Hyatt Regency
3rd January 2011
6:22 PM
Bartender: Would you like another one of those sir?
Raghav: make it two........
The bartender lingers, Raghav just stares blankly.......
The man walks away
His phone beeps and pings periodically, he looks at it but doesnt answer or respond.
Just feels his chin and jaw........ he hears a rasp......... "I should grow one o those soul patches"
He smirks........ and plays with the snack bowl, rotates it like it was the roulette at las Vegas..........
He hears chatter, squealing and loud voices....... looks up to see, a bunch of 20 somethings were entering the bar
May be 7 may be 9 he was not sure, a few guys, but mostly girls
He notices a mass of curls on a tall curvaceous chick
He tries to recollect where he saw her before
His memory fails him, he just settles his eyes on her body, allowing his visual instincts to admire her.
She seems to be talking non stop.......in Hindi and in English
She gestures, she jumps, she giggles, she leans..........
She doesnt wait to be seated, just walks in and sits down, her guy friends and a couple of girls walk up to the bar and look around.....
She waves and jumps up
Raghav notices her chest bob, he feels slow heat crawl up his face for some reason
She has a perfect set of teeth
His phone rings.......... its Nayana......... he looks away from the phone....... at the more appealing sights in front
The puffed magenta sleeve blouse approaches him, and turns away
He can see almost all of her back of her thighs.......
He sips slowly....... pushing his glasses, in a OCD motion.........
Some girls look at him and comment amongst themselves
Radhika talks and talks.........,
the wine glasses hang upside down, forming a sparkling necklace around the bar
Its a busy evening, people are drinking to make resolutions, some are resolving never to drink again..........
Radhika: I DONT think we had it here!
Girl 1: I am not challenging you, mujhe haarna nahi hai, agar yaha nahi to, we had at the Bristol?
Guy 1: You girls are taking too long, we are just going to get our beer
Radhika walks up to Raghav again, she hasnt quit talking "Main aaj itna chali hoon, I need to bathe in that drink"
A quick image flashes through Raghav's brain, of her curling tresses bathed in wine or whatever she wanted
He looks at his phone again, its Nayana
He just spins it on the bar ..........
Radhika: I called my Mom and told her Rachu ke saath aap log karo dinner, I am not going home to that pig"
Girl 3: Radhikaaaaaaa Ek second chup hoyegi kya?
Radhika: ONLY when I find my drink, if we dont find it here, who wants to go with me to Bristol?
She manually lifts some reluctant arms "I got 5" she says smugly
She again walks up to him........
"Oh! BTW, Rachu brought iPhone 4 for me, I am driving myself sick playing angry birds"
She giggles......
Tugs at something, Raghav's elbow slides
He turns to find her an inch away
She is still talking........."I am going to play all the moronic games tonite, thats my plan, kaun hai mere saath"
"No excuse me" "No pardon me"
NOTHING
She just pulls the beverage list, his phone slides off the marbled counter, and dives........just as he catches it mid air.........
"I have been looking for this, if you were sitting on it, you could atleast tell us. Are you planning to drive home with it?? Not before I find that stinkin drink, then.......... (its) all yours!
Raghav: Hmmphhh!
As he watches her sit down next to him and begin scanning the list as she talked.............
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Scoop of Life Part 7
January 3rd 2011
4:14 PM
Kilokri Village
Radhika: Phir uske baad mera auto wallah ek dum khachar nikla. Mujhe bahut gussa aa ya Maa, aap believe nahi karogey. I ACTUALLY WALKED from Lady Shri Ram to ANDREWS GUNJ
Itna main kabhi nahi chali, Ma, aapko ek aur baat bataon
Sudha: I have to see the Vice Princi at 5 beta I DONT have the time
Radhika: You talk with Rit all day!!
Sudha: Kisne kaha tumse?
Radhika: I KNOW. I have eyes every where.
Sudha: Then why are you still wearing the mirror work sling bag?
Radhika quickly removes it from around her shoulder
Radhika:Aapko kaise maloom? Ma, one more thing
Sudha:Ghar par, shaam ko please beta. Tum ek baar shuru ho jaati ho to rukne ka naam nahi leti......
Radhika: You are not interested in my cause.. Nobody is, do you know the amount of contaminated water sources in India?
