Chapter 4
Child Within...
Raghav reached Sahil's office. Sahil was taken aback to see Raghav standing there in his casuals. Sahil stammered while inquiring about his reasons of him being there at time as late as this time of the day.
Raghav requested Sahil to arrange for other driver as he wasn't too comfortable with Kalpana.
Sahil: But sir, Kalpana is skilled and very talented.
Raghav: (nodding his head) Yes I agree, she is indeed very talented, but this talent is pointless if you cannot present yourself well. Tomorrow in the venue of meeting, most clients and workers would be around, and her English problems is affecting my way of speaking as well.
Sahil: How is that happening?
Raghav: Because of her! Her constant blabbering in Hindi, and futile attempts to talk in English, making it mixed language, with words like, "fikar not", "Chamach falling," "Tum yahan laanch khaing."
Sahil cuts him, "Sir, I still do not get what are you exactly trying to say, what's lunch khaaing and why are you speaking in this horrible mixtures?"
Raghav again shocked by his own words, See this is exactly my point, your lady driver will drive me crazy, with her this language!!! I cannot take this anymore!"
Sahil: "So, why are you even encouraging her in speaking that way? Why can't you speak in simple English?"
Raghav: "Because she cannot SPEAK or UNDERSTAND proper English, and I want some sophisticated driver!"
Sahil: (shouts out in loud shocked tone) "Whaat??? Sir, in Mumbai, infact whole of India, you will not find any "Sophisticated person" as a driver, such people just butter up some or other people and in minutes climb the ladder of success! Second, Kalpana is exception, and is most sophisticated driver we have for now, she is definitely better then Rishi as well, I admit..."
Raghav: Sophisticated?? The lady cannot even keep herself up, she is good entertainment piece but nothing more than that!! She has that complete package of skills to drive any normal humanbeing insane as well," Raghav pauses, "Though I too admit, she is really sweet and well versed with city's specifications... Had she known good English she could have... infact I could have help her progress, she could have been perfect tourist guide..." He again pauses, "Infact she still can be... but for those people who come from Village."
This time, Sahil's frustration reaches it's peak as he shouts back... "Kalpana has completed her engineering, and was in batch junior to Prem, she is topper of her college for past 7 exams of graduation, SHE KNOWS ENGLISH WELL! SHE CAN SPEAK, WRITE and READ ENGLISH ... like anyone else... Infact if Prem ever gets stuck with his work, Kalpana is first one he approaches for help... and he does that with almost any presentation, if I am not mistaken, even today evening, Kalpana will be guiding Prem with presentation you all will be presenting tomorrow." Sahil stops there catching his breath, while Raghav heard him standing like statue. Sahil calmed a bit, "Sir, she might have never been doing this had it not been for vitthal, she is just serving his place, but luckily she is better when it comes to "presentation" than vitthal, and had it been he who was here right now, you might have add Anand as driver, but... Kalpana is for sure better than him."
Meanwhile car arrives in garage. It is parked in garage, Sahil sees this, so does Raghav turns back to have the glance of person who has entered, which was Kalpana. Sahil glances at Raghav who looks back at him, Sahil passes Raghav and goes outside. Kalpana smiles seeing Sahil, the smile which said, she was super happy.
Sahil: "You look happy? Any reason."
Kalpana: "Yes!! Mr. Juneja has thanked you for arranging the car at strike of his call, and apologized if he sounded rude. They found me as amazing driver, and gave me rs. 500 additional for my services," Kalpana said pulling out 500 rupees note!
Sahil smiled back at her, "Congratulations, I am proud of you Kalpana." Kalpana thanked Sahil, "You know Sir, flight was right on time, and had we been late by even 10 minutes, gates might have been closed. We were lucky to reach on time. They were really impressed by us, and our services. I helped them carry down all their luggage too... and guess what?" Raghav, who could hear all the conversations had just felt blow on head for minisecond, with terminologies - luggage, assisted, apology, strike of his call- he might have used much simpler words than those... and moreover ease with which Kalpana communicated who he thought couldn't even speak a word. Kalpana asked still excited, Sahil asked, "What?" Kalpana looks at him, "I entered the premise of airport gate to assist them with all their luggage. They allowed me in too." Sahil looks at her with smile, "I am glad Kalpana... May you someday visit other country too and travel by flight..." Kalpana smiled, "Yes, I sooo wish to... someday... I wanna visit, New Zealand, Mauritius, Sydney, Melbourne, Tok..." She stopped seeing Raghav standing right behind Sahil in a shock. Raghav was inside the cabin and could hear her, but due to one way glass wall Kalpana couldn't realize his presence. She looks at Sahil, who turns back and sees Raghav standing there... Sahil turns back to Kalpana to ask, "Can You now elucidate to me, What the heck is going on?" Kalpana is still in shock but gives sudden smile showing her teeth and started making laughing sounds which turned down seeing Sahil and Raghav in serious tone, as she continued gulping down, "Umm... It was just a prank..." She paused, seeing Raghav still staring, Kalpi went towards him, and turned to Sahil, "He had assumed that I didn't know English, but I never said, I do not English... I only said, I do not wish to speak in English... It was all his fault... to assume I didn't know and conti..." She turns back to Raghav, "And continue with his own ways... You had assumed and you being BOSS, How can I prove you wrong, so to respect your words and assumptions, I decided to communicate only in Hindi..." Raghav looked at her, "or mixed and confusing ..." Kalpana calmed down, "I am sorry... Happy... ? But, I somehow had accidentally spoke in English/ answered your questions asked in English so many times... Remember last night at Pani Puri walas," Kalpana reminded as Raghav had flashes "Prem you think you boss can ever have Pani Puris..?? You gotta be kidding, he wouldn't even be able to have a pinch of it," and also flashes of several other times when she spoke in English or cut off her statements, Raghav and Kalpana stare at each other. Sahil came towards them as he spoke to Kalpana, "Do you know, Mr. Singhaniya has come here to replace you, or request me to have another driver." Kalpana smiled (smile which said I don't care) looking at him as spoke, "So for whom do I work from tomorrow?" Raghav answers, "You will continue working with us, Ms. Jadhav, but will cut the game out."
