READY FOR INTERVIEW

It was 11 in the morning and my phone was continuously ringing. It was Mr. Verma. I picked up the phone.

“Where are you? I have been calling you for the past one hour.” Mr. Verma was very angry.

“Sorry bhayya, the phone was on silent mode by mistake”, I stuttered.

I couldn’t tell him that I hadn’t slept the previous night due to that girl in the park.

“You knew that we had this important meeting. I have been waiting for you since morning, and you are not even picking the phone.”

“I will be there in a while. Please wait”, I said sheepishly.

“Ok. And you food is also ready. Come fast”, he said.

“Sure.” I kept the phone down and quickly got ready. I had already got very late and it wouldn’t have been nice to keep Mr. Verma waiting any longer. I locked my room, rushed down, and started looking for Auto-rickshaw, when I suddenly realized that I had forgotten the important File, which I had to carry, upstairs. I again went up, got the file, came down, and took an Auto for Mr. Verma’s house.

Mr. Verma, who had completed 40 years recently, was a very jovial person. I was much younger to him, but he always treated me like a friend. He had complete trust in my abilities. He had a wife and a son in his family. Though I was an orphan, he never made me feel like one. His wife and son also loved me. I was like a family member for them.

Mr. Verma worked in a big newspaper company. He was the first person who had given me work as a writer. I used to write articles and got paid decently. This was sufficient for me to manage my life.

Mr. Verma’s house was just a ten minute distance from my place, but the traffic was pretty heavy. I was feeling sorry because it was my fault that I had got up late. Anyways, I finally reached his place. The fare came to around 40 rupees. I paid the fare, and rushed upstairs. Mr. Verma lived on the 4th floor, and there was a lift in the building. But instead of waiting for the lift, I trusted my legs, and almost started running. By the time I reached 4th floor, I was breathless. I pressed the bell, and Ankit, Mr. Verma’s son opened the door. I affectionately kissed him on his cheeks. Mr.Verma and his wife were sitting on a sofa.

“Welcome Mr. Writer. Even you bhabhi (sister-in-law) hasn’t ever made me wait for so long, as you have made me today.” Mr. Verma said.

I was feeling very angry at my own self. Mr. Verma was a very punctual man, and today he had to wait for me. The worst part was that he was supposed to take me to meet somebody for my work.

“Sorry bhayya, I had been working last whole night, so got up late” I apologized.

“If as a bachelor you are sleeping late, I wonder what will happen, once you get married”, he teased me.

His wife (bhabhi) supported me, “He is still young to get married. First, let him make a girl friend, and then get married”

“Don’t spoil him. He can hardly manage his own expense, how will he afford a girl friend?” he said.

“When he gets a girl friend, he will learn how to manage expenses. Am I right, Aarav?” she said.

“No idea, bhabhi”, I wanted to tell her about the girl in the park, but hesitated in front of Bhayya. Plus I didn’t even know the girl’s name. Bhabhi would have laughed at me.

“Please serve the food. I am feeling very hungry, and we also have to leave”, Bhayya asked bhabhi.

She served the food, and we started eating. Ankit asked me to write a poem for him.

“Sure, I will write a very nice poem for you”, I kissed him.

We finished our food and left for the meeting in his Swift car.

On the way, Bhayya kept asking me details about the meeting, but I was thinking about how I could make it to the Park in the evening on time. I know it sounds crazy, but this is love, I guess. I was hopeful that today also she would come and I would be able to know her name. I was eagerly waiting to get over with the meeting. Shortly, we reached the meeting venue..