of death on this trek.” I said. “You have a long life my friend. So don’t worry about it. You and Ashu have a long way to go – this is just the beginning of your life.” said Samar. “What do you mean beginning of our life? We are almost in our mid-thirties!” asked Ashutosh. “I meant that you guys are doing extremely well in your respective careers and will continue to do so for the next 30 years or so.” explained Samar. “Samar Baba ki Jai!” said Ashutosh. “Thanks Samar – feeling much better now. Let’s hope that we continue to succeed in our respective domains.” I said.
Finally, after a lot of hardship we reached the top of the fort around 1230 pm. It was a beautiful sight as we were surrounded by lush green trees and hills. We found a good place to sit where the sight was beautiful. It was drizzling and the temperature might have been around 5-6 degrees celsius. Ashutosh was carrying a bottle of port wine – we opened it and started gulping it down. Samar was on a fast so he did not taste it.I wondered when I would get to see the old Samar doing his crazy antics. I just hoped and prayed for Samar’s happiness. Ashutosh was a good cook and he was carrying some food. We gave some food to those little kids accompanying us. I wanted to break the silence and decided to start talking to Samar.
“So, Samar what about your dream house – how are things progressing on that front?” “That will remain a dream for the rest of my life?” he replied with a dejected face. I had hit the wrong chord. I knew for sure that he was facing a financial problem. “Why do you say so?” asked Ashutosh. “Forget about me guys!” said Samar with a big smile on his face. We had been dying to see that smile on his face. We knew he was hiding his pain and covering it up with his trademark smile. He continued “Don’t worry about me! I am fine. Everyone has to go through this phase of life. You guys should think about your dream venture!” We were surprised to hear that because we had never mentioned anything about our business plans to Samar. “Hey how do you know about our business plans?” I asked him. “Well, I have my own sources you see!” replied Samar. “I am just kidding!” he said with his trademark smile. “No, but how did you…?” asked Ashutosh. “Guys, about 1.5 years ago under the influence of alcohol you guys had revealed your plans to me. I am glad that you guys were serious about it and have started working on it” replied Samar.
We then changed the topic and started discussing our respective family lives. At least we got Samar talking – he was not his usual self but better than what he was in the morning. I felt the urge to ask him the exact problem but before I could say anything he got up and said “Guys, it is already 4:30 pm and we need to start climbing down. It might start raining heavily and we will find it difficult to get down.” It’s as if he had sensed what was coming. We nodded and agreed to make our way back.We assumed the journey downhill to be quick and easy. But to our surprise we were slipping and sliding our way back down. Due to the knee injury I could not keep my leg straight so I had to take help from Ashutosh while climbing down.Once we reached the base, we were surprised to see the crowd there. There were people dancing and singing. Some of them were so sloshed that they didn’t know what they were doing. It was a funny sight!
Ashutosh was in no mood to drive so I had to drive back home. We reached Powai around 8 pm. “What next?” asked Ashutosh. “Well, you guys need to come up for a cup of coffee before proceeding. My folks have gone out so we can chill out!” I replied. “Man you remind me of our college days – folks not at home so we can enjoy, huh?” said Ashutosh. “Guys, I need to be at my aunt’s place – so you will have to excuse me. I am not sure about tomorrow either.” said Samar. “C’mon buddy! We are meeting after 1.5 years and you want to be with your aunt, that’s not done!” I said. “I know that but please understand my situation. I am staying at my aunt’s place and she is very particular about punctuality. I know it sounds funny at this age but I am a guest in her house.” explained Samar. We could not stop him. “Fine buddy! When do we get to see you? How do we know that you have reached home safely? Give us some contact number.” said Ashutosh. He gave us a number and said “Just think about me and you will find me by your side. Your life is about to change for good! All the best and be good!”
After having a hot cup of coffee we decided to call up Samar’s aunt. I dialed the number and put it on the loudspeaker.
Vikash: Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. Pandey?
Mrs. Pandey: Yes, that’s right!
Vikash: Hello aunty, I am Vikash – Samar’s friend.
Mrs. Pandey: Hello beta! What can I do for you?
Vikash: We just came back from a trip and wanted to know if Samar has reached home safely.
Mrs. Pandey: What kind of a joke is this? Are you out of your mind?
Vikash: Wh-Why? What happened?
Mrs. Pandey: You call yourself his friend and don’t know what has happened?
Vikash: I beg to differ but I don’t understand what you are trying to say.
Mrs. Pandey: Samar died about 4 months ago. He and his family were on their way back when they met with an accident – they died on the spot.
