Part 12 Jalaun Journeys

January 10th 2011
Monday
4 PM Onwards
New Delhi Railway Station
Delhi-Kanpur Shatabdi....

Radhika: I will be FINE Papa!
Zips, unzips, re zips her Ralph Lauren tote bag, her mirror work skirt is flowing all over the platform bench. She is wearing a scarf in a completely unrelated color, using it to tie her hair down at the back
Her Dad is still in his work clothes, first day of his new job, his 5th job in as many years
Sushil: You think so?

Radhika, I know so, apne office ke do log ja rahe hain mere saath. Kiski himmat aapki beti ko tang kare? I have taken so many self defence classes remember? Sab yaad hai mujhe. Bus Papa aap mera kaam mat bhoolna. I need that name in the Ministry of Rural Development. Mere contact se koi kaam nahi ho raha

Sushil tries to interrupt, but the gal has taken off quite like the Shatabdi Express she is waiting for
Radhika: Kal main UP Jal Nigam ke employees se miloongi, Parson, us band tannery ko survey karne jaayenge. Uske baad main aapko call karti hoon, kyon ki much of the rest will happen on foot, you know....
Sushil: Radhoo beta
Radhika: Ritwik, ko mere kamre mein enter mat honey dena. He will go thru my music and my books
Sushil: Radhoo beta, meri....

Radhika: Maa ek hafte ki chhutthi karengi shaayad, chaliye kahin lambaaaaa ghoomne nikalte hain?
Sushil: Meri baat suno beta!
Radhika jumping up from the bench "Oh Bhayya, neeche bacha so raha hai, aapko dikhta nahi?"
Yells at a porter who is about to trample a young sleeping toddler.
Toddler starts to wail, porter grunts and continues on his path....
Radhika: Aap usko na mere bench par sulao, main yahi khadi hoon
Her Dad shakes his head at his daughter's behavior
Sushil: Roz atleast 4 baar call karna. Raat ko bahar na niklo to achha hai
Radhika: Papa main Prabha Dubey ji hain na jo SEWA mein hain, unke sister ke yaha rukoongi, she is so nice she is letting us all stay with her

Sushil has no clue who teh woman is, is visibly worried
Radhika: Aapko yaad bhi nahi Prabha ji, Papa (she begins again)
He knows her Shatabdi will reach Kanpur if she starts to explain her Prabha connection
Sushil: Send me a picture of where you are staying
R:Aur kuch papa? Aapke liye kya laoon? Kanpur se?
Sushil: Kuch bhi nahi
R: Papa how about Hathras ka paan?
Her phone rings, just as the train rolls by to a slow halt
Her Dad goes off to look for her coach

She looks for her ticket, for once quiet....

Sushil: I told you to fly. You dont listen, dont let any body speak
R: FOUND IT!
Zips her mirror work hand bag clumsily
Her Dad retrieves a wad of bills from his pocket and hands it to her

R: Maine to Ritwik ke wallet se Rs.10,000 le liye (grins)
Sushil smiles.
He points to her coach, they start to walk
She boards, dumps her stuff in the overhead tray.
Sits down, it fills up slowly
Sushil: I want you to be safe
R: Yeh mera kaun sa trip hai?
Sushil: PEHLA!
R:Haw Haw haw, Papa you have an awful memory its my 14th trip!
S: Beta dhyaan rakho. Tumhare dost kidhar hain, jo kaam se aane waale th?
R:They are booked in two diff coaches (smiles gleefully)
S: Station par so mat jaana
R:Jee Papa, aap log mere ko chhodkar celebrate karne mat nikal jaana,  Mere aane ke baad chalte hain Ritu ko ghar par hi chhod denge.
Sushil Tum dono ladna kab band karoge?
Answers it himself
Sushil: When I find a husband for you?
R:Dhoondte rahiye (grins)
--------
10th January Monday
T1 Terminal IGI Airport
Jet Airways check in clerk: Sir are you checking any bags
R: Nope!
JA: Can I see your ID please?
He fishes his wallet out and shows her his Driver's license
The gal smiles, he is impassive
JA: You have LONG hair (shocked, handing it back to him)
R:Thanks! (short)
The gal hands him his boarding pass
He takes it just as his phone rings, its Pavan Chachu
R:Jee?
P: Have you checked in?
R:Yep!
P:I think our lawyer is not getting in until later tomm
R:You told me
P: Did I (smiles)
R waits....
P:Meet Usman Ali, he knows where the documents are, he has been to the Kanpur office of UP State Indl Dev Corp a dozen times
R grunts
P: Usman has been meeting with the owners, when they last visited from Muscat
R:Hmmm
P: Ateendra is going to the Minsitry of Company Affairs tomorrow, we should know
R:Fine
P: You dont have to stay more than whats needed
R:Ofcourse!
P:The Agriculture Minsiter's secretary should meet you at the airport
P: I am not sure if he is going to Madhogarh with you tomm, you might want to ask him, bus.... that is it... I think
R:Jee! (softly)
Follows a 20 something air crew with his eyes, she bends to retrieve her badge from her luggage. His eyes rest on the parting between her legs, her tight chignon sticks out of her head as she bends, her red skirt has a slit on the back....
P: Raghav?
No response
P: Are you there beta?
R: Abhi tak to...
P: Make sure you dont fall in love (laughs out loud)
R: I will try! Not to I mean....
Click!

