I called Shraddha at nine in the night, as directed by Shreya, and prayed that she would help.
“Hi Shraddha!” I greeted her.
“Hi Tejas! So finally I get to speak to Miss Shreya’s boyfriend.” Boyfriend, did I hear? Works me up, this word; better call me a cockroach, but boyfriend? One loves with all his heart to be called that! no true lover would take that. I would have loved to correct Shraddha that Shreya was not my girlfriend, but my love, my life, but I merely said:
“Well yes, you finally have the honour!”
“Hmm, I can’t believe how secretive she is! Chuppe Rustam you both are! When she needs me, she calls me, and tells all about your fascinating tale. But she didn’t have the courtesy to tell her friend before.”
“Oh, I am extremely sorry on her behalf, ma’am!”
“Oh, by the way, how is Palak? I never knew she had a brother.” “She is fine…Actually not…She is kind of afraid about my safety. She prays day and night that her brother reaches the shores of Chennai safely, and, for that, we all need your help, Shraddha!” “Great! Both of them hide such an interesting love story from me all this while, and now they want my help! What has this world come to?”
“ I know, extremely materialistic, but I assure you, I have a heart of gold. Had I known that your friends haven’t told you about my most fascinating story, I would have phoned you personally. But those two hid from me too, the fact that they hid my story from you! So we both are on the same ship, dear! I was livid, of course, when I came to know that you do not know, but now one can’t help it…”
“Oh stop it, Tejas!”
“Yes, of course! I have this habit of speaking a tad too much and especially with girls! Forgive me!”
“Man! You seriously go on and on; how does Shreya bear your incessant nonsense?”
“That question can be better answered by the victim herself. I think, however…I have a theory that…”
“Shut up!”
“Oh yes, of course!”
“Listen, I am in no way pleased by the way I have been neglected! I mean… we were a trio in school…me, Palak and Shreya, and they desert me like this…”
“I strongly agree; my heart goes out for you!”
“So I think, if they don’t bother to tell me, why should I bother to help them?”
“Oh, don’t say that! there is an innocent life at stake too, Shraddha. What about me?”
“I am talking to you for the first time, mister, why should I help you?”
“Oh, for humanity, Shraddha, for restoring our faith in those virtues of benevolence, philanthropy and altruism that this world seems to have forgotten. Your act, Shraddha, will make this world stand and introspect, and shudder in shame. They will say to themselves, ‘Where was my conscience all this while?’ The world will see you as a beacon of…”
“Oh God! Where do you get all that crap from? Got a dictionary or something in your hand?”
“Oh no! Even if I had, I have not the adroitness of flipping the pages so quickly and find words that fit!” ”Hmm, you impress me, mister. I see, poor Shreya cannot be blamed for falling for a fool like you. I always thought her to be a little crack, but now it is confirmed; so many handsome guys proposed to her in school, but she wouldn’t even look at them. And now, she is in love with you…”
“Life is full of anomalies, ma’am!”
“Okay listen, let’s get the point and you stop speaking so much. I’ll help you.”
I uttered a cry of joy, at which she shouted back, and told me to be softer.
“Can you?” I asked timidly.
“Of course, I can, Shreya told me all. You need a doctor, right? Who’ll plaster your leg and make certificates?”
“The very man!” I exclaimed.
“It’ll be done!”
“Are you sure?” I asked, stumped by her confidence.
“Yes mister! It is a common thing!”
“You mean this breaking of feet? Is it so common in Pune? Slippery roads, I guess!”
“I mean false certificates, you fool. Students need them often for various reasons. I know a couple of doctors who do such stuff!” “Wow! You, sure, are an angel! But at least talk to the doctor, first, and confirm it.”
“Don’t bother about all that. The moment Shreya told me. I talked to this friend of mine; he is a real resourceful guy, pakka juggaadoo; gets all kinds of things done,” I conjured an image of Tanker in my mind, “He said there was nothing to worry about, and it’ll be done,. And when he says don’t worry…”
“One should not worry!” I emphatically completed the sentence, “You see, I am much the same type of guy, but my network ends in Delhi, I have been thinking of expanding my operations for long. I think your friend can be aide-de-camp in Pune, what say?” “I say, shut up, and I have to go now. And, yes, an important thing, I am busy on 11th, when you come, so call me when you reach, I’ll give you this friend’s number and he’ll help you. But I should get a grand on 12th. Let me also meet my friend’s love. Is it fine?”
“Absolutely fine, miss! I’ll have cakes and chocolates lined for you. I cannot express in words the gratitude I fell towards your esteemed…”
“Cut the crap!”
“Thank you!”
“That will be enough, bye!”
“Bye, see you soon!”