A trip to 'T'

I and Ragasiya had no talks between us for a long time. I felt like I was very much comfortable without her. But something inside me disturbed me a lot. ‘What will I do without her?’ I thought. I got a call from my dad. ‘Aadhi get ready for a marriage reception,’ my dad ordered which made me to get on my nerves. ‘But why?’ I raised my voice which went of no use. Finally I was made to go to the reception of that marriage.

It is actually a marriage of a clean upper class family. So I had to make my outfit great. I had worn white full sleeve rounded neck T-shirt with sleeves folded to my elbow and with a blue faded jean bottom. I had worn a cobbler shoe worth Rs. 2000 bucks which gave me a perfect rich look. The marriage is actually at a place which is 8 kilometers from my house. Since I had no bike I grabbed some coins and notes, boarded a bus that takes me to the place of marriage. ‘I ain’t a rich man, but I project myself in a way that makes others believe,’ I grinned and said ‘Haiyo Haiyo’ a famous dialogue for tamilians which expresses pities.

‘Guduvancherry, erangu erangu!’ shouted the conductor. I then got down from the bus and searched for my dad.

‘Aadhi here,’ called my dad. My pupil moved in a random way and I turned and said ‘Huh!’ as I had saw my dad coming with grin. It made me feel better as he irritated me through phone.

‘Why so late?’ dad asked.

‘No! I was actually in one of my friend’s house when you called me,’ I said ‘studying for the next exam’.

‘Oh?  Sorry! But you could have explained your situation through phone,’ apologized my dad. I gazed at him as he had cut the call when I tried to explain my situation.

‘Okay Okay! Come on. A very costly hall in this area. Big contacts had arrived to this hall. They sit inside,’ said my dad amazingly.

‘Oh? But the guy is not that good in appearance,’ I said by seeing a poster hung outside the hall.

‘Yeah! Not that much,’ said my dad ‘but the girl is superb.’

I turned my face and mocked by closing my mouth as she too not that good.

‘What?’ my dad enquired. ‘Yeah! Dad’ I said ‘She looks great.’

‘That is what I told’ said my dad and moved fast inside the hall.

I entered the hall and looked hither and thither if any face stares at me. But everyone was busy doing something with their work. I searched for a chair and settled by hands folded. I could sense some people gazing at me seeing my appearance.

My dad ‘Hey! Singing troop is doing a great job, right?’

‘Yeah! Dad. So what?’ I asked.

‘Let me try to sing one song,’ said my dad ‘what? Say?’

‘Your wish dad,’ I said ‘Asinga padaama iruntha Seri,’ I shrugged my shoulders.

Then he rushed and had some conversation with the head of that troop. After sometime he raised his right thumb and expressed his confirmation. He was actually made to wait for a long time.

But I was made to feel bored. I just gazed at the couples for a long time. Suddenly I had entered into a dream. ‘What will I do without her?’ I imagined ‘If someone stands near me instead of Ragasiya.’

‘If she sits as one of the visitor to my marriage and laughs at me, what will I do?’ I frightened.

‘If she comes and hugs me in front of everyone when I marry some other girl, what will I do?’ I frightened.

‘Aadhi,’ tapped my dad at my back which made me to get me out of the bad dream.

‘Next is my chance,’ said my dad excitingly. I felt happy and had tears in my eyes as he is such a good singer who went unrecognizable.

‘Super dad! Come on,’ I cheered him up. It took fifteen minutes for dad to start his song. In between I was again made to enter into that bad dream.

When I went getting on for like crying, ‘Sundari Kannal oru sethi…’ I heard. I had turned and watched. It is my dad who sings. Since he got aged I felt that it would be tough for him to sing high pitches but he made it work perfect. Every eye in that hall turned to my dad. Of course I too had fixed a joyous gaze at him. He got well settled in his song and sang it. ‘How is it?’ he grinned and enquired through his eyebrows raised whilst in the middle of the song.