Ashutosh and I were speechless when we heard what Samar’s aunt had just said. We couldn’t believe a word she was saying. How can a person spend an entire day with us when he is already dead? Now we know why he was so detached and aloof. Was he visible only to us? I remember those kids giving us crazy looks. My chain of thoughts was broken by my crazy ringtone – it was an international call. I wanted to disconnect the call but Ashutosh didn’t let me.It was a call from our business agent – “Vikash, congratulations! I was trying to get through your number since yesterday. Your business proposal has been accepted and we can go ahead with it. Being a weekend we can’t do anything as of now but will send in your papers along with Ashutosh’s on Monday and get the ball rolling. Congrats once again and hope to see you soon!”
Our life had indeed changed for the good. We were on our way to fulfill our dreams. We were in no mood to celebrate our success - we had lost a dear friend forever! Samar was a man of principles and kept his word even after his death. I hugged Ashutosh and we wept the whole night.
Showing posts with label Akki Masurekar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Akki Masurekar. Show all posts
Friday, December 5, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ - a short story
Rohan Kapadia was enjoying his morning tea one beautiful Saturday morning when his mom called him into the living room.
“So, beta, what have you decided about the girl I told you of yesterday?”
“Mom, this is difficult! Please give me some time to think about it,” replied Rohan.
His mother was exasperated. “How long do you want us to wait? Your cousins and other friends are married already, and look at you; you don’t even have a girlfriend!”
“Mom, please don’t ruin my Saturday,” Rohan pleaded. “And Krish is still single. So please don’t fret about me.”
“Krish? You think a guy like Krish would ever marry? Anyway, think about this girl and let me know your decision. I will inform the girl’s family accordingly.”
“Fine!” agreed Rohan. “And I might come in late tonight. Don’t stay up for me.”
“Take care, beta, and have a nice day,” wished his mom.
Rohan was employed as an accounts executive with Cadus Consultants. While driving to work, he always thought of work and planned his schedule for the day. Today, however, his thoughts were on the girl his mother had spoken of. He wanted to discuss all of this with Krish, his partner at work. They shared the same cabin and worked together on similar projects. Krish, unlike Rohan, was an extrovert and never shied of an opportunity to strike a conversation with a girl. He had recently split with his fifth girlfriend and was on the lookout for another.
Krish was already in office, which was a departure from his usual tardiness. “Well, this is a surprise! What brings you in so early today, Krish?” asked Rohan, with a wicked smile.
“Well, since I split with Roma, I have a lot of free time. So I thought I should come in early and help my dearest friend, for a change,” Krish winked. “Anyway, you look unsettled. What’s the matter?” Krish was concerned.
“Boss, I received a proposal for marriage last night. My parents approve of the girl and want me to marry her. I am very confused.”
Krish was indignant. “What do you mean, they want you to marry her? Are they forcing you into it?” he asked.
“No! I will decide whom to marry,” Rohan assured him.
“In that case, where is the problem? Agree if you like her; else, just reject the proposal. Don’t think about it so much.”
“She is quite a nice girl, but I am not sure she would like me,” replied Rohan. “Rohan, I dislike this about you. Why do you always underestimate yourself? Now listen to me. Let’s not go for a movie tonight. Let’s go to a pub instead and then go clubbing. You had better come; else, I will…” Krish left the threat unfinished.
“But…,” Rohan hesitated. Then, seeming to think this a good idea, he conceded. “Alright, let’s have a blast!”
“That’s my boy! Now, unless you want us to join the country’s unemployed, let’s get back to work.”
Rohan was looking forward to going to the pub. Finally, they left around 7:30 pm and reached Quilla an hour later. After their second round of beer, Krish was euphoric.
“Rohanbhai, look out for your girl, I mean, any girl who is single and ready to mingle.”
“Krish, I am here to enjoy myself. Besides, I don’t want to marry a girl who goes clubbing.”
“What the !@$%! You are a typical MCP! It is guys like you who give the rest of us a bad name. If you can go clubbing, can’t your wife go out with you or her friends? Who knows, you might even find your love in one of these clubs.”
“Oh alright, I’m sorry,” said Rohan. “Now shall we order another pitcher?”
After ordering the third pitcher, Krish asked Rohan, “Do you know the new girl who has just joined our creative team?”
“Do you mean Natasha?” asked Rohan.
“Bingo! That means you know her. Let’s call her and ask her to join us. What do you think?”
“I hardly know her, yaar. We were in the same college, but never spoke to each other. She was the rose queen during our college days.”
“Man, you seem to know a lot about her. We have a secret admirer over here, huh?” teased Krish.
“Nahin yaar, she won’t even remember me. Yes, I admit we acted together in one of our college plays, but…”
“Wow! Which play? Romeo-Juliet or Laila-Majnu?”
“Nah! Not one of those classics but a simple drama called ‘The Betrayal,’ in which she played the main lead and I was one of the waiters,” said Rohan.
“So what, dude? Just give her a call and try to revive those good old memories. You never know, she too might be interested in you,” encouraged Krish.
Rohan was sceptical. However, Krish somehow succeeded in convincing him to call her.
