Pass & Aggregate Chapter 15 New Begnnings

Chapter 15: New Beginnings

Future was a matter of huge concern when I was posted to Ahmedabad for Audit purpose. All my friends in Mumbai were going to start with the coaching class as CA Final exams were just 6 months away, but I had no strategy to approach my studies and on top of it I was being posted to an alien city for 3 months at a stretch. I was sure that I will miss out on my studies. My parents once again tried to convince me to come back to Delhi, where I could have continued my articleship and attended coaching even while living in the luxury of my home. After giving a exhaustive thought I declined the suggestion, which later I thought was one of the biggest mistake of my life but I still continued with my plan of suicide.

“Ahmedabad is not that alien place, after all Akshyaa is staying in that city for a year.” I said consoling myself while I was collecting audit related documents from the office before finally leaving for the destination of my punishment.

“Have you taken all the necessary documents?” asked Nagendra Rao.

I just shook my head.

“And you are staying there at the guest house of the client, so it would be better if you could behave yourself in an appropriate manner” Nagendra retorted.

“Appropriate manner?” I asked, wondering when my behavior was inappropriate.

“You are not arguing with me, should I talk to Mr. Gupta about it” he said in his usual dominating tone.

I was in no mood to fight with the sly snake; I just wanted to leave the place to have some breathing space far from the cubicles and the piles of office files, far from the villains and vamps of our office.

I said “ I have taken all that is needed and yes I will behave in an APPROPRIATE (stressing on the word) way during my stay at Ahmedabad.”

While I was coming out of the office, each and everyone was looking at me with sympathy, I knew the audit at Ahmedabad was considered as somewhat like the ‘Saaza- E – Kaalapani’, no I am not hyping or overstating but this was a general perception in the office, the most notorious article was given the audit. Even Pinkesh Patel came and patted on my shoulder and gave a glance that is seldom given in the moments of happiness. The immense burden of work, no social contacts and extreme weather made this audit the harshest amongst all. Either in those three months the person would improve in levels of sycophancy or would leave the office permanently, in either case it was a win-win situation for the management. In military terms I was being given ‘Code Red’ as given in US Army to discipline the soldiers.

Kripal came to see me off at the Bus Stop, he sympathized with me, he also suggested me to leave the office and return to Delhi but I do not know what made me stick to the ground. May be deep in my heart I was expecting a new beginning away from my office.

It was late at night when the Non AC Coach started towards Ahmedabad. I was lost in my thoughts till my co passenger requested me for a seat change.

“Can I sit on the window seat” she asked.

My deep thought process came to a arrest; I could not have said no that would not have been chivalrous and civilized. Although I hate sitting on aisle (especially when travelling without an AC) seat still I exchanged the seat with her.

“Where are you going”? she asked.

“Ahmedabad” I replied.

“Oh! Where in Am-daa-baad”? She stressed on each and every syllable trying to correct my pronunciation of her beloved city.

“I have no idea, but some place called Navrangpura, you see I am new to the place someone will come to receive me.” I blurted.

“You are going for the first time to Amdabad, I am sure you will love it, by the way are you on personal or professional trip”? She continued interrogating me.

“Professional” I replied.

“So what is your name?”She asked again.

“Adithya Iyer”.

“Oh Tamilian” she said in a guessing tone.

“Yes”. I said. She was from the rare species who said Tamilian and not the usual Madrasi and I give her full points for that.

I am Anushka Patel and I am doing Masters in Mass Communication from……………….., ” she kept on talking endlessly.

I was replying her in monosyllables trying to put across my point that I was getting bored by her volley of questions but people rarely try and understand this point. She kept on asking me questions and by the time we left Thane I guess she inquired a lot about me.

She was a restless and talkative too, overtly friendly, prying and intrusive creature. When my signs of discomfort and anxiety were not conveyed to her I thought maybe I have to follow a new tactic to keep her mouth shut. I adopted her method of communication; I kept on posing questions to her, I thought maybe she will get exhausted and would sleep but on the contrary she was energized. During this conversation I realized that even I started enjoying the talk game with.

For the first time in my life I was talking to a stranger with complete ease and without any pretensions. I do not remember when for the last time I spoke to someone at such a length. We kept on talking like long lost friends; obviously my sense of irritation and prejudice vanished soon. It was never my cup of tea to approach some complete stranger and begin a talk like that, but she had some magic, a certain aura which was very friendly and encompassing. She was like a live cracker yet she had certain depth about her persona which was attractive.

I don’t know when both of us slept while talking to each other but my sleep abruptly ended when the Bus made a halt somewhere. It appeared that there was some technical glitch; I got down from the bus to inquire about the break down.

“How long will it take?” I asked.

“May be an hour or so” the driver replied.

I stretched my arms and took a deep breath while looking at the road. It was around 3 a.m and it was a full moon night, it was lonely out there with few exceptions of other vehicles passing by. I got inside the bus after I was satisfied that I could do nothing to make the bus start. I came back to my seat, my co passenger was sleeping; this was the first time when she was quiet since we first began the journey.

She had wrapped herself in the shawl which she was carrying; while her head was tilted a lock of her hair touched her lips and moon shone brightly on her face which had a beam, she was looking beautiful and poetic. Her breathing had a perfect rhythm in it, she appeared at peace with herself, personification of beauty she appeared to me and I could not take my eyes off her. For few seconds I drifted away in another world but the waft was temporary as she woke up breaking the spell, and there she was effervescent and vivacious.

“Why have we stopped?” she asked getting up from her carefree slumber.

I still regaining from my reflections and looking at her dimples while she spoke could just murmur “some technical glitch”.

“So what are you doing, watching me, while I sleep” she questioned me in a tone of jest.

“No, I have better work: I retorted, but deep in my heart I knew I was looking at her and I was not ashamed of it.

“I am joking Aditya, do not take it seriously and now please go to sleep so that when you wake up you have reached Ahemadabad” she said.

“Yes Goodnight, Anushka”.

It was 8 in the morning when we reached Ahmedabad, the sun shone at its brightest. It was hot early in the morning.

As soon as the bus reached the stop and everyone started getting down to collect the luggage, even we got down and collected ours. I was dumbstruck, I had no idea how do I take her contact number and while I was wondering how to approach her with my request, she quickly gave me a chit and said “I know you have too big an ego to ask me my number so please take my number and give me a call whenever you feel or if you have any problem in Ahmedabad”.

Before I could say anything to her she was gone. Please do not take this as end it was a new beginning.