Posted:
9 years ago
Prancing Horse
(Author's Note: The Ferrari prancing horse was the symbol of Count Francesco Baracca during WW I)
Subbu Called out a couple times "Ishita, Ishita, oru second"
"Ya?" she asked preoccupied still staring at her phone
I mean the girl has been married FIVE DAYS NOW, THREE of which she slept through... or ermmm... or uh... NEVERMIND!!
She leaves for Paris tomorrow on a two week honeymoon, she hasn't even unpacked, her mooh dikhayi is at 5 tonight, Reception is at 7, she had to be at Amma's for breakfast at 8 or 9 AM, her Dude COMPLETELY messed her up
its almost 10:30 and she is still at Spectrum, WITH NO CAR
Dude sent her car off for repair, she has to go return the things at Hamilton Court
The entire world and their aunt are texting her... her new sister in law is desperately trying to organize the logistics of the beauty salon appointment, and hair appointment between the mooh dikhayi and reception
Her husband the tall scrawny skinny dude walked away giving her his half smile
AYYYOO!! WHY DO I FEEL LIKE HUGGING HIM NOW?
RAKSHASAN... HE DRIVES ME CRAZY...HES NOT EVEN A TALKER AND HE DOES THAT...
Her husband's family probably received a 1000 invitations for the newlyweds to go have dinner with. HER Amma Appa have a slew of people lined up where they should be going to seek "blessings" do namaskarams
She hasn't been to Akka's in five days either...
And the EX WANTED ONE SECOND? NOW?😡
Times have surely changed huh?😈
When he dumped her she would lay by her phone for hours crying, hoping it would ring and he would say "I am sorry I was smoking pot I only want to marry you" "I abandoned my family I only want to be with you Ishita" "I don't know what came over me Ishita on Pongal 2014 I am deeply sorry I was stupid I shouldn't have done that I would be willing to make it up to you in anyway shape or form I CANNOT bear to LOSE you"
She didn't cry too much she didn't go into a depression (strange?) she went off to work Wed Jan 15th 2014 the day after... acting like she was unaffected atleast on the outside
She feared Appa would have a heart attack, he looked so dazed for months... she gave him a ride to North Block many days before going to work
Bally was the most understanding and kind even then
Subbu did not CALL ONCE to check on her... ashamed? guilty? apologetic? cringing? or just uncaring? She did not know. She heard from the grapevine when he was engaged around the Tamil New Year/April 2014
And tied the knot in August... she had noticed him in Gurgaon many times, his promotion had happened around then also... he started visiting the dealers weekly monthly to suck up to sell more cars. More cars to dealers meant more commission to him
Wedding, promotion, a new posh apartment... everything seemed to be working out just fine...
And now the wife was pregnant too, hopefully with the next Einstein or CV Raman
The Hindu Karma theory did not fit him ONE bit😭
He dumped her and he got rewarded😡
The many times they bumped into each other he acted like the time spent at IIM B didn't even matter... the phone calls or the love for Hindi songs.
Of course why would it? Erasing her is the right thing to do, his darling Amma wouldn't have it any other way... after hearing his wedding news she had wondered many nights what his room looked like and how he slept and where they went out to eat and what movies they watched
wondered if they got a new car and new sofa or AC, what she cooked.. if she cooked North Indian better? He loved her chholey BTW... did she listen to Hindi or Tamil FM while cooking it?
Did she say "Five more minutes, please?" when Subbu woke her? Like II likes to?
He had destroyed her life like a bomb explosion, sudden and swift... unexplainable and unfathomable
She hadn't cheated on him or resented him, she ermmm... she thought... she "loved" him
She was willing to spend the rest of her life in the "so called love"
Talking about Hindi songs and politics and getting snubbed by him when he was about to lose an argument.
"Hmmm yaa?" she asked again
"IVANA Kalyanam pannindeya?" (Did u marry HIM?)
She finally paid attention to his question
"Ya I am his wife" she said carelessly wondering if she should meet Chachi's bahu when the salon girl worked on her... they wanted to do a "photo shoot" of some sort for a family album...
"HOW DID U MARRY HIM?" Subbu was still in shock😆
"Amaa, how many times should I say yes?" she was confused
"I mean HOW? When? Sollave ilee...(weak smile) When did all this happen?
"March 8th I told you?" Ii was confused and preoccupied
He walked into Spectrum with her...
"Did ur family agree? Appa othukkave maatare? (ur Dad must have protested"
"No we eloped" she said flatly
"U ELOPED?" He was shocked more on hearing that
"I didn't know u were so reckless" (angry Subbu? she saved that natural playful reckless side for the Rakshasan?)
