He looked up, ran a few steps ahead to find if her rickshaw was somehow still visible, but in vain. He picked up her wallet and thought for a second. It was useless for him to even try to find that rickshaw in the area which was completely new to him. He started running speedily backwards to where he had entered the road. The road ended on a wide main road that carried usual heavy traffic of the city. He stopped and took some deep breaths as he was exhausted. When he started to move, he saw a very strange scenario on the other side of the road. Four-five kids were pasting a big poster on an old school's wall. When they were done with it, Ricky noticed that it was a stern faced young woman's picture with two words written at the bottom : "HITLER DIDI!". The same posters were there on the other sides of the wall. He was confused but decided to ignore these mischeivious kids.
It seemed to be one of the busiest roads of Delhi and almost every auto was occupied with full capicity. He tried his best to get any one of them but they appeared to be least bothered. And after few minutes, one finally stopped. He asked the driver to take him to the nearby railway station, hoping to find the owner of the wallet there. That lady seemed to be working one and perhaps would be carrying identity card or something like that in the wallet. Ricky therefore, thought that it is better to return it to her in time. Although, he found it against his manners to open the wallet.
The auto sped against the traffic and soon reached the city's railway station which was not very far from that place. Ricky got out,paid him the fare and swiftly headed towards the platform. It was a very crowdy station, especially at time time of the day. Everybody seemed to be in a hurry. As soon as he reached there he started to look for her. The train had already arrived and plenty of passengers were moving in and out of it. It was so difficult for him to catch somebody with only color of the suit known. Still, he tried his best and kept looking for her.
"Where would I find her... I dont know her by face or name,,,I dont know if she even reached the station or went back because of the missing wallet..", he kept thinking to himself.
Soon, the platform was left with much lesser number of passengers. The noise level was lower than before. The very next moment, train whistled loudly and started inching ahead. Ricky decided to gave a last try to it. He paused and opened her wallet hoping to find some photo of her inside. He searched inside thoroghly. And much to his relief, he did find her identity on a card. It seemed to be an office-use ID card. The train was gone by this time.
"Indira Sharma", he called the name on the card. She was an employee of some travel agency. But the photo seemed to be known to him. He had seen it somewhere. And before he could guess any further, somebody turned his shoulders from back and gave him a loud slap on his face!
He was stunned to see a lady standing in front of him, burning in anguish.
"Theif!", she shouted at him.
"Hitler!", he said instantly after recalling exactly where he had seen her.
"You bloody... How dare you steal my wallet? I will sue you for this.", she said snatching her wallet away from him and started checking inside it if anything was missing.
Ricky was taken by surprise.
"Ah, excuse me? I stole your wallet? Sorry to say, but I am a graduate from The American State University and to the best of my knowledge, I think I am not a theif. I think there is some confusion... I was only trying to give it back to...".
"Shut your mouth, damn it. Just dont speak a word. I missed my train all because of you and have to wait for the second one. I know very well what you were trying to do, okay. Wearing good clothes doesn't make you a gentleman. You would have collided with me somewhere on the platform, took away my wallet and now when you are caught red-handed with my money...you are making excuses, right?".
"WHat the hell? Did you hear what I said miss...Indira (looking at the identity card in her hands)? I just said I did not steal it... Its a mistake. So stop blaming me like that. It was all your fault you were...".
"No. Actually its not your mistake. Its we people who should be blamed. We let you outsiders come to stay here and let our Delhi get polluted with CRIMINALS like you! Cant you all see that our Delhi is already so over-populated? Where the hell would you stay? Do one thing, get planted on our heads...idiot", she screamed.
" God! What kind of a girl you are? First, you fight like a tigress with a rickshaw-puller only for five rupees... but then carelessly drop your wallet on the road. And a guy wastes his all energy and time to follow you so far to a station only to return it back to you,,,,but instead of thanking him, you choose to insult him by doubting his dignity? No doubt, why people call you...", he stopped suddenly.
