39

On the coming Sunday, Ramu boarded the Lucknow Mail. Aboard the train Ramu was impatient for the train to move out of the station. Sitting by the window, he downed the shutter to escape attention of the passersby. Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the arrival into the compartment of a bulky youth with a big suitcase. Panting for a while, the youth surveyed the scene within, as one would, to gain a vantage seat. Zeroing on the space beside Ramu he began pushing his baggage beneath the seat. Having sat in embarrassment, yet feeling suffocated he settled to the latter's chagrin.

When the train left the station behind and went into the open, Ramu closed his eyes and breathed deeply as if to signify his own break with the past. As the train gained speed, the gushing winds dispelled his anxieties of this new job. The rollicking motion massaged his exhaustion. Resting his head on the window frame, Ramu sank into a deep sleep that even the 'chai garam' din of the tea vendors at the other stations failed to impact him.

By then, everyone in the compartment had settled down as well. The woman by the window side opposite to Ramu was knitting a sweater for her baby boy who was seated in her lap, as her husband amused himself with the playful child. Right across the aisle an eager couple joined their split seats in a bid to come closer to each other. The tentativeness of the man's advances and the coyness of the woman's responses indicated that they were a newly married couple.

When Ramu woke up, his bleary eyes scanned the surroundings, before they rested on the couple, lost in their sweet nothings. Looking at them with amusement he envisaged the euphoria newness brings to a person's love life and wondered whether the same couple would be half as eager towards each other after a year of their marriage.

That being the reality of marriage, he wondered, how all crave to tie the knot! The thought that he was no exception to it brought an ironical smile on his face.

The night journey to the other city passed with a disturbed sleep and ultimately the train chugged itself in the Lucknow station.

Alighting from the train Ramu made his way out of the station. His friend, Badri had already given him a reference of his close friend Kishan who was staying in Ameenabad and had asked Ramu to straight away go and contact him for lodging and boarding. Hiring an autorickshaw after quite a bit of haggling for fare, he reached Ameenabad. It was a large bazaar, the streets of Ameenabad glittered with the sequins and colors of silk and muslin, as the main profession over there was the manufacture of 'chikan' embroidered garments.

Finding his way into the streets of this crowded part of the main city of Lucknow he reached Kishan's house. At that hour of the day Kishan was getting to go out for his work. On seeing Ramu, he hugged him and invited him in for breakfast. After a hearty breakfast and thanking Kishan for the hospitality, Ramu asked him to suggest a place where he could stay for 3-4 days as he had come for business related work.

"Why don't you stay in my room with me? We both will manage somehow. It's just a matter of four days!!" Kishan said politely.

"I don't want to trouble you, my friend," Ramu replied hesitatingly.

"Where lies the trouble Ramu!!!?" Kishan said laughing loud at his statement.

Ultimately Ramu agreed to settle down with Kishan for the next few days.

"Okay, Ramu, take care of yourself, I'm going out for my work, and if you want something to eat in the afternoon, right across the street corner there is that 'poori walah' who makes real good stuff and is quite reasonable too. And if you get a craving for tea, the 'chai walah' comes practically ten times a day with his readymade tea which is really well brewed. Now, you go and take rest as your eyes are heavy full of sleep telling upon you that you are tired. I'll be back in the evening by 9 o'clock. Till then grab a good sleep, and if you feel like going out for a while to survey your surroundings, there's a lock and key hanging there on the wall, but do keep the key securely as I don't have a duplicate one," Kishan said.

After Kishan was gone, Ramu got up and lay down on the bed and soon he was lost in his dreams. In a couple of hours, when the tea vendor came along chanting his mantra, Ramu came out of his reverie. Alive to the environs all again he felt like having some tea. Sipping from the plastic cup, Ramu took the view of the room with great interest. He could see a small window just for namesake to let the fresh air come in. Otherwise the room was plunged in darkness except for a 60 watt bulb hanging the center of the room which when switched off made the room seem like a dingy. Ramu switched off the bulb and sat by the window to have a view of the busy narrow street below.

The neighbor's window across the street which was wide open stopped him in his tracks. A young girl in full bloom was undressing herself in front of a full length mirror. He became breathless when he saw the reflections of her figure as it was released from the confines of her tight fitting dress. Soon, as he came to view both sides of her delectable frame, he was dumbstruck by the beauty of her nudity.

After slipping into her lingerie, although she disappeared from his sight, he held on to his post crouching energized by expectancy. As his legs cried foul in the end, he pulled himself to his bed in disappointment. Even before his hope goaded him back to the post the light went off in her room as though to end his anxiety. Though the impact of her figure benumbed him for long, the excitement he felt in her imagery lent substance to his self gratification that noon.