Sudha: Radhooooo, please beta
Radhika:I am hanging out with friends tonite, main raat ko khaane par nahi aaoongi.
Sudha is shocked, "your bro got home two nites ago, you cant do that"
Radhika: I can, because, when I ever I want to go some place, its always something with Rachu Bhayya or Rit. Aaaj main bilkul apni marzi
Sudha:Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Do what ever! See you tonite! Is there just no way to shut you up??? (exasperated)
Click!
----------------
5:14 PM
Bar
Hyatt Regency
Ring Road
Raghav: Yello!
Nayana: Hi!
Raghav: No! I dont want to know what the old man thinks
Nayana:How about what voluptuous 22 year old?
Raghav grunts
Nayana: Do you ever speak a full sentence
Raghav: When I want to.
Nayana: where are you?
Raghav: Getting a drink
Nayana: AT FIVE IN THE EVENING?
Raghav: Its 8 PM somewhere in the world (dry)
Nayana giggles "True"
Raghav, just sips, unmindful of the caller
Nayana: Hey, are you there?
Raghav: So far......
Nayana: needed a ride...... (softly)
Raghav: U do.......
Nayana: Dad has big plans (throwing the bait)
Raghav:The man is full of it.......
Nayana giggles
Pause
Nayana: Did you like my fish net today?
He grunts again........
Nayana: I looked for you every where at Noon, but you disappeared
Raghav: Oh!
Nayana: I was thinking of Neemrana this weekend.....
Raghav just breathes audibly
Nayana: What do you think?
Raghav: I dont.. much (think)
She giggles and lowers her tone.......... "Go with me"
Raghav: Hmmm
Nayana: How can I make you TALK? (exasperated)
4:14 PM
Kilokri Village
Radhika: Phir uske baad mera auto wallah ek dum khachar nikla. Mujhe bahut gussa aa ya Maa, aap believe nahi karogey. I ACTUALLY WALKED from Lady Shri Ram to ANDREWS GUNJ
Itna main kabhi nahi chali, Ma, aapko ek aur baat bataon
Sudha: I have to see the Vice Princi at 5 beta I DONT have the time
Radhika: You talk with Rit all day!!
Sudha: Kisne kaha tumse?
Radhika: I KNOW. I have eyes every where.
Sudha: Then why are you still wearing the mirror work sling bag?
Radhika quickly removes it from around her shoulder
Radhika:Aapko kaise maloom? Ma, one more thing
Sudha:Ghar par, shaam ko please beta. Tum ek baar shuru ho jaati ho to rukne ka naam nahi leti......
Radhika: You are not interested in my cause.. Nobody is, do you know the amount of contaminated water sources in India?
Sudha: Radhooooo, please beta
Radhika:I am hanging out with friends tonite, main raat ko khaane par nahi aaoongi.
Sudha is shocked, "your bro got home two nites ago, you cant do that"
Radhika: I can, because, when I ever I want to go some place, its always something with Rachu Bhayya or Rit. Aaaj main bilkul apni marzi
Sudha:Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Do what ever! See you tonite! Is there just no way to shut you up??? (exasperated)
Click!
----------------
5:14 PM
Bar
Hyatt Regency
Ring Road
Raghav: Yello!
Nayana: Hi!
Raghav: No! I dont want to know what the old man thinks
Nayana:How about what voluptuous 22 year old?
Raghav grunts
Nayana: Do you ever speak a full sentence
Raghav: When I want to.
Nayana: where are you?
Raghav: Getting a drink
Nayana: AT FIVE IN THE EVENING?
Raghav: Its 8 PM somewhere in the world (dry)
Nayana giggles "True"
Raghav, just sips, unmindful of the caller
Nayana: Hey, are you there?
Raghav: So far......
Nayana: needed a ride...... (softly)
Raghav: U do.......
Nayana: Dad has big plans (throwing the bait)
Raghav:The man is full of it.......
Nayana giggles
Pause
Nayana: Did you like my fish net today?
He grunts again........
Nayana: I looked for you every where at Noon, but you disappeared
Raghav: Oh!
Nayana: I was thinking of Neemrana this weekend.....
Raghav just breathes audibly
Nayana: What do you think?
