Episode 11: The fun begins

Episode 10 Click here

8 am on a beautiful sunny Monday morning Vijay stepped out of his apartment and headed towards his department which was a block away. At the same time the door at the opposite complex 100 feet away opened and Priya stepped out. Both had a quick look and their eye met; suddenly both shook their head away as if they never saw each other. Vijay then shifted his eyes towards his right to catch a glimpse of Priya and she was right there waiting for him to look. This increased his heart beat and he quickly turned away and began walking towards the department. As he walked towards the department Priya kept staring at him, he appeared smaller and smaller and finally he vanished into the crowd.

Priya was in a mixed state of emotions, this was for the first time she had caught a glimpse of Vijay after landing in US, and the moment didn't even last for a min. She felt extremely sad and angry at the same time with herself more than with Vijay. She couldn't believe her own reaction when she saw him, he was the same Vijay whom she had spent 20 hrs up in the air, laughing and talking. She felt something had changed, changed drastically. She was still figuring out the reason why she had shook away the first time and why her eyes kept staring at his path all the way till he actually got lost in the crowd. She neither had any answers to these questions, nor had anyone to discuss about it, she had only herself to figure out.

She probably began to feel something for him. She had the whole day to figure out as she headed towards the Univ Library, a place so silent enough to put you to sleep let alone attempting to read a book. She sat down in the corner read a big fat book when read Digital Signal Processing.

Marathe was looking at the scene below though the window; He had sensed something fishy about Vijay and his activities but never gave a deep thought to it. He was an idiot when it came to talking to women but had enough gray matter in his head to figure out that something indeed was cooking b/w them.

"Where can I take a print out from my email?” Vijay asked a simple question to the lib staff.
"You mean a public access computer connected to a local printer where you can check your personal email?” the lib staff replied back.

It sounded like a complex network routing algorithm to Vijay and it took him 5 secs and 6 blinks and couple of swear words to grasp and assimilate it. Vijay banged his palm on his head and walked towards the computer wondering why there people always like to complicate things. Selected the appropriate printer clicked print and began walking towards printer which was in the corner of the hall way. Sudden noise at the printer's broke the silence enough to draw Priya's attention. The noise spread to her ear drums like Sun rays hitting the ground cutting through the fog driving away darkness. She stood and began to look in the direction of the sound.

Vijay, humming his favorite Himesh Reshammiya chart number walked towards printer, suddenly caught a glimpse of Priya and in a split second quickly sat on the first available computer that hid him, like a batsman ducking at the Shane Bond's fast bouncer. Seeing nobody approach the printer Priya sat down and went back to her mark and continued processing the signals. Close, very close almost gloved the ball to the keeper Vijay mumbled and felt exactly like how a batsman felt when he survives the bouncer. Since he was in front of the PC he thought he might as well checkout cricinfo for the latest score. The game was getting interesting and so was the textual commentary, visualizing the shots Vijay got lost in the game.

Marathe who had to renew his Bio-chemistry book entered the library in his usual red Reebok shorts and white Nike shirt which made a statement yes that's right in blue. While he was at the counter renewing his book he caught Priya reading through the corner of his eye. The detective in him woke up; he was walking towards the hallway and suddenly saw Vijay in front of the PC in the adjacent row. He looked at Priya on his left and looked at Vijay on his right; three of them together formed an equilateral triangle. Looked at Priya on left, looked at Vijay on the right atleast 5 times as if he was watching Wimbledon from the first row perpendicular the net. Things became a bit clear now; he decided to approach Vijay and walked towards him.It was Monday anyways and his boss always came late to the lab, so had enough levy and reason to spy and loiter around.

“Bhimrao”, “could you please carry this book and meet me in the lab in 10 mins”, a familiar voice drew his attention; it was indeed his Boss who had played a spoil sport. “Yes Dr”, Marathe replied and he began walking away from Priya and Vijay turning an equilateral into a isosceles triangle and finally it was only a straight line that exist b/w Vijay and Priya

The geometry continues …

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Episode 9: Project Priya

Episode 8 Click here
Vijay and Priya stood face to face for the first time; even though he was with her in the airport he never had this interaction. The elevator door was about to close, Vijay outstretched his hand to keep it open, Priya entered the elevator and pressed ground button. Vijay was stunned at her reaction, rather lack of it. She neither looked at him, nor spoke a word; In-fact he felt like seeing her twin sister, identical in looks but serious and angry faced. Vijay had his eyes wide open, his heart was beating like Venkatesh Prasad's slower delivery, slower and slower. The sound of the elevator door opening got him out of temporary coma, priya stepped out towards the mail boxes. Vijay stood silent and still like a rock in shock. The elevator door closed.

