"Hello all, Good Morning!" – Titlie’s voice seems to be a little dull but crisp and clear. Everyday there is a status call at 10 am and Titlie somehow manages logging in within first 2/3 minutes. For a newcomer every little thing gets counted. Punctuality does not have any alternative, a principle Titlie follows religiously.
This is the sixth month since Titlie has
joined this merchandising firm. Titlie is offshore coordinator managing retail
stores in eastern region, supervising their weekly production, store layout
plan and budgeting. Titlie’s reporting manager Rishi is based out of Singapore.
Sometimes, Titlie needs to login a little early as Singapore is 2.5 hrs. ahead
of IST, but that is not a big deterrent for her as she has been early riser
from childhood.
It is a gloomy day with an overcast sky. Met department has already forecasted heavy shower across the city for next few days. Titlie enjoys rains a lot. A cup of steamy, hot coffee after a plunge in the rain is a bliss. Today she is working remotely so that possibility is beyond her radar. Rishi already has sent her product stock plan to review. Not sure how all could be covered in such a short call.
At times, Rishi’s expectation is way beyond
Titlie’s caliber and this is quite worrisome for her. Afterall, she is new to
this team and if the impression is not up to the mark from the beginning, God
knows what is in store for Titlie.
The meeting just ended inconclusively.
Rishi was expecting something from the team and it did not match up to his
requirement. In fact, he was reasonably harsh on Titlie when last week’s sales
number did not tally as expected. All her hard work might have gone for a toss!
Unacceptable for Titlie! Dark, dense cloud has covered the sky all around. 12
noon seems to be 12 midnight?! A minute later, heavy shower with gutsy wind
starts lashing down blurring the vision outside. One branch of the eucalyptus
tree is crushing against the balcony Titlie is leaning on. Roaring rush of rain
continues. The mild earthy smell fills in every corner, the first rain of the
monsoon. Titlie slowly takes off her glasses, a long-cherished moment to let
her hair down. But the sky opens up with all anguish and grief running through
the rain. A part of it owned by Titlie, she quickly wipes out tears rolling
down her cheeks.
"It’s ok, take it easy. Same thing happened to me last month or so – he just cannot expect everything to be alright within such a short notice. Also, some information he shared earlier for data analysis was not correct" – Swati paused to have a deep-sip of hot chocolate coffee. Office canteen at 6 pm today is not so crowded as compared to other Tuesdays. Titlie has already sent the work plan to the store managers and ready for a quick wrap up. She is planning to meet Manish in the evening. A childhood friend in her small circle, Manish is in the town just for a week. “You’re looking damn pretty today – just steal the show” – Swati pushes off quickly with a chirpy winkling.
*********************
Titlie makes her point very clear, a close association with someone, not necessarily, needs to nestle romantic sparks to be for each other. Titlie, shy by nature, hardly extends her boundary beyond her known circle. Albeit, she has never felt that inner resistance or the uncertainty while interacting with Manish. Maybe he was never an absolute stranger, be it tuition classes or Prachi. The binding factor has always prevailed. More significantly, it is the resonance in any relationship, which makes the bond grow stronger – Titlie has watched ‘Anuranon’, a famous Bengali movie, at least 5 times!
National conference is scheduled tomorrow
in Delhi. Titlie has a presentation. Group Manager Rishi is flying down. Hence
everything needs to be as perfect as possible, " which is next to
impossible" – Titlie whispers. The conference is on Friday. Titlie’s
colleagues are making a plan for a one-day trip to Agra. If possible, Titlie
would have taken return flight on the same day itself. With Rishi around, she
is least interested to spend a single hour more than what is required.
'Managers are managers! they can never be friends' – Titlie convinces herself
while pulling the zipper of her trolley-bag. Early morning flight, only a few
hours is left to set off.
****************
The airport is abuzz with the morning crowd. Titlie is hooked to Oxford outlet on the right corner immediately after security check-in. Every time she is around, this is the first place she visits. Mom was insisting on having breakfast at home but Titlie just cannot have it so early. With a cuppa Irish coffee ,Titlie eagerly flips through ‘The Daughter from a Wishing Tree’. Boarding is a little delayed. Titlie’s phone starts ringing.
“Good morning, Titlie – How are you doing?
“ - Titlie takes less than a second to recognize the voice on the other side.
Rishi is rushing to catch the same flight to Delhi. Titlie’s sixth sense
already forecasted Delhi trip would not be a memorable one but she could not
apprehend bad time would be kicked in before the take-off itself. What a
strange coincidence! Titlie gulps down the fear quickly.
“Is this your first time in Delhi ?” - Titlie plays a straight bat, nodding her head. She is fascinated by Mughal history right from her childhood but never got a chance to visit the places around. In fact, she was planning a week-long North India trip with her parents last winter, but it did not materialize because of mom’s sudden operation. It is better late than never, Titlie resolves firmly.
“I did my schooling from Delhi, but later
my family relocated to Hyderabad because of dad’s transfer; He was with Indian
Railways, now retired” – Rishi pauses for a while to attend to an incoming
call. “Local administration has really done a great job in making the city
greener, Cool! I do not recall so much of green touch at least this part of the
city” – Rishi continues. Titlie can see the resolve in the tired eyes beneath
his dark framed glasses. “Still the flip-side is the summer here and now famous
traffic – just unbearable”. Rishi is a little excited to talk about his younger
sister who is a budding chess player. Title is a single child but very close to
her cousins, again a close group and nothing new for her. Childhood, college
life, family, hobbies and finally movies .. everything came in line,
spontaneously, one after another. A lot can happen over a cup of coffee! Titlie
chuckles.