Raghav: I dont.. much (think)
She giggles and lowers her tone.......... "Go with me"
Raghav: Hmmm
Nayana: How can I make you TALK? (exasperated)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Scoop of Life Part 6
Part 6
Kilokri Village
Near Malviya Nagar
3rd January 2011
Noonish
Radhika: Kitne saare UP ke files the, Govt aur NGO ke, resources, infrastructure, land quality statistics wagairah.......... Abhi kisi ko Lucknow bhejna padega? Ya Kanpur? Kahan se milenege yeh files, mujhe jaana hai waha, main kab research karoongi? Calculations karne hain, woh alag....... Aaj main late aayi but kal se 8 baje yaha rahoongi
She speaks NON STOP!
Poonam looks on flabbergasted, she has never worked with "Radhika ji" before as "Radhikaji had been working at the Clean Water Initiative Head Office in East of Kailash.
Clean Water Initiative is a NGO focussed on getting access to the resource in remote villages in India. From building water infrastructure, developing ways and means of water conservation to actively encouraging reforestation efforts. Efforts included assisting helping with making land more "cultivable", increase its ability to intercept and accept moisture. Funded my many prominent Dutch and US charities and philanthropists, the company is over a decade old but they had success stories in multiples of 10.......
Poonam: Woh! (stops)
Radhika is still rambling and looking, her chai arrives, Umesh has a sheepish "Dont ask me anything look"
radhika pauses to take her chai, gulps, makes a face and yet drinks it......... her phone rings under the pile of papers........ she pushes most of it down to the floor in an attempt to answer it. But it goes to voice mail.......
Poonam: Woh! Maam East of Kailash mein poochhen?
Radhika: KAL main wahan thi aur waha jitne UP ke files hain unme se koi hamare matlab ka hai nai... (and then starts to talk rapidly)'
Poonam's jaw drops wonders HOW she can talk so much......
She tries to sneak in a word or two every two seconds but fails, Radhika's rambling, her passionate rant make it awfully difficult..........
Radhika: Main East of Kailash jaakar khud laati hoon, (gets up and gulps the burning hot hot water masquerading as chai.)
Poonam: Main chaloon? (fearful, its going to start another two hour spiel)
Radhika: Nahi, aap Dehat Kanpur aur Jalaun ke maps nikalo aur Municipalities aur DM offices ke addresses mere liye ready rakho
Before she can ramble, Poonam vamooses
Umesh: Maam ek aur chai?
Radhika: Thanks, nahi......... yeh saare files tum baandhkar bahar tak lao, main auto lekar aati hoon
Umesh nods.......
She goes off to get an auto......... does not haggle just agrees to the 150 the guy asks for, Umesh loads the files, while she gives some last minute instructions to Poonam
The other employees look at her speaking, amused by the rapid fire style.........
A couple of men stare admiringly at her blouse........
She clumsily climbs in to the auto, and yells a "Chalo bhayya" shrilly
------------------------
Golf Links
3rd January 2011
Kapoors
C Block
Central Golf Links Road
Dadi: I just need some warm water with a dash of lemon and honey beta
Mridula Kapoor Mom, this is something i read on the web this morning
Dadi shakes her head in despair
Dadji: Try it Komal
Dadi: I am afraid to
Dadaji: Your bahu is going to be offended
Mridula: Dad.........
Dadaji:I was kidding beta
They are sitting out the huge Tuscan oak dining table in the ground floor......... the upper levels altogether had over 8 bedrooms and study spread over thhree floors, there was huge terrace garden with swings and a "walking path" as Dadi fondly described it. The house was bought by Dadaji over 40 years ago when his sons were in college, they lived in Panchsheel Park until then
Now Krishan lived her with his wife Mridula and Raghav and his two daughters
His older brother Pavan lived two blocks down in F, in his own house
His wife was a renowned pediatrician and he has two sons and a daughter, Ateendar, Anuttam and Anvita
Mridula: Will you be able to go to Bhayya's? tonite?
Dadi: I dont think so, ask Prakash to make something for me
Mridula looks worried.... none of her gourmet cooking skills or home remedies were working..........
She was a fabulous cook, some trained, some self taught, had half a dozen cook books to her credit, conducted shows, classes and was considering her own brand of ready to eat packaged food at this time
Dadaji: Is Raghav home?
Mridula: Nahi Dad, he went to work
Dadaji is stunned "Kahan? Connaught Place?"
Mridula: Yes.......
Dadaji smiles "Is he serious now?"