Vijay rested his palm behind his head and looked at the ceiling lying on his bed, wondering what actually happened in the elevator.
Firstly was she his Priya indeed or was he seeing Priya ever where?
Secondly if she was Priya was she suffering from short term memory loss?
Finally was she actually Priya but avoiding him? This sounded more realistic and non filmy. 'Dude she is playing a game! mind game!', Vijay spoke to himself.

"Hero come here, see how Shane Warne is playing mind games with the batsman", Marathe yelled from the hall.
"Kevin Petersen vs Shane Warne can't get better than this", Patel added.
"Both were best pals once when they played for Hampshire, but now they are rivals!, arch rivals", Marathe replied.
Analogies and parallel screenplays are good in movies, especially the one in 'Rang De Basanti' not in real life Vijay realized that.

"Hero, wanna make international debut today?, I mean cooking lunch!" Patel asked.
"OK sure, but I don't have any Ranji experience.", Vijay replied.
"Sala! it is difficult to run this house with this U19", Marathe grumbled.
"23, I am 23" Vijay asserted.

Vijay took out his notebook which read "Cooking Notebook" opened page 1, it read 'Beans Sambar'. Lit the burner, pour oil onto the vessel and dropped in a spoon full of mustard seeds, a minute later mustard seeds began to jump around, he ran away towards his room for shelter. Marathe and Patel stared at each other with a raised eyebrows, they never spoke a word but the expression told every thing.
"This is what happens when you pick an U19 player to AUSTRALIA series", Marathe pointed his index finger at Patel as if he had a point to prove.
Vijay came back and read his book 'mustard seeds would jump, take shelter, lower the flame and continue'. He continued with his cooking.
"But this guy has potential, ability to bounce back", Patel corrected Marathe.
"Yes that is what Merve Huges told about Tendulkar in 1991 Sydney test", Marathe emphasized.

"Hero, we will taste your food today and decide whether you would be in playing 11 or 12th man", Marathe raised his voice.
i.e whether you would cook or just be a cleaner. Vijay stared at the charred pile of vessels and decided to focus on getting the Sambar right. When you know what you don't want in life, life is pretty simple. 20 minutes later and after a couple whistles the selection committee sat for lunch. Five minutes into lunch he knew he would be in the playing 11, why not, he had used his mother's Sambar powder and desi ghee as part of his ingredient and it was steaming hot. It's like Raju Hirani, a great script and Aamir Khan what possibly can go wrong.
"We have a slot for all-rounder in the team, someone who can neither bat nor can bowl", Marathe gave him a thumbs up. Vijay had a sigh of relief and smiled looking at the vessels as if ridiculing it.

When your stomach is full, blood drains out of brain towards stomach, that is when all the weird thoughts sink in.
'Focus on the how to solve the problem rather than thinking why the problem occurred', a quote that he had read some where struck his mind.

Project Priya ' Vijay wrote

'Priya knows that I know where she lives, she saw my surprised face when she ignored me' Vijay began jotting down.
'Now she would expect me to follow her or contact her directly or indirectly,
what if I play the bluff.

Step 1: Make sure she sees you through her window.
Step 2: Ignore Priya when she approaches.
Step 3: Know all the places she goes daily.
Step 4: Avoid all those places totally.
Step 5: You will be in her mind, she will definitely hunt you down.

Reason: 'There is nothing more irritating to a girl when someone she likes suddenly ignores her' jotted this random sentence his friend had once quoted and decided to put it to action.

will he succeed keep reading ...

Comments, Suggestions and Abuses are Welcome.

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Episode 8: The Chase Begins

Click here for Part 7

Vijay was surrounded by 9 Priyas each depicting 9 different emotions(rasas) from Śringāram to Kārunyam to Shāntam and Vijay was trying to convince and console each one of them as to why he had left her alone at the airport. Suddenly a big strong dude with a mase (gadha) on his shoulders entered the room driving all the Priyas away.
"Hero, stop snoring we are unable to hear the cricket commentary" Bhim Marathe knocked the door which woke Vijay up.
It was 9 am and scorching sun rays had already heated up the room, Vijay rubbed his eyes and walked towards the kitchen and drank a glass of water.
"Sale Naam Arjun Kharrate Kumbhakaran Jaisa" (u call yourself Arjuna and snore like Kumbhakaran ), Marathe yelled at him.

