‘Even I did the same.’ – She said.
‘So you are also with them. Are you sure, you need a break-up?’ – I asked.
‘I didn’t ask for that. I can only suggest you to try a change in your profession.’
‘How?’ – I exclaimed.
‘Get a master’s degree in management and try to achieve a managerial position in a corporate company.’ – She said as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
‘It’s not that easy. I have more than three years of experience in the entertainment industry and they pay me well too. If I change my position now, I will be posted in the lowest level of employment and it won’t treat me well.’ – I tried to make her understand.
‘Then do whatever you want.’ – She said and disconnected the call.
I was so frustrated with that behaviour of hers. I called her repeatedly and after an unsuccessful 18th call, my 19th call got answered.
‘Namratha, listen to me. I am ready to do anything and everything for you, but please don’t break-up with me.’ – I screamed immediately when the call was answered.
‘It’s not Namratha. It’s Anushka here.’ – I heard a different voice at the other end.
‘Sorry. I was like…’ – My words broke.
‘I can understand. Not just me, even she can understand you, but her family can’t.’
‘I’m not getting married to her family. I need her and that’s everything for me.’ – I said.
‘Namratha’s mom called me today. She asked me to keep an eye on her and she doesn’t know that I am helping you.’ – Anushka said.
‘She’s a mom. I can understand that.’
‘She also said something else.’ – She said in a trembling voice.
‘What?’ – I asked suspiciously.
‘If you ever try to interfere in her life again, they can make sure that you won’t live anymore.’
‘Oh-ho.’ – I said giggling.
Anushka didn’t say anything but, I continued – ‘It’s not that tough to die, but it’ll the toughest thing for me to live in this world without her. Put that phone in speaker phone mode.’ – I said.
Anushka put the phone in speakerphone mode and I explained whatever came to my mind. – ‘Namratha. Things are different, I think. Your mom is a Christian and she married your dad who is a Hindu. That’s why you and your sister have your religion as Hindu, officially. If you and your sister are getting married to Christian guys, your kids will be Christians. Being frank, your mom is trying to rejoin the family strand back to Christianity, which got broken when she married your dad.’
‘How dare you talk like that about my mom? I never knew that you have such narrow thoughts in your mind. Don’t make me regret for falling in love with you.’ – She shouted, grabbing the phone from Anushka’s hand and the conversation ended there. I recollected what I had said and felt ashamed of myself for making such a conclusion.
‘I could’ve avoided that.’ – I said to myself.
I took my mobile phone and sent her a message. – ‘I’m so sorry for whatever I said. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I couldn’t control my frustration. It just happened. Won’t ever do this again. Please forgive me.’
After almost ten minutes, I got a text message from her.
‘She’s my mom, so is yours. Don’t ever let her down. Love you lots.’ – I read her message and inhaled deeply in peace; Anushka might have convinced her to forgive me.
●
Next Friday, I started to Chennai and that time, I was travelling by bus. After a journey of fourteen hours, the bus reached the place where I actually wanted to go and I stepped down there. I had already booked my room in the best hotel near Namratha’s college and it was just half a kilometre away from her college. I took a quick shower and got ready to meet Namratha. As she was in her second year of college life, she could get an out-pass and get out of her hostel on that weekend.
‘Where are you? I’ve started from my hotel.’ – I asked Namratha over the phone while walking that half kilometre distance from my hotel to her college.
‘There is a flat in front of my college. I’m waiting there with Anushka and Vinayak.’ – She said.
‘Okay.’ – I said, disconnecting the call and applied some acceleration to my walk.
In just 5 minutes, I reached the said place and saw Namratha with Anushka and Vinayak waiting for me at the car porch from a distance. Namratha was talking to Anushka and Vinayak and she didn’t see me approaching them, but Anushka did. She patted on Namratha’s shoulder and pointed towards me. Namratha turned around and saw me walking towards them. She was surprised for no reason and came running to me like what we see in mainstream movies. I was almost twenty meters away from her. She came running and hugged me so tight, preserving the same momentum. I thought we were about to fall on the ground, but I managed to maintain the balance by stepping a couple of steps in the reverse order. I felt her tears on my chest.
‘Why are you crying?’ – I asked, lifting her face.
‘Nothing. Just some tears of joy.’ – She said, wiping her tears and we walked towards Anushka and Vinayak.
‘Hi.’ – Vinayak said, extending his hand for a handshake.
‘Hi.’ – I said, shaking his hand.
‘This is my current boyfriend.’ – Anushka said, pointing Vinayak.
‘Current boyfriend?’ – I asked, surprised.
‘Just joking. This is my original boyfriend. Okay?’ – She said and all of us laughed at her comment; including Vinayak.
‘What plans, then?’ – Asked Vinayak.
‘Nothing much. Just want to roam around with her and then, a movie.’ – I Said.
‘You can use Vinayak’s apartment if you want. We are going out.’ – Said, Anushka.
‘No way. Don’t give him any idea.’ – The response came from Namratha and everyone burst into laughter except Namratha; she was just looking at us with an angry red face.