Mridula: I dont think so........ woh bus yoon hi Krishan ko pareshaan karne kabhi chala jaata hai
Dadi: Mujhe uski bahut chinta hai (gulping her tepid water)
Dadaji: Ati aur Anu to Yavatmal gaye hai na?
Mridu: Hmmm they are back tonite, I am told
Dadaji turns on the TV and starts watching news
Dadi: Talk to Raghav beta
Mridu: WE all do Ma, HE doesnt..... thats the problem
Dadi: Shud I talk Krishan into setting some IT thing up for him?
Mridu: He wont agree to anything.......
Dadi: May be he should do off beat cinema
Dadaji guffaws "Do we really need another KAPOOR in Hindi cinema?"
Dadi: He can out run all of them (smug)
Mridula watches a koel and a swallow fight for a spot on the tree outside.......
-----------------------------------------
Outer Ring Road
Lajpat Nagar
2:34 PM
Radhika was carrying three boxes of files in her auto. The auto was rickety and ready to break down at every traffic signal, this was another one, near Lady Shriram College, she wrapped her magenta scarf around her ears and head, the driver slanted his neck to look at the open neckline of her blouse
"Aap light ko dekhiye" she yells
A portion of her long silky scarf is carried by January winds............ the light takes forever, she scans the 200 plus friends on her phone list........ checks her texts and responds to a few..... the light turns green....... the auto wallah holds teh break and yanks, once, twice, thrice, four times?
Mmmm...hmmmm nope!
She steps off the auto and starts yelling hurriedly, people honk behind her, she jumps up on the median and looks around... the auto is still not budging........
A Toyota Sequoia slides past in the opposite direction, a man wearing red white and blue check shirt had just slid the window down..... a crack..........
A tall curvaceous gal was agitated......
He slides the window down further..... traffic is moving slow..........
"Mujhe Malviya Nagar chhodiye aap" she says and goes on to tell the auto wallah how important her work is, her life is and the mission of her company is.......... how important it is to mankind and to the planet
The man riding the Sequoia smirks..... as he admires the mass of curls every where on her shoulders, the dark pink scarf reaches and almost touches the shiny silver metal of the Sequoia.......
Kilokri Village
Near Malviya Nagar
3rd January 2011
Noonish
Radhika: Kitne saare UP ke files the, Govt aur NGO ke, resources, infrastructure, land quality statistics wagairah.......... Abhi kisi ko Lucknow bhejna padega? Ya Kanpur? Kahan se milenege yeh files, mujhe jaana hai waha, main kab research karoongi? Calculations karne hain, woh alag....... Aaj main late aayi but kal se 8 baje yaha rahoongi
She speaks NON STOP!
Poonam looks on flabbergasted, she has never worked with "Radhika ji" before as "Radhikaji had been working at the Clean Water Initiative Head Office in East of Kailash.
Clean Water Initiative is a NGO focussed on getting access to the resource in remote villages in India. From building water infrastructure, developing ways and means of water conservation to actively encouraging reforestation efforts. Efforts included assisting helping with making land more "cultivable", increase its ability to intercept and accept moisture. Funded my many prominent Dutch and US charities and philanthropists, the company is over a decade old but they had success stories in multiples of 10.......
Poonam: Woh! (stops)
Radhika is still rambling and looking, her chai arrives, Umesh has a sheepish "Dont ask me anything look"
radhika pauses to take her chai, gulps, makes a face and yet drinks it......... her phone rings under the pile of papers........ she pushes most of it down to the floor in an attempt to answer it. But it goes to voice mail.......
Poonam: Woh! Maam East of Kailash mein poochhen?
Radhika: KAL main wahan thi aur waha jitne UP ke files hain unme se koi hamare matlab ka hai nai... (and then starts to talk rapidly)'
Poonam's jaw drops wonders HOW she can talk so much......
She tries to sneak in a word or two every two seconds but fails, Radhika's rambling, her passionate rant make it awfully difficult..........
Radhika: Main East of Kailash jaakar khud laati hoon, (gets up and gulps the burning hot hot water masquerading as chai.)
Poonam: Main chaloon? (fearful, its going to start another two hour spiel)
Radhika: Nahi, aap Dehat Kanpur aur Jalaun ke maps nikalo aur Municipalities aur DM offices ke addresses mere liye ready rakho
Before she can ramble, Poonam vamooses
Umesh: Maam ek aur chai?