Just as he was about to dial her number, Rohan realized that he didn’t have it.
“Hey, I don’t even have her cell number!” he said to Krish.
“Did you think I wouldn’t have it? Here it is—98674 69902. I would have called her myself, but I want you to be a little bold in such matters and take the initiative,” said Krish.
Emboldened, Rohan took the number from Krish and called Natasha. A sweet voice from the other end answered “hello, yes?”
“Hi Natasha, this is Rohan. Do you remember me?”
“Rohan? Well, I can’t really remember. Have we met before?” asked Natasha. “Well, yes, we were in the same college; in fact, we worked together in a college play. I was one of the waiters and you were…”
“Listen, I don’t remember any of this nonsense. Now will you please tell me who you are or shall I hang up?”
“No, no, please listen to me. You know what…”
There was silence at the other end. Natasha had hung up.
“Hello, hello, are you there? Hello?” continued Rohan, in a daze.
Finally, he stopped and returned the phone to Krish.
“So she hung up on you, huh?” asked Krish nonchalantly. “Rohan, is this how a guy introduces himself to a girl? C’mon yaar, I was sure you would crack it this time.” Saying this, he loudly mimicked Rohan’s attempt at introducing himself to Natasha, much to the amusement of the people seated at the neighboring tables.
“I had warned you, yaar, that I am terrible at these things. I’m sorry I let you down,” said Rohan, ruefully.
“And I’m sorry I lost my head! But buddy, you need to be more confident about yourself.”
“But I do try!” protested Rohan. “And I will keep trying until I succeed. Don’t worry, Krish.”
“That’s the spirit, my friend! Now cheer up! What would you say about going to Irish Café for some more drinks and catching up with some blonde?”
“I’d say that’s a very good idea! Let’s leave. But you will not drive my car.”
“Theek hai yaar, let’s get out of this place,” agreed Krish.
They paid the bill and left for Irish Café.
It being a Saturday night, Irish Café was packed. Almost all the seats were taken; however, they were lucky enough to find a place in a corner. They ordered some drinks. Krish met some of his girlfriends and was pulled onto the dance floor. Rohan was also invited, but was too shy to join them, especially after his experience with Natasha over the phone a short while ago.
Rohan was sipping his favorite vodka and reflecting moodily over his lack of success with women. As his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, his attention was caught by the sight of a pretty girl sitting alone in another corner. He said to himself, “Rohan, this is your chance to prove that you can do it! It’s either now or never!”
He got up and was about to reach her table when he saw a guy sitting next to her, along with a blonde girl. Rohan immediately changed course and grabbed a place next to their table. He observed that the guy accompanying the girl was trying to kiss her, but she was pushing him away. Rohan was confused and wondered whether the guy was her boyfriend or was trying to molest her. The guy was still trying to get close to her when she suddenly turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you hit me, you b***h…” the guy yelled at her in rage. “You have been a big mistake. You are simply not fit to be my girlfriend. You don’t like to party, you hate mingling with people, and you don’t let me touch you. Is this what you call a relationship?”
“Alekh, why do you say such things?” she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She was obviously shaken by her action and Alekh’s subsequent outburst. “I agree I don’t like partying, but I like being with you. Why do you want to be with your other girlfriends?”
“Oh, really? Neha, I have had enough of your nonsense! Now just get the hell out of here and don’t show me your face ever again!”
Alekh then walked out with his blonde girlfriend.
Neha simply sat there, crying softly. Rohan had heard the entire conversation and didn’t know how to react. He said to himself, “This is the right time to strike a conversation with her.”
However, Neha suddenly got up and began running toward the door. Rohan followed her. When he reached the porch, he saw that Neha had stopped running and was standing alone there, crying. He hid himself behind the door.
Finally, he mustered up the courage to approach her.
“Excuse me! I’m sorry I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with your friend. I hope you are alright?” he inquired gently.
“P-please leave me alone,” sobbed Neha, who was still in tears.
“Ma’am, I know I shouldn’t interfere, but I must say I didn’t like the way your friend behaved with you. I am heading out and wonder if I can drop you home? Believe me, I have no other intentions; I just thought I should help. Anyway, I stay in Bandra, and it would be no trouble to me at all to drop you wherever you wish to go. I will wait another 10 minutes in my red Indica parked just across the pub.” On saying this, he left the pub and got into his car.
Rohan found it difficult to believe that he had indeed spoken so confidently with the girl. He waited for her in his car with his fingers crossed. Five minutes passed, but there was still no sign of her.
Suddenly, he heard a knock on his window. It was Neha.
“Can I get in?” she asked.
“Yes, of course, please get in. Where would you like me to drop you?”
“I live in Bandra too, next to Amarsons,” answered Neha.
“Oh, Amarsons! That’s pretty close to where I stay. By the way, I am Rohan and I work with Cadus Consultants as an accounts executive. What do you do, ma’am?”