Scoop of Life Part 11 --- Tripathis & Kapoors

January 8th 2011
Saturday
11:14 AM
Saket


New Delhi.


Sushil Tripathi sipped his tea slowly, slid the glass door on a huge curio shelf that contained various German silver, glass and brass artefacts. There must be atleast 100 on the shelf, in all, he thought. He knew there were boxes of it collecting dust at the Meerut warehouse.
He wondered if Rachit paid the warehouse dues.
His new job started Monday
 He picked up a few and turned them over to reveal TMG at the bottom, Tripathi Metal & Glass.


Gopi the maid, walked by with a breakfast tray, she set it down and waited
Sushil: Madam kahan hai?
Gopi: Unka paper tha college mein
He nods carelessly.
Sushil: Aap jao, main kha loonga


Gopi: Jee (lingers)
Sushil: Ritu uth gaya?
Gopi: Jee nahi Saab
Sushil: Radhoo?
Gopi: Woh subah kisi dost se milne chali gayi, unke 5 dost aaye lene


He smiles fondly. Radhika!! She was never home.....
If she was not at her NGO then she was out partying with friends.


His face loses the smile too quickly "My personal failure to become a successfl businessman has steered her completely away from a corporate career." No amount of convincing had brought her into the mainstream.
He smiled again " If she was home, there is no chance the house would be quiet"
She had told him about her trip to UP next week, his heart had skipped a beat, she was going to half a dozen villages between Dehat Kanpur and Jalaun to start the initial fact finding mission for her NGO.
She had rattled off statistics about droughts and existing irrigation infrastructure in UP


She is fiesty, spirited and talkative. She spoke firmly and spoke a LOT.
" Papa aapko pata hai While the Constitution does not recognize a fundamental right to water, court"

decisions deem such a right to be implied in Article 21"

In her focus and passion she many times repeated what ever she said before

Sushil Tripathi, Radhika's Dad was born affluent, to a metal and glass factory owner in Moradabad, UP. Born into wealth, raised in wealth, he obtained the best education possible, not too far from home at IIT Roorkee. Ambitious, driven man, always focussed on the results, was taught to think BIG and do bigger. The only son between two daughters his Dad had solid plans for him. .
Sushil had big expansion plans, plans to export, plans to supply to big name stores.....travel the world, buy a vacation home in Spain.
 The second factory came into being at Modi Nagar, together they employed over 500 people.
Father and son were very close consulting on almost all decisions on a daily basis.
Sushils' Dad could see the passion and drive in his son's eyes. He was confident his son would carry out his vision for the company.


Things dont always go the way we plan for them. Tragedies occur..... the course of life changes.


"Kabhi kisi ki naukri mat karna, you are immensely talented, the only place you will sign is on the paychecks, not on a job application" his father would declare emotionally.
He slid the glass door shut, noisily, just as a red line bus honked outside on the road


His eyes fell on his New Hire letter
---------------


Golf Links


Saturday


Jan 8th 2011


Brothers Krishan and Pavan are seated with Mridula, the senior Kapoors,  Pavan's daughter Anvita and Krsihan's daughters Rohini and Ruchira.  Their brither Raghav slouched in a comfy couch flipping channels. He wore a navy track pant and a offwhite tee, tattered on the edge


Krishan (in sign language pointing to his son) ISKO kya ho gaya?
Mridula: Nothing yet (smirks)
Dadi: Krishan quit picking on him
Pavan: Anuttam aur Ateendra aa rahe hain shaam ko, lets all celebrate, they will be carrying with them the first sheet of fabric from the Yavatmal plant
Mridula claps
Ruchira: Mom, can we go to Taj Man Singh
Rohini: Nahi Maurya
DadI: Dadaji will cook tonite
Anivita: Dadiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii nahiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, KARHI CHAWAL? Nahiiiii
Dadaji acts hurt
Pavan: Sorry Dad, You guys dont get to go.
Krishan: So how many are we at Yavatmal? Hiring?
Dadi: Pavan tumhe ek aur parantha?
Pavan waves a NO!
Mridula carries a plate for Raghav "Did you want eggs beta?"
Krishan: He can MAKE his own....
Pavan: Chhodiye bhayya usko. He will be fine.