"I guess I am" she said texting as she got into the elevator
"I Cannot believe ENNALE NAMBAVE MUDIYALAYE... I mean... this is shocking to me"
Subbu was in the elevator too :)
"How long have you known him?"
II took a break from the texting chaos, Ranjan, Amma, Akka, Sam, Bala her paattu teacher trying to sign her up for Tamil Sangam NY celebrations.
"Ummm... 3? months? I cant remember"
She had pressed 5 to get coffee at the Perk, HE FOLLOWED more confused than ever
"HOW DID IT ALL HAPPEN?
"Ummm I don't know..."
"U married him with out your parents' approval?" he was shocked
"Yep" she said chuckling to herself secretly
"wow! Wow!!" HE REPEATED
She ordered her favorite mocha with whipped cream
"where are u?" R&B texted☺️
"Perk" she sent a cup with steam
"Mocha?" he asked sending a bean
"whipped cream" she texted with a curling foam
"on ur lip?" he asked with a magnifying glass
"maybe" she Texted
She paid for hers HE OFFERED TO... she refused... strictly
"I cannot believe it Ishita" he said trying to be happy picking his up
"U don't have to" she shrugged...
She wanted to ask "WHY are u following me?"
She didn't care, she just went up...
What do u know he went up too
"where do u live now?"
"Malcha Marg" "Zambian Embassy is next door, not sure who lives on the other side"
BY THE CONSULTAES?" he asked
"Ummm ya Chanakyapuri"
"Are ur parents angry?" he asked
"I don't know I haven't talked to them" she said
She meant today...
"wow!! very brave... like many girls in Delhi (cheap girls? bad girls? corrupt girls?" characterless girls?)
They got off at 7th, she walked in with her coffee... "I thought u left" the receptionist said
"No... I WANTED to, my husband sent my car to Toyota workshop without telling me... one of the drivers spotted a check engine light yesterday when my Dad brought the car home" II giggled...
"Really? How caring" the receptionist cooed
"NO! I had to go to drop stuff off, I have to be at my parents in 20 minutes... sab bigad gaya" II worried
"Did u guys have ur first fight?"
II didn't answer
Subbu:they all know?
Ii gave him a look
"I AM LOOKING LIKE I RAN AWAY FROM A MANDAPAM WONT THEY?" AS NEWLY MARRIED AS THAT WHY WONT THEY KNOW?
MORON!!!
"U married a Punjabi? Wow!!" he shook his head when the dude showed with the driver
"Sorry bhabhiji Sir ne kaha to main le gaya" he handed her a Shopper's Stop bag
She smiled joyously "Koi baat nahi. Thanks Sorry aapko bhagaaya"
"Arey nahi Maam... Ranjan Sir ko mat batana please" he begged
"Arey koi baat nahi" she giggled "Galti INKI hai" she punched R&B
R&B rubbed his arm wincing was startled to see Subbu, Subbu made small talk about bottle necks in Gypsy production this week
The driver "Aapko dene jaana hai to main lekar ja sakta hoon Sir ki Mercedes khari hai neeche Sir to Dilli gaye lunch meeting me"
"Unhoney mujhe subah kaha tha" Ii nodded "Yeh lekar jaayenge mujhe" she smiled
"
He waved a Namaste and left, uniformed, wearing a white cap and everything
"Lets go" R&B nudged
"Iru da I again forgot my laptop... I am going in"
SubbU"U MUST COME HOME, U MUST mr Bhalla
She texted him "Nee po da, "
Hes a vendor II" R&B texted
"To you, not to me da" sulk emoticon
"OK lets settle for a 10 minute visit?"
"Nee po, I am not"
Clever B, he let it go for now...
She returned with her things Subbu was still in her lobby chatting, when he saw her his expression changed like somehow SHE was intruding into their business relationship.
"Didn't the tax rate on midsize go to 27%?" R&B asked, confused
Subbu nodded conceding,
"On top of it U guys raised prices across the board too in January, I see a demand slump just for that reason alone" R&B said casually
(Fact: Government of India has withdrawn tax breaks to automobile buyers starting Jan 2015, varying % across all types, and M Co increased their automobile prices over and above that)
"is Bally back from the showroom?" R&B asked her
"Nahi" she said
He walked out of the twin glass doors first, his wife followed and then Subbu
She had her leather laptop case, a Document bag that looked like her laptop bag, the Shopper's stop bag
and her Coach purse (coincidentally her purse matched her outfit today she looked well coordinated...)