He became restless to see her and be seen as well. He sprang up again from the bed and after switching on the bulb he came back to the window. She too was looking out of the window at the street below. Atlast, when their eyes met, he found hers opaque, though she saw desire in his eyes and disappeared from his view. In the forenoon he tried his best to attract his attention, but she took no note of him. That made him think of giving up on his vigil, but come evening he found himself on the terrace and awaited her arrival. All the same, while his desire urged him to stay on, his decency counseled him to retreat. Though he felt it was demeaning to pry upon a disinterested dame, yet he reached the coign of vantage to ogle her compelling nudity.

Disappointed and frustrated though, he stepped downstairs and after locking up the room firmly, he made his way to the street corner to have a snack of 'poori-aloo' where Kishan had guided him to go. Later he came back to the room and kept waiting for Kishan to return home. At 9.30pm Kishan came, holding a paper bag which had a few 'parathas' and 'aloo bhaji' neatly wrapped in a plastic bag. While having dinner together, "So, Ramu, you had a good sleep and how was your day?" Kishan asked munching his roti.

"Oh! First of all I should thank you for letting me stay with you, otherwise it would have been difficult for me to find a place in this alien city," Ramu replied in a manner sounding grateful, "From tomorrow morning I will be starting visiting different markets with my samples, and first of all I've to go to Hazratganj," Ramu continued munching upon the last bite of his roti.

"Yes, you better hire a cycle rickshaw, it will just take 10-15 minutes to reach the market and the fare will be not more than Rs.20/-," Kishan explained Ramu.

After having their dinner, both talked about nothing important and then Kishan, tired he was drifted off to sleep. For Ramu nevertheless, her thoughts tickled as well as troubled him for long, well before her curvy figure all but became a contour in his memory and soon he dozed off.

Next day morning all set to go to venture himself into the sales world, he hired a cycle rickshaw and reached at one corner of the famous Hazratganj market. This was one of the most hi-end markets of Lucknow and it had its own charm. The myriad showrooms offered some of the most beautiful 'Chikan" works in kurtas, sarees and kurtis for women. The market was all choked with modernization, civil work, traffic congestion and pollution.

Ramu was left gaping at the corner viewing all the shopping complexes and the eateries around. After a while, he took out the address of the store he wanted to go to show his samples and taking the orders. After enquiring about the whereabouts of the store he found it to be diagonally opposite the road which was heavily congested with the ongoing and the incoming vehicles including the loaded carts of the goods to be delivered.

So, unmindful of the surrounding traffic, he kept course with a cart. As if to shorten their arduous course, the laborers who were towing the cart exerted themselves to accelerate their motion. Lost to them, he came in the way of a speeding car. Bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt, the woman at the wheel yelled at him in a sarcastic tone, "Aye, you find your life burdensome?" Muttering an apology as he moved away in confusion, she sped past him in irritation.

The poignancy of her insensitivity perturbed him as he lumbered along to the dismal destination. 'Won't it seem the color of the skin is the measure of man's worth as well?' he pondered in humiliation.

'Oh, how dark skin devalues man in more ways than one,' he obloquy muttered to himself.

At the store, he waited for the owner to turn up. Waiting for him was like waiting for rain in the draught. Useless and disappointing. After a couple of hours the owner arrived. Looking at Ramu the owner asked him, "Yes, what can I do for you?"

"Sahib, I've brought some samples from Rolex Enterprises, Delhi," Ramu spoke humbly.

"But this isn't the time in the morning to check upon the samples. You better come in the evening half an hour before our closing time," the owner said hoarsely.

"Thank you Sahib. I will be coming in the evening then," Ramu felt disappointed.

He wanted to visit another showroom to show his samples but changed his mind at the eleventh hour. By that time a pang of hunger and thirst had encrypted him and he made his way to a small eatery nearby. After partaking his food he hailed a cycle rickshaw and made his way back to Kishans room in Ameenabad. Once back, feeling lonely, he sneaked to the window to witness the customers swarming onto the shops below. Then suddenly, his eyes got stuck onto a young man and a woman with a baby half asleep in her lap on the left side of his porthole. The man had his arms around the womans waist and he was pulling the woman towards him in an attempt to kiss her. Ramu, hoping to voyeur their romance feigned asleep to snare them into the act.

When he opened his eyes tentatively to espy the ecstasy of their togetherness, he got a mocking stare from the man who seemingly read him well. Ashamed, Ramu desisted from venturing again and withdrew himself from there and straight to the bed. Soon enough, his resolve not to open his eyes for the rest of the noon, insensibly sent him into a deep sleep. After a couple of hours he got up from his siesta and went to the public toilet nearby which was a kind of vestibule on wheels put up by the municipal corporation. When he tried to reach the toilet, he found the vestibule swarmed with beggars. However, with the agility of an acrobat he entered the toilet only to find it dirty. Recoiling, he came out to gain access to the one opposite and he succeeded.