There is no malice in either brother, both dont crave for success at the cost of pulling the other down.
Krishan: He is UNMOVED Pavan (loud)
Raghav checks his phone and goes back to staring at the TV
Dadaji: Give him WORK
Krsihan looks murderous" DAD! You think we are relegating him to the sidelines?"
Dadaji: I DID NOT say that beta


The voices become louder and shrill
Mridula: Bhayya aap chai lenge? (looking at Pavan)
Pavan: Jee Bhabhi thanks (apologetic)
Dadi: Tum usko kaam do, dekho kaise nahi karega
Krishan: MAA The last time he came into work was 4? 5? days ago? (looks at his bro Pavan)
Pavan: He does come every week
Krishan: Aakar kya bola maloom maa? UP Govt shut down 13 tanneries. All I need in the family is a person like him. I dont need rivals or critics (fumes, breathes hard)
Mridula: You need to relax


Krishan: With HIM?
Mridula: Let me speak, kahan bhejna hai usko?
Pavan: Bhabhi Bundelkhand Distt mein Jalaun hai na, uske paas Madhogargh
Mridula: Tannery ke liye?
Pavan: Jee!
Krishan is tearing his parantha in rage "EK GHANTA HO GAYA hum sabko yaha, ek shabd nahi nikla uske mooh se"
Throws his fork on the plate
Dadaji: Get him married


The girls jump up in joy! Squeal, clap, do a hip shake "Yayyyyyyyyyyy" "Bhabheeeeeeeeeee"
Mridula: REALLY Dad?
Dadaji: Ofcourse
Krishan: Which fool will agree to marry this bum?
The girls chorus "NAYANA!"


The parents and the grand parents' face pale, turn ashen, lose color......
Dadi: Nayana? Krishan ki secretary? (looks at the girls, stunned)
Rohini: Jee Dadi
Mridula tries to stop the trembling of her voice " Nayana? Beta who told you?"
Ruchira: Bhai was taking a nap I saw his text (giggles)  "I'll trade you a back rub for a foot massage"
Dadi tries her best not to act horrified
Krishan gets up followed by Pavan they walk to the couch
They glare at the 6'2" skinny but well toned man lounging...... "MY assistant?"
The girls giggle and gush, Mridula shuts here eys as she clears the table, two servants wait in attention. Dadaji is all smiles, Dadi is disapproving
They wait......
Raghav: Yes to Madhogarh on Monday if you like, but No on Nayana" (lazy, unaffected, arrogant, stretches his foot and drags a coffee table closer)

Scoop of Life AFTER the Meeting Part 10

January 3rd 2011
8:22 PM
Hyatt Regency
New Delhi

Guy 1: Kab ja rahi hai UP?
Radhika: May be early next week, but maine abhi notes nahi banaye, its going to take me atleast two weeks. I dont think we have that kind of time. Looks like there is a buyer for the tannery. Not sure who (she rambles)
Guy2: Stop! Ek minute.... Stop (raises his hand)
Radhika: can you imagine what companies in India are doing? Sab ekdum crooks hain, I have actually read the registertration of privately held corporations in india, lot of ghapla man!
Guy 1: Ek minute,

Now both guys are raising their hands as if they are in a class room.
Guy 2: Excuse me
Girl 1: Its no use (smirks)
Radhika: Did you know in UP....
Guy 1: RADHIKAAAAAA
The man wearing the read white and blue check shirt, sitting at the bar, turns around drawn to cacophony..... "Her curls" he thinks.....
He can see some midriff, on her and her female friend...... he leans to get a better look
Girl 1: Chup! Ekdum chup

