Thursday, March 5, 2009

Sample chapters from novel that I stopped writing

I
Deepi

Hey Deepi, Hi Bhavan. Sorry, I had locked the door from inside.

You had scared me to death. What are you doing here?

Well, I didn’t have the key to my flat, so came over here.

Why? What happened to your key?

It’s a long story. Now, I couldn’t go to my flat, and didn’t know where else to go to. So came over here.

Ok, now could you please leave the room for a minute? I’ve to change.

Why only me? Even Bhavan… oh… ok. Anyways, I was watering your terrace garden, so I shall continue that then. BTW, I was kind of hungry, so had something from your refrigerator. I hope that’s ok.

Yeah, that’s all right!



II
Sandhya

Why are you watering my plants?

Oh, hey Sandhya. I was watering Deepi’s terrace garden, didn’t know you are also interested in gardening. Anyways, I do not discriminate among plants.

That’s good. At least that made you come to the terrace. You should come here more often; it’s a nice view from here.

Had I knew from here one has a direct view of the balcony of that cute girl across the street; I’d have spent my entire life over here.

Oh, so you still think that girl is cute. I find her kind of weird.

She is no weirdo, but just a bit shy.

Oh, really? You mean shy like you?

Me? What makes you think I’m shy?

Ok, so explain this: Why should you get a call from your mother whenever I ask you out for coffee?

It’s not that Sandhya. Just that you had always been a good friend of mine.

I HAD?

Sorry, I mean you ARE… you are a really really good friend of mine.

Hmmm. That’s better, dumbo. BTW, where are your parents?

Yaar, don’t ask. I had gotten into a great trouble today.

Why? What happened?

I used to have a bully kind of a guy in my class during schools. He would torture me and my friends a lot. One day I got really pissed off and threw a ketchup bottle on him. Just a minor thing if you look at it now. And then after we left the city, I forgot all about him.

So, why are you remembering it now?

That’s because, today I met the same guy again in the local train. My parents were with me. Now, this guy has become some kind of a local don or something. I used to think even goons have a certain level of professionalism, but this one doesn’t have any. He recognized me even after so many years, and started thrashing me right in front of my parents. Then he snatched my wallet, and threw us all out at the next station.

That’s bad.

Yeah, but that’s only half of it. Some sensible passenger made a complaint to police. Now, he had gone away by the time police arrived on the scene. So, police started questioning me, as if I’m some goon myself. Though, I had a bit of luck too. They found the letter about Youth Ambassador in my pocket. I don’t know what they made of it, but all of a sudden they started showing some respect, and dropped us back to home in their station wagon.

What was that letter about?

Oh, it’s nothing. I’ve to represent India in New Zealand after four weeks. They have some kind of Young Entrepreneur Summit over there.

Well, that’s good. So, what are you doing over here then?

Well, the whole incidence made my parents totally worried. So, I rushed them back home. However, in all the hurry, the key to my flat was left with my mom. Now, I had the key to Deepi’s flat, so I came over.

Is that all, or there’s more to it?

What do you mean?

I guess you knew Deepi since earlier. In fact, you helped her get this flat.

Yeah, she is an old friend. We were colleagues in Delhi.

Just friends and colleagues… nothing more?

Don’t know yaar. I had some special feeling for her, and I guess she had too. But, neither had I told her nor had she told me. Then she had got married, and I came to Mumbai. We didn’t talk often thereafter, that is until Bhavan got transferred to Mumbai. Deepi called me up for helping her in arranging an accommodation. I knew about this flat, so got her put up over here. You know how difficult it is to find a flat in Mumbai, and she is an old friend after all.

But I have never seen them doing as much as even saying thanks to you for this favour.

That’s ok yaar. Actually, Bhavan is a bit conscious about me. I tend to forget that he is Deepi’s husband. I often indulge in talks with Deepi, unconsciously ignoring Bhavan’s presence altogether.

That means you still have feelings for her?

I’m not sure. But she is the first girl that I had been so close to.

First, that means there are more. Eh?

Righto. I don’t believe in ideologies like, you love only once. I have loved many girls, many a times. But yeah, Deepi was my first love.

Ok, Mr. Romeo. Now, how about coffee?

Good idea. Why don’t you being three mugs to Deepi’s flat? Oh sorry, make it four. I had again forgotten about Bhavan.

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