"Which match?", Vijay stared at the 50 inch white screen hung on the wall and a projector which had property Dept of Bio-Chemistry engraved onto it. They had surround speakers placed at all the 4 corners of the hall and the sound quality enough to pick even the faintest edge. Vijay stuck his tongue out as he saw the revolutions on the ball that left Shane Warne's hand and crashed into Andrew Strauss's leg stump. He was wondering whether to appreciate the ball or the technology that these idiots had at their apartment. It was more like a ESPN studio than a grad student apartment. "Ashes!" Vijay got goosebumps and thanked the lord for placing him in the Ayodhya of cricket, apt 309.

The glimpse of a girl raising the window blinds in the opposite apartment complex caught Vijay's attention, her face wasn't visible but his heart felt she was Priya.
"Hero, look at the replay, the ball pitched 2 and half feet outside the off-stump and crashed into the leg-stump" Marathe shouted looking at the screen.
`Replays and highlights can wait but not the lady in red`, Vijay mumbled in his mind and ran to his room, took out his pair of binoculars and focused on Priya's apartment. He could see girl with long hair but before he caught her face as she turned around the her window blinds closed. "Dam no replays", Vijay mumbled in his mind in utter disdain.

He decided to chase Priya the hard way the Engineer's way, he drew a matrix on a sheet of paper, rows representing floor level and columns representing apartment number. Most of the apartments had 3 bed rooms and a hall, all adjacent to each other. This meant every 3 sets of windows constituted one apartment; it wasn't all that easy, some apartments had two bedrooms. So he ran to the leasing office and got the floor layout. 1 2 3 4 he counted her window from the bottom. So 4th floor 'row = 4' he marked on the sheet of paper, and quickly saw the floor map. 4th floor had 2 bed room apt only in the corner and rest were 3 bed rooms. After couple of minutes of calculation he came up with col = 5. A(4,5) he wrote it on the sheet of paper,`Vijay this is it!, go for a sixer he patted his back`. 'A(4,5) is apartment 407, apt 407 baby' he shouted loudly apt 407,"Hahhahah", he laughed loudly.

"Dude this guy is from Rakshas family snores like Kumbhakarn and laughs like Ravan, hope he turns out Vibhishan in real life or else we are screwed" Dhamraj expressed his unhappiness.
"Leave him, focus on this new lad Kevin Petersen, dude I tell you he would be the next big thing in test cricket", Marathe diverted his attention.

Now Vijay had two options either directly drop into apartment 407 and face Priya or talk to her first and then take things from there. He decided to take the 2nd step, called up the leasing office and asked for the phone number of apartment 407.

"Sorry sir we are not supposed to reveal the phone numbers of our residents", the leasing office hung up the phone.
'Dam you privacy bull shit rule', Vijay thew the cordless on to the bed.

Suddenly a thought struck his mind, he ran towards her apartment complex and punched in the key associated with apt 407 at the buzzer at the main door. As soon as the buzzer began to ring Vijay's heart beat began approaching the speed of Shoab Akthar's ball 100 and when the call got connected his heart skipped for a sec.

"Hello" a sweet familiar voice that came out from the speaker reinstalled the heart beat.
"Fedex, I have a package for Miss Priya V", Vijay used his commentary skills and produced Tony Greg's voice.
"Please come in" Priya replied and pressed the # button on the phone to open the main door. Vijay entered the elevator and exited out at the 4th floor and headed towards apt 407 after taking a right.

As Vijay was approaching the apt 407 the door opened, a lady in blue jeans put her right foot out. Seeing this Vijay's entire face began red, he could feel his veins busting out and in anxiety he jumped into the elevator. Apartment 407 door was left ajar, the lady in jeans walked towards the elevator, Vijay could hear the tapping of the shoes approaching the elevator. He pressed the door close button quickly.

Before the elevator door closed the lady in jeans appeared right in front of Vijay.

to be continued ...

