OS - The Pani Puri Date
"Mr. Dikshit, I know you drank a lot of coffee, it isn't good for your body." Sonakshi began, as they drove back from the cafe.
"Dr. Bose, I am not really hungry. It's fine. Let's just get home, I'll drop you first and then carry on."
"No, Mr. Dikshit, I think you should, eat something. It is already so late."
"No. Waise bhi, most eateries would be closed, moreover, the kind of food you expect everyone to eat wouldn't be available anywhere." Dev stated plainly, scrunching his nose at the tasteless food Sonakshi insisted people have.
"MR. DIKSHIT!!!!! Rokiye, gaadi. STOP. STOP." Sonakshi screeched suddenly.
And, Dev stopped the car with a jerk. "Ms. Bose, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He almost panicked.
"Look there, Calcutta Chat House!" She clarified happily and proceeded to remove her seat belt.
"Are. You. Serious? Aap ek chat corner ke liye aisi chillayi, jaise, aap ko attack aa gaya ho." Dev was flabbergasted. "What the hell is wrong with you, Ms. Bose?"
"It's Dr. Bose for you. And, secondly, I am hungry, even if you aren't. And, thirdly, I promised you ki main khaane par nahi tokungi, aaj. You can eat high calorie food today." Saying so, Sonakshi, stepped out of the car, and rushed to the Chat House.
"Dada, ek plate puchka daao .." She asked.[It means - "Bhai Saheb, ek plate pani puri milegi?"]
"Arey, Madamji, Hindi boliye na." The owner replied.
"Arey, aise kaise. Aap ne dukaan ka naam Calcutta Chat House rakha hai, toh Bengali nahi aati aapko? Toh, kahan se seekh kar aaye aap Kolkate ke chat banana?" Sonakshi argued with the annoying owner, her Bengali loyalty, suddenly springing to life.
"Arey, Madam, Kolkata mein chat kya Amreeca (America) se aakar log banate hain? Chat ka kya hai? Dilli ya, Kalkatta? Sab ek hi hai." The owner joked.
"Arey, aisa kaise keh sakte hain aap? Delhi aur Kolkata mein zameen aasmaan ka farak hai..." Sonakshi chided.
"Bhai Saheb, inse behes karne se achcha aap Kalkatta chale jaiye, paidhal, aur yeh tab bhi apne zid par adhi rahengi."
Sonakshi turned around to find Dev standing next to her, giving her a You are impossible look', she even thought, he murmured the same words. "Kuch kaha aapne? Main baat kar rahi thi na." She demanded.
"Jee nahi, Bhai sahib, aap do plate Pani Puri Dijiye." He diverted her attention to the task at hand.
"Aur theeke wale haan?" Sonakshi clarified.
"Maaf karna, Sirji, Pani Puri toh ab nahi milega. Ab raat ko gyaara baj gaye hain. Ab toh sirf Bhel Puri hai, chahiye toh de doon." The owner said, the stall was empty, so was the street, and he was packing the left overs.
Sonakshi's face fell, and she was just nodding, while, Dev who had noticed her childlike excitement, intervened, "Double paise doon, tab bhi nahi?" He asked, turning to the owner, who was still shaking his head. "Teen guna?" The man, who ran the chat corner, just stared, "Theek hai, chaar guna paison mein toh bana payenge na? Hum zyaada intezaar nahi karenge. Jaldi banayie." Dev finished, knowing he had the deal in his hands.
He looked at Sonakshi, asking her to wait, but she just stared at him open mouthed, "Mr... Mr. Dikshit... You didn't have to... I'd have adjusted... anyways..." She indeed managed to let that out.
"I am sure, you would have Dr. Bose, but I don't want to eat Bhel Puri." Dev replied smoothly.
"Why would I pay four times the amount for Pani Puri that isn't even Kolkata special?" Sonakshi, now, composed, moved to other earthly matters at hand.
"Mujhe kaise pata hoga, ki aap kuch karti hain, toh KYUN karti hain, Ms. Bose?" Dev shot.
"It is Dr. Bose for you. And, you convinced that man to make Pani Puris at such an unrequited price, and who bhi, jo Kolkata special bhi nahi hai." Sonakshi wouldn't give up.
By then, the owner, who had gone to make the Pani Puris, had returned with them, and Dev took out his wallet, and paid him a five hundred rupee note. "Keep the change." And, he took both the plates, to the nearby chairs, waiting for Sonakshi.