“Please call me Neha. I’ve just completed my master’s in mass media. Anyway, thanks for your help and concern. May I ask why you felt like helping me?”
“Well, Neha, I don’t really know. Look, I’m sorry I overheard your conversation with your friend, but I really couldn’t help it. I honestly can’t bear to see a guy humiliate his girlfriend in public,” said Rohan.
“Thanks, Rohan, that’s really sweet of you. But listening to other people’s conversations is simply bad manners.”
Rohan looked at her, startled. However, when he saw that she was smiling, his heart skipped a beat. She was really sweet and had a beautiful smile. “I know, and I’m sorry,” he mumbled. He drove the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached Amarsons, Neha asked him to stop the car outside the store. “Thanks, Rohan. I really appreciate this. I don’t know whether I should ask you this, but anyway, will I see you again?”
“Me…you…I…yeah sure…I mean, we can definitely meet sometime next week.” “I need a good friend, Rohan, and I think you can be that friend. Here, take my number. It is 98888 00000. Do keep in touch. See you soon!”
She got out of the car.
“Neha, my number is 98216 69902. And I will surely keep in touch.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “You have a very beautiful smile, so keep smiling. See you!”
She smiled in reply, and they parted ways.
This incident left Rohan feeling like a warrior who had won a great battle. He was feeling extremely confident about himself. He called Krish the next day and narrated the entire incident to him. At first, Krish refused to believe him, but finally gave him the benefit of the doubt. He congratulated Rohan and asked him to sms Neha. Well, after that, Neha and Rohan began meeting regularly and enjoyed each other’s company very much.
Three months later, Rohan told his mom about Neha and confessed his love for her. His mom was really happy to know about this and prayed that Neha too would accept Rohan.
Rohan planned to take Neha out for dinner and then propose to her. They met each other at 7:30 pm outside Mainland China, where Rohan had already reserved a table for two.
Neha looked lovely in a green salwar kameez. Rohan, too, looked smart in a black stripped shirt and black trousers.
“You’re looking gorgeous today,” said Rohan.
“Hmm…so are you jealous?” asked Neha, with a mischievous smile.
After placing the order, Rohan decided to go ahead with his confession.
“Neha, I have something to say to you.”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”
“Well, I have never been through this before, so forgive me if I make a mistake. I really like you Neha. So I…so will you…ma…”
Neha cut him mid-sentence. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you something. Alekh called me sometime back. He wanted us to get back together as his “girlfriend” had dumped him. You remember the blonde girl with him at Irish Café? She was the one.”
Rohan was alarmed.
“So…uh…what did you say?” he asked.
“What do you think I might have said?”
“C’mon, how would I know?”
“Well, I told him that he deserved to be dumped. I also told him that he could have no place in my life and that I was better off without him. And I said this because I think I have found the man I have been looking for.”
“Huh! Which man and where did you find him?” asked Rohan, who was now feeling quite faint.
“Of course it’s you, you idiot. Now, don’t stare dumbly at me. Aren’t you going to propose to me?” asked Neha, with a touch of impatience in her voice.
“Oh my God, you almost killed me with anxiety! Can I propose after dinner or would you rather I did it now?”
“Rohannnn!”
“Hahahaha! Neha, will you marry me? Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Well…umm…let me think…I think I can grant your wish!” she replied, eyes twinkling. “Jokes apart, I really love you. And I want to spend my life with the man who changed it three months ago at Irish Café. I think it would be a good idea to visit the place that brought the two of us together. Do you think we can go there after dinner?” she asked.
“Yes, sweetheart, let’s do that.”
It was the best evening of his life. After dinner, they left for Irish Café. They sat there for a good half hour, thinking and talking about the past three months and planning their life together.
Krish was really happy for his friend as he had finally managed to get himself hitched. And Rohan and Neha were happy with each other and were looking forward to their wedding in December that year.
This has been taken from “AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ”, a story written by me which is featured in my book - “Known devil or Unknown ghost - a collection of short stories”
“So, beta, what have you decided about the girl I told you of yesterday?”
“Mom, this is difficult! Please give me some time to think about it,” replied Rohan.
His mother was exasperated. “How long do you want us to wait? Your cousins and other friends are married already, and look at you; you don’t even have a girlfriend!”
“Mom, please don’t ruin my Saturday,” Rohan pleaded. “And Krish is still single. So please don’t fret about me.”
“Krish? You think a guy like Krish would ever marry? Anyway, think about this girl and let me know your decision. I will inform the girl’s family accordingly.”
“Fine!” agreed Rohan. “And I might come in late tonight. Don’t stay up for me.”
“Take care, beta, and have a nice day,” wished his mom.
