The door slammed shut, shifting the water drops on the rim onto his face. He tried desperately to keep his face forward and not stare at her as she settled into the comfy seat. He was glad that she had taken the initiative, for had it been left to him, he wouldn't have gathered the courage to ask. After a minute of shuffling around, finally there was silence in the seat beside him. He turned around to look at her.
"where do you have to go? " He inquired.
" Adyar" she said and added with a pause"If you are going that way"
"No problem" he smiled and turned back.
He slipped the car into gear and started to move.
Another 2 minutes went without any sound. The rain kept up its pace and didn't seem to slow down a bit. He started to speak , to make small talk but stopped himself before any sound escaped his lips.
" You work in E-gates? " she asked.
"What? yeah I do. How do you know? " he replied jolted out of silence
"Aaah that's my secret. I can read minds and know about a person by just looking at them. " She replied matter-of-factly.
"what? are you serious" He almost shouted.
"Ha ha . No no . I am just kidding. I saw the sticker" she said pointing to the vehicle pass sticker from his company stuck to his windshield.
"Oh k. And you work for TCS, I suppose."
"I guess thats obvious from where you picked me up. So you are also in IT, let me guess, Project lead?
"No" I smiled.
"Team Lead?"
"Nope"
"Senior software engineer?" she asked endearingly.
"Nope"
"DONT tell me you are a software engineer and you are able to afford a car like this...I am a SSE for the past two years and I haven't been able to make the down payment for the last one year."
"No no no...i am not into coding. I am into functional..I work as an account manager."
"Oh k k. That's an impressive title. Nice nice."
"So I guess you are caught up in project deadlines, working so late.." I prolonged the dialog.
"Yeah that is there always...throughout the year only" she sighed.
"Don't they arrange transport for you to get back..."
"They generally do, but not beyond 9. After that they do it on a project basis, and only if it's a quantifiable number."
"Oh that's bad. Can't someone from home pick you up? your father? your husband? .."
"Father's no more around to do that...Husband? do i look as though i am married? Am i looking that old? "
" I am sorry...i just assumed...i am really sorry..i shouldnt have..you dont look old..i am sor.."
"Hey chill chill chill..."
"I am sorry"
"No issues...and you are right anyway...i am married...atleast was...He is there no more"
"Oh i am sorry to hear that...I shouldn't have pried into your private det..."
"Oh not to worry...He is not dead...just seperated"
The rain fell on my car's screen, swept away by the swaying wipers. There was silence in the car. He didn't know what to say or ask next..What do you ask someone who says what she just did. Nothing seems to be the logical answer.
She broke the silence.
" You are possibly the sorriest person i have ever met. I mean, the number of sorrys in the past ten minutes. Working in a large company, you never get to hear much apologies...you are indeed polite"
I smiled to myself, although initially I was slightly irked when she had said that i was the sorriest person she had met.
"You can drop me here...My house is down the street and it will be tough to turn your car around" she said.
"That isnt a problem, i will reverse it the whole way.." he said, not wanting to let her leave.
" No no no ...i cant impose myself like that on you...thanks a lot for this lift..."she said, getting out of the car and holding the door ajar.
"No imposition, no trouble at all...anytime"
"Anytime? " she asked with her hand still on the car door
1 comments:
"That isnt a problem, i will reverse it the whole way.." he said, not wanting to let her leave.
brought a smile :)
going great... waiting to read more!
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