Chapter 4: Time extortion.

For first few days, I confined myself in my solitary cell. I avoided talking much with any friends, even Titli. After the computer classes, I used to make lame excuses to her. I was afraid that she might fathom my wanderer life style and dark past. Anirban noticed that and asked me the reason. Somehow, I avoided him also. Grandma asked me to gather myself up.


Titli caught me one day before the class started, “Are you avoiding me for some reason? No, no, tell me directly, I won’t mind.”

Her angry eyes melted away all those dark clouds. I laughed at her, “Why on earth should I avoid you? I am grateful to have such a beautiful friend.”

She sat beside me, “Then why are you not talking to me?”

I put up a big grin on my face, “See, I am showing my teeth, now you are happy?”

“So giving me a lift after the class?” she asked. I bowed my head and said, “Sure Madam.”

On the way return, she told me that her final exams were coming near. The dates are before the Durga Puja. I assured her that since she was a good student, she would fair well in her exams. She asked me whether I would be able to help her in her studies. I said to her that, I do not have much time for myself so how come I could help her. I used to return home late after my job and the classes. On every weekend I had visit my grandma also.

She feigned angst, “You don’t have time for me.”

“I don’t have time for myself, Titli, try to understand. Moreover, do joint study with your friends rather than me. That will help you a lot.” I tried to dissuade her. I knew that my words hurt her.

Our semester was ending and the days of her exams were near. She asked me a favour to wait for before joining the next final semester of the course. I assured her that I would wait for her. She was happy after I gave her my word.

After the semester was over, there was no more nagging Titli. I felt a void in my daily routine but that waned away as I persuaded my heart that she was just a friend and I should not encourage any advances from either side.

The rain clouds were dissipating slowly. One night it was drizzling, I was alone in my two room flat, watching television. Late was the hour and the phone rang. She made an unexpected call.

“Slept already? Had your dinner? What did you had? Are you alone in the room? What are you doing?” she started showering rapid-fire queries.

“Titli, titli, will you let me talk or you will babble alone. You have not slept until now? And how come you found time to call me?” I asked her.

“No, no. I am all ears for you. Today, dad is not at home, so I found time to call you. So what are you doing?” she asked.

“Preparing to goto bed.” I answered.

“It is raining outside.” She giggled, “I would love to dance in the rain but my exams are from next week. You don’t love rain I suppose. How can a rugged person like you knows what is rain?” I knew that she was teasing me.

“You have completed your studies?” I scolded her “Study girl, study hard.”

“You are a real boring person. Keep the phone.” She got annoyed and cut the line.

I could not sleep properly that night. Whenever I closed my eyes, I dreamt her smiling face in front of me. I sat on the bed and told to myself, “Do not encourage any advance, Budhaditya. You are not a match for her. She is beautiful, suave, rich and her parents will not allow you to come near her. She is of higher caste than yours and her parents will not allow their daughter’s unwanted hankers.”

For a whole month, there was no nagging of Titli around me. At times, when I used to return home after office, I felt the void on my pillion. I smiled and thwarted away those dreamy thoughts.

Spring thwarted monsoon clouds. There were tufts of white clouds floating under the curtain of navy blue sky. The fresh air smelt of Puja approaching. The ambience of the streets of Kolkata was gaining momentum with each passing day. People were busy in shopping. While returning from office, every day I had to face huge jams in the streets. I looked up the sky; my mom’s beautiful eyes were showering her blessings on me. Grandma requested me to take her to Haridwar and Hrishikesh during that Durga Puja. Every weekend grandma pestered for my marriage and in some pretext or another, I avoided confronting her queries.

One day she asked me, “Are you in love with some one?”

“Not at all, Grandma. No one will marry such a rugged heartless fellow. You know very well that I don’t have those inside me.” I tried to make excuses.

Her prying eyes sensed that something was wrong; she kept on pestering me with her queries. At last I had to break the ice that, I had a very good friend, Anoushka Bannerjee. Grandma asked me the problems. I explained the problems at her end and I told her that I would rather remain unmarried for the rest of my life. I did not want to bind any person’s fate with my ill fate.