Rohan was employed as an accounts executive with Cadus Consultants. While driving to work, he always thought of work and planned his schedule for the day. Today, however, his thoughts were on the girl his mother had spoken of. He wanted to discuss all of this with Krish, his partner at work. They shared the same cabin and worked together on similar projects. Krish, unlike Rohan, was an extrovert and never shied of an opportunity to strike a conversation with a girl. He had recently split with his fifth girlfriend and was on the lookout for another.
Krish was already in office, which was a departure from his usual tardiness. “Well, this is a surprise! What brings you in so early today, Krish?” asked Rohan, with a wicked smile.
“Well, since I split with Roma, I have a lot of free time. So I thought I should come in early and help my dearest friend, for a change,” Krish winked. “Anyway, you look unsettled. What’s the matter?” Krish was concerned.
“Boss, I received a proposal for marriage last night. My parents approve of the girl and want me to marry her. I am very confused.”
Krish was indignant. “What do you mean, they want you to marry her? Are they forcing you into it?” he asked.
“No! I will decide whom to marry,” Rohan assured him.
“In that case, where is the problem? Agree if you like her; else, just reject the proposal. Don’t think about it so much.”
“She is quite a nice girl, but I am not sure she would like me,” replied Rohan. “Rohan, I dislike this about you. Why do you always underestimate yourself? Now listen to me. Let’s not go for a movie tonight. Let’s go to a pub instead and then go clubbing. You had better come; else, I will…” Krish left the threat unfinished.
“But…,” Rohan hesitated. Then, seeming to think this a good idea, he conceded. “Alright, let’s have a blast!”
“That’s my boy! Now, unless you want us to join the country’s unemployed, let’s get back to work.”
Rohan was looking forward to going to the pub. Finally, they left around 7:30 pm and reached Quilla an hour later. After their second round of beer, Krish was euphoric.
“Rohanbhai, look out for your girl, I mean, any girl who is single and ready to mingle.”
“Krish, I am here to enjoy myself. Besides, I don’t want to marry a girl who goes clubbing.”
“What the !@$%! You are a typical MCP! It is guys like you who give the rest of us a bad name. If you can go clubbing, can’t your wife go out with you or her friends? Who knows, you might even find your love in one of these clubs.”
“Oh alright, I’m sorry,” said Rohan. “Now shall we order another pitcher?”
After ordering the third pitcher, Krish asked Rohan, “Do you know the new girl who has just joined our creative team?”
“Do you mean Natasha?” asked Rohan.
“Bingo! That means you know her. Let’s call her and ask her to join us. What do you think?”
“I hardly know her, yaar. We were in the same college, but never spoke to each other. She was the rose queen during our college days.”
“Man, you seem to know a lot about her. We have a secret admirer over here, huh?” teased Krish.
“Nahin yaar, she won’t even remember me. Yes, I admit we acted together in one of our college plays, but…”
“Wow! Which play? Romeo-Juliet or Laila-Majnu?”
“Nah! Not one of those classics but a simple drama called ‘The Betrayal,’ in which she played the main lead and I was one of the waiters,” said Rohan.
“So what, dude? Just give her a call and try to revive those good old memories. You never know, she too might be interested in you,” encouraged Krish.
Rohan was sceptical. However, Krish somehow succeeded in convincing him to call her.
Just as he was about to dial her number, Rohan realized that he didn’t have it.
“Hey, I don’t even have her cell number!” he said to Krish.
“Did you think I wouldn’t have it? Here it is—98674 69902. I would have called her myself, but I want you to be a little bold in such matters and take the initiative,” said Krish.
Emboldened, Rohan took the number from Krish and called Natasha. A sweet voice from the other end answered “hello, yes?”
“Hi Natasha, this is Rohan. Do you remember me?”
“Rohan? Well, I can’t really remember. Have we met before?” asked Natasha. “Well, yes, we were in the same college; in fact, we worked together in a college play. I was one of the waiters and you were…”
“Listen, I don’t remember any of this nonsense. Now will you please tell me who you are or shall I hang up?”
“No, no, please listen to me. You know what…”
There was silence at the other end. Natasha had hung up.
“Hello, hello, are you there? Hello?” continued Rohan, in a daze.
Finally, he stopped and returned the phone to Krish.
“So she hung up on you, huh?” asked Krish nonchalantly. “Rohan, is this how a guy introduces himself to a girl? C’mon yaar, I was sure you would crack it this time.” Saying this, he loudly mimicked Rohan’s attempt at introducing himself to Natasha, much to the amusement of the people seated at the neighboring tables.
“I had warned you, yaar, that I am terrible at these things. I’m sorry I let you down,” said Rohan, ruefully.
“And I’m sorry I lost my head! But buddy, you need to be more confident about yourself.”
“But I do try!” protested Rohan. “And I will keep trying until I succeed. Don’t worry, Krish.”
“That’s the spirit, my friend! Now cheer up! What would you say about going to Irish Café for some more drinks and catching up with some blonde?”
