Discover your Palace -3

Sindhu joined a training center as a trainer for a minimal pay after our first company was closed. It was in the same year 2000, just couple of months after my first company was closed , I was able to get a job in a much better company – “Micro Media”,. Vaishali madam did not stop with the proverb but also gave a contact; Seshank who was my senior, probably another fan of her like me . She mentioned that I should go to meet him, he works in a big company in Bangalore and also he is very close to CEO. Lady luck was in my favor .
He was a product manager in the company. Seshank did his MBA in IIM , a very shrewd but amicable fellow, he seemed to be very close with the CEO for his Business strategies.

Seshank took me to his cabin where he explained the reason why they have recruited me.
“Amit, the plan is to diversify the business, he explained saying that software product development will be the niche business of the company going forward.

“How about School Information System” I suggested.
“Hmm “brilliant idea”, let me talk to the CEO, he already has few ideas. Seshank always believed “Action @ the speed of thought” , his brain works like a machine.

After 6 months in the company, I learnt that my idea was approved and this new product needed a pool of S/W Engineers and my aim to get Sindhu into the company was fulfilled.. I was very joyful, I couldn’t ask for anything else as I got my girl back in the same office. Though we both used to meet often in those 8 months gap, meeting Sindhu daily - getting a chance to look at her almost the whole day was unbounded joy for me.

Sindhu and I continued our chatting, but the scenario was different in this company, she was in a different team and we both were tied up with loads of work. But we would almost everyday try to have lunch together in the office canteen, if not; we will try to have dinner in some restaurant.

. It was a Thursday morning;
I went to her cubicle and said
“Shall we go to the latest Tamil Movie “Panchatantiram this weekend, I shall book the tickets”.
“Ho I am sorry… am going to my native”, she replied.
Sindhu used to travel at least once a month to her native Kerala, a small place called Irunjalaguda near Trissur
“Why can’t you go next weekend” I asked.
“Why can’t we go to the movie next weekend”, she retaliated
I starred at her and she smiled at me and told in a low tone “I have to go this weekend; I have some important stuff to close”.

“Are you getting engaged”, I asked, she looked at me sarcastically and said “I am already engaged”.

“Ok Shall I also come with you to your place”? I asked
“ho sure, that would be fun” but… where will you stay”
She asked in a child-like tone
“Why, your house can’t accommodate me?” I asked
“No, Amit, the situation in our house is different, we have an old Grandma, my father is very narrow minded, only mom is amicable, neither you nor my family would be comfortable, but we have some good lodges nearby”
I could see the excitement in her and the playful thought of mine became a reality, we boarded the train on Friday night the whole day of Friday was filled with dreams. One thing for sure Sindhu had some big plans as she was talking to her cousin over the phone at least once every hour. Our RAC tickets got confirmed and we started talking at 9 PM. We were talking and then talking and then talking, it was at 2 30 am one of the passengers got wild and screamed at us which made both of us to close our eyes. We reached Inrujalaguda at 7:45, am, her cousins Brinda and Sibu came to the station to receive us. While Sindhu went to her house with Brinda, Sibu helped me to check in to the lodge nearby and he too left saying “lets meet at 11 Amit- bye “.

In the lodge after drinking the typical Kerala chai, I was admiring the coconut trees through the windows, the lodge boys in lungis speaking sweet mallu language. I continued my sleep in the lodge , at around 11:30 am Sibu came and woke me up and told that Sindhu and Brinda are waiting in the car and ready to go to Valachaaru scenic water falls 80 KM from Irunjalaguda. I woke up and got ready in 20 minutes like a fast-forward cartoon character.

Sibu drove the car and I sat next to him in the front while Sindu and Brinda sat behind. I badly wanted to sit next to Sindhu. I suddenly had a plan – my presence of mind did help “I tend to sleep while travelling, I think it’s not safe for the driver” I said,. Brinda gave a smile and suggested we both could swap the seats; my plan worked and got to sit next to Sindhu. It was a sticky weather, I was sweating in spite of the A/c in the car”. It was a beautiful drive though. Every 15 minutes; we got to see the beautiful backwaters, thick plantation of coconut trees. I slowly asked Sindhu “So what did you tell your family”
We told the truth that we are going to vazachaar , “Did you tell the truth that I was also accompanying” . She was mum for a while and replied “no it was just that we did not tell that you are also accompanying but we did not tell any lie”
“Hiding a truth is also a lie” I argued. Her face shrunk. I cursed myself to spoil her mood in such a wonderful place.
We reached the place in no time; probably I was enjoying the site seeing that I was unable to track the time. All 4 got down and marched towards the Falls, the place was so beautiful, full of trees after which an open space with a beautiful lawn and that led to a big water fall . Suddenly as if somebody switched the weather to a romantic mode, it became cloudy, as we were approaching the falls it started drizzling. I went to Sindhu and said “this dress looks good on you”

