It was a really hectic week. Last week at work (at CSC) and I had just returned to Noida after a Holi break at home in Doon. We had planned to meet on the 3rd of March as she had to leave for Jodhpur on the 7th and I had a planned rafting trip over 6th and 7th(which didn’t materialize). She told me on the 2nd eve that she would be visiting an uncle of her’s and would see me immediately after.
So on the 3rd I was ready and waiting to see her when she called and gave the the venue where I should wait for her. I reached the mutually agreed rendevouz point on time and ma’am also arrived soon after. We decided to head for the sector 18 metro station after that from where we took the metro to Connaught Place. The ride to CP was smooth and mostly uneventful except for the fact that she was having this constant urge to look at the card I had made for her. Those of you know me well enough would know that my drawing skills leave a lot to be desired. She was deriving a lot of pleasure by peeking at the card and smiling at me mysteriously soon after. I became really conscious of my poor drawing ability (or is it artistic disability). After we alighted from the metro and came out in the open sun , ma’am expressed the concern that she might get tanned. Keeping her sentiments in mind, we decided to loiter around in the corridor’s of CP. She didn’t waste much time and pulled my card out of the bag and then smiled….she was concealing her laughter…just trying to be nice to me. But I know her well enough to know what’s going on in her mind.
CP didn’t seem much to offer but the shops always draw her attention, especially the street side ones. Bags adorned by traditional artwork and nib paintings(she told me that they were nib paintings) really excite her. We then decided to head for India Gate. I was really looking forward to seeing India Gate. I had only been there once before and that too long time back. She had also once expressed her desire to visit the monument. I suggested that we take an auto to India Gate but she insisted that we walk. Only after did she realize that she had forgotten to apply sunscreen and that she really risked getting tanned, did she agree to give up the walk-to-india gate- idea. But she had another trick up her sleeve. She insisted that we go by bus instead. In fact she absolutely refused to get inside an auto. Her reason was that she had been missing her “Delhi life” for a while and wanted to experience it again. After some roadside enquiry we found out that bus number M-13 would take us there and in a few minutes we were onboard. The bus was crowded and it was quite warm inside. She was perspiring but putting on a brave expression. Don’t know what makes girls behave thus?
After a 20 minute ride (that felt like much longer) we were at India Gate. We headed to one of the many parks around the monument and sad down on the green grass. Then she fished out a red envelope from her laptop bag and then pulled out the best card that has ever been made for me. But before giving it to me she set her mind to making the one I had made more presentable(or should it just be presentable). Using her laptop as rest and her Kajal as colour she managed to make my apology of a card look beautiful. She is a wonderfully creative and talented artist. I really felt so inadequately gifted in front of her. The best part was when she had finished making my card look like a card , she thanked me for it and said it was awesome!. She is just too nice I guess or maybe she just can’t stand poor art.
We then decided to have a closer look at the India Gate but the policemen stopped us. It turned out that the Hockey World Cup teams were visiting at the same time and a security cordon had been thrown around the India Gate. Disappointed we decided to have some ice cream. There were quite a few ice cream carts around and many brands, big and small, were represented. We decided to head for the Kwality Walls cart and buy our ice creams. As we were moving away from the cart, she asked me if I had ever had “Veenus” ice cream. I replied in the negative. I had never heard of the brand. I asked her where had she go the name. She pointed at a card some distance away. A closer examination revealed that she had read “Venus” as “Venu’s”. Apparently ma’am had a problem picking up the font!
We then settled down under the shade of a tree and finished our respective ice creams. She licked all the chocolate and threw the hard kernel inside away! Then she fished out the card again from her bag again and tried to write something in it for me. It turns out writing good things about me doesn’t come naturally to her. After labouring over it for about 30 mins she finally managed to put together some very kind lines for me. A rag picker kid materialized from nowhere and started requesting her to make a portrait of him.Fame travels really fast. I had just been floored by her artistic ability and the kid was aware of it so soon. The kid seemed high on drugs and wandered away after sometime. We then saw a lot of pictures of her on her laptop (some really wild expressions! :P) and it was 6 o’clock before we knew it.
She suggested that we make a move for Noida and after some struggle we managed to find an auto for CP. She was again insisting to go by bus but fortunately we were getting late. The metro took us back to Noida City Centre and we took an auto to my place via her’s. Meeting her is always a pleasure and I really look forward to it. But this time was really special The card will be with me forever. Many thanks to her for gifting a part of her creativity to me. I shall cherish it forever.
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