“I’d say that’s a very good idea! Let’s leave. But you will not drive my car.”
“Theek hai yaar, let’s get out of this place,” agreed Krish.
They paid the bill and left for Irish Café.
It being a Saturday night, Irish Café was packed. Almost all the seats were taken; however, they were lucky enough to find a place in a corner. They ordered some drinks. Krish met some of his girlfriends and was pulled onto the dance floor. Rohan was also invited, but was too shy to join them, especially after his experience with Natasha over the phone a short while ago.
Rohan was sipping his favorite vodka and reflecting moodily over his lack of success with women. As his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, his attention was caught by the sight of a pretty girl sitting alone in another corner. He said to himself, “Rohan, this is your chance to prove that you can do it! It’s either now or never!”
He got up and was about to reach her table when he saw a guy sitting next to her, along with a blonde girl. Rohan immediately changed course and grabbed a place next to their table. He observed that the guy accompanying the girl was trying to kiss her, but she was pushing him away. Rohan was confused and wondered whether the guy was her boyfriend or was trying to molest her. The guy was still trying to get close to her when she suddenly turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you hit me, you b***h…” the guy yelled at her in rage. “You have been a big mistake. You are simply not fit to be my girlfriend. You don’t like to party, you hate mingling with people, and you don’t let me touch you. Is this what you call a relationship?”
“Alekh, why do you say such things?” she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She was obviously shaken by her action and Alekh’s subsequent outburst. “I agree I don’t like partying, but I like being with you. Why do you want to be with your other girlfriends?”
“Oh, really? Neha, I have had enough of your nonsense! Now just get the hell out of here and don’t show me your face ever again!”
Alekh then walked out with his blonde girlfriend.
Neha simply sat there, crying softly. Rohan had heard the entire conversation and didn’t know how to react. He said to himself, “This is the right time to strike a conversation with her.”
However, Neha suddenly got up and began running toward the door. Rohan followed her. When he reached the porch, he saw that Neha had stopped running and was standing alone there, crying. He hid himself behind the door.
Finally, he mustered up the courage to approach her.
“Excuse me! I’m sorry I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with your friend. I hope you are alright?” he inquired gently.
“P-please leave me alone,” sobbed Neha, who was still in tears.
“Ma’am, I know I shouldn’t interfere, but I must say I didn’t like the way your friend behaved with you. I am heading out and wonder if I can drop you home? Believe me, I have no other intentions; I just thought I should help. Anyway, I stay in Bandra, and it would be no trouble to me at all to drop you wherever you wish to go. I will wait another 10 minutes in my red Indica parked just across the pub.” On saying this, he left the pub and got into his car.
Rohan found it difficult to believe that he had indeed spoken so confidently with the girl. He waited for her in his car with his fingers crossed. Five minutes passed, but there was still no sign of her.
Suddenly, he heard a knock on his window. It was Neha.
“Can I get in?” she asked.
“Yes, of course, please get in. Where would you like me to drop you?”
“I live in Bandra too, next to Amarsons,” answered Neha.
“Oh, Amarsons! That’s pretty close to where I stay. By the way, I am Rohan and I work with Cadus Consultants as an accounts executive. What do you do, ma’am?”
“Please call me Neha. I’ve just completed my master’s in mass media. Anyway, thanks for your help and concern. May I ask why you felt like helping me?”
“Well, Neha, I don’t really know. Look, I’m sorry I overheard your conversation with your friend, but I really couldn’t help it. I honestly can’t bear to see a guy humiliate his girlfriend in public,” said Rohan.
“Thanks, Rohan, that’s really sweet of you. But listening to other people’s conversations is simply bad manners.”
Rohan looked at her, startled. However, when he saw that she was smiling, his heart skipped a beat. She was really sweet and had a beautiful smile. “I know, and I’m sorry,” he mumbled. He drove the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached Amarsons, Neha asked him to stop the car outside the store. “Thanks, Rohan. I really appreciate this. I don’t know whether I should ask you this, but anyway, will I see you again?”
“Me…you…I…yeah sure…I mean, we can definitely meet sometime next week.” “I need a good friend, Rohan, and I think you can be that friend. Here, take my number. It is 98888 00000. Do keep in touch. See you soon!”
She got out of the car.
“Neha, my number is 98216 69902. And I will surely keep in touch.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “You have a very beautiful smile, so keep smiling. See you!”
She smiled in reply, and they parted ways.
This incident left Rohan feeling like a warrior who had won a great battle. He was feeling extremely confident about himself. He called Krish the next day and narrated the entire incident to him. At first, Krish refused to believe him, but finally gave him the benefit of the doubt. He congratulated Rohan and asked him to sms Neha. Well, after that, Neha and Rohan began meeting regularly and enjoyed each other’s company very much.
Three months later, Rohan told his mom about Neha and confessed his love for her. His mom was really happy to know about this and prayed that Neha too would accept Rohan.
