The Proposal

The air was cool, moist and yet, serene.

Camels walked with grace. Horses flip flopped on sand as if they were on a ramp. A few kids played castles. A teenage girl who was supposed to be into college, sold sun shades, umbrellas and every other item possible to survive and sustain hunger. She looked tanned, hair unkempt and trying to fit into a dress which was not of her age-baggy and tattered at places. A few meters away, a vendor sold tea and yet another, shells and beads.

Waves crashed and rolled, danced and retreated to strike back with greater force. Ships in a distance looked like Origami prepared by a Kindergarten student. a group of youngsters dived into the waves and tried taking selfies while a newly married couple, posed for a few memories at the beach- perhaps their honeymoon destination.

There was something mystic in this air: something which glued my heart to the sands, to the humid conditions, to the chaotic beach and to the person sitting next to me- my bestie!

I looked at her for a second and then thought, “Was it because of her that everything around me looked so beautiful?” 

We have been friends since a decade. We flirt, we discuss, we share but there was never a feeling of love attached as a PDF to the file called heart.

This feeling of Love though beautiful, made me shudder. What if she refused? What if she stopped talking forever? What if… infinite assumptions!

A chai wala passed by.

“Ek lemon chai..Nae, do!”

I summoned her with a cup of lemon tea in my hand and she obliged.

“Sorry… client call yaar!” taking the cup from my hand, she smiled and resumed her talk while walking around.

I smiled back and then, staring into the currents, enjoyed my tea. The seismograph within my heart and mind which minted a thousand “What if’s…” showed stability and I mumbled to myself, “Nothing”

All in this quake zone of my own thoughts, I forgot to pay the chai wala who looked at me as if he were an Owl.

“Kitna?”

“Dus Saab!”

Taking the note, he still waited.

“Ab kya?” I asked amused.

“Cup …” he reminded, relatively frustrated with my pre occupied self.

 “Swati!” I called her out, aloud beckoning her to return the cup she absent mindedly fidgeted with while discussing something important and urgent with her client.

Suddenly, I felt a vibration as if a thousand bees were buzzing near my ear. Something shook me. The whole universe around me seemed to be convulsing. A Tsunami!!!

I heard sounds as if someone was trying to call me. Faint sounds but clear enough to bring a person back to his senses and then, I felt something stinging. A tight slap on my bum!

Clueless and completely blank, I sprang on to my feet as to what hit me with my eyes wide open and mouth open for a laddu to fit in perfectly.

I heard giggles first, laughter next and then saw a few ROFL figures in front of me and gasped, “What?”

“Did you see your boss in your dreams Papa?”

Now, I realized what was happening. Heaving a sigh of relief, I scratched my head and then joined my family as a ROFL figure.

“I forgot to record this Harsh. Can you please repeat it with the same expression so that I can send it to IGT for audition?”

That was my wife Preeti-laughing her heart out along with Parul my daughter.  I obliged to my audience.

I ruffled my hair, rubbed my eyes, sat as if a quake hit my bed and threw me down and posed for a shot with eyes and mouth wide open.

“Expression of the year Papa” Parul, my 12 years old daughter declared and joined me to give yet another crazier pose for yet another memorable click. Preeti joined in later setting the timer to complete a perfect crazy family picture and begin our weekend.

A few minutes later, as we were together sipping tea, we planned for the day. A movie, lunch at The Baker’s cave- Parul’s favorite destination and a visit to her friend’s house for weekend fun she planned. We decided to drop her at her friend’s place and drive around.

“Can you drop me at the parlor for a while darling?” Preeti requested.

“Of course babes, why not…In the mean time, I will visit Oxford’s books palace in the nearest mall. Ping me the moment you are ready, will return to pick you.” I responded with a smile.

Oxford’s was one place I found solace whenever I felt chaotic.

It was almost the replica of a library with books all around and silence. People visiting it were either readers or were there to walk around the exhibit of new books, old books, books they could not afford talking about but relish sitting in a silent corner before walking out either empty handed or with a token purchase of something impulsive. The tea corner served the best varieties to those who spent hours there and I loved sipping green tea or a café mocha while delving into a thriller or a Sci-Fi. Today however, I desired to read none. I just wanted to be with Swati and hence, positioned myself in front of the large glass frame overlooking a buzzing road, ordered a simple cup of tea and picked a book which was destined to lie unattended as long as I attended my dream.

