Chapter 5 - Seven Senses and Sensibilities [Arjun and Purvi]
Savoy Hotel - London - Friday - 5:30 pm (Mumbai - Friday - 10:00 pm)
"Where is it?"
Arjun looked around the conference room. He frantically rifled through the papers in front of him. "I had it right here with these files! Where is it?" he blasted his assistants.
He'd been having a frustrating day and this was just the last straw. He turned around and barked at his team, "If you don't find in it within the hour you are all fired! And I'll make sure you never work in this industry again! Now go!" They scattered like ants to escape their boss's wrath.
'I can't lose this' Arjun chanted to himself, 'I have to find it'. It was his life line.
The wait staff came in to clear up the conference room after the meeting and Arjun pounced on the closest waiter. "Have you all taken up any of the meeting materials from this table? I am missing something important from it."
"Yes, sir this table had already been bussed and all the spare meeting materials have been returned to the concierge's office." Arjun growled at him and sprinted in that direction. He barged into the concierge's office, "I beg your pardon. My name is Arjun Kirloskar of AK Industries and I was in attendance in the four o'clock conference. I believe one of my personal items may have been accidentally returned to your office along with the other spare meeting materials. I was wondering if you might let me have a look at the returned items to see if it's there?"
"Mr. Kirloskar, Of course, you can have a look. You didn't need to come down here though all you had to do was call my office and we would have taken a look around for you" said RD, the concierge.
"Thank you but this item is very special to me and I cannot take the risk of losing it."
"I understand the delicacy sir. Here are the items returned from today's conference. You may have a look." RD placed the container of supplies in front of him. Arjun dug through the box with such intensity that it surprised RD. "It's not here!" Arjun exclaimed with frustration.
"If you tell me what you are looking for sir, I might be able to help you."
Arjun sighed, "You are going to think me crazy but it's a pen."
"A pen, sir?"
"Yes, a very special pen - a pen that belongs a special person in my life." Arjun then gave the RD a description of the pen. "Now that I think about it some pens were need for the hotel's restaurants this afternoon and the staff took some things out of that box. Let's go up there to see if we can find your pen."
"Thank you."
Arjun and RD spent the next thirty minutes canvassing all the restaurants in the hotel trying to find the pen but they were unsuccessful. Arjun sat down on a corner chair at one of the eateries and looked positively devastated as the minutes went by. RD reassured him "We will do everything we can to find it for you sir. There's one last restaurant to check. Follow me please."
Arjun was on his feet before RD could finish his sentence and was already pacing towards the restaurant. In the Thames Foyer a late tea service was almost over and the restaurant was empty except for one lively group of ladies.
After checking with the maitre d' RD advised Arjun that these customers had the pens that were brought up from his office today. RD went over to their table with Arjun in tow. Arjun did a quick scan of the pens on the table and when he found what he was looking for he signaled RD.
"Pardon us ladies. My name is RD. I am the concierge of this hotel and this is Mr. Arjun Kirloskar of AK Industries. Earlier this afternoon one of Mr. Kirloskar's personal effects was misplaced by our wait staff. Somehow it made its way to your table and we were wondering if we could retrieve it from you. "
"We'd be happy to help this you and this young man, RD. This is Abhi, Bee, Trish, Archana, Janhvi, Laurie and I'm Shyamala. What is it exactly that you are looking for?"
After salutations were exchanged RD continued, "We are looking for a pen with the following description" RD explained what the pen looked like and their ordeal for the afternoon in trying to find the pen. Everyone scanned the receipt trays until they found what Arjun and RD was looking for.
"Janhvi, I believe that you have something that belongs to Mr. Kirloskar." Laurie smiled.
"Sounds like you've been through quite an afternoon. Here you go." Janhvi smiled and offered the pen from her receipt tray to Arjun.
Arjun took the pen lovingly and placed it in his inside left jacket pocket - right next to his heart. He closed his eyes for a minute and sighed. All the ladies noticed this subtle action and their hearts went out to this forlorn young man.
"Would you like to join us for tea?" Abhi asked.
"If it's not too much trouble, yes, I believe I will" Arjun said and RD signaled to the maitre d' for another serving and turned to leave.
Arjun stopped him, "Thank you my friend for everything you have done today. This is one of my most prized possessions and I could not image what I would have done if I lost it. A million thanks."
"Happy I could be of service sir. If you need anything else, please feel free to call on me." RD excused himself and left the restaurant.
"So, what was so special about the pen?" Bee curiously asked as Arjun sat down, "It looks like a regular pen to me."
"It's not just a regular pen." Arjun said. "It belongs to someone special."
"By someone special? Do you mean - a girl someone?" Archana inquired wiggling her eyebrows.
Everyone laughed. "Yes" Arjun blushed and replied, "A girl someone. Her name is Purvi"
"Purvi! What a beautiful name!" exclaimed Trish.
"Ooh, do tell" encouraged Abhi.
"I'm not quite sure how to explain this." Arjun started shyly. He had never opened up like this with anyone except Purvi.
"Just start from the beginning dear" reassured Shyamala. "We won't bite."
"Won't bite hard" Laurie muttered under her breath. "Out loud" Janhvi coughed into her napkin.
Laurie cleared her throat. "I mean, go on it can't be that hard." All the ladies laughed.