“All the best Titlie, for your
presentation” – Swati was trying to reach Titlie but the call went unanswered.
Mobile phone was in vibration mode. Titlie just noticed it and found her
message now in the voice mail. ‘OMG, it is already 10 am. I need to hurry up,
Rishi, would catch up again”, Titlie rushes out but her mind is racing!
Not a single word has been spoken on
Titlie’s presentation, papers or anything in the whole discussion! Is it the
same Rishi whom Titlie has perceived to be arrogant, rude and at times so
pressing?!
Surprisingly, Rishi has already watched
‘Angrezi Medium’ online.. Need to share this with Swati asap, infact, Rishi was
looking damn smart in the airport with his Blue striped business casual, he
would definitely be in his thirties, 34/35 at the max. Titlie can calculate his
age with such a precision and out of nothing!
'There is a bit of resonance,' - Titlie can
feel it impulsively. But why he mentioned he would stay back in Delhi for two
more days? neither his family stays here nor is he joining office trip to Agra.
Does Rishi have someone special to meet? Even that be the case, how does it
matter to Titlie? Huh! Managers are not that bad over face-to-face connect,
really! Titlie laughs to herself, as she plunges into a refreshing shower.
**************
Such a hectic day it has been. Second part of the session could have been made cut-short but anyways! Titlie just wants to unwind. Sipping her favorite coffee, she realized Rishi was not around during her presentation. Did he give it a miss? God knows! Titlie heard annual business meeting has also been tied up with this conference. A sharp feeling of disappointment binds her within. Titlie just would go back to hotel for night stay and catch morning flight tomorrow. There might be absolutely no chance at all to meet Rishi again. If she tells this to Swati, she would thrash it off straightaway, “Titlie – are you day-dreaming? “
Delhi traffic in this heavy rain is pathetic! Monsoon moments, somehow Titlie managed to return to her hotel. she is half-drenched. A hot shower followed by a cup of soothing cappuccino with ‘Crazy, Stupid Love’ on Netflix would be the order of the day, oops for the remaining hours in Delhi, she decides in a moment. It was quite heavy lunch, so Titlie can skip the dinner happily. Prachi insisted on shopping from Sarojini Market, but that was ruled out because of the downpour. Rishi even did not ask anything about her presentation, good, bad or what-so-ever. What if , Titlie would have had made the plan for Agra trip and Rishi would have joined there too? A few more days over a cup of coffee with Taj at the backdrop! What a miss, Titlie just cannot imagine. Life is crazy! In the morning itself, Titlie was scared to meet him face to face and now she is missing his face in the crowd!
Unbelievable!, Titlie’s interaction with
Rishi, so far, is only confined to run-of-the-mill, formal office work with no
strings attached. Such a drastic change in her thoughts in less than 24 hours?
Poignant and paused, Titlie opens the glass window near the bed, tar-dark all
around, sudden gust of cool wind tousling her hair with a feeling of ‘unknown’
void embracing her slowly. All just stupidity and crazy and of course not
Love!! Titlie reconciles shakily.
**************
The office cab for airport drop has arrived on time. Titlie is at the hotel reception-counter for completing check-out formalities. “Good morning, Titlie, when is your flight?” Titlie turns back, it is Rishi, clad in White T-shirt perfectly complimenting his denim jeans. “You are staying back, right?” Titlie asks blindly. “Yes- I am. I thought of connecting with you yesterday but caught up in some other meetings. By the way, it’s very nice meeting you. Would you mind joining me for a cup of coffee? “ .
Titlie is head over heels. It is neither
crazy nor stupidity but clear indication of love in the air, she is beyond
herself. Titlie does not care even if she is a little late to reach airport. as
‘Coffee with Rishi’ soaking in mild fragrance of his after-shave is all the way
more exciting and fulfilling than ‘Coffee with Karan’, that too at the last leg
of the journey. God is great! Titlie silently occupies the opposite chair in a
two-seater coffee-table. A bright sunny morning, not so hot though after last
night’s splash, a perfect day, indeed, for a 'Probable' coffee-date!
Huh! Rishi recalls some strategic
discussions happened yesterday and quickly hands over some documents to Titlie.
He is a little excited over his upcoming APAC summit, but did not forget to
show her some of his brilliant clicks of deep blue Pacific from his recent trip beyond the border. Rishi speaks his mind, he opens up so seamlessly, may not be over the
phone always, but where is the resonance? – Gone with the wind ?! , Titlie
breaks down inside..
“Happy journey, would catch up with you again, pls. send me the reports by early next week “, Rishi smiles, waving his hands towards her. The cab starts moving slowly, the big lawn in the hotel premises left behind. Strong emotion wells up her eyes, no rose, no proposal, no banquet, but a bouquet of relaxed , innocent , informal conversations between the two , touching down different phases of life. A lot can happen over a coffee - isn’t it ? 😊😊
---- The End -----
Photo Courtesy : Pixabay