After freshening up, he readied himself to go to Haratganj for business for which he was here in Lucknow. It was almost 7pm, took a cycle rickshaw and reached Hazratganj in the next 20 minutes. Alighting from the rickshaw he combed his hair and then entered the store in which he had already visited in the morning. The owner after seeing him ordered tea for him(which he happily took as the craving for it was already there)

After receiving a good number of business orders from that store, he visited two more stores in the vicinity and after much convincing bagged quite a good business from them as well. Internally, Ramu felt elated on his win-win situation as it was his first time on entering into the field of sales. It was 10pm by then and Ramu made his way to the same small eatery he had been in the afternoon. After having a hearty meal he went back home with a project in his mind to visit Chowk Market and Alambagh Market next evening. He had heard a lot about these flourishing markets from his friend Kishan who had been all praises for the amount of business in these old markets of Lucknow.

When he reached the room, it was still locked as he had done it before leaving for his work. Getting worried about Kishan he opened the lock and stepped in. It was 11pm by then and Kishan wasn't home yet. With all the negative thoughts creeping upon his mind about the welfare of his friend, he sat on the bed waiting for him to turn up. After about fifteen minutes there was a knock on the door. Ramu sprang up and opened the door.

"Sorry! Sorry, to be so late. Today was a public holiday because of Eid and there was an unprecedented rush at the store where I work," Kishan said apologetically.

"Did you have your food?" Ramu asked him in an adorable manner.

"Oh! Yes, and how about you?" Kishan asked in the same way as Ramu.

Ramu nodded his head in affirmation.

"So, how was your first day in the world of sales?" Kishan asked smilingly.

"Oh, it was too good. Tomorrow I'll be visiting Alambagh and Chowk markets in the evening. Let's see how much business I can bag tomorrow and then I'll be going back to Delhi day after evening," Ramu spoke excitedly.

After a brief chat, they both went off to sleep.

Next day morning the routine was the same for both. Kishan was in a hurry to go for his work. While stepping out, "Ramu, today we'll have dinner together. I'll bring something special for you to savor the flavors of Lucknow. So, finish up your work fast and try to return home soon as I too will be back in time today," Kishan instructed Ramu.

"Yes, yes!! Why not, but supposedly if I am late the key to the room will be with our next door old lady, our neighbor. You can collect it from her," Ramu answered back with a grin on his face.

After Kishan was gone, Ramu made his way to the window and sat there nonchalantly enjoying the fresh morning breeze viewing the crowd below, and suddenly his eyes caught up with the damsel whom he had seen a couple of days back changing clothes right into the room opposite his porthole. His heart skipped a beat on seeing her, but he'd to retreat his gaze as she was in a hurry to get past the crowded street.

Ramu got up from the window side and laid himself on the bed. Soon he was dreaming about her. It was almost 3o'clock in the afternoon when he opened his eyes, coming out of his drowse. Startled at the amount of time he had slept he jumped up from the bed and went downstairs to refresh himself with a cup of tea across the street. Once at the tea stall he took a bun with butter and tea, enjoying every sip of it. Later, when he came up to his room he started getting ready to invade the new markets. Soon he was off to the Chowk market. Over there he was successful in targeting his buyers, roaming around with his samples to nearly five stores. Later, he made his way to Alambagh market where he had an astounding business. Though he had no space for taking a break from his work, but his stomach had heaps of space waiting to be filled. So he went to a small restaurant nearby the store he intended to visit next.

'Full View' restaurant have huge customers, but today very few were there as it was a week day and late evening too. Ramu took a corner table looking at the menu card which was in hindi only. A couple of minutes later a boy in a dirty black dress came over to his table.

"Yes Sahib, your order please."

Ramu ordered a bun samosa and a cup of tea. He heard the same from a girl who was sitting right next to his table on an opposite chair. She wore an eye catching black dress and her silky lose hair and milky shiny skin resembled a 'Bollywood' heroine.

Ramu wasn't surprised at her order, though same as his, since it was one of the best snacks in this restaurant according to Kishan. That was the moment; they saw each other closely for the first time. To his surprise, it was the same girl whom he had seen down on the street below his window. Ramu almost tried to avoid her eyes but looking at her inch by inch. For him, she looked like a doll. Her eyes were large and bright and feline; her hair was chestnut brown brushed to a hardwood shine. She had skin that had never seen sunlight.

Every other minute she adjusted her silky hairs which were falling over her eyes. He noticed her and she noticed and kept on noticing him. When her eyes met his gaze as they were sitting here and staring at each other, time stopped. Those eyes were piercing Ramu. Ramu looked down for the third and longer time. It wasn't polite to stare.

"Hey, why are you staring at me with a gaze like something I've done wrong or waiting wrong to be done by me?" the girl blurted out at him softly with a smile on her bow like lips and directly looking at him. His eyes met hers and a never before feeling entered his heart. They looked at each other longing, and it seemed as if they were smitten by each other. Ramu felt a sense of belonging, a sense of togetherness.