She followed him, and it hit her then, "Aap ne pay kar diya, mera hissa bhi? I'll pay you back, what's my share?"
"Six." Dev replied.
Haan? Six hundred? You paid only five hundred, mera hissa pure paison se zyaada hai? Aapki Maths bohot weak hai, Mr. Dikshit." Sonakshi taunted.
"You get, 6 puris, I get 6. Half and half." Dev said.
"And, don't bother about the money. I'll deduct it from your salary, directly At Source." Dev cheekily said. Ab dimaag ko thanda rakhiye, aur ye khaiye. They are delicious. Its been so long, I haven't had Pani Puris." Dev, said, taking one, and gulping it, relishing the taste of the water, masala, potatoes and Puri.
Sonakshi appeared shocked, and sat down in front of him, grabbing her plate. "Yeh kya, Mr. Dikshit. Don't you know it is unchivalrous to start eating before the girl does? Where are your manners?" Saying so, she swallowed, one Puri, reveling in its taste.
"A guy is chivalrous, when he is on a date, and, yeh meeting hai, date nahi." Dev voice turned suggestive with his last words.
Sonakshi's eyes turned wide, before she said, "Are you trying to imply ki mujhe aap mein interest hai? Excuse me, I am not. Aur haan, date or meeting, chivalry aur manners se pesh aana, gunaah nahi hai." She said, getting up. "I am done, and you are also done. Its late, and I am tired." She said, looking at their empty plates.
Dev thanked the shop owner, and they left.
"Mr. Dikshit, road khali hai. Why can't you drive faster? I am tired." Sonakshi mumbled, in the car.
"Yes, of course. Aap mera intezaar panch ghante kar rahi thi. I understand. I'll drive faster, your back must be killing you." Dev said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Sonakshi turned solemn, instantly feeling contrite, "I am sorry, Mr. Dikshit. I told you, I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay. I was joking. We are here. Aapka ghar aa gaya." Dev said.
Sonakshi, undid her seat belt and got out of the car, "Good night, Mr. Dikshit. And, Good night." She said with a gentle smile.
"Ms. Bose?"
Sonakshi turned around to find Dev, outside the car, "Ms. Bose. Jo baat aapse karne ke liye, aapko bulaya tha, woh toh maine ki hi nahi..."
"Oh, yes. I am sorry, it slipped out of my mind. Bataiye?" Sonakshi said, massaging her forehead.
"I wanted to thank you, for what you did for my mother. I met Dr. Sinha yesterday, and in his words, Ma ke sehat mein jaadu hua hai. Thank you. Ma means a lot to me." He said, turning towards her.
"Mr. Dikshit, you are embarrassing me. That's my job." Sonakshi replied.
"And, I am sorry for what happened at home. Maine, Ma se baat kar li hai. Aur Maami se baat ho jayegi. In fact, Ma ko already bahut bura lag raha hai. I assure you, aisa phir kabhi nahi hoga. Aap please phir se join kar lijiye. Ma ko aapki zaroorat hai."
Sonakshi just listened.
"I need you. Please come back." He said with solemnity.
Now, Sonakshi looked up, meeting his eyes.
"Aur kal jaldi aa jaana. I have some work tomorrow." Dev said.
"Mr. Dikshit, I haven't agreed yet. You are stubborn, rude, and badtameez, and expect everyone to act according to your whims and fancies." Sonakshi said sternly, to which Dev's face fell and he turned opening the door of his car.
"Mr. Dikshit, shayad, aapka mere liye panch ghante intezaar karna, itni coffee peena, aapke liye kaam kar gaya." She said with a smile.
And, Sonakshi got a response, people rarely got from Dev, a genuine smile.
The End
Note - I have no idea about nutrition and diet. All of that was just bluff. Feel free to correct any glaring mistakes, in them.
EDITED - Credits, kudos and THANK YOU to lasyap3 for the Bengali phrase. I don't know any Bengali, so agar, kuch galat hai toh, blame her.😆😆 Just kidding, it is great for her to tell me what it is. 🤗
And, even, I don't know how Calcutta chats are different from Delhi, haven't been to either place. 😆
Moral of the story - Read my stories with a free mind, completely dissociated with facts and authenticity.😆
Its a work of fiction and means no insult or disrespect to any community or place.😳
Finally, the last conversation between DevAkshi, is directly from the episode, because I loved it. If I haven't phrased it properly, imagine the entire conversation ditto, same to same, except out in the open, in front of the car.
Cricket
