Topic started by Jaya (@ acbf49a2.ipt.aol.com) on Fri Sep 24 13:42:43 EDT 2004.
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Raju took a sip of the coffee. It was cold and what was more, it was weak. What romantics we make ourselves out to be when we are young, he thought, bitterly. Maya was watching him closely, as if trying to read his thoughts, he recognised that look. It reminded him of the way a cat might look at it's owner when it was in want of something. He had only ever wanted one thing and even that, was denied to him. Sighing he pushed his coffee cup away, it tasted bracken.
*
"You don't like the coffee?" I asked. He'd pushed his cup away. Evidently his mind had been elsewhere in the last ten minutes. This hadn't bothered me, I'd preferred his silence, it allowed me to try and read him. His youthful face now had a scattering of fine lines and there were black bags under his eyes.
"Hmm, oh it's alright, I don't really feel like drinking it right now," he replied, pushing his hair back from his forehead. "It's going to get cold," I pointed out. "I don't need you to mother me too," was his icy reply. "Raju please, stop being so unreasonable," he was starting to irritate me. He remained silent, stubborn. I rubbed my forehead in frustration, then looked down at my hands.
*
The mehendi patterns had come out perfectly as she examined her hands. Little children were racing around the marriage hall packed with relatives from all over the world. Lalita and Arvind were sitting under the dais, looking nervous. Maya observed them and wondered herself what it would be like to be married. Not that she wanted to of course, marriage, husband, children, they were burdens she didn't want. She wanted to be free. Then she thought of the man at the railway platform, Raju and she smiled.
Raji saw the smile and being in a particuarly playful mood, asked slyly, "So acca, when do you plan to get married?" "I don't want to get married," was Maya's careful reply. "So what do you plan to do, live with him instead?" Raji asked with pretended innoncence. "With whom?" asked Maya sharply. "Raju," sang Raji.
Maya felt a strange fist clench in her stomach at the sound of his name. "How do you know his name?" she whisphered. "Never mind," was her devilish sister's answer. Maya pinched her arm, hard. "Ow! Ok, ok I'll tell you," said a disgruntled Raji, " I was standing at the platform yesterday and this guy came up to me and asked me all these questions about you?"
"Really?" asked Maya sharply. "Honest acca, he wouldn't leave me alone until I'd told him your name and only until I'd asked him his to check if you knew him," protested Raji, "Who is he? Is he that guy who tripped you over at the station a couple weeks ago?"
"How would I know," snapped Raji. She decided to make her way to the drinks stand, her throat was unusually dry. Just when she had almost reached it, a figure knocked into her. Maya looked at her new sari, it was ruined. On the ground the tumblers were bereft of there contents, which now formed a little pool. The waiter stood there uncertainly with the tray at his hands.
"You idiot," she almost screamed," Do you know how much this saree cost me?"
"Well you should have watched where you were going then," he cooly replied. She was shocked, so rude and a waiter at that. "That's it, I'm going to report you to your manager," she retorted angrily. He merely laughed at her. Bristled with anger, she walked away from the scen with as much dignity as the circumstances could produce. She could hear some of the young ladies titter at her state.
"Hey Shakthi," called a young man running up to the waiter," What happend?"
"Oh just an accident," said the waiter dismissively. The young man followed the waiter's eyes to the direction of Maya. She saw the two men watching her, no doubt worried she thought satisfactorily and she moved out of there eye range. "Nice choice, bro," grinned the young man. "Are you joking," replied the waiter," The girl is a devil. Now come on, where are all the waiters when you want one? This floor is a mess!"
TO BE CONTINUED...............
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