Kalpana looks at him smiles (sad smile), she turns to Sahil, who was not relieved, and hands him keys. Goes towards her record sheet and leaves the place. Raghav and Sahil looks at her confused... "Did she just ignore my statement?" thought Raghav. Sahil's BP started rising again, as he stepped towards Raghav to explain to him, but Raghav shows him his palm and follows Kalpana outside.
Raghav sees Kalpana is trying to look around for some transport. He goes near her, as Sahil too comes running behind, "Kalpana, beta... Take this key, and drop Raghav sir, keep the car with you. It is not safe to go away like this... It's 12.30 already." She looks at Sahil... and refuses with irritation, "Your SAHAB came his way, he can go in same way... and otherwise I am fine walking now... anyways, I plan to visit your place too then Prem can drop me, he said he needs some help with tomorrow's work of his..." She looks at Raghav, "Some robots consider other people as robots, and keeps giving inputs last moments when they wake from sleep." Saying so, she turns back, and starts walking... Sahil tries to tell Raghav to take the car, but he stops him and decides to walk along with Kalpana.
Kalpana is walking ahead, but by the time she goes bit ahead, darkness of roads takes over her in form of fear, as she gulps down crossing her finger... "God please keep me safe." Raghav, who is following her observes her sudden slow pace. It doesn't take much time for him to realize she is actually scared. He gives devilish smile, as he takes out his cell phone. He scrolls down the sound gallery till he finds, "Witch Noise" titled clip. He kind of hated such clips, and was going to delete when he received it via some messenger, but never had he realized he would ever be proud to have it saved and WOULD EVER use it..!! He hid himself behind a tree, and played the sound. Chudail sound (Common sound of Witch or Evilish Ghost) came out... Kalpana was stopped in her path to turn around... Not that she was scared of any ghost or witches, but was worried about safety of herself, it could be some goons following her too. She found no one around and again turned back to increase her pace... When his sound clip didn't help to scare her further, he started searching song sections, "Stupid Sammy, he listens to all old hindi songs, but today it should help me out..." He finally found titled, "Bhoot Hoon Mein" (I am the ghost, You can search this song on google, you will find it...) He plays it... yet Kalpana kept walking at her speed, though scared of being attacked. She realized today she didn't have anything with her for defence, yet roads were filled with Stones, enough of them to pick them up anytime and target the criminal. Kalpana turns behind and shouts, "Yeh Faltu Songs se Mein Nai Darnewali hoon, Bhooton se toh kabhi nai, Himmant hai toh Saamne aa Gunde". (I won't be scared of these flop spooky songs, I ain't scared of ghosts...) Raghav finally pissed off, decided to confront her! He decided to take Huge leaf of coconut tree which was on ground to hide his face. He walks from the direction opposite in which Kalpana is facing, and ... Goes right behind her, he takes one end of coconut tree's leaves and moves towards one ear and moment he touches it, he simultaneously screams from other side, "Bhoww!!" which scares Kalpana, making her scream on top of the lungs, and Raghav laughs seeing as she falls. Thankfully she had fallen on her bag, which didn't hurt her much, while she stared back at Raghav who was now laughing his lungs out and openly as ever...! She stares at him angrily now, as Raghav offers her hand to get up. He pulls it away as she tries to hold it to get up making her flip her hands in air. She gives him, "Good for nothing look!" rolls her eyes, and gets up on her own..!!
"You Idiot! Is this the way to behave with ANYONE?" Raghav continues laughing hard as says in small words, "Yes! And you dare to call me idiot? The one who pays you, and indirectly your boss..!!? Also play fool with me? So you enjoyed last two days, and trust me these were two best minutes of Last two days!!" He continues laughing... Kalpana looks at him laughing and unconsciously smile spreads on her face, but before he realizes decides to get back to her original form of anger, and look at him angrily... She did like seeing him laugh so much, though he was laughing at her... it wasn't bad feeling. She too had played prank... he is right to say, she enjoyed every bit of teasing him.
Precap: One Beautiful Evening...
Will try to update this soon...!! Maybe tomorrow itself..
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
