Pseudo Existence
Disclaimer: All the Characters and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance of the characters to an actual person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
August 2008, some where in Delhi…
Aravind picked up his phone. It was Sheela his new colleague.
“Hey babe!... I just got a bit late….I’m just on my way… will be there in 15 mins… see ya! at Barista”.
August 2006, some where in Delhi….
Barista in Aravind’s life!!! He never imagined that he’ll be there a day to have a cup of coffee. A couple of years back he didn’t even know such a shop existed. He belong to a village whose name is not even familiar with people of adjacent district. It had a total population of less than a dozen thousand people and only two schools and a college. After his degree he got posted in Delhi. Life changed drastically for him.According to him initially Barista was a place where people just gathered to kill both time and money. Eventually it became a routine. That’s the place where he finds comfortable to converse with his only friend Priya. She happened to be from a village but her appearance and language was complete cosmopolitan. She’s got acquainted to the culture and the set up so fast as she always aspired to be one among them. Somehow Priya found Aravind a very nice guy and they both share the same cubical. That’s how they got to know each other.
Aravind never had conversed in English since his new position at this company. As they are an US based multinational it was essential that he learn to converse. Obviously Priya had a vital role to teach him a lot. Probably that brought both of them quite often.Aravind neither read English literature nor had the habit of watching English movies. All he knew was Jurassic Park and Titanic were the greatest of English films ever made. As per his understanding most of the English channels were meant only for adults.
Suddenly a voice interrupted his thought
“Sir, what would you like to have?”….the waiter asked.
Cuppuchino [that’s how he pronounced cappuccino]– One cup please… replied he.
“Your order will take 5 minutes sir”… said the waiter and left.
Priya reached a couple of minutes before the coffee. He was waiting her for the past 15 mins.. kept wondering why people in these cities don’t keep up their time. Aravind understood that she was a bit irritated from her reaction. People in cities often get irritated and don’t know to express it as well was his perception. Priya’s action did confirm that on quite a few occasions. He didn’t feel like asking her why she was late. Before asking her why she was irritated, he smiled on her. He could understand she had to put in a lot of effort to reply back to him with a smile.
She said a 'hi' to him, but it seemed to him that it could have been better if she didn’t say it…. He observes this with most of the people, a meaning less hi and a valueless smile in reply….
Aravind just initiated it “What happened Priya.. you seem to be so tensed”
“haan Aravind, yahan pe saala bahut saare ise ass holes aaur shameless bas****s hai jinko public place mein kaise behave karna hai yeh maloom nahi. [Yes Aravind, there are a lot of such ass holes, shameless bas****s who doesn’t know how to behave in public.]You know they were speaking some rude words so loudly”
Aravind just looked around and noticed that people around them were staring him and Priya. He just wondered if assholes and bas****s were so pleasing to hear…..
Just to divert her from thinking on this Aravind just asked Priya to look at the adjacent table where a couple of English girls were sipping their coffee.
“Look at them Priya, they look very cute in authentic Indian Salwar”
“Shut up Aravind!, I wear dress as per my choice and please don’t tell me that I am westernized and wear such clothes and all”… shouted at her.
Aravind had to shut up but he wondered that he should have just said that they were looking cute and shouldn't have mentioned the authentic wardrobe.
She suddenly sneezed and said ‘Sorry, Excuse me’…
He thought what big mistake she committed to say that….When there was no ethics in her earlier reactions… He quite couldn’t adjust to these things. Something kept pestering him inside.
The waiter turned out with the bill. He paid Rs. 170 for their coffee and took an auto to drop her back home. He thought that the money he spent this evening was his total family expenditure for a week. He never thought that he could lead such a life. He was a bit uncomfortable with all these things.
August 2008, some where in Delhi…
After reaching home that night, Sheela took her dairy and started to write her day. When she closed it she could feel a layer of tears on her eyes. She took a facial tissue to wipe her face and went to bed.