‘Hmm!’ I said raising my thumbs up above the head. Then he ended the song by praising the couples.

‘Clak clak clak clak’ I started clapping and everyone joined me.

He got down from the stage and walked past everyone like superstar Rajnikanth and came sat near me. Everyone gave him a hand shake and appreciated him for his singing.

He was very much happy ‘Then can we go?’ asked my dad.

‘Okay dad but you didn’t gift the couples yet,’ I said ‘then how can us?’

‘I did it first Aadhi’ said my dad with a grin.

‘Oh? Then fine!’ said me ‘proceed’. I then had different varieties of food after which we started to vacate the place.

‘Dad?’ I called ‘Stop.’

‘What?’ my dad enquired.

‘I thought you would get crashed in high pitches’ I said ‘but you managed.’

‘Even I wonder how I managed that pitch’ said my dad ‘thank god!’

‘Today everything went fine dad’ I said.

‘Is that so?’ said my dad ‘then fine.’

My mobile vibrated but I ignored as I was conversing with my dad. The conversation went very much interesting. Again the mobile vibrated which got me on my nerves. ‘Who the hell is that person?’ I whispered and tried to take my mobile from my pocket. But as I was riding my dad’s bike that came directly from office I could not able to take it from my pocket. ‘Idiot! Don’t do other works while driving,’ shouted my dad. ‘Okay Okay dad’ I said ‘I ain’t.’

Then I reached my house in another ten minutes. I entered my house humming ‘Sundari Kannal oru sethi…’

‘Un purushan kalakittaru,’ I shouted excitingly to my mom.

‘What happened?’ enquired my mom.

‘Dad sung Sundari song today perfectly’ I said ‘very nice.’

‘Is that so?’ asked my mom seeing my dad.

‘Yeah! They requested me to sing a song’ said my dad ‘so I did.’ I turned to my dad and laughed at him seeing from top to bottom. My dad had winked one of his eyes seeing me to fake my mom out.

Again my mobile vibrated. I was then made to remember of the mobile. I pulled it out of my small pocket. I opened the message.

‘You there?’ was the message I got. It was from Ragasiya that too after a long time.

‘What’s up?’ went from me.

‘Can you call me?’ from Ragasiya.

‘Yeah Sure!’ from me.

I then called her. Ring went for a long time. At last she picked up the phone. ‘Hello,’ said Ragasiya.

‘You had said me to call you,’ I said ‘What is the matter?’

‘Yeah! I am going to T-Nagar tomorrow,’ she said ‘so…’

‘So… what?’ I enquired ‘Huh?’

‘So can you accompany me?’ asked Ragasiya.

Since I had to maintain my dignity I held myself back in this conversation.

‘No I actually,’ I said ‘Actually have a work.’

‘So will it be difficult for you to come?’ asked Ragasiya.

‘No actually,’ I hesitated.

‘Hello I am talking to you,’ her voice reached to a new decibel.

‘Yeah I will come,’ I said out of frustration.

‘Cool!’ she said and sighed.

‘But why?’ I enquired ‘purpose?’

‘I got to buy gifts to my sister’s birthday,’ she said ‘and tomorrow after three ok for you?’

‘Yeah, I am okay with it’ I said.

‘Cool! Love you. Bye! Take care,’ she rushed ‘mom calling.’

I had cut the call and stared at the wall knowing nothing of what to do next.

Then I went to inform my mom.

‘Mom, I go out tomorrow for an important work’ I said.

‘Even I too go,’ she said ‘after three.’

‘What? Where?’ I enquired when my hands started to shiver out.

‘I think T-Nagar,’ she said ‘why Aadhi?’

‘Mom, why do you go there?’ I enquired my mom trying her to make her plan cancel.

‘I need to buy some dresses for your uncle’s girl’ she said.

‘For that why do you want to go T-Nagar?’ I said ‘can buy it in Tambaram, right?’