My dream was my last meet with her at the beach.

We met but virtually. In those days, where social media was nonexistent, news paper, Television (DD) and Post Office were the only mediums available. Swati and I met when we started writing letters to each other as pen friends. Never did we meet. We decided not to exchange any photograph either. Time flew by. From being a student at school I grew up to be Commerce graduate and her, an Engineering graduate. Life changed the moment we completed our PG. Job life wasn’t easy. Even then, we were in contact via letters and phone. Life was a blessing for us till I met her for the first time. I planned a lot and one of those in the lot was a silly thought of proposing her for marriage- filmi soch!

So, the second time when I met her and when we met in the evening at the beach, over a cup of hot lemon tea and some sea dust to add, I decided to spice it up with a proposal.

Swati was engrossed over a call. The Chai wala was impatient by now. I was busy fidgeting with my idea of proposal and how I must position it when the Chai wala in a language unknown to me, slanged me. I wished Swati was there to decode this highly encrypted language the Chai wala used so that I could respond in my own language and decode it via the fire wall called Swati but then, she was busy with her client and it was then, that I decided to walk over to her and collect the glass.

Delivery completed.

“Now, po!” I commanded him. He must have sworn a thousand times in Tamil before he left the place.

“Swati… can the client drown in the sea for a while?” I asked her in a hush tone.

Distancing the phone safely, she said “Find a Genie who can do it for me!” and laughed. Call resumed.

 I sat back looking at the sun. It dipped itself into the sea. Neither Swati nor I were able to find a Genie who could drown this client.

“I could have asked the Sun to wait for a while to drown this silly fellow Swati!” This time, my voice was louder than the roar of the waves.

She gave an expression which made ROSL –roll on the sand laughing! A few minutes later, she was finally free.

“Harsh,marwaata yaar!”

“Genie ko bulata, if not, a crane to throw this fellow into Arabian Sea…He wasted my precious meeting hours malum… hain?” 

“This Big B imitation does not suit you Harsh, naah… try something like Sanju baba!” and she laughed at her own joke. I joined her.

“ Well…jokes apart, client bhi BF s kam nae hote yaar!”

“Exactly. Some of them are so tharki that they don’t mind crossing their professional LOC. Sweta, your voice- its mesmerizing, Swets, join me as a Zonal head…blah!blah!”

She continued speaking. I became an audience. The file started getting shared. Again!

Her curly hair, those sparkling eyes, child like jolly nature and my thoughts, they seemed to gel well but then, I felt a choke.

“Harsh!”

“Bol… yahi hu yaar.”

“You were lost somewhere. Genie dekhliya tha kya?”

“Hahaha… a genie is right in front of me. Doosre ki kya zaroorat?”

Sweta stood up and started checking her head. Then looked at her feet, then hands and at the end, searched for something, “Where is it?” she asked.

“Where…what? Kya khogaya?”

“My magic lamp re…Genie, if I am, then, there must be a lamp. Aladdin, where is it?” she held her hands in air and struck a pose looking into the darkening skies.

A few seconds later when she heard no answer, Sweta checked to see what happened. Harsh was on his knee and the other leg was 90 degrees to ground, one hand was on his hip and the other in a position of offering. With his head bowed as in respect, Harsh asked in a polite manner, “Lady, Aladdin asks for your hand. Do lend yours- forever!”

“…and where are the magic carpet Aladdin and your bird, your palace?”

Harsh looked up, stared at her for a second and rolled on sand laughing. She could not resist the temptation either and joined the laughter.

“Aladdin…Genie…carpet!”

“Sweta…” Harsh sat back, took a deep breath and looked towards sea.

“Has the carpet arrived Aladdin?” Sweta inquired and started laughing.

 Harsh however, was in no mood now. Serious and composed, he turned towards Sweta, held her hands and cleared his throat to say something when Sweta spoke, “ galey m khich khich? Kuch lete kyu nae?” and laughed again.