Radhika shuts up defeated

Guy 1: Hum log agle hafte Jaipur ka plan bana rahe hain for the Literary festival?
Radhika: GET OUT OF HERE! I cant go. Rit wik aaya hai, Ma ke semsester exams shuru ho chuke hain, I think Papa starts a new job. UP pata nahi main train se jaaon ya bus se. Tum log last kab gaye UP?
Her friends collectively hang their heads, some even rest it on the table and sob.....
Radhika Kya hua?
Girl 2: Kuch nahi, you shud get another drink (waves at the bartender)
Guy 1: Ritwik kitne dino mein jaayega?
Girl 2 busrst out laughing "Bus ab ke band nahi hogi" "Koi mere liye cab bulao yaar"
Radhika's phone is ringing non stop, she stares at it with various expressions ranging from happiness to rage but does not answer.
Guy1 : Aaj usne phone ko chhod diya, hamari wat laga rahi hai yaar!
Guy 2: Its all becoz of that NGO she workd for
Girl 1: she is very cool. Coolest of all
Hugs Radz from the side
Radhika: Ek mathematical model dikhaaon, how to derive clean water?
There is a collective NAHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII loud, and thunderous
The man sitting on the bar stool grabs his credit card from between the leather folds of the check holder and walks way without glancing at the group.
Guy 1: Chal Radhika ne aaj ke liye, ek customer ko bhaga diya
Radz: HE ATE. Some gross sounding thing!
The place starts to fill up the friends respond to text msgs and calls
Girl 1: Your bro is visiting ghar par khaana kha
Radz: Nahi, he is a pain in the butt
Girl: Hes cute
Radhika: Do you want to become my Bhabhi? Waise Rachu Bhayya ke wife ko maine pasand kiya. I cant let you marry Ritwik. I am going to find  some one awful, mean and nasty, some one with two sets of teeth and thinning hair. Someone that snores and passes gas all day long

Guy 1: Mohit hai na!
Guy 2 (Mohit) ROFL Hee haw
Guy 1: He is skinny too
Mohit: I hate the name Ritwik
Radhika: If the name was something else would you marry him? Mohit "Tripathi"
Starts to giggle, her friends give up on her...
Mohit: Chinta mat kar, I will get my day under the sun...... SOON
Radhika: I plan to be single the rest of my life (serious, almost tragic)
Guy 1: I dont blame her guys, her boy friend, or EX boyfriend Sankalp left the country!!! Thats how she affected him!
They guffaw

Radhika is mock offended
Mohit: Her husband will WALK to Tibet, shaadi ke ek mahiney mein, like Wangchuk in 3 Idiots. Chalo Tibet ka bhala hoyega.
Raucuous laughter follows....
The 6'2" walks back in while the bartender meets him half way to hand him his phone.....

Scoop of Life Part 9----- The Meeting

January 3rd 2011
Hyatt Regency
6:45 PM


She gave him a second glance upon hearing the grunt, "Big eyes for a guy".
He meets hers for a second,  but looks away disinterested......
Guy1: What are you getting?
Radhika: Something to drink!
Places her bag, her cell phone, her scarf, all over his drink and arm..........
He turns, doesnt bother saying anything, just picks up his stuff and walks to another corner, she pats the seat, dragging a friend to sit........
Guy2: Bathed the world in water yet?
Radhika: You know what? Maloom aaj kya hua, subah maine 2 ghante lagaaye finding documents for..........
She goes on and on and on about trying to find documents in the morning.
Guy 1: We should get her drunk, all she does is talk
Radhika: Who wants to go to UP with me?
The guys glare at her while her female friends roll their eyes.
Radhika: Wahan bhi rehte hain hai log
Guy1 :Good to know
Raghav: Can I order out of the menu? (to the bartender)
Radhika: Unless you are at home... (giggles)
She can feel an arm? or an elbow? or a shirt? or something..... turns sideways


Her male friend stares at his drink grinning.
Raghav: Dont you check Driver's ID or something? (disgusted)
Bartender: Sir they are regulars
Raghav: Regular under age drinkers? Great!
Radhika is ready to punch him
She looks to mobilize her friends, all except the guy seated on what used to be Raghav's bar stool have taken a small booth like enclosure.
Radhika: MY drink first, PLEASE! (smiles not amused)
Raghav: My menu if you dont mind....
They are the closest they will ever be......... "until he disappears into thin air" she thinks
"One more minute and I have to feel that hair" he decides
The bar tender puts them both out of their misery,or not quite..... hands HER the menu and hands him the drink Cape Cod (Cranberrry juice, Vodka and a dash of lime).
He stares at teh drink for a second and grunts, its dark pink and glittery. She reaches for it....
He notices the long tapering fingers, he waits for her to hold his hand which is wrapped around her drink.
Radhika: It costs Rs.473, you can have it! (smug, as she shoves the menu card)
He lets go without a word, she swoops it, letting her polished nails rub the inside of his wrist carelessly....
He can smell lavender of some sort.... he is allergic to most scents.... he twitches his nose.
Radhika: mere freinds ne kya order kiya?
Bartender: Chicken wings!
Radhina: Cheese sticks?
Raghav interrupts their convo "Tenderloin burgers, NO tomatoes, Gruyere cheese". Slaps the menu down on the counter
Radhika completes the order for him, with a lesson in manners "PLEASE!"
He sips his drink uncaringly, while she walks away in a huff towards her friends, leaving her things on the counter... only drink in hand