Rohan planned to take Neha out for dinner and then propose to her. They met each other at 7:30 pm outside Mainland China, where Rohan had already reserved a table for two.
Neha looked lovely in a green salwar kameez. Rohan, too, looked smart in a black stripped shirt and black trousers.
“You’re looking gorgeous today,” said Rohan.
“Hmm…so are you jealous?” asked Neha, with a mischievous smile.
After placing the order, Rohan decided to go ahead with his confession.
“Neha, I have something to say to you.”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”
“Well, I have never been through this before, so forgive me if I make a mistake. I really like you Neha. So I…so will you…ma…”
Neha cut him mid-sentence. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you something. Alekh called me sometime back. He wanted us to get back together as his “girlfriend” had dumped him. You remember the blonde girl with him at Irish Café? She was the one.”
Rohan was alarmed.
“So…uh…what did you say?” he asked.
“What do you think I might have said?”
“C’mon, how would I know?”
“Well, I told him that he deserved to be dumped. I also told him that he could have no place in my life and that I was better off without him. And I said this because I think I have found the man I have been looking for.”
“Huh! Which man and where did you find him?” asked Rohan, who was now feeling quite faint.
“Of course it’s you, you idiot. Now, don’t stare dumbly at me. Aren’t you going to propose to me?” asked Neha, with a touch of impatience in her voice.
“Oh my God, you almost killed me with anxiety! Can I propose after dinner or would you rather I did it now?”
“Rohannnn!”
“Hahahaha! Neha, will you marry me? Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Well…umm…let me think…I think I can grant your wish!” she replied, eyes twinkling. “Jokes apart, I really love you. And I want to spend my life with the man who changed it three months ago at Irish Café. I think it would be a good idea to visit the place that brought the two of us together. Do you think we can go there after dinner?” she asked.
“Yes, sweetheart, let’s do that.”
It was the best evening of his life. After dinner, they left for Irish Café. They sat there for a good half hour, thinking and talking about the past three months and planning their life together.
Krish was really happy for his friend as he had finally managed to get himself hitched. And Rohan and Neha were happy with each other and were looking forward to their wedding in December that year.
This has been taken from “AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ”, a story written by me which is featured in my book - “Known devil or Unknown ghost - a collection of short stories”
Friday, June 27, 2008
Categories of clients
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Source: I OWN this article; it is solely based on my personal experiences.
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This article deals with the different types of clients we come across on a day-to-day basis. Please note that the definitions mentioned below are not based on any recency, frequency and monetary (RFM) value of the clients; they are solely based on my experiences with each of these clients. They do not apply to any specific client segment or nationality – the definitions mentioned below are very general in nature.
1) Partner - clients falling under this category are also known as super-loyal clients. They consider themselves to be a part of your organization and help you in improving your services/products. They do not wait for feedback requests – they will give it to you on their own. Such clients are usually your “first” clients or have gradually reached this level due to high-quality service. Once a client reaches this stage – no matter what he asks for – we have to give!
2) Loyal – no matter what your price is, no matter what your competitor is offering - these clients will always stick to you and come back with their requests. They will either give you feedback on their own or wait for your request. They have the potential of becoming a “partner”. One has to continuously focus on such clients and give our best. Losing such clients can be detrimental to your business – you have probably worked hard on getting them to this level one big mistake and you have lost them for good.
3) Endless clients – grammatically this is an incorrect term but a friend of mine used it and I really liked it. These clients expect you to work on the same thing again and again. They believe in multiple rounds and will not be satisfied until and unless they get what they want. Some of these clients can be considered as perfectionists – they will not move ahead until and unless they get what they want while others might be super-confused souls. It is very difficult to differentiate the types of endless clients – one has no option but to work on their multiple rounds!
4) Freebie clients – do not expect anything from them. In fact, they are the ones expecting something from you – discounts, freebies, etc. They will either expect a 100% discount or some gifts in kind. Do not worry about such clients as they will not be able to give you the business you would like to get.
5) Tough-cookie clients
Beware of this category – they can give you a lot of stress at times. They are the real perfectionists. They will tell you what they want and you have to give it to them as is. Such clients are so fussy, that they cannot even tolerate silly typos in your mails. They will seldom speak good things about your service. Nevertheless, they will always use your service if you have met their expectations. Do not expect to get detailed feedback from them – getting another order from such clients is as good as a “positive” feedback.
6) Distrust clients
This category too has two types. There are some clients who don’t trust you while there are others whom you don’t trust.
A) Category 1 – something might have happened in the past due to which they have lost trust and eventually stopped using your services/products. There is only one thing you can do – understand what went wrong and forget them! They won’t come back!
B) Category 2 – there might be some clients whom you don’t trust. These clients might have a bad history with you – they might have been defaulters (payment), or might have had a history of canceling jobs upon confirmation, etc. Just don’t bother about such clients – deal with them on a case-by-case basis.