Harsh smiled and pulled her closer to him in an embrace. Sweta felt as if a tremor struck and she was pushed towards Harsh. Recollecting herself, she tried to release herself when Harsh told her something.

“Can you please free me from your embrace Harsh?”

“Sorry” Harsh felt guilty.

Sweta collected her bag and without even bidding bye, left the beach. Harsh sat there, trying to look into the darkness that enveloped him all of a sudden.

His phone rang and wiping a tear which showed up, Harsh took a deep breath, collected his keys and left the table. The sky was cloudy as was the night when Sweta left.

She never called. Her last communication was a message which haunted him forever.

“You were a special guy for me till this happened. Harsh… tears never were a part of my life kit. You gifted me tears. Can’t promise if I ever can forget this night but then, this was our last meet. Thank you for those wonderful moments. Genie is now history.”

He reached the parlor, picked his wife and smiling as usual, drove to pick Parul and return home for the day.  

Weekend, ended and so did the story of his love.

Let her!

Pinned and pressed unwilling to the ground

And with 5 cruel faces to surround,

She saw nothing but darkness around.

She cried aloud and shrieked but choked

As they came closer in lust and flocked;

They beaked her and stared beamingly

Ripping her modesty and her soul -filming

Her struggle so faint yet brave!

She fluttered and wriggled like a pinned fly

And Groaned and spat and in defense

Kicked them with her might but in vain!

Enraged and hurt, one slapped and slang’d

The other two kicked her torso and banged-

Gagged she was and raped in chain

Shuddering and shivering, she felt the pain.

Invaded and brutalized and bound

They dragged her far n hung her high

In jubilation they danced and none did sigh!

Stuffing and piercing they abused Her

They bruised and hurt her further.

Leaving her gagged and bleeding to grave

With eyes so swollen and body blue

She writhed in pain and cried in agony

Over the ordeal she went through.

Those were the men she barely knew

Who slay’d her life and simply threw

Her into the murkier waters and avenues

Where, resigned and fallen she laid her wreath

Questioning and cursing her creation.

With none to hark her call for help

She dragged her soul to world she knew

To be looked upon as defiled and sinned

Than be embraced and strengthened.

What and how the questions were asked

Why meant assassination of her in character

And a question which declared her last breath!

Man o’ man just stop if you can

The macho show of strength so uncanny

And let live the gender at par with you

In a world so safe and heavenly new

Let her smile with confidence

Let her meet you with trust

Let her join you for a company

And be feeling safe-

In the darkest hour or the hour of light

Let her feel your arms to be safe

Let her feel she is a being respectful.

The show must go on!

It was yet another winter morning. Pragati, who was the headmistress of the house, woke up and went about as usual with her daily chores. Her daughter, Samridhi, too woke up to the cukudukooo of her alarm she had set and was getting ready to leave for her duties when she observed something unusual.

It was 8:00 A.M. and her father was still asleep.

She turned around to see what day it was and then heaved, rolling her eyes and turning around on her toe towards her father’s room. Then tiptoeing into his room, she picked up an ear bud from the table nearby and murmured to herself,” It’s not Sunday Papa…wake up wake up wake upppppa!”

She tickled his ear with the bud and awaited a reaction from her Father.

“Not done. Now, strike two” Samridhi said and pounced upon her father to disturb his sleep.

With a thud, like a WWE fighter she flung herself upon him. No reaction.

She gathered herself and then, breathing heavy, looked at him closely.

No smile, no wink, no movement.

Closer she went to hear his heart. No beats.

Grabbing his wrist, she checked for the pulse. Still.

Samridhi fell on the floor as if something beneath her feet was pulled off with a sudden jerk and kept looking at her father who was sleeping peacefully to his left and smiling.

“Don’t play pranks Papa. Wake up!” screamed Samridhi.

Her mother who was in the kitchen by now, heard her scream and smiled as if she knew what her husband was doing and said, “Doctor Saab, try your tricks. He won’t wake up until you declare it.”

Samridhi, eyes wide open and in shock, choked and immobile by now, heard her mother but could not speak. She was not in a position to even recall what her mother was talking about.