She listened to me and then said, “Adi, I don’t know about afterlife, I don’t even believe in rebirth also. Make the most of your life; be clear in your heart, all that I can say.”

I assured her that I would tread cautiously in the murky waters of the river.

On that day, I just returned from office. As soon as I entered my house, the phone rang.
It was Titli’s voice on the other end, “What are you doing? Can you come at Hathibagan, I am in a problem.”
I was about to ask her regarding her problems, but she disconnected the phone. I was afraid and without thinking of anything, I started for the place. For whole time, I was praying that some worst should not happen with her.
The place was a market place and even she did not tell me as where she would wait. I thought it would be best to wait near the crossing. I parked my bike and stood there anxiously. My eager eyes were trying to find her in the midst of the huge crowd; Durga Puja was coming near.
I got startled as I heard a giggle from backside. I looked only to find that Titli was standing there along with three girls, they were her college friends. She was laughing on beholding my anxious face.

“What happened? I knew that you would wait here. This is the only place that is bit less crowded.” She said to me.

“What is your problem?” I asked her.

“Who told you I have problem.” She was sporting a naughty smile on her lips.

After a long time I was meeting her. She was looking very beautiful in her silhouette hugging sleeveless kurta and salwar. A small blue dot graced between her brows. Her red lips was glistening, seemed to be soaked in honey. Her rosy cheeks seem to beckon me for a tiny peck. Her hair was weaved in a long braid. I felt a hypnotic halo surrounding her. The night-lights felt slippery on her creamy complexion. In the yellow streetlights, she appeared like a nymph. My vision was riveted on her enchanting beauty; I forgot time.

She gently nudged me by my arm “What happened? Can we go?”

I looked around; all her friends were staring at me. I asked her again “Why have you called me?”

She whispered, “For shopping, what else? Come on, start walking we are getting late.” She looked at her friends and asked them to walk. “You know all of them. You met them at Newmarket.”

I could not speak for a moment; I could not find words as to explain the feelings in my heart. I was trying to get away from her yet I kept on bouncing on her frequently.

I asked her, “Your parents know that you have come for shopping?”

She nodded her head, “Yes Adi, I am not a liar. I told them that I was going out for shopping with my friends.” She was walking very close to me; her arms were brushing on mine. Due to the huge crowd, I held her by her upper arm to guard her. She looked at me and whispered, “That’s the reason I called you. I feel safe when you are around me.” Her eyes sparkled as she said those words to me.

I lowered my voice to ask her, “Titli, you did shopping before with your friends even when I was not present.”

She got bit annoyed, “You don’t want to come with me, then just let me go.”
I felt that the sweet damsel could get angry; I did not want to mar her Puja shopping. I nodded my head and assured her that everything was ok she could carry on her shopping. Shopping with ladies during Puja is real tough situation for me. I rather refrain myself from going out in the crowd but I had to. At times, I looked at her, I wanted to go away from her but I was unable to do so. Some force was attracting me towards her relentlessly.

“Why didn’t you contact me for a month?” she asked.

“You asked me not to call you, remember?” I answered.

“Oh! Do you know that where there is a will there is a way.” She looked deeply in my eyes “Basically you did not had that will to call me. Tell me frankly.” That was the actual reason for not calling her. I was perplexed on hearing that from her. She gave me a naughty smile, “I told you that I will wring out your time for me.”

Her last words made me laugh. “What are you going to buy?” I asked her.

“What do you like?” She asked me.

“Every kind of dress suits you. I would rather love traditional attire for you.” I said to her.

“You did not call me for your shopping?” She pinched me.

I laughed at her, “I don’t like shopping in huge crowd. Whatever I had to buy, I prepare that advance. I don’t barge into shops like you and rummage the whole shop for a small scarf.”

“So you don’t like. You are such a boring person.” She hissed at me. She entered in a huge garment store “Ok now choose something for me.”

I scratched my head, which was an uphill task for me. Never in my whole life I had the experience of going out for shopping with any girl. I looked at her perplexed.

“What?” she exclaimed at me “Aren’t you going to present me something for the Puja?”

“Titli, you choose, I will pay.