Something’s are not that simple as they are actually stated.....
August 2008, some where in Delhi…
Aravind picked up his phone. It was Sheela his new colleague.
“Hey babe!... I just got a bit late….I’m just on my way… will be there in 15 mins… see ya! at Barista”.
August 2006, some where in Delhi….
Barista in Aravind’s life!!! He never imagined that he’ll be there a day to have a cup of coffee. A couple of years back he didn’t even know such a shop existed. He belong to a village whose name is not even familiar with people of adjacent district. It had a total population of less than a dozen thousand people and only two schools and a college. After his degree he got posted in Delhi. Life changed drastically for him.According to him initially Barista was a place where people just gathered to kill both time and money. Eventually it became a routine. That’s the place where he finds comfortable to converse with his only friend Priya. She happened to be from a village but her appearance and language was complete cosmopolitan. She’s got acquainted to the culture and the set up so fast as she always aspired to be one among them. Somehow Priya found Aravind a very nice guy and they both share the same cubical. That’s how they got to know each other.
Aravind never had conversed in English since his new position at this company. As they are an US based multinational it was essential that he learn to converse. Obviously Priya had a vital role to teach him a lot. Probably that brought both of them quite often.Aravind neither read English literature nor had the habit of watching English movies. All he knew was Jurassic Park and Titanic were the greatest of English films ever made. As per his understanding most of the English channels were meant only for adults.
Suddenly a voice interrupted his thought
“Sir, what would you like to have?”….the waiter asked.
Cuppuchino [that’s how he pronounced cappuccino]– One cup please… replied he.
“Your order will take 5 minutes sir”… said the waiter and left.
Priya reached a couple of minutes before the coffee. He was waiting her for the past 15 mins.. kept wondering why people in these cities don’t keep up their time. Aravind understood that she was a bit irritated from her reaction. People in cities often get irritated and don’t know to express it as well was his perception. Priya’s action did confirm that on quite a few occasions. He didn’t feel like asking her why she was late. Before asking her why she was irritated, he smiled on her. He could understand she had to put in a lot of effort to reply back to him with a smile.
She said a 'hi' to him, but it seemed to him that it could have been better if she didn’t say it…. He observes this with most of the people, a meaning less hi and a valueless smile in reply….
Aravind just initiated it “What happened Priya.. you seem to be so tensed”
“haan Aravind, yahan pe saala bahut saare ise ass holes aaur shameless bas****s hai jinko public place mein kaise behave karna hai yeh maloom nahi. [Yes Aravind, there are a lot of such ass holes, shameless bas****s who doesn’t know how to behave in public.]You know they were speaking some rude words so loudly”
Aravind just looked around and noticed that people around them were staring him and Priya. He just wondered if assholes and bas****s were so pleasing to hear…..
Just to divert her from thinking on this Aravind just asked Priya to look at the adjacent table where a couple of English girls were sipping their coffee.
“Look at them Priya, they look very cute in authentic Indian Salwar”
“Shut up Aravind!, I wear dress as per my choice and please don’t tell me that I am westernized and wear such clothes and all”… shouted at her.
Aravind had to shut up but he wondered that he should have just said that they were looking cute and shouldn't have mentioned the authentic wardrobe.
She suddenly sneezed and said ‘Sorry, Excuse me’…
He thought what big mistake she committed to say that….When there was no ethics in her earlier reactions… He quite couldn’t adjust to these things. Something kept pestering him inside.
The waiter turned out with the bill. He paid Rs. 170 for their coffee and took an auto to drop her back home. He thought that the money he spent this evening was his total family expenditure for a week. He never thought that he could lead such a life. He was a bit uncomfortable with all these things.
August 2008, some where in Delhi…
After reaching home that night, Sheela took her dairy and started to write her day. When she closed it she could feel a layer of tears on her eyes. She took a facial tissue to wipe her face and went to bed.
Something’s are not that simple as they are actually stated.....
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