“Thanks”
“Did you bring lunch” I tried to build a conversation
“Yes”
“Ho good what’s in it, I am very hungry I didn’t even have my breakfast”
“Coconut rice, curd rice”
“Can we eat now?”
“Your wish”
Her few word answers reflected the mood, I was unable to get out of that mood till I caught her hand and kissed all of a sudden. I didn’t know how I got the guts to do so, probably nobody around, romantic weather, and the slush sound of water falls.
She screamed slowly and asked me” what are you doing, Brinda and Sibu are just few feet away – what if they had turned and seen us”
“So she is bothered about their presence and not about my kiss” I spoke to myself
‘Sorry Sindhu somehow I felt like kissing you.”.
First, you please eat, I never thought you will behave so differently when you are hungry.
She opened the box and gave me the food while Brinda and Sibu walked to have a close look of the falls.
I then learnt from Sindhu that Sibu is Brinda’s boyfriend and not her cousin. I ate as if there is no tomorrow and Sindhu patiently served me the food in the plastic plate that they brought.
“I am sorry Sindhu”
“For what “ she asked
“Hmm for what I did few minutes ago”
“Ha – good that you didn’t bite me, you could have told me when we started itself, that you were hungry, I could have given you the food in the car“ she said.
After I finished my brunch, we both walked towards the falls and the rain started pouring heavily, it was a very open landscape and Sindhu likes getting drenched in the rain. I had to literally pull her to take shelter under the trees which were 1 KM from where we were.
By the time we reached, we both were completely drenched; I had shorts in my bag. so I changed to it,. While the rain stopped and sun was slightly peeping. She took her dupata and dried my hair and hers as well.
We sat down on the lawn, this time again I was so tempted and I pulled her hand and placed on my hand and cleaned her palm and look at it for a long while, Sindhu came closer and I kept on brushing and staring at her palm, after few minutes she asked – “so how many years will I live ? Will I have one or 2 kids? “
“I am happy only with 1 I said “
“What? – hello I am asking about myself” she said
“Who said I know palm reading, I liked your hand; was enjoying the softness” I said – She immediately pulled back her hand and said “ how many girls hand have you pulled like this to flirt ?” she asked.

“ Hmm Many – but not one had hand like yours” I said
“Ahahahaaaa – so to how many people you have told this dialogue “ she asked
“ only one and that’s you” I said
“She looked at me so deep at my eyes”
Brinda and Sibu came and interrupted our love scene. They all had their share of food while I was munching the banana chips.
At around 4:30 we left the place and I got dropped at 6 o clock at the lodge. I watched the Nat west series India England match in the night and slept in the lodge after having a long chat with Sindhu over mobile.” hello it’s roaming for both of us, lets cut it “
“ Why can’t you call from landline to my room number I asked – Ho no we don’t have cordless and appa is watching cricket match in the living room, I cant talk.”
That’s ok why can’t you call me at my lodge # and ask them to connect to my room at least I will be benefited right. No I don’t trust these lodge folks, they may overhear our chat.
“Hey what’s the plan tomorrow” I asked
“Tomorrow only Brinda and I will come at 2:00 PM”
“2PM what will I do till then, BTW why are you bringing Brinda” I asked
“Brinda is the trump card, I cant tell I am going alone, they will suspect, you can explore our sweet place till 2 PM” Parents will not like me going out when I come home visiting, today also I got scolding, but I told its Brinda’s treat for her B’day tomorrow”
Ho When is Brinda’s Bday –
Last month – ok CU good night , sweet dreams and *#@^ bye
Hello what did you say…?
“Nothing ...Bye”

Comments

Swaram said…
Fiiiirrrrrstttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RamNarayanS said…
Gils, Suresh can be a real TV serial episode writer, switching context and places effortlessly. Will wait for the next installment.

Nice story movement, however.
Swaram said…
Ohhh we hv got to wait for another part nw! I so wanted to know where all this is heading to rt nw :P

Rains, waterfalls - I want to go on a vacation nw ;) ;)
Anonymous said…
Interesting build up!!And a good idea shifting between the past and present....Eager to know what next?
Soin said…
remba serial pakareenga..

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