It was just after sunset and Kumar walked slowly, enjoying the cool breeze and the soft sound of the gurgling river stream. And from among the many groups of people sitting, strolling and playing along the sandy river banks, he noticed the girl. She stood out, clad in a dark green saree. She was playing with a small boy, presumably her younger brother. Kumar would often ogle the girls as he walked along the promenade, but this girl was different. He stopped for several moments, observing her from afar. She was almost a silhouette in the gathering dusk. He watched, fascinated by her every action. Her soft laughter. The way she ran after the boy. The way she tousled the boy’s hair. Kumar was mesmerised. "Who is she? Where does she live? Why had he never seen her before this?" His head throbbed. Why was he thinking of her so much? Was he staring? Would someone have noticed him watching her ? He moved on. But he could not help glancing back occasionally. Soon she had disappeared from sight.
The next few days Kumar made it a point to walk near the very spot where he had seen her. He would dress in clean pressed clothes, plaster his hair down neatly, put on extra cologne, and stand for an hour in front of the mirror, making sure he looked perfect. But to his despair, she was nowhere to be seen. Kumar was frantic. He searched for her all along the riverside. He stared keenly at every girl. But it was hopeless. She was not there.
And then, finally on Friday evening, she was there again. Her young brother was there with her too, and she was playing ball with him. Kumar passed by them a couple of times. But he dared not come too close. And whenever he was closest, he dared not look directly at her. Instead he walked past slowly, looking down at the sand. But he was sure she had seen him. Surely she would have noticed the smartly dressed dashing young man. Surely she would have caught a whiff of the cologne.
***
Kumar was on the promenade as usual. He scouted around for the girl, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he saw the boy. He was running towards him! Kumar stopped him.
“Thambi, thambi…. Stop.”
“Yes sir?” the boy was panting.
“What’s your elder sister’s name? Where do you live?” Kumar asked directly.
The boy paused for a moment, looking up at Kumar. Kumar realised he had been abrupt. Kumar was prepared to coax him and cajole him and even bribe him for the answers to these burning questions. But he didn’t have to.
“My sister’s name is Lakshmi. Do you know the blue house next to the Post office? That’s where I live.” And he dashed off.
***
Kumar’s thoughts were on Lakshmi every moment. He was infatuated. He imagined his first conversation with her. How she would smile. How she would laugh at his jokes. How sweet her voice would be. How they would talk for hours. But curiously her face never looked the same in these imagined scenes. Sometimes she would be round faced with dimples on her cheeks, a sharp upturned nose and thin eyebrows. At other times she would have an elongated face and a high brow, and wide mouth with even white teeth. But she was always hauntingly beautiful. Kumar realised that he had not seen her close enough, long enough to capture her facial features sufficiently in his mind’s eye. But Lakshmi, who lived in the blue house next to the post office was a permanent feature in Kumar’s dreams henceforth.
***
The next few weeks were spent in assorted espionage activities. Kumar walked along Brigade Road, in front of the blue house several times a day, hoping to get a glimpse of the girl. But the front door was always shut. He would visit the post office on some pretext or other. But all these efforts were utterly fruitless. Nevertheless, through his subtle enquiries, Kumar learnt that one Rama Iyengar lived in the blue house. And he had two children. Lakshmi and Krishnan.
***
Kumar had managed to broach the subject of his marriage to his pleasantly surprised mother. Things had moved at quick pace. His mother had made her own discreet enquiries. So had his father. Everything was fine. Gopala Sastrigal, the family astrologer was summoned to be the go between, and soon everything had been settled. A formal discussion was arranged for the two families to meet. Kumar had seen Lakshmi at close quarters for the first time. In her silk saree and heavy make-up and ornaments she looked very different. In fact she seemed a little shorter and of slightly darker complexion that he had imagined, but no matter. She was a beautiful girl. She had smiled at him shyly.
***
It was the wedding evening. The reception was over and the guests were leaving. Suddenly Kumar saw Krishnan walking with a girl. The girl looked vaguely familiar. The way she walked. The way she laughed. The way she ran alongside Krishnan. The way she tousled the boy’s hair. Kumar watched puzzled. Then he called out to Krishnan. “Boy, Krishnan, come here a moment.”
