Rendezvous

… In the women’s hostel!

I walked into every room, with a stone in my hand assuring everyone that he will not stay for long. The responses were not greatly positive. Ok, didn’t expect too much of positive energy anyway. At least not with a stone in my hand. I heard him walk up the stairs and into the lobby. I wished he was a little quiet. Does he want the world to know? Yikes! Men were, are and will always be men! I’m sure he’s going to chant about entering the women’s hostel during the day and his version of the story will have fifteen million exaggerations! Couldn’t she shut him up? Well, she, let’s just call her Peanut here, because she is tiny. Well, Peanut was helping me in bringing him up to my room. And she was of great help.
There, he entered the corridor. Ohmigosh bigosh! No guy ever entered my room before.
I put out my hand to shake his.
“Thanks very much”
“Pleasure.”
Pleasure of course! What confidence! Has he entered the women’s hostel before?
“I’m Sai. What’s your name?”
He was tall, muscular, had all the charm of a moderately attractive gentleman, and he was Komal (meaning tender and delicate. Usually a girl’s name in the northern part of India.)!
He took the stone from my hand in an un-Komal style and knock! Strike! Smash!
The lock broke.
So, I had returned from my aunt’s place that evening. And I forgot to carry my room keys with me. My roommate was out of town with her boyfriend and I was locked out. I made continuous, unsuccessful phone calls to the hostel authorities and Peanut and I collectively mustered all the strength we could to stone that lock to no avail.
Finally, Peanut offered to bring a guy up, as the guard had gone for tea. And there he was, sans red nose!
He walked in with Peanut after me.
”huhh! First time!”
I didn’t really believe him. I only smiled. I wanted to say stuff, but he helped.
“Guys…”
Peanut piped up “we know. Don’t worry. We’ll feel free to ask if ever we need help from you.”
“Yeah man. Anytime.” Komal said.
But I wasn’t really thanking them. I was worried about something else.
“The guard. You guys got to be going.”
Uh-oh. Subtle!
“I mean…” *sheepish grin*
“I know I know. Really nice room man. I’ll come back on the hostel night (hostel fest).” He patted the awkward, scared, borderline rude girl on the shoulder and walked away with Peanut who gave me a fleeting hug before leaving.
I just stood there, speechless. I mentally kicked myself to at least utter a final thank you. I swear, I must have lost that social mechanism that gauges social situations and handles them appropriately. This is crazy. Whoever took my social abilities away is lucky I’m not trained on using a gun.
And I never got to see him again. Chacha was right, what a ‘Trist with Destiny’!
Hmmm. Rendezvous never the less.
Cheers to anti-climax!
Because I don’t stun people within a fifty meter radius of my, err, charming personality!