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| One Life, One Ride! |
I am snaking through Calcutta with Arijit in tow,without a helmet and we are watching the clouds gather thick and fast.
“Yeah, it definitely feels good” Arijit says.
I beam with pride, “You sure?”
“Yes, sir it is”
To give him a boost, I rev up the speedo and ride ahead. After a point of time, when the wind gets too loud and we find it very hard to hear we stop shouting on top of our voices and feel the wind.Its enjoyable.
Its a Friday and I have taken a half day leave at the office and we are on way for a long lunch. The eating place is a little far off from our offices and it takes us around half an hour to reach it.
“What do we have?”
“I haven’t had a drink in over a month, I surely want to grab one.”, I say.
“I am game”
It was done and with the the cold winds which start to get steadier and clouds,that look menacing, it looks to be just apt.
“Vodka?”
“Yup, sure”
So, vodka it is, in Bacardi cranberry breezer.
“And for lunch?”
“You decide.I don’t have an issue. We may have a starter and some item for main course.But you can decide on what that will be” I rise up and dash off to the basin to clean up.
When I come back, I see that the glasses are on the table and a couple of ice cubes are floating on it. It sure looks inviting.
The vodka is crisp and the traces of cranberry makes it smooth.
“So what are we having for lunch?”
Arijit rolls out the red carpet “Tengri Kebab, Tandoori Roti, Salad and Rara Chicken”
While we are sipping the drink, we discuss about how life has been treating us of late.
“Life has become so complicated.I dont find time to go home.Even a year back I used to be home 5-6 times a year but never really any time this year”, Arijit reflects.
“So true” and I nod and reflect life has indeed become a series of responsibilities and we are running all the time.
We have been discussing complexities of life, pay checks, eternal complaints against employers for some time now.
But the Tengri kebabs which arrive breaks this conversation.Its time to tuck in.
“Sir would have another drink?” asks the waiter
“Yeah,surely.”, both of us reply at the same time.
The kebabs look succulent and juicy. Arijit sprays the lemon wedge onto the pieces and we dig into it.The kebab is warm, little spicy and melts in the mouth.
“Hmm, this is tasty”, I remark whereas Arijit is too busy finishing off his piece.
Meanwhile the waiter returns and pours out the drink.
“Ice?”
“Yes, a couple of cubes on my drink.” The ice is poured in a hurry and it almost topples my glass.
This intermission has changed the topic of our conversation.We are talking about our friends now and some of the earlier days of our career.