With greater difficulty, Samridhi dragged herself to the bed where her father slept. Like a small kid trying to wake up a giant, she tried her level best to shake and wake up her sleeping Dad. With every jerk yielding the same result, tears started rolling down her cheeks in an inconsolable stream. Unable to shriek out loud, she banged onto her father’s chest and laid her head on his still heart with a hope that it would start beating again.

It did not.

The sobs grew louder. For a minute, Samridhi held her breath and releasing her embrace, she turned to the direction from where the sound of sobs came and realized that her mother had been witnessing the whole sequence since sometime.

Wiping off her tears and trying to put on a smile, she tried weaving a story.

“He…he won Mumma. Am trying to put up a fight with this strong man and win now. See, how I am doing it. See…Papa… Mummy…”and Samridhi fell as if she were a dilapidated wall collapsing upon slightest touch.

When Pragati noticed that her husband’s hand dropped as if it were a log of wood, she herself crumbled near the entrance as if she were but a sand castle.

For a few seconds, the walls of the house feared the silence before Samridhi recovered from her shock and cried aloud. Pragati, who looked so crumpled and trodden by this sudden shock, fainted.

Upon hearing the commotion, the chauffer who was cleaning the car, along with the neighbors rushed in to see the ladies of the house scattered and inconsolable around the lifeless giant who would have, by now, been ready for his duties.

Unable to figure out what happened and how, the neighbors called upon their ladies to take care of Pragati and Samridhi while they tried to help the lifeless man on the bed. One of them fished out his android and dialed a number. The other one tried to pump the heart while the third massaged the cold feet.

The news of Samar’s untimely demise spread like a wild fire and swept many off their feet.

With not so pleasant announcement of its arrival, the ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the house and Samar’s heavy but lifeless giant figure was hurriedly carried out on a stretcher. Samridhi rushed into the ambulance while, the elderly ladies from the neighbor stayed back with Pragati who by now, was a statue. She did not speak, did not sob, did not blink, and did not breathe. Alive but dead was her status. One lady grabbed her by her arms, shook her hard and shouted out her name. Pragati’s eye balls rolled towards her and then, she fainted again.

By the time Pragati came back to her senses, Samridhi was busy.

Samridhi started getting ready as if she was entrusted with a task to be executed on priority basis.

“Should I pack lunch?”

Even before Samridhi could answer, Pragati, who came slowly into Samridhi’s room, changed her gear and hurried to kitchen. The stove came back to life.

Samridhi walked into the kitchen to check what was happening and saw her mother cooking her father’s favorite food.

“Maa…”

“Bolo beta… waise ek kaam kar, tere Papa ko call karke pooch k kab tak aayenge. Flight se aayenge jab tak, he would be tired. Khaana tayyar kardeti hu, fir dono milke lunch karna… aur haan, aaj leave lelo, chalte hain kahin bahar… theek h na betaji?”

Samridhi hugged her mother from behind and cried inconsolably.

Pragati stopped cooking and taking her wailing daughter into her arms as if she needed attention, she asked, “What happened?” and while wiping off her daughters tears, she continued, “ I know you are missing your father but then his work is as such… too many trips abroad! Next time, I will ask him to take you along…”

Samridhi noticed that her mother paused and remained still as if she was asked to remain as a statue-expressionless and motionless! She immediately sprung to her feet and shook her mother. 

“Maa!”

A new beginning!

“…Am all fine. Your father left behind a legacy to be taken care. We can’t mourn for more than this.” Pragati wiped off her tears and regained her self, breathed deep and walked away from kitchen.

Samridhi understood what her mother wanted to convey and clearing her tears grabbed the car keys and started for office with her mother.

While on road, her mother started updating her daughter about the challenges their business faced and how her father handled them. Samridhi did not utter a word. She shifted gears, spun the wheel, blared horn to clear the path ahead and saw what the future held for her.

Upon reaching the office, she called for a meeting of all the staff members and apprised them of the situation and what her plans were. Pragati stood by her side and kept looking at her daughter with pride. A tear trickled down her cheek as she shifted her gaze from Samridhi to the vacant seat in her husband’s cabin.

Pragati on the other hand, did not give tears a chance to roll down. Her father wanted her to be strong and bold. She could not fail him- not at least now!