"If I remember, you're the one who resides opposite my house and keeps on looking out of the window," the girl asked with a smile on her face.

"Yes exactly," stammered Ramu, his heart pounding as he boldly made his way to her table.

"My name's Ramu, I'm from Delhi to get some business from Lucknow and i'll be returning tomorrow as all my assignments have been completed," murmured Ramu as he sat on the chair opposite hers.

"And I'm Gauri from Noida, and I have come to my uncle's house to stay for a fortnight. I've come here to see Lucknow and will be going back in another three days," whispered she in a hushed up tone.

While they both were busy in their introductions, Ramu suddenly looked a little closer at the far away table, he noticed a guy sitting in the dark, tapping his leg in slow deliberate movements. His head was cast down, but his eyes......his eyes looked directly at him. Ramu's breath caught. He tried to focus on what was being said by Gauri but the penetrating stare from the guy in shadows made his heart pound wildly and when his eyes found their way back to him, he noticed the scowl on his face and immediately looked away.

A sudden entry of the waiter towards the table distracted the guys look at him now.

"Excuse me.........here is your order," waiter called him twice until he got his attention back and responded him.

Inside, Ramu felt scared at the guy and his looks. There was nothing entertaining about watching that goon hurl venomous stares at him, but internally he knew that those who flash, don't blast.

Ramu signaled Gauri to come out of the restaurant. He kept a Rs.100/- note on the table to take care of their bill and they both walked out with a confusion writ large on Gauri's face.

Once out, Ramu explained to her the reason to hush up their mushy conversation.

"Why don't you stay in Lucknow for another couple of days, we can meet again the same time at the same place," Gauri muttered with a broad smile on her face.

Ramu felt possessed with this mind boggling request. He shook his head in affirmation and promised to see her the next day.

Back to his room at 10pm he saw Kishan waiting for him for having dinner together.

"I think I'm not late for dinner Kishan," Ramu called out in a sweet tone.

"Oh no," Kishan replied, taking out from a plastic bag neatly wrapped in a foil were 'shammi kebabs' and 'galauti kebabs' accompanied with 'romali roti' , the specialty of the 'City of Nawabs'. And then from his trouser pocket he took out a quart of whiskey.

"Hey hey Kishan, I don't drink and i've never touched the liquor before," Ramu told him with a smirk.

"Now look here friend, there has to be a first time for everything. So, why worry, I'll just give you a small quantity and promise we'll have a comfortable sleep afterwards," Kishan said in a jovial tone.

Ramu couldn't help laughing himself at the way Kishan was trying to convince him of the advantages of having liquor.

"Okay, okay!! As you say," Ramu simpered.

After having their drinks and food, Ramu opted for going to sleep, but couldn't, as Gauri haunted his mind. He lay wide awake and kept on listening to the heavy snoring of Kishan. Kishan's hand lay across Ramu's stomach as he slept soundly. As Ramu lay in bed trying to figure out the tangle he'd gotten into, he realized that temptations struck humans in different forms and he too as a human being had succumbed to a temptation to Gauri, despite knowing too well that he would suffer the consequences for days, weeks, months, or even years later. He imagined himself of lying there with Gauri unable to sleep, feeling the ceaseless thumping of his heart in the silence of the night with the agony of solitude and sleeplessness. He kept on murmuring to himself, "Sleep Ramu, sleep. Someone is anxious to come into your dreams." He didn't know when and at what time he drifted to sleep.

Suddenly he was jolted up from his slumber by Kishan, shaking his shoulders vigorously and calling out, "Why you lazy bones, don't you want to get up? It's fifteen minutes past nine and I'm all ready to go out for my work. It seems that the whiskey has taken a toll on you," he said laughing at him.

"You have to leave in the evening for Delhi and I think you are forgetting it, but atleast you can say a bye to me cos I will be back late at night only. I don't know when we will meet next."

"No, no, Kishan, I'm not going today as i've a few appointments with the dealers for the next two days," Ramu replied hiding the facts from Kishan.

"Wow!! No problem, atleast we'll be together for the next few days," Kishan seemed happy about it.

"Okay then, take care of yourself, I'm off to work as I'm already late," he said and made his way to the door.

Ramu got up, his eyes still heavy with sleep and a mild headache. He went downstairs to have a cup of tea from the tea stall. Taking his first morning tea he felt a bit of relief and made his way to the vestibule where the toilets were to freshen himself. On returning he bought himself some aloo parathas and came back to his room to savor his brunch.

Time felt slower for Ramu with nothing to do except wait for the meeting time with Gauri. He reached to the window as he felt that it was nothing new as sitting on this dock, on this wooden bench watching for his boat (Gauri) to come. In some ways he was always waiting for her.