‘That is what I too told, but your dad is not ready for that idea,’ said my mom.

‘He says it will be cheaper there in T-Nagar,’ said my mom.

‘Just 10 to 15 rupees mom’ I justified ‘I mean the difference.’

‘Okay I will talk your dad’ said my mom.

‘Do it soon mom’ I said ‘or else he won’t change his mind.’

Then mom and dad conversed through phone and decided not to go to T-Nagar.

‘Oooh!’ I sighed.

‘Okay what important work you going to do tomorrow?’ enquired mom.

‘I go to T-Nagar to buy gifts to my friend’s sister mom’ I said.

‘Who is that friend?’ enquired my mom raising her eyebrow.

‘Sabari mom,’ I said ‘Our Sabari.’

‘Oh? Ok,’ said my mom and eyebrow lowered.

Then I escaped out of the kitchen and was thinking of how to go tomorrow. I had my supper and was thinking about tomorrow and slept whilst thinking. I got up at 6 am. I started doing my works very fast.

I got very much excited as it was my first outing with her since we started to love each other. I forgot to mention, ‘don’t forget that according to her I am her friend not lover.’ Clock struck 10!  Mom and dad went to Tambaram to buy dresses. Minutes rushed out to 2 pm. It’s time to get ready. I rushed to the bathroom, had my bath and selected my outfit.

I had worn a collar T-shirt maroon –ash striped and a blue jean bottom. I had worn a canvas shoe which projected me as a rich person. I boarded the train. It took half an hour for me to reach the place. The train entered into Mambalam railway station. I moved to foot board to get down as quick as possible. I got down. I searched for her face. After a minute of time I spotted her face.

She was sitting busily with her mobile. I went to her back.

‘Hello?’ I said by patting her shoulders.

‘Hi!’ she said ‘Can we go?’

‘Yeah come on,’ I said.

As I meet her after a long time, I started to notice her small movement too which I always do. But on that day I did more. She hooked her handbag to her shoulder and moved fast forward. I moved with her to her fast and had some conversation in that crowded staircase of that railway station. I climbed up fast but she got struck in that crowd.

‘Come fast,’ I said when I was waiting for her at the top.

Then she came up. I let her to go in front of me so that she can walk past the crowd easily. We climbed down and at last reached the bazaar.

‘Sobbha!’ we both said unexpectedly which made us broke out to laugh.

‘Thank god! A pleasant start,’ I said ‘ok proceed.’

‘See, I have no idea,’ she said ‘you going to buy her a gift.’

‘Sure! What to buy?’ I asked.

‘Churidhar,’ she suggested.

‘What? You girls have more knowledge than us,’ I said.

‘No da Aadhi,’ she said ‘we don’t.’

‘Stop fibbing!’ I raised my voice.

‘Okay Okay cool!’ she said ‘you select the color my dear.’

I was talking to myself for some time. Yesterday in phone she said that she ‘loves me’ and today she says ‘my dear.’ Tomorrow will I be hearing ‘Can I marry you?’

Suddenly I heard a loud voice ‘Mister please move’ said a passerby.

Another voice ‘Mister please move’ from the other side. Without seeing the face I had came to apologize. But this time it is Ragasiya.

‘Whoops!’ I said and sighed.

‘What? Can’t you see a girl coming with you believing that you’d buy her a gift?’ she said and laughed.

‘Yeah! What gift you said?’ I enquired her again.

‘Ada Raama! Churidhar,’ she said.

‘Yeah ok done!’I said and moved faster in that crowded streets.

We both entered into a shop but we couldn’t able to make it as the money she had doesn’t match with the stuffs in that shop. So we tried three to four shops and the money got matched in one of the shops.

We enquired about the Churidhar spot. We were directed to 6^th floor. I entered into the floor and went straight somewhere. But she stopped long back and was watching me with a very pleasant smile.