“You all have greatly contributed to the growth and development of this firm” said Pragati in a slow but emotional tone with folded hands to show her gratitude, “I request you all to be with us in this difficult time and help me and my daughter to let the firm operate smoothly.”

“My father was a great visionary and I have no doubt about it. I now understand why he used to ask me to accompany him on his business trips and meetings…” Samridhi paused to wipe a tear and then continued “from today onwards, I will manage his chair and the business. I expect total cooperation and work in the same order as it used to happen. Sharma ji, bring in the files and update what all appointments are fixed for the day. Rinki, please ensure that you focus on your front office operations with greater focus and minimize your talks and excuses… I hope am clear!”

“Yes Ma’am!” echoed the staff in unison as the ladies walked away into the chamber.

The first few days were tough for Samridhi and her mother. While for Samridhi, the work environment, the work and the staff management was a new task, for Pragati, watching her daughter toil hard at this tender age was a difficult sight.

Rumors started going thick and fast that this firm would now be sold. A few proposals came forth. A few resignations came too. A huge clientele base was eroded when the competitors cashed onto the situation. The stock prices got into the red zone as did the attempts of the ladies.  A few loyalists stood up and a few revolted against the female management. Meetings, discussions, arguments, agreements, summons from courts, notices from vendors, repairs and maintenance- these were the order of the day. The buzzer used to ring very often than not. The attendants’ staff was the busiest of the lot as were the Personal Assistant, the HR and the Accounts department.

Samridhi was transforming herself. From being a sweet daughter who adored people, she now was a manager with abilities to fire and hire without an emotion. All her meetings and communications were short and to the point. With patience she learnt how to deal with tough nuts in the industry. Pragati used to handle court summons and business beyond the firm’s boundaries while Samridhi managed the internal environment. Within 6 months, the firm changed its systems to a greater extent. A few new clients got added to the  list because of the consistent effort Samridhi made, the stock prices ticked northwards slowly and though the practices Samridhi asked the employees to adopt to were not typically corporate, there was a stability in the working system which brought back the confidence so lost after her father’s demise.  The external challenges however, were incredibly humongous!

“How was Dad able to manage all these with a smile Mumma?” Samridhi asked one fine evening when both the ladies sat in the office garden sipping coffee. “It’s beyond business. A thousand emotions, a million gazing and predatory eyes, corrupt officials, internal politics, external politics, and laws to abide by, bureaucracy, diplomacy and what not!” Samridhi gasped as she paused.

Pragati smiled at her daughter and said, “It’s never easy to lead, manage and let your dreams flourish Samridhi. It’s a messy sea which you will have to wade through every time you feel you have cleared the mess and start from the point zero at times! Your father was a man with a bag full of tricks. He was not gifted but he learnt how to pick them while working towards his goal. Being a part of the service industry is not an easy task. Customers, Clients, Vendors, Government employees, Judiciary and what not… all of them- all of them are important. If you know how to time your actions and words, you win. Am with you, keep going dear” Pragati placed her hand on her daughters hand and gave her an assuring squeeze.

The phone buzzed and the silence broke. Sipping her coffee, Samridhi answered the call and walked around in the garden. Pragati looked up into the skies and smiled.

“Mumma, I think we have to go to Noida tomorrow for a meeting with Mr. Patel…”

The ladies continued their talks while walking towards their SUV. The day ended. The shift buzzer hooted and in the darkest of the night, the Moon showed the way ahead.

Samridhi was now five years into the system. Her skills developed with every passing day and so did the business. Pulling it from the verge of extinction, Samridhi and Pragati ensured that they held their grip tight. Addressing the challenges which arose every now and then, they started pulling out rabbits from the magicians’ hat. 

Samridhi learnt how to identify potential business units and started to hunt for the smaller fishes. Acquisitions were her hobby now. Balance sheet analysis was much easier for her than a bye pass surgery in OT. Celebrations were now business oriented than emotion oriented. While a few meetings lasted for a minute or two, a few important ones lasted for hours. She understood how to bargain and how to get a deal finalized.

Samridhi was nominated as the youngest leader by the business experts and congratulated for the turnaround she and her mother initiated. 

"Remember one thing dear- the show must go on!" her father once said. 

Samridhi never forgot his words.