Arjun felt an instant camaraderie with these seven ladies so he began his story. He smiled as his eyes got that dreamy, far-away look. "I went to India a few months back for work and there was this girl who worked for me in my office. She was a pure spit fire and we clashed on many issues. She challenged me and I tortured her - not some of my prouder moments. We argued over the smallest things." Knowing looks passed between the ladies seated the table.
"We constantly grated on each other's nerves but what I didn't realize was that I was falling for her. On Valentine's Day, I had given her a few projects to work on and she was at her desk trying to get her things organized. She was looking everywhere for her pen - this pen." Arjun lovingly patted his jacket pocket where the pen was safely stored.
"It was stuck in her hair. I was making a call I when I noticed her, truly noticed her for the first time. She looked so cute and disorganized I couldn't help but blurt out 'Clumsy Girl'. The person on the phone thought I was talking to them and I had to say, 'No sorry, not you.'" Everyone chuckled. Arjun blushed. "That was the first day that I really saw her. Beautiful and radiant. It was like someone opened a window and she was the breath of fresh air that came into my life."
"Later that day in one of our staff meetings, she stepped out to get something and left her personal effects on the table. I couldn't help myself. I walked over to her things and switched out her pen with mine. "Arjun looked over at the ladies sheepishly. "Not something you would expect from the boss right?" The ladies nodded and exchanged smiles again.
"Anyway, to make a long story short, we ended up both falling for each other but circumstances forced us apart. Today, she's still in India but now working for another company and I'm in London with my business. I always keep this pen with me. I feel as if she's right here with me. When I lost it today I felt like my world was turned upside down. Thank you for helping me find it"
"Wow" said Janhvi "It's a good thing you found it then. It sounds like she's quite a woman."
"Yes, for me there is no other."
"Why haven't you gone back for her then?" inquired Abhi. "If you loved her as much as you say you do, why have you waited all this time to claim her?"
Arjun took a sip of his tea and imagined it was the masala chai he had with Purvi after she told him she loved him. His heart sank a little. "Before I met Purvi I had agreed to marry my best friend as I had no time for love or even thought that it mattered in my life. I agreed to make her and everyone else happy but it looks like God had other plans for me. My family planned a surprise engagement without my knowledge and Purvi was there to witness the whole train wreck. I couldn't put a stop to it in time and now Purvi hates me. I broke off the engagement but now we are estranged. She wants nothing to do with me and I can't blame her."
"What an awful hand you both were dealt! It sounds like you are both beautiful people who were pulled apart by unfortunate circumstances. My heart goes out to you two." soothed Archana.
"We are sorry that happened to you Arjun. Sometimes the Fates can be cruel but we are the masters of our own destinies. If you want to be with her then you must muster the courage to face her and make her understand you." Shyamala added.
"Yes, you must fight for your love Arjun." Bee contributed. "True love, blessed by God, is only bestowed on a privileged few. Don't make the mistake of taking it for granted."
"That's right." Chimed Laurie, "Like my favorite poet Rabindranath Tagore says, 'Love's gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.' Destiny created the right moment for you both to accept love's gift but now it wants to test you both to see if you are worthy."
"That was really deep Laurie" piped Janhvi. "What's in that tea?" Everyone chuckled. "Arjun, you seem like a smart guy so I'll be straightforward with you. It sounds like you hurt her but unintentionally. In order for her to forgive you, your apology must first be tantamount to the Himalayas and then you need to sweep this girl off her feet "
"Janhvi's right. Purvi is the perfect one for you. It sounds like she's the one you've been waiting for all your life. What are you waiting for? Go get her!" said Trish.
Arjun looked around at the lovely encouraging faces and it filled him with renewed strength. "In a way I'm glad I almost lost the pen otherwise I would have never had the pleasure of meeting you wonderful women. Thank you for the tea and your revitalizing words. I will get her back. I have to. Take care ladies and I hope our paths cross again."
A round of 'Nice to meet you's" and 'Good luck's' were exchanged and Arjun left the tea room.
Arjun's Flat - London - Friday - 7:30 pm (Mumbai - Saturday - 12:00 am)
Arjun stood at his open window as the night casted its ebony blanket over London. A cool, soothing breeze kissed his face and he closed his eyes for a moment. "My Arjun". He could hear Purvi's voice in his mind as clear as crystal. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
He took the pen out of his pocket, held it tightly and sent up a silent prayer to the night, "God, please watch over my flower and keep her safe until I can reach her. Purvi, I pray that you are well and that you are happy. Even if it takes me seven lifetimes, I will right all the wrongs I have done to you. I love you Purvi"
Karma Group of Companies - Mumbai - Saturday 12:00 am (London -Friday - 7:30 pm)
"I love you Purvi."
Purvi whipped around expecting to see Arjun standing behind her. "I must be losing my mind. I need to go home and get some sleep." Purvi shook herself and went back into her office to gather her things. She closed up her office and was escorted down to her waiting car by the security. A light rain began to fall.
Purvi was about open the car's window to enjoy the rain when her phone beeped with a message. It was an email from her boss, Karan Dhanjani, that said, 'Pack your bags team. We are going to London.' Purvi's skin prickled as she read the email. "Why do I have a feeling that something's going to happen in London?"
As if in answer to her question, the thunder clapped and the skies opened up to usher in the raging storm.
