Lake Lamb Be Gone
She hesitated fidgeting by the entryway table.
"Please sit" she offered politely
Sharanbir needed no encouragement he was half way there by then
"Can I bring you water?" she asked
He nodded as if he was holding his breath, then relaxed and leaned and looked all around
"Is this the max for the AC?" he asked peering at the wall unit
"I dont know very much" she said
"Turn on the fan beta" he nodded
She did after hitting all the switches
She went in brought a bottle of cold water and and a glass and poured it out
He drank as if he was thirsty
"One more" he said and raised a toast and drank it up
Love for water must be hereditary she concluded
"Are you related to Ashwin?" she asked nervously
"Aapko kya mehsoos hota hai?" he questioned
She didnt know what she was supposed to say
"I am not very good in Hindi" she said
"Yes I am related" he grinned, perfect teeth? dentures?
"His Dad is my son" he said his expression crumbling in a quick second
"Oh" she nodded
"He is my youngest grandson" he said proudly
She nodded
"Umm.. OK" "You can relax" she said
"Thanks" he grinned at her permission
"I didnt know who you were so I"
"Yes you should not let any old man in" he smiled
Her heart raced as she compared the sense of humor of the grandson and grandpa
Wicked... and sly
"I wont" she nodded
"Make sure you ask for ID" he said
She nodded sincerely
"This is Bangalore"
She nodded
"Where are you from?"
"Ullal" her voice was filled with pride
"Where is it?"
"15 kms south from Mangalore station"
"Hmm... you speak kannada?"
"No Konkani"
"Is there such a language?"
"Yes there are many, there is even Tulu" she informed
"Hmmm" "can I get a chai?" he asked
"I can make but not very nicely"
"what can you make nicely?"
"Filter coffee?"
"Shabaash" he nodded approvingly
"I can get you coffee?" she asked in her subtle southie accent
He nodded
She made some nervously, tasting it twice
Handed it to him politely
He drank it all
"I am going to university"
"You cannot entertain an old man?"
She squirmed
"You are going to stay?" she asked
He exploded in laughter
"You dont want me to to?"
She shook her head vigorously
"I meant, I can give you my keys" "I can go and you can stay?"
She didnt want to tell him the whole key situation
"Will you give me your keys?" he asked somberly
She nodded eagerly
"I can bring now" she said
"No no... sit down" he invited
She walked around a set of couches and sat across on a plush single seater in white with navy stripe cushion
She pulled the cushion and hugged it
"You like Bangalore?"
"Its OK" she said
"OK good? OK bad?" he asked
She blushed reminded of "wig no wig"
"OK...OK" she whispered
"Does Ashvin talk to you?"
She nodded
He leaned back and yawned thoughtfully watching the fan spin
"There are many rooms. You want to sleep?"
He laughed out loud again
"You want me to sleep?"
She shook her head
"I dont speak Hindi, so I cant talk a lot"
"You dont think I speak good English?"
She turned red again
"You speak but..."
she didnt know how to say to him that she had nothing to talk about
He waited...
She went quiet
She hoped her friends would call
Nobody did
"what do you he asked sitting up
"I am studying" she mumbled
Then he proceeded to ask about her Ph D quest and topic and
teachers and universities known for Organic Chem research, not showing that he was impressed with her depth of knowledge on the subject
Over 20 minutes went by
"I can make another coffee" she declared
"How about food?"
Her insides plummeted
"I only make konkani food" "That too badly" she owned up
He smiled amused
"Will you make bad konkani food?" he requested
"That wont be good" she told him off
She got up hoping to escape to her room
She found enough leftovers to heat, he sat at the dining table, she served him a plate and stood quietly.
He asked her to eat, she told him she only just ate breakfast
"Mandira ne kinne din aur rukna hai?" he looked up from his food and spoke in Hindi laced with a Punjabi accent
"Who is Mandira?" she asked
"Ashvin's mother" he said
She nodded
"You have met her?" he asked
"Yes twice" she said
"Do you like her?" he asked bluntly
Trisha nodded in shock
"She is nice" she said politely.
"I will go to the university after you eat" she informed
"So I must eat and leave?" he demanded
"You can stay" she nodded
"thank you" he bowed his head
He was a sly fox. He was making her extremely nervous and picking on her.
She turned red "You can stay here" she repeated not knowing how to say "Its your grandson's house do you even have to ask"
The sentence formed in konkani in her mind
"Will you come back soon?" he asked
She nodded tentatively
"I can drop you" he said
"I can go, I speak some kannada" she promised
"I speak more kannada than you" he said firmly
And so he would give her a ride to BU and when she would get off thanking him, her long jhola leaking papers...
"It was very good to meet you" she said politely
"Will you make konkani crab soon?"
"Yes" she nodded confused. He reached out to shake hand to cement the promise. He handed her his business card making it all official
"Dont tell Ashvin I stopped by" he said
She nodded her head weakly... not understanding why
Mandira called him
"Papaji, I am at your office where are you?"
"At an appointment" he said
"I have such good news about Ashvin's situation" she gushed
"Do you?" he grunted, waving at the young girl that walked away unmindful of his stare from the backseat of his car.
When Sharanbir went home to his penthouse in Koramangala Narang-Pelican, overlooking the Tavarakare Lake
that night an email popped in his in-box
"TS" the circular icon indicated when he clicked on it it was from Trisha
"Dear Mr Narang,
I am sorry but, I have to tell Ashwin (he noted the spelling change)
about your visit since you ate lunch. I dont eat chicken or lamb, I only eat fish and if all the lamb is gone he will know.
Thank you,
Trisha"
He leaned back on his recliner and laughed heartily...
CID
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