The next few days Kumar made it a point to walk near the very spot where he had seen her. He would dress in clean pressed clothes, plaster his hair down neatly, put on extra cologne, and stand for an hour in front of the mirror, making sure he looked perfect. But to his despair, she was nowhere to be seen. Kumar was frantic. He searched for her all along the riverside. He stared keenly at every girl. But it was hopeless. She was not there.
And then, finally on Friday evening, she was there again. Her young brother was there with her too, and she was playing ball with him. Kumar passed by them a couple of times. But he dared not come too close. And whenever he was closest, he dared not look directly at her. Instead he walked past slowly, looking down at the sand. But he was sure she had seen him. Surely she would have noticed the smartly dressed dashing young man. Surely she would have caught a whiff of the cologne.
***
Kumar was on the promenade as usual. He scouted around for the girl, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he saw the boy. He was running towards him! Kumar stopped him.
“Thambi, thambi…. Stop.”
“Yes sir?” the boy was panting.
“What’s your elder sister’s name? Where do you live?” Kumar asked directly.
The boy paused for a moment, looking up at Kumar. Kumar realised he had been abrupt. Kumar was prepared to coax him and cajole him and even bribe him for the answers to these burning questions. But he didn’t have to.
“My sister’s name is Lakshmi. Do you know the blue house next to the Post office? That’s where I live.” And he dashed off.
***
Kumar’s thoughts were on Lakshmi every moment. He was infatuated. He imagined his first conversation with her. How she would smile. How she would laugh at his jokes. How sweet her voice would be. How they would talk for hours. But curiously her face never looked the same in these imagined scenes. Sometimes she would be round faced with dimples on her cheeks, a sharp upturned nose and thin eyebrows. At other times she would have an elongated face and a high brow, and wide mouth with even white teeth. But she was always hauntingly beautiful. Kumar realised that he had not seen her close enough, long enough to capture her facial features sufficiently in his mind’s eye. But Lakshmi, who lived in the blue house next to the post office was a permanent feature in Kumar’s dreams henceforth.
***
The next few weeks were spent in assorted espionage activities. Kumar walked along Brigade Road, in front of the blue house several times a day, hoping to get a glimpse of the girl. But the front door was always shut. He would visit the post office on some pretext or other. But all these efforts were utterly fruitless. Nevertheless, through his subtle enquiries, Kumar learnt that one Rama Iyengar lived in the blue house. And he had two children. Lakshmi and Krishnan.
***
Kumar had managed to broach the subject of his marriage to his pleasantly surprised mother. Things had moved at quick pace. His mother had made her own discreet enquiries. So had his father. Everything was fine. Gopala Sastrigal, the family astrologer was summoned to be the go between, and soon everything had been settled. A formal discussion was arranged for the two families to meet. Kumar had seen Lakshmi at close quarters for the first time. In her silk saree and heavy make-up and ornaments she looked very different. In fact she seemed a little shorter and of slightly darker complexion that he had imagined, but no matter. She was a beautiful girl. She had smiled at him shyly.
***
It was the wedding evening. The reception was over and the guests were leaving. Suddenly Kumar saw Krishnan walking with a girl. The girl looked vaguely familiar. The way she walked. The way she laughed. The way she ran alongside Krishnan. The way she tousled the boy’s hair. Kumar watched puzzled. Then he called out to Krishnan. “Boy, Krishnan, come here a moment.”
“Yes அத்திம்பேர் (brother-in-law)?” Krishnan ran up.
“Who is the girl I saw you with just now? She looks familiar?”
“Oh, that! She is Malathi. She is my cousin. You may have seen her at the river side with me. We always go there together , every Monday and Friday. She lives with us.”
“But was it not Lakshmi who used to come to the river side with you? I think I have seen Lakshmi there?”
“Oh, no அத்திம்பேர் (brother-in-law). Lakshmi has all the while lived with my Grandmother in Trichy. She seldom comes here. And even if she does, she hates the river side, and never comes there."
Kumar watched as Malathi walked away in the distance. Soon she disappeared into the crowds. And out of nowhere, Lakshmi appeared.
Hahaha oh my God! Nice one Saar!
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