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Story Series Part 3: Mid Air Crisis

Part 2

Flight AI 127 has reached 36000 feet, you can now turn on your wireless devices, out came the announcement. Vijay searched all his 6 pockets in his pant, 4 pockets in his denim jacket and 2 pockets in his shirt, then jumped up and started searching his bag-pack, sweating all over his body, he sat down in despair, "You are sweating is AC!!!" she said. "I can't find my mobile", he replied. "Why did you get a mobile while coming to US? We get mobiles free with the service you know", she questioned". "That's a very good question, but let me find my mobile first and then I will think of answering it!" replied in a furious tone. Got up and checked all his pockets again, then sat down dejected. With almost tears in his in his eyes he replied "that was my first purchase with my first paycheck, kind of first love you see". "Feeling nostalgia and getting goose bumps" she asked, "that ain't helping the cause!" he chirped. "Do you remember where you kept it?" she asked casually, "I have no idea why people ask that question! Anyways I don't remember" he replied with a red face. "OK, OK cool down, lets back track; let me put it in a nice way, when was the last time you saw it". "At 9 pm I saw it in my sister's hand and at 10 pm in her bag" he said. "OK ... after that?" she questioned.

Suddenly he began laughing loudly. "What happened, why are you laughing like RAVANA?" Priya asked. "Thumping his right palm against his forehead he replied "I didn't bring any mobile with me, I gifted it to my sister". "The fact that I was missing my mobile from my pocket for the first time in 5 years is a bit tough to digest", "That is why I got so scared", Vijay began laughing again. "TUBE LIGHT", she joked. "NO SUNLIGHT he replied", "tube-light takes only 8 secs, sun rays takes 8 minutes to reach the earth's surface", "see I exactly took 8 minutes to figure it out", pointed his right index finger at his left wrist. "Priya was suddenly silent", thinking about what lies ahead she starting staring at his non-existing wrist watch.

"Do you know the 3 Idiots funda ? Priya asked, 'What?' he questioned. "YES Idiots are of three types"; Some look like, Some think like and Some are actual; and you don't look like one, Vijay felt his lips Fevi-Quicked, he couldn't move his lips.

"Coffee or Tea Sir" the Air hostess interrupted, "Coffee definitely Coffee please" Priya replied, "Coffee for me too" Vijay replied, Priya was glad that the focus was shifted away from the wrist watch. Vijay poured in sugar and creamer and began stirring the coffee. The aroma of hot steaming coffee was enough to charge his batteries, let alone the caffeine entering his blood stream. He drank a sip, twisting his face he turned towards her, "Is this coffee?” he asked her. "Don't expect a 'V V Puram' coffee house coffee in Air India Vijay" she replied. "Hmm V V Puram coffee shop coffee", "Dark and strong filter coffee with froth enough to sink in your lips, " Vijay began imagining the coffee. Suddenly out of curiosity he said "V V Puram coffee shop!", "You know about V V Puram coffee shop?" wow he said. "So you live in and around V V Puram area?" now he began his Q & A. "Jayanagar 4 th block she said". "I used to go to V V Puram Coffee shop when I was studying in Engineering college there". "Oh that Eng College, I stayed close to it, actually across the street, Wow What a coincidence", he replied "Yes I have seen you many going to that Coffee shop, via our campus, eating bhelpuri and dosa on the way" she asserted. Vijay was stunned, doing a Micheal Jordan, sticking his tongue out, eye balls bulging out, wondering whom he was messing with.

"Here you are Mr Vijay" his friend Ravi broke the silence. "Hey Ravi what a pleasant surprise man" Vijay stood and shook hands with Ravi. Vijay could hear the crushing sound of his bones in his palm, Ravi was well built, dark and thick haired, fair dude who could give any women a knee jerk. "So still working in CHI KA GO?” Vijay asked. "Yea still in SHI KAA GO, I love the wind", he replied in a sarcastic tone. Suddenly Vijay felt an elbow hitting right his side, it was Priya who was hinting him to introduce her to Ravi, and little did Vijay have a clue about this. He continued his conversation with Ravi ignoring the elbow pierce, the elbow piercing became more powerful and frequent; suddenly elbowing stopped, pinching began. Vijay had no clue why she was torturing him this way, thought coffee had made her hyper; he continued his conversation; Ravi noticed Priya and her unsuccessful attempts to get introduced. So he broke the conversation, "So you have a friend along with you ?", he asked Vijay looking at gorgeously fair Priya with sharp black eyes, parrot nose, cute dimple and glittering set of teeth, will complimented with her aesthetic dress sense.