Seeing her angry face, Anushka asked – ‘Have you ever kissed your boyfriend?’
‘No.’ – Namratha answered, shaking her head and that was again enough for a quick laugh.
●
AFTER AN HOUR
Namratha and I were having a peaceful time at a coffee shop with sandwiches, cappuccino and some cookies in Sholinganaur, a larger junction in Chennai. She was sitting directly opposite to me and I was looking at her eyes all the time. Basically, she had big beautiful eyes and I could sense some special glow in her eyes that day.
‘So, tell me. What’s the plan for the day?’ – She asked.
‘We’ll have breakfast from here and go for a movie.’
‘After that? We have more time.’
‘So, you wanted us to get into Vinayak’s apartment?’ – I asked and laughed.
She hit on my left hand and said – ‘Not that. We have more time to be together. Shall we go shopping?
‘Yeah, sure.’ – I said, thinking about our first meeting and the shopping time that we had on that our date.
‘So, what’s your plan?’ – She asked again.
‘We just finalized a plan. Breakfast, a movie and then shopping.’
‘That’s our plan. I want to know what your plan is.’
‘Oh, right. I will spend this whole day with you, I have to meet some old friends tomorrow who are currently residing in Chennai and I will be leaving to Trivandrum by tomorrow evening.’ – I said.
‘That’s again a plan for this weekend. I was asking about your plan for our future. My mom is against this relationship. You need to do something very fast to tackle the situation.’ – She warned.
‘Tell me. What should I do? I can do anything for you.’
‘Join MBA.’ – She said.
‘What?’ – I said, covering my mouth to avoid the cappuccino spilling on the table.
‘Join an MBA course and finish it. At least, I can tell my mom that you are an MBA holder, not just a Physics graduate.’ – She explained.
&n
bsp; ‘Graduation in Physics isn’t a lame thing. Many people are still trying for it and not getting admissions. It’s one of the most wanted degree courses now.’ – I counter-explained.
‘I know. Even I want you to secure a master’s degree.’ – She said.
‘Did you finish?’ – I asked, pointing to the empty plates and cups and she nodded.
We paid the bill and got out of the restaurant. We hired an auto rickshaw and started to a multiplex theatre to watch a movie.
●
LATER THAT DAY
‘Two tickets for the 12’o clock show.’ – I said, to the staff at the ticket counter.
‘Which movie sir?’ – He asked.
‘Any movie will do.’
‘Sir, the movie halls are equipped with night vision closed circuit cameras and the visuals inside the theatre will be shown live in the cafeteria, security room and this ticket counter.’ – He said, extending the tickets to me with a smile.
‘Never mind. We’re not going to have sex in the cinema hall. Give me the tickets.’ – I said.
I grabbed the tickets and started roaming around the multiplex, as my home city had no good multiplexes at that time. That multiplex at Chennai where we went to see the movie had thirteen screens under one roof. Nine different movies were being screened at the same time on those thirteen screens. It also had a beautiful shopping area and a “Haunted House” kind of entertainment area inside the building.
‘What’s this Haunted House?’ – I asked Namratha.
‘It’s a castle like arrangement with total darkness inside. When we walk through it, some ghosts and devils will come to scare us. Everything is automated and works with infrared sensors to identify our presence.’ – She explained.
‘Have you ever been inside it?’ – I asked, excited.
‘A couple of times when we went to Singapore.’
‘Let’s go inside.’ – I said, pulling her hand.
Purchasing two tickets of Rs.75 each, we entered the Haunted House. I kept holding her hand because it was a perfect dark room and lights were meant to flash at times when something scary happens. Nothing could be seen. As soon as we entered, a little devil jumped upon us from the roof frightening us and it was enough for her to get frightened; she hugged me so tight and screamed out loudly. After a few seconds, the devil went back to its place and Namratha was still hugging me.
I lifted her head up and asked the same question that Anushka had asked her a few hours ago. – ‘Have you ever kissed your boyfriend?’
‘No.’ – She said, shivering.
‘Never say that again if someone asks you that question again.’ – Saying this, I kissed on her lips.
She was shocked by this act, but she didn’t act against it. My first ever kiss; the first, the best and the most passionate, I’d say. It was no more a Haunted House for us.
‘Don’t forget your new answer.’ – I whispered in her ear while leaving the Haunted House.
●
We were watching a Tamil movie on screen number 3 of that multiplex. Whenever the Tamil Superstar showed up himself on screen, his fans were screaming like anything and we were feeling so uncomfortable with that kind of behaviour from his fans. I was also a movie buff, but I never interrupted others’ viewing experience in theatres. Namratha and I were watching the movie holding our hands and after some time, I found her sleeping on my shoulder. I didn’t want to sleep, but the last day’s travel and high temperature level of Chennai city were constantly compelling me to get some sleep. After a few minutes of resistance, I was defeated and I slept off over her head. That was the moment in my life when I actually realized, “sleeping together isn’t sex always”.