I turned ‘Come on!’ I said.

‘No no. You search there;’ she said ‘let me do it here.’

‘Okays,’ I said and proceeded further. Everyone stared at me like thief. I was clueless. I then proceeded further. Then I started to see posters of girls in bikini. Immediately it struck me that I had entered into a wrong section. I came back running to her. She was laughing with her hands in her mouth.

‘Idiot, can’t you tell that I am into a wrong section’ I shouted.

‘Okay cool! Athan pathuttiyae poster uh,’ she said and laughed.

‘Chi chi! I am a good boy,’ I laughed by making a new style with my hair in the nearby mirror in that shop.

She turned my face through my chin and said ‘I know who you are. Okay?’

‘Seri vidu,’ I said and moved to the Churidhar section.

I selected good looking designs and showed her but her face frowned. At the beginning I stood for her reactions. And then after sometime I took a new design and spotted it to her. Again she frowned which got me on my nerves and I whispered ‘you idiot, I showed you all good designs out here and nothing left here.’

‘Actually my sister likes pink color very much da,’ she whispered ‘sorry da I forgot to mention it.’

‘Oh! You could have told me before my dear,’ I said and sighed. I took a pink colored chudi with designs in black that was hung in one corner of that shop.

‘Raga…?’ I called ‘Is this ok?’

She gave me a negative nod. I just felt myself as a noddy. She came to me and said ‘please don’t get angry I forgot to mention another thing’

‘What,’ I asked.

‘My mom will scold me if she sees black colored spot in dresses’ she said ‘we won’t wear black dresses.’

I just gazed at her from top to bottom and laughed by holding my ends of the temple with my thumb.

‘Sorry da! Extremely sorry for not mentioning it,’ she apologized.

‘Are you sure? You people won’t wear black colored dress,’ I enquired.

‘Yeah Aadhi I swear,’ she promised by holding her throat.

‘Then what is this,’ I asked when I pinched a part of her chudi and released. She bit her tongue expressing again an apology as she had worn a black and white mixed outfit.

‘Sorry sorry sorry extremely sorry,’ she apologized.

‘Okays cool!’ I said when I was searching for another pink colored dress. I then spotted out a fully pink colored dress with embroidery works along the neck portion.

‘Is this okay?’ I enquired her while I was searching for one more pink.

‘Okay…,’ she dragged.

‘What Raga?’ I asked ‘Why you drag?’

‘No no! Okay for me,’ she rushed ‘but price?’

‘No worries! That also suits us,’ I said with a grin ‘Rs.850.’

‘Oye, I have only 800,’ she said when she was searching her handbag.

‘Thank god, I have another fifty,’ she said.

‘Okay come on, let us bill it,’ I said and we rushed to the counter. We paid then and I ran immediately to a lift nearby. But it was overloaded and so I used the steps to climb down. We came out of the shop at last and moved towards the railway station.

‘Okay madam move forward,’ I requested and I followed her back. Whilst I was following her I had made to think about the past ‘Hmm! The girl whom I had loved once is now a friend to me’ I mumbled ‘god! You wrote my fate in a very different way.’ ‘But what to do, even I do have mistake on my side for the break up’ I continued mumbling ‘can’t you change it my dear god.’ I then had chuckled thinking about everything and mumbling. She noticed me chuckling and enquired ‘Why did you chuckle? I know it is something related to me, say it, open it out.’ ‘Nothing Raga,’ I said when I was trying to divert her from this matter. ‘No I need the reason,’ she stood stubborn. ‘Okay, I was laughing for your black and white argument,’ I said ‘nothing else.’ ‘Pinky Promise?’ she enquired. ‘Pinky promise,’ I said by showing my finger.