7) Suspicious clients – there are a few annoying clients who fall under this category. They can be your competitors spying on you or some random client who wants to use your service or product and then disappear without paying. Very difficult to track such clients – you never know which client of yours falls under this category (of course, only new clients will fall under this category not your existing ones). Try to keep your eyes open and be vigilant at all times.
8) Quality-conscious clients – such clients give more importance to the quality of service/product. They don’t care about the price so much. If you are successful in giving them good quality work/product you have converted them for good. They can be your Loyal/Partner clients.
9) Money-minded clients – such clients are only worried about the price factor. For them quality may or may not be important. They can never be your Loyal/Partner clients and can possibly move over to your competitor if your price increase or price doesn’t meet their expectations.
There can be many such categories but we need not get into those now. I might come back with a sequel to this article but for now this should be it.
We all need to focus on the following categories to get the most out of them and expand our business – Partner, Loyal and Quality-conscious clients. Also, focus on the “tough-cookie” clients – while they may not be as loyal as the previous three categories, you can expect some good business from them – if and only if you meet their expectations! After all, it’s all about client focus!
Source: I OWN this article; it is solely based on my personal experiences.
****************
This article deals with the different types of clients we come across on a day-to-day basis. Please note that the definitions mentioned below are not based on any recency, frequency and monetary (RFM) value of the clients; they are solely based on my experiences with each of these clients. They do not apply to any specific client segment or nationality – the definitions mentioned below are very general in nature.
1) Partner - clients falling under this category are also known as super-loyal clients. They consider themselves to be a part of your organization and help you in improving your services/products. They do not wait for feedback requests – they will give it to you on their own. Such clients are usually your “first” clients or have gradually reached this level due to high-quality service. Once a client reaches this stage – no matter what he asks for – we have to give!
2) Loyal – no matter what your price is, no matter what your competitor is offering - these clients will always stick to you and come back with their requests. They will either give you feedback on their own or wait for your request. They have the potential of becoming a “partner”. One has to continuously focus on such clients and give our best. Losing such clients can be detrimental to your business – you have probably worked hard on getting them to this level one big mistake and you have lost them for good.
3) Endless clients – grammatically this is an incorrect term but a friend of mine used it and I really liked it. These clients expect you to work on the same thing again and again. They believe in multiple rounds and will not be satisfied until and unless they get what they want. Some of these clients can be considered as perfectionists – they will not move ahead until and unless they get what they want while others might be super-confused souls. It is very difficult to differentiate the types of endless clients – one has no option but to work on their multiple rounds!
4) Freebie clients – do not expect anything from them. In fact, they are the ones expecting something from you – discounts, freebies, etc. They will either expect a 100% discount or some gifts in kind. Do not worry about such clients as they will not be able to give you the business you would like to get.
5) Tough-cookie clients
Beware of this category – they can give you a lot of stress at times. They are the real perfectionists. They will tell you what they want and you have to give it to them as is. Such clients are so fussy, that they cannot even tolerate silly typos in your mails. They will seldom speak good things about your service. Nevertheless, they will always use your service if you have met their expectations. Do not expect to get detailed feedback from them – getting another order from such clients is as good as a “positive” feedback.
6) Distrust clients
This category too has two types. There are some clients who don’t trust you while there are others whom you don’t trust.
A) Category 1 – something might have happened in the past due to which they have lost trust and eventually stopped using your services/products. There is only one thing you can do – understand what went wrong and forget them! They won’t come back!
B) Category 2 – there might be some clients whom you don’t trust. These clients might have a bad history with you – they might have been defaulters (payment), or might have had a history of canceling jobs upon confirmation, etc. Just don’t bother about such clients – deal with them on a case-by-case basis.
7) Suspicious clients – there are a few annoying clients who fall under this category. They can be your competitors spying on you or some random client who wants to use your service or product and then disappear without paying. Very difficult to track such clients – you never know which client of yours falls under this category (of course, only new clients will fall under this category not your existing ones). Try to keep your eyes open and be vigilant at all times.
8) Quality-conscious clients – such clients give more importance to the quality of service/product. They don’t care about the price so much. If you are successful in giving them good quality work/product you have converted them for good. They can be your Loyal/Partner clients.
9) Money-minded clients – such clients are only worried about the price factor. For them quality may or may not be important. They can never be your Loyal/Partner clients and can possibly move over to your competitor if your price increase or price doesn’t meet their expectations.
There can be many such categories but we need not get into those now. I might come back with a sequel to this article but for now this should be it.
We all need to focus on the following categories to get the most out of them and expand our business – Partner, Loyal and Quality-conscious clients. Also, focus on the “tough-cookie” clients – while they may not be as loyal as the previous three categories, you can expect some good business from them – if and only if you meet their expectations! After all, it’s all about client focus!
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