After the movie, Namratha and I went to the shopping area of the multiplex. We roamed around and at last, we ended up in the gifts section. She found a two-piece keychain set and took it from the holder. That key chain set included two key chains, which had half hearts on both. One heart had a blue design on it and the other one had a pink design. Both the hearts had magnets at the ends and they could be joined together to form a complete heart.
‘Which one do you like?’ – She asked, taking the key chains on her hands.
‘The blue one.’ – I said; not because I loved blue, but because I didn’t want the heart with pink design as it looked so girly.
She gave the blue one to me and said – ‘That’s a part of my heart and I’m taking a part of yours with me. Take care of it.’
‘Take care of mine too.’ – I said, smiling.
●
She sat really close to me in the auto rickshaw holding my hand so tight and asked in a husky voice. – ‘Can’t you stay for more?’ I knew that she was crying and her voice had reflections of it.
‘I am in this city for one more day, but you have already used the only out-pass of this week and that’s why I fixed some other engagements for tomorrow.’ – I said, wiping her tears.
‘I can still request for one more out-pass.’
‘I don’t want you to beg to anyone for anything. Keep your head up always.’
‘When will you be here again?’ – She asked.
‘When are you coming there?’ – I asked another question instead of giving an answer.
‘I guess we have some holidays in October. Hopefully, I’ll be there at home this October.’
‘Then I’ll be here in November.’ – I said and she looked at me with a questioning look.
‘I promise, I will be here in November. Get your out-passes ready.’ – I promised, placing my palm on hers.
The auto rickshaw stopped at her college and both of us stepped out. Her eyes were wet. She pulled me towards her and kissed me on my left cheek. She stepped into the campus and I stepped into the auto rickshaw, both with wet eyes.
MBA - A Distant Dream
SEPTEMBER 2012
‘Could you please verify my application form?’ – I asked the student management executive at a prominent business school.
That business school had contributed a lot of students to many corporate companies and government projects before and it was definitely one of the best names in the education industry. I wanted to take advantage of that name and that was why I decided to join them.
‘Everything is okay. Are you paying the fee now or later?’ – The lady asked, verifying all the fields that I had filled.
‘I can pay the fee now itself.’ – I said and took my wallet out of my pocket.
‘Our next batch is starting this October and you have been admitted to that batch.’ – She said, giving me the receipt for the fee payment.
‘I don’t have to attend all the classes, right? As I am working, it might be difficult for me to attend all the classes.’
‘This is a flexible academic programme. We are not looking at your attendance percentages. If you perform well in the exams, you will earn your certificate, otherwise not.’
‘Okay, that seems to be good.’
●
‘Where the hell were you?’ – Our radio’s marketing manager asked me when I reached my office after finishing the admission formalities at the business school.
‘Anything serious?’ – I asked.
‘Yes. We need to send some advertisements for a jewellery brand right now.’
‘I decided to join an MBA course. I was at their office, finishing the formalities.’ – I said, walking to the recording studio.
‘How long it’ll take for you to finish that course?’ – He asked.
‘Two years.’ – I answered, being saddened by the idea of studying hard again and submitting assignments.
‘Have you gone insane?’ – He asked, laughing.
‘Why?’ – I asked, wondering.
‘If you can pay some more money, you can get an MBA in some months.’ – He explained the education business that prevailed in our country.
‘That must be some fake certificates.’ – I said, getting into the recording studio.
‘Not rea
lly. If you want, I can arrange that. You just have to pay a little more money and your MBA will be finished in just six months. There are plenty of universities in India, which provide certificates like that. Pay money and they will do everything else. I got my MBA like that.’ – He said, making my leftover respect for him to end.
‘So you are a quick MBA holder.’ – I said, nodding.
‘Yes. So what?’
‘Nothing. I would like to learn something first. My graduation is in Physics and I have no basic knowledge of the management concepts. I need to study everything from the basics. That’s why I opted this.’
‘Arjun, understand one thing. India is a country where people are looking at your certificates to accept you, not your talent.’ – He said as one last advice.
‘Whatever. Do you have a brochure or promotional material of that jewellery brand?’ – I asked.
‘No. Can’t you make it yourself?’
‘I am not the one to decide what all products they sell and what offers they give. I can make only a creative advertisement. I need some raw data for that.’ – I said in a harsh voice.
‘Okay, I’ll ask them to e-mail it now.’ – He said, opening the door of our recording studio to leave to his cabin.
‘Sir.’ – I called and he turned around.
‘I have heard that there is a term in management called “planning”. Plan everything carefully before you execute.’ – I continued, smiling.
He gave me an angry face and left the recording studio immediately. But, some of his words made echoes in my brain, actually.
‘Do Namratha and her family just want to see an MBA certificate in my hand or do they really want me to learn something?’ – I asked myself and took my seat, waiting for the sound engineer to come.
●
OCTOBER 2012
‘Debit what comes in and Credit what goes out. You are familiar with this statement.’ – Said the finance management teacher.
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