How things …

(Just some practice.)

My day used to start with that little green dot. It used to be red. Now it is green, for online. “Are you there?” It’s a new morning. I sipped my Nilgiris tea and thought to myself, what can we make of today? “Yes. Hi.” “… Coffee?” I normally don’t drink coffee. But then, in these days and times, ‘coffee’ is only a metaphor for conversation. “… um. No. not today.” I smiled at myself. That’s the seventeenth time she’d refused a cup of coffee, i.e. conversation. That was like her. Shy and reserved. Coffee is a big deal. Plus she is an introvert. And she doesn’t talk much. I told her once, “You are not very good at talking. I am very good at listening. One of us has to change.”

We eventually had to meet up for coffee. It is like one of those things. You wish it too much and then it has to happen just for the sake of happening. And it was brilliant. Like all enjoyable coffee table conversations, she and me, we spoke equally. Like how football games are more fun to watch when both teams have equal possession. To be honest, I thought she’ll keep quiet. And I’ll get bored, like I always do. And I’ll make an excuse and leave. Maybe it has something to do with the coffee. Perhaps it’s the feeling of being physically with each other. I’ve read that our body chemicals talk to each other without us knowing about it. Perhaps having a good time is just a few skin chemical reactions. But that apart, she seemed relaxed and she was glowing slightly and it was fun to just watch her. Straight black plaited hair. Nerdy specs. That perfect mole. Those dimples. I felt like touching them just to check where the skin disappeared. That smile. If she were talkative and shorter, she’d be just like Jennifer Cavalleri. And the brown eyes. Just slightly magnified by those glasses. Those eyes made up for the modest rack. I was never a rack person anyway, despite what some people think.

“Can I get you something sir?”

“Yes. One Assam tea.”

“We don’t have that. How about Sikkim tea sir?”

“Darjeeling?”

“No sir. We do have some Nilgiris tea.”

“That would be perfect. With lemon. And strawberry frappe for the madam.” Ironically, no coffee for the table.

“Yes sir. Thank you.” He left.

“So, I ran into her again today.”

“Oh. Whom was she with today?”

Whom was she with today? I wondered. Whom was She with, today?