Fourty minutes of love

9:47 am

He was standing amidst the throbbing crowd in the bus stand. He saw the private buses of many IT companies come and pick their employees up and stuff them into the bus with closed windows, a precursor to the rest of their days, being kept in fluorescent lighted cubicles. Damn, he cursed himself for missing the morning bus. If only he hadn't went to the movie last night. Any how it wasn't a great experience. He was the literal third wheel. Rahul and Pooja were too busy cootchie-cooing that they hadn't even noticed him slipping out to get a cold coke.

He looked around and saw lots of young people rushing about him to get loaded into their buses. He could almost feel the sense of urgency and hurried life that they all led. That's when he saw her. He lost count of how long he was looking at her, until another company bus arrived. There was a collective rush among the crowd to get on to the bus. That's when he found himself praying that she isn't working in that company and like him she also missed her bus and waiting for the public transport.

She didn't board the bus

10:04 AM

The public bus arrived. Since they were standing at Madhya Kailash, the beginning of the IT highway, he was very sure that she must be working in one of the IT companies that is on that stretch. He was sure that she would get into the bus and boarded the bus, controlling himself into not to look in her direction.

She got in.

10:09 AM

The bus jerked itself to a stop at the signal. He moved slowly but steadily to the back of the bus, holding out a ten rupee note, looking to buy the ticket but more importantly to get close to her. She was standing just near the rear entrance of the bus. He got the ticket and stood closeby. Close enough to smell her. She gave off a gentle waft of jasmine. Although mild, it shook him to his very core.

He slyly glanced at her trying to read off her ID card and identify which company is lucky enough to have her. He immediately envied the male colleagues who worked with her.

10:17 AM

The bus stopped at the stop and a whole bunch of smartly dressed professionals stepped off. He stole a quick glance to see if she was still there. She was. There was a vacant seat in the last but one row. He made his way to that and promptly settled in. He took a glance at her, wondering whether to offer her the seat but wasn't sure if she would feel comfortable sitting in a gents seat. Moreover he had no intention of allowing her to sit with the guy seated next to him. He took a look at him. The guy was looking smart. Neatly tucked in shirt. Wavy hair. A small stud in his left ear. Looked tall and athletically built too.

No way was he going to offer her his seat. No way.

10:24 AM

The guy seated next to him got up to leave. On his way up, he gestured to her to take his seat. Oh thank you thank you. Definitely would build him a statue. He moved to the window and gestured for her to sit down. She looked at him, in a quick glance capturing his six foot height and body into her two inch eyes, quickly analyzing whether to sit or not. She sat down next to him. The smell of jasmine now at close proximity overpowered him and he turned his face to the window to take in the grime and sweat of the city, to bring him back to ground.

10:32 AM

The bus crossed the Sholinganallur signal. He got anxious, wondering when this dream trip was coming to an end, not wanting it to end. Wishing that the bus could travel a lot more slowly than its usual snail's pace. The city police should make the speed limit at 10 kmph.

Although the thought of sitting next to her was euphoric, he found out that it had its disadvantages. He couldn't look at her without her obviously knowing that he was staring at her. But desire overshoots fear and he frequently stole glances at her. She was immersed in whatever song was played on her iPod and didn't seem to notice the existence of him. He had managed to find out that she worked in TCS by her ID card.

The question now throbbing in his mind was which facility did she work out of and also he was praying for a glance at her card to find out her name. The trouble with IT majors was that they had several locations and TCS had more than four facilities littered on the OMR road itself. His atheism took a back seat and he prayed that she worked out of Siruseri, where his company was located. Not that proximity would mean a damn thing, but at least it increases the probability of meeting her again.

10:37 AM

He decided it was time he took some action and did something if he ever wanted a shot at her. He thought over what he could do or talk to engage a decent conversation. Should he ask for the time? that was so cliched, that too in this days of cellphones, even if he managed to slyly remove the Omega knockoff from his wrist without her noticing.

Should he talk about the weather? too british. About the traffic? too generic. He rattled his brain thinking what he could do and not come off as a creep trying to hit on her. Whatever came to his mind, when he replayed it, it sounded corny or cheesy or lame and very much like a bad pickup line in a lousy bar.

10:44 AM

He finally decided to ask her where she worked and introduce himself. Then he would ask her about her job. Talk then about how the office structure is at her company. Give funny anecdotes about his office. Then gently prod her about her family, where she was from, her marital status etc. Then get a bit personal, ask her about her hobbies, how she spends her time. Talk about his personal interests. Tell how he loves to watch movies but lately hasnt been able to catch many, because his friends are all out of the country. Then invite her to catch the latest movie. Exchange mobile numbers. Then leave it up to fate.

He gathered his resolve and turned to face her. Her face was tranquil and she was immersed in her music. He couldn't disturb her. But he couldnt leave it like that either. Before he could interrupt her, the bus came to a screeching halt and both of them jerked forward. She woke up from the trance-like state and looked around oblivious to him staring at her. She stood up and walked down the bus stairs.

He watched her walk away towards her office main gate. He glanced at his watch. Forty minutes he had been in love. Not a bad start to the day. Who knows maybe this forty minutes shall repeat some other day and that may end up differently. He settled back in his seat, reliving the forty minutes, until he knew it would fade away, just like always.