Love in August...............(Part 2)

9:10 AM.

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Subhankar was nervous. He could feel his palms go moist with as he neared the bus stop. Benefits of his low BMR, a direct consequence of his regular exercise, seemed to have deserted him and he felt very awkward within. What if she was not on the bus like the last two days? What if Deboti was on the bus and refused to hold the bag? He thought about it and then smiled... at least that would give him some solace that he tried... yes, Sailo was right a contact has to be made before anything else sets in. All he needed was a good conversation so that he may present his case before her.

He saw the bus come to a stop and to his surprise and relief the bus had no seats left. It happened very rarely as he boarded the bus form the stop next to the stand. Usually there would be seats but today there were none... he had never believed in the forecast section of the Telegraph magazine but he had looked it up yesterday after he had made up his mind to go through with Sailo's suggestion. The magazine promised new and exiting adventures, making new friends and lots of travel this week... perhaps this would be the new adventure, thought Subha. With all these thoughts he boarded.

There she was; sitting by the window of the seat reserved for the handicapped... Subha felt his heart skip a beat. He boarded and gave a customary glance around as to see if there were any places to sit and then stood near the first row of the mini bus. Did she show any interest? Did she just steal a glance? Subha broke into a cold sweat thinking what he was about to do. He looked around as if to find some support but he knew he had to do it alone and NOW!

“Hi Deboti, Could you please hold my bag?” he spoke. The tension seemed to have evaporated and a void filled the space. Now he has done it! There was no turning back now...for as a boy he had experience what words could do once they left the mouth and there was no turning it back.

Deboti glanced his way and accepted the bag. “Sure...” she said... looking uncertain “... Subhankar isn't it?”

Subha was impressed. This is after some very long time that a stranger had remembered his name. Generally people forget the name of the introduced person after a few days of introduction if they happened to have no business with them. She obviously had a good memory, Subha noted with rising relief of having passed the initial hurdle of breaking the ice. “You do have a good memory...” Subha began, “... I did not think you would recall my name... Thank you”

“What for...?”

“The bag was really heavy you see...” Subha managed the goof up.

“Oh!” she said and looked out of the window.

What Deboti did not know was the fact that Subha carried the same bag for the last four years. When Subha had first met Sailo in the bus 3A/1 on his way to Medical College four years back, he had refused to hand the same bag over saying it was okay and he was used to it. Today however it was a different story. The idea was to hand over the bag even if you could carry it perfectly. Subha made a mental note of the first white lie he had spoken, later he could clarify if things were favorable. As much as he hated speaking anything but truth he still had carefully prepared for this bout of questioning if occasion demanded. He could say anything today to seek attention. Mentally he thanked Sailo for preparing him for all the eventualities. He was confident that he could identify the signals that would decide which way the conversation would go, and take corrective measures if it went for bad. Subha was more prepared today than he had been when he sat for his medical entrance examination (JEE). Come problems...There is a solution waiting.

Deboti, it seemed, had taken a new outlook to the world outside the window. She stared out as if she had never seen the passing stores and bus stops. “Damn! What to do now?” thought Subha. “Nothing” replied some warning voice inside him and he heeded. There was hardly anything that could be done now. He has played the ball to her court and there is nothing to do now but to wait for some return. The initial euphoria Subha felt, of having made the contact, was dying now. He tried standing casually and a look as if he had no definite purpose, but that, he felt, made him rigid and panicky. A thousand thoughts gathered in his mind... The whole idea of this adventure filled him with a strange enlightenment; it is a game he thought, if you are to play it with the spirit of the game you will not be hurt even if you lose, if however, you win there are prizes to your hearts' content.... Sailo where are you my friend? Help me.

The journey was uneventful except when Deboti had looked his way for some fleeting moments. Their stop came and Subha collected his bag. He had hoped the conversation would go further but Deboti had handed him over his bag without a word. He had mumbled a word of thanks but she seemed not to have heard him. Disembarking from the bus, Subha took to his usual hurried walking. It was then he heard his name called aloud from behind him. Subhankar felt he was on the verge of a triumph and turned to face the hurrying figure behind him. Deboti came up to him while he waited with his heartbeats playing funny games.

“Sorry to call you like this and bother you... but I need some help” she said.

Subhankar would have robbed a bank had she asked him right then to so.

“Yes, tell me what I can do for you?” he replied with his professionalism setting in. After all he was a doctor and he was there to help everyone, he thought.

“I am doing a project on Health and Nutrition and I am yet to find a good medical institute that can help me complete my assignment... You are a Doctor so I thought maybe...”

“Okay I will see if I can place you in Medical College and if that is okay with you?” Subha replied. “It’s my college and I think I can influence the people to get them to help you... but I am not promising... there are difficulties ... I will see what I can do”.

Subha stared at her and felt a sense of despair. He was not a great conversationalist but desperate situations needed desperate measures. Thinking of nothing more to say but the burning need to carry on the conversation, he ventured “This is not very proper; I wish you could come to the hospital and we could sit and talk rather than stand here.”