‘Okay please maintain distance,’ I requested her. 
‘Why?’ she asked with innocence in her voice.
 ‘Actually if people anyone who knows me sees us together, that’s all,’ I said ‘my chapter will be closed.’ ’Is that so?’ she enquired and immediately grabbed my hand and held me in her arms. 
‘Hey loose vidu di!’  I shouted out of frustration.
 ‘Okay I released you bayanthangoli’ she said and laughed which made me to laugh.

‘Okay come on fast,’ I said ‘we got to catch the train.’ We then had rushed and settled in a place relaxing and waiting for the train.

She showed her mobile and was scolding about a boy who had tortured her by scolding her badly and proposing her. She showed the messages that he had sent to her. I remained silent. But her face frowned. Then I started to console her by giving her some ideas. Whilst talking a train arrived at the station, I saw her for her permission to board the train ‘Let us catch the next train Aadhi,’ she said. So I again started to talk. 
Whilst talking she let go 2 trains. ‘This is too much Raga;’ I raised my voice ‘let us catch the next train.’ ‘Let us catch the second (train) from now,’ she said.
 ‘Hey already we had missed 3,’ I whispered. ‘I am going to catch the next train,’ I said and vacated the seat and went away from her. I then got a message from her ‘I thought I could spend some time with you. It’s okay bye take care, thanks for coming.’ I just ignored her message and I went near the train to board. 
Suddenly I was pulled. When I turned and saw, I met one of my relatives there in that station. She started chatting with me and I too joined as I had no choice. 
‘Where did you come?’ she enquired.
 ‘I just came here to buy gifts for my friend,’ I said ‘you?’ 
‘I came here for a work and I am returning to my house now,’ she said and grinned. She then introduced me to her friend and she moved away bidding me an adieu when the train too moved away from station. I had no choice and went to the place where she was sitting. She then saw me and chortled by closing her mouth.
 ‘I know about you my dear,’ she said ‘you won’t go.’ 
‘shut up, I would have boarded the train but was held up by one of my relatives,’ I said in anger.
 ‘Okay cool! You missed the train anyways, come with me, I will drop you,’ she said and giggled. I just stared at her and turned my face.

I had sensed some vibrations and looked up. The train arrived and we were getting ready to board. I boarded a general compartment but she made it with ladies. I had texted her then ‘For what did you board the ladies?’
 ‘I am a girl I can’t say everything to you, please try to understand,’ she said. I then did not text her even a word. I moved to the foot board and fixed my headset to hear songs. The train then entered into the Tambaram railway station and I got down and waited for her to come. We then had some dispute between us.

‘What do I need to understand?’ I enquired ‘Huh?’

‘Don’t start it again Aadhi,’ she said and turned her face.

‘Then for what did you messaged me like that,’ I said and shown her the message saying ‘I thought I could spend some time with you. It’s okay. Bye. Take care, thanks for coming.’

‘Answer me?’ I raised my voice.

‘Don’t shout. Okay, sorry for sending you that message,’ she excused and ended the conversation.

I then did not utter a word and was coming with her silently. We both boarded a share van and reached Perungulathur. We both did not even utter a word. We got down from the share van and we need to cross a big busy road carefully. Already she got call from her house thrice. So she was so tensed and I held her hand and crossed the road and to our surprise it started to drizzle slightly. We ran. She accompanied her cousin sister who returns home from work by that time and I came back home by walk. I came home and relaxed.

I got a text from her ‘Reached home safely. No problem here. Guess the same there.’

‘Yes! No problem. I reached home too.’

‘I am so tired now but very happy,’ she said.

‘Is that so?’ I said ‘fine fine.’

‘I loved you when you held my hand whilst crossing the road,’ she said.

‘Just a man to man help,’ I said.

‘Only you can hold my hand,’ she said.

‘Okay sure for the next time,’ I said.

‘Good night, chweet dreams, take care bayanthangoli,’ she sent.

‘Gn, sd, tc,’ I sent. I then had some food and went to bed thinking about her if she loves me still or not. But I had a good day. I thanked god for the day he offered me and slept.