Indira was surprised. How did he know all this? Did he really followed her from that place to return it? Maybe this guy was right, but still she did not care to express her apology. She left the idea of further argument and decided to leave.
"But wait, tell me one thing.. when that rickshaw-wala would've asked for the money...didn't you find that your wallet was missing? Then why are you assuming that I would have stolen it here at station?", Ricky asked her for clarification.
She turned and replied, "I pay the fare before sitting in any rickshaw so that they dont argue later. What to do, these days people have become so over-greedy for money that they do anything to get it...Cant trust even foreigners!! ", she mischeiviously hinted at him. This frustrated Ricky a little but he couldn't react as she soon went inside the waiting room located in the middle of the platform to wait for the second train.
"Such a thankless girl!", he thought to himself. He moved his way towards the exit of the station, resigning this incident as the worst welcome he could ever get in Delhi.
The taxi stand was just few metres away from waiting room. The passengers waiting at the back side of the room could very well have a view of the taxi stand. Ricky reached the stand and asked the driver for that same address. He had almost forgotten about his destination after this 'wallet fiasco'.
The driver said,"30 rupees". Ricky placed his baggage inside and just when he turned to sit, he noticed Indira sitting in the waiting room through the window glass. The Devil whispered an idea in his ear. He suddenly came out of his auto and screamed out to the driver, "What, 30 rupees? 30 rupaye me poori dilli kharidoge kya? I will pay only 25, not a penny more". He knowingly looked and smiled back at Indira, ensuring that she gets to hear these words. She looked at him in anger and closed the window. Ricky felt he had avenged his insult.
"Sir, this price is fixed...everyone here would demand thirty rupees only..", driver said.
He sat back in auto without a word. The vehicle started and took him back to the same road again in few minutes. He got down from auto at the same place as before and took out the paper containing address of Sharma Nivaas. He stopped at one of the houses and asked for the address.
"Oh, you want to go to Sharma Nivaas? Their new tenant? Ah,looking for a place to stay?", the lady asked looking at him from top to bottom.
Ricky was confused.
"Umm... go straight and take a left turn from that STD booth. Its a yellow coloured house. You will find Sharma House there. And by the way, when you have any plans of leaving that place then just let me know. My brother owns Krishna Staying House here. The best one in Chandni Chauwk. I'll give you a 20% discount. Just meet him when you'll leave".
The lady talked as if she knew he would have to leave.
Trying to clear the confusion, Ricky said "No, aunty. I am not their tenant yet...and,,".
"Well, good for you. They'll try everything to make you one. But once you enter the house, you will only find ways to escape.", she said mockingly before going inside.
Ricky thought perhaps she used to scare away everyone who wanted to stay as tenant in this area, so that her brother gets more customers. He was frustrated to see such weird nature of people over here. That... Hitler and now this weirdo.
But that idea actually seemed to be catchy. A tenant. Who stays with a family all the time. Could know them well. Their members. Their problems. Almost everything about them. Wow. He couldn't have found a better way of getting a zoomed view of Sharma family. A tenant!.
"Yes, a tenant!. Great Ricky. You just got it.", he said to himself. The idea was soothing. To stay with that family was the only way in which he could have tried to support them. And without wasting any moment, he headed his way towards the house as guided by the lady.
Walking for some minutes, soon he reached the residence. An old styled, two storeyed yellow colored house. The name plate was too old that the letters imprinted on it were hardly visible anymore.
He stopped at the gate. He felt uneasy for a moment. Being a tenant also meant that he will have to face every family member all day and night. He'll be living with this family for a long time. The thought was scary.
But he fought his inner feeling and stepped forward to ring the bell. Within a couple of seconds, door opened.
In next update :-
Ricky inside Sharma House.
Indira shouting at Ricky , "Do you want to marry me???"
Ricky says, "What? you want to marry me???" 😆
Edited by Gavie-Prabhleen - 13 years ago
Shiv Shakti