Her shoulder strap slipped, she couldn't hold her coffee and her purse and the bag "Ida pidi" she said handing off her coffee to the dude
Subbu drank his pretending to not notice
"I have to go meet Sam at 4 ish... I am going over to hers"
"Dhyan Chand (Dad's driver) can meet you at 3:45 at D II then" "I am meeting the clinical database guy at 4" (frustrated)
No BHALLA ever rode a bus or an auto... period... Ranjan was adamant...
She shrugged...unwilling to fight in front of Subbu
Subbu: WHERE did u guys get married? Do u live with Mr Ranjan Bhalla?
WHY DID SHE SAY SHE ELOPED THEN? WHAT IS GOING ON? HIS FAMILY APPROVES AND HERS DOESNT?
II didn't answer texting with her paattu teacher
R&B: Vasant Vihar. yep (Ranjan Q), Your invitation went out a week ago... the C& MD (MU Co) attended
His goddamn vacation!! He had missed the invite then...
II was going to marry Subbu at Sringeri Temple exactly a year ago, today she stood married to a man NOBODY would have expected her to, leave alone Subbu, no wonder Subbu was on the verge of having his first heart attack at 32
So much so, he is unable to let go of the couple following them from parking lot to lobby to 7th back to parking lot
She handed him R&B laptop bag and held her coffee, her dupatta, her purse, and stuff... texting
He stood patiently as she organized her randomness... cars roared on the concrete echoing across the cool quiet basement
Subbu had parked next to a silver Ferrari Italia ... in the entrance of the lot... in his urge to stalk the newly weds
The attendant walked up to her to charge for parking, since she didn't buy a monthly pass for March as she was going to be gone mostly, she was paying Rs.1000 a month for the pass, daily charges were higher... the parking company was a rip off for middle class workers like II
"Aapne jaane kaise di gaadi?" she asked curiously. The guy was a crook.
, Bhalla sir ka driver tha to chhod diya"
"Kitna hua?"
"Rs.180 de do" he gave a soiled yellow slip
"Rs. 180 kaise?" Ii began to fight, maine 9 baje ke baad lagayi gaadi usko le gaye ghanta hua hai"
"Slip ud gaya madam, uska hua Rs.100, phir" (he began counting)
R&B had his hands on his hips "Really? "U want to do this now?"
She had her coffee in one hand, phone in the other purse over one shoulder and a "document" case in the other and a sliding dupatta, the Shopper's stop CD bag
R&B was frustrated... she set everything down... the draft from passing cars blew her dupatta, she handed him her coffee" Ida pidichko" (hold this)...😆
He reached for his pocket, pulled out his simple black wallet and handed a Rs.500, "20th me de dena change"😳
"U paid him too much" II complained.😲
"Lets go if u want to see him before he leaves for the airport" he grabbed her arm pushing her forward... she turned and continued to complain looking up like a child at his face
"The tall guy is honest, I once gave this guy Rs. 500 he just denied it in the evening, I don't like this guy he is a crook da... Who owns this company? I hate the sight of this guy he has slime ball written all over him, did u see his shoes I hear they hot wire cars at night the ones left for over a day😲
"No I did not II" he gave himself a finger kangi in frustration.🤣
HE WAS BAFFLED... SHE COULD TALK ANYWHERE ABOUT ANYTHING😕
He grabbed her stuff from the floor and pushed her like she was a puppy... Like he was saying "OKKK How exciting... But can we keep walking now?"
walked towards his Ferrari...
Subbu watched, his jaw dropping... as R&B (not so) patiently grabbed her things... from her body... peeled them off more like... stuffing them in the trunk, she texted sipping her coffee. "bally ne kya kaha boloon.. ek din? It was past 11" looking at him intermittently... attempting to share some juicy parking attendant gossip with a guy who on a given day didn't care for his own family's gossip
... he gently propelled her to her side of the car grabbed her phone pocketed it, She looked up alarmed
R&B gave her his in exchange a "new plaything" (Achha yeh lo ab thodi der is se khelo par EKDUM CHUP)🤗
He got in the car, she let herself in "Phone kudu da" she begged her husband
"When we get there" he promised
R&B nodded at Subbu again she tried to figure his phone out... he gave his wife a half smile gassing the car though it may
have appeared to Subbu that R&B may have purposefully gassed it to create a loud engine noise, but the Italia did that...
It was a sports car they are meant to be loud... She shut her ears.. R&B shook his head as the automobile with the insignia of the prancing horse
vroomed/flew out of the parking garage... ...
Subbu stared at his Ciaz steering for a good five minutes... letter M stared back at him... his blazing career his new apartment... nothing seemed thrilling anymore👏👏
Edited by Nisha0604 - 9 years ago