"I am Priya V, she introduced herself, nice to meet you" she shook hands with Ravi, and both stared at each other in silence. "She is going to the same University, but different branch" Vijay interrupted.

"How you doing?" Ravi asked casually, Priya started to blush

to be continued ...

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Story Series Part 1: Seat 15A

Vijay checked his wrist watch it read 10:10; he had a 3 am AI flight to the Chicago; accompanying him were his parents, sister, two uncles and their spouses and their kids to see him off. Red tilak was drawn on his forehead, followed by a flower garland and a small arthi, all wishing for his safe trip. Vijay felt like either a soldier on his way to KARGIL or a goat being offered as a Bali to goddess durgra. This was soon followed by moist eyes and dripping tears. Vijay was in a mixed and confused state of mind; was sad that he was leaving his parents but at the same time was happy that he was pursuing his Masters his parents dream.

  

He entered the airport dragging three 70 lbs suite cases, 30 lbs as his carryon; it looked like a bullock cart in motion. Walked towards the luggage check in counter where he met a fellow student who was incidentally traveling to the same school. That dude was carrying same amount of luggage along with his 10 lbs leather jacket and 3 enormous medical books. Checked in the luggage and cleared the security before heading towards the lounge where he met 5 more student/co-passengers. At 2 am there was an announcement for a delay of 2 hrs. For the next 2 hrs Vijay got acquainted with others and had a good time chatting and expressing their fears and excitement about their future in an unknown country. Vijay had an emotion of a brick, so neither had fears nor any excitement, which was the reason why he could maintain his cool and calm till then.   

Boarding began and Vijay walked towards his designated seat 15B middle seat, put his carryon luggage in the designated area and rested his arse and began staring at people moving in. Vijay always played this weird game of mapping people’s face and the seat numbers. He would guess their seat numbers looking at their facial expression as they approach their seats. A bearded gentleman walked towards his seat, Vijay was hoping that he wouldn’t be his neighbor even though his facial expression told the true story. He sat on the aisle beside Vijay 15C, trying to stay calm n compose was a bit difficult now. Such a narrow minded person some would say, but he was travelling in his first International flight.

The sight of a good looking lady in red top and blue jeans approaching his seat increased his heart beat to 100. He began his the facial expression mapping game with her, mapping it to 15A right next to his. He was sure that she would be 15A seatmate reading her facial expression; so he stood and made a gesture for helping her. She approached seat 15 and went past him, his heart beat went below 50 as he sat down in despair. He was about to pass out when he saw a stout elderly lady walk towards his seat, but she sat in 15D, the adjacent aisle.

‘Excuse me’, Vijay was woken by a soft sweet sound, he opened his eyes to see the same lady in red standing right next to the aisle, she indeed was 15A. After helping her placing her carryon in the designated area Vijay moved out allowing her to sit in her seat, Vijay sat down and smiled.  ‘I saw you with your family doing all that pooja and arti’, she broke the silence. ‘You are lucky to be born in such a religious family’, she continued. ‘YES’ Vijay spoke hesitantly. Vijay had this problem of speaking with pretty females in the first instant, let alone looking into her eyes.       

‘I am Priyadarshani Venkatasubramanian, she broke the silence again. ‘Vijay’ he replied.

Priya: ‘Are you going to Chicago?’, Vijay: ‘Yes the Flight is heading Chicago’ 
Priya: "You know this is my first international flight", Vijay: ‘Mine too’ 
Priya: "First time I am leaving my parents you know", Vijay: ’So am I’ 
Priya: "What if our luggage gets lost?”, Vijay: ‘May be baggage claim’.
Priya: ‘Are we going via London or Germany?’ Vijay: ‘Via Mumbai and Frankfurt.
Priya:" Did u read about Mumbai rains?” Vijay: ‘yea dam match might get canceled due to wet outfield’ she had no clue what Vijay was talking about; it was evident in her tone.

She was irritating him and the bearded dude was scaring him, he felt like he was in a torture room. Plane began to gather speed, ‘I am getting scared’ she mumbled, ‘Close your eyes and chant “Jai Kali ma” it might help Vijay assured. Couple of mins later the flight began to take off, she got so scared that see stopped speaking for next hr and dozed off finally. The sorrow of leaving his parents and the fear of landing in an alien country was over shadowed by Ms 15A.

... to be continued ...

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