“No actually I have a class from 10:00 and I must hurry for I am already late” Deboti replied checking her watch which showed it was 10:10 AM. “Oh yes, can I have your mobile number please... you can take down mine it is 94331 07655. I will get in touch regarding the placement... so long.”

Subha wished she could stay a bit longer as she hurried off towards her college. He would immediately seek out the information and let her know about it he thought as he moved towards his own destination. Time seemed to have lost dimension and suddenly he was not feeling the humidity. The skies have started taking a menacing texture and the humidity soared. It would rain, he thought looking at the gathered cloud, and what a perfect day to rain down. He went up to a tea stall and took a seat. His thoughts were in turmoil and the excitement seemed unbearable. The handing of the bag has worked wonders...just like Sailo had guessed it would. Sailo could not have predicted the exact reaction but he was surely very close. He started dialing Sailo... “My God! Sailo you are a genius!! You are a Love Guru! You are a soul reader...” he started.

9:30 PM.

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The brainstorming was now over and so was the drizzling that had started around noon. It had been a very animated discussion and had someone chanced to see Subha and Sailo at it, they would have mistaken it as a quarrel. The point of contention was in the uncertainty of the outcome of the whole affair... Sailo was certain that the fire has started at both the ends and they are of the equal intensity while Subha was more pessimistic, perhaps from the ease with which he was able to get the contact details. He had argued that it was just some help that Deboti had wanted and there was no scope of any further conjectures while Sailo had insisted that Deboti had given her number to him for she too was interested, otherwise no girl would give out her contact details to some stranger. Subha wanted to believe the explanation but was not sure whether to take it very seriously. He was losing his interest to think hard for he had hardly slept last couple of days.

“It is a classic example of a person in Love ...” Sailo had quipped. “First you lose sleep because you are in love and you cannot think of anything else. Then you will lose your sleep again when the affair is going steady in the fear of losing her. Finally you will become an insomniac when she leaves you...”

Subha had taken the remark with sufficient humor but he felt the truth behind it. That he could not sleep was true. He only never thought the reason behind it. He had heard of people losing sleep when they fall in love but had never thought it was possible...there was no medical explanation. But it was happening and he cannot deny it. He had even missed his jogging and stretching today and it has happened after almost a whole year. Last time he was down with fever... and now...Love?

“What do you think I should do?” he enquired. “Shall I call her up to let her know that I have arranged the induction to the Medical College?”

“Wait! My dear friend, you are missing the subtle points in the game. The idea is not to show you are head over heels or she might end up on top.” said Sailo with conviction. He was after all a veteran and he knew the human psychology like the back of his hand. It had taken a lot of refusals, a lot of pains to be where he was but it was worth it, he thought, more because he could help his friend out. He was certain that Subha is in luck and the girl has also responded predictably. He knew the importance of waiting in this game and the importance of subtle timings. After all it is just for a few initial days that this game has to be continued. “All will set in perfectly at the end and then there would not be the need for playing it on. Once the making-impression period was over, nothing else matters.”

“When do you think I can call her up?” Subha asked impatiently. “Tomorrow?”

“No. You don't call. It was her need so let her call”

“What if she doesn't?”

“If she doesn't call by tomorrow you SMS her with the news but don't call.” warned Sailo, knowing very well that his friend would not heed this particular warning. “If you call you will hardly have any reason to show...”

“Okay.” Subha nodded. “And what do you think she would do?”

“If I am not very mistaken Subha, she doesn't even need the information you have collected with so much importance.” said Sailo with a twinkle in his eyes. “I am sure that her college seniors would have provided her with ample guidance and she happens to be from one of the best of institutions. Her college would have surely endorsed her with some connections. It is hard to imagine otherwise. Nevertheless, a clever way to get the contact going...don't you see it? She has played her part and well too! All that you have to decide is when to return the ball again for her to plan her next response...”

“You have some imagination! But I am afraid this is just a speculation. On a broader and more general view I think she really wanted my help” reasoned Subha. “I admit that she has acted very unpredictably but then she might have been in dire need for that information. No. No Sailo, I think I should let her know what I have found out.”

“Go ahead then do what you like and spoil it” Sailo tried one last time “if you reply too soon she will know she has you in the bag. You will send her the news but all I advise you is to wait for about 24 hours...just 24”.

Sailo's mother announced that the dinner was ready and they left the discussion at that.

*** 12th August 2005

10:45 PM.

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“No news yet” Subha said clutching the handset harder, “Sailo, the situation doesn't seem good does it?”

“Arrey don't let it consume your thoughts...” Sailo said comforting, in the last two days he has always been able to guess what Deboti might do. This was possible for Subha had been a very good observer... they had discussed her every reaction and every expression as Subha had described. It seemed that she really did not want the information after all as he had predicted... Someone in need will always look up all the avenues before giving up and by the lack of communication from her side it seemed she really did not care. “Send her the information tomorrow at around 11:00 AM.”

“Why that late? I can do it at 9:00 if I meet her”

“Because, you fool, it would then suggest you had the information yesterday and decided to pass it over today” snapped Sailo, “you will update me what happens.. ok?”

“Okay Saab. I'll do it”