Radhika: Thanks, nahi......... yeh saare files tum baandhkar bahar tak lao, main auto lekar aati hoon
Umesh nods.......
She goes off to get an auto......... does not haggle just agrees to the 150 the guy asks for, Umesh loads the files, while she gives some last minute instructions to Poonam
The other employees look at her speaking, amused by the rapid fire style.........
A couple of men stare admiringly at her blouse........
She clumsily climbs in to the auto, and yells a "Chalo bhayya" shrilly
------------------------
Golf Links
3rd January 2011
Kapoors
C Block
Central Golf Links Road
Dadi: I just need some warm water with a dash of lemon and honey beta
Mridula Kapoor Mom, this is something i read on the web this morning
Dadi shakes her head in despair
Dadji: Try it Komal
Dadi: I am afraid to
Dadaji: Your bahu is going to be offended
Mridula: Dad.........
Dadaji:I was kidding beta
They are sitting out the huge Tuscan oak dining table in the ground floor......... the upper levels altogether had over 8 bedrooms and study spread over thhree floors, there was huge terrace garden with swings and a "walking path" as Dadi fondly described it. The house was bought by Dadaji over 40 years ago when his sons were in college, they lived in Panchsheel Park until then
Now Krishan lived her with his wife Mridula and Raghav and his two daughters
His older brother Pavan lived two blocks down in F, in his own house
His wife was a renowned pediatrician and he has two sons and a daughter, Ateendar, Anuttam and Anvita
Mridula: Will you be able to go to Bhayya's? tonite?
Dadi: I dont think so, ask Prakash to make something for me
Mridula looks worried.... none of her gourmet cooking skills or home remedies were working..........
She was a fabulous cook, some trained, some self taught, had half a dozen cook books to her credit, conducted shows, classes and was considering her own brand of ready to eat packaged food at this time
Dadaji: Is Raghav home?
Mridula: Nahi Dad, he went to work
Dadaji is stunned "Kahan? Connaught Place?"
Mridula: Yes.......
Dadaji smiles "Is he serious now?"
Mridula: I dont think so........ woh bus yoon hi Krishan ko pareshaan karne kabhi chala jaata hai
Dadi: Mujhe uski bahut chinta hai (gulping her tepid water)
Dadaji: Ati aur Anu to Yavatmal gaye hai na?
Mridu: Hmmm they are back tonite, I am told
Dadaji turns on the TV and starts watching news
Dadi: Talk to Raghav beta
Mridu: WE all do Ma, HE doesnt..... thats the problem
Dadi: Shud I talk Krishan into setting some IT thing up for him?
Mridu: He wont agree to anything.......
Dadi: May be he should do off beat cinema
Dadaji guffaws "Do we really need another KAPOOR in Hindi cinema?"
Dadi: He can out run all of them (smug)
Mridula watches a koel and a swallow fight for a spot on the tree outside.......
-----------------------------------------
Outer Ring Road
Lajpat Nagar
2:34 PM
Radhika was carrying three boxes of files in her auto. The auto was rickety and ready to break down at every traffic signal, this was another one, near Lady Shriram College, she wrapped her magenta scarf around her ears and head, the driver slanted his neck to look at the open neckline of her blouse
"Aap light ko dekhiye" she yells
A portion of her long silky scarf is carried by January winds............ the light takes forever, she scans the 200 plus friends on her phone list........ checks her texts and responds to a few..... the light turns green....... the auto wallah holds teh break and yanks, once, twice, thrice, four times?
Mmmm...hmmmm nope!
She steps off the auto and starts yelling hurriedly, people honk behind her, she jumps up on the median and looks around... the auto is still not budging........
A Toyota Sequoia slides past in the opposite direction, a man wearing red white and blue check shirt had just slid the window down..... a crack..........
A tall curvaceous gal was agitated......
He slides the window down further..... traffic is moving slow..........
"Mujhe Malviya Nagar chhodiye aap" she says and goes on to tell the auto wallah how important her work is, her life is and the mission of her company is.......... how important it is to mankind and to the planet
The man riding the Sequoia smirks..... as he admires the mass of curls every where on her shoulders, the dark pink scarf reaches and almost touches the shiny silver metal of the Sequoia.......
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