It was a regular Sunday morning. By Morning I mean at 11 O’clock. Boney was cooking his favorite Sunday sandwich with his special dressings. I was busy in cleaning the Saturday nights mess as girls were about to come. After cleaning the house I was setting up the coffee table with some plates and glasses for a good brunch. I heard the door opening and I turned back and saw girls are here
“Hey girls how are doing?” I said
“Good” Jiya said and went in the kitchen to help Boney
“Missed you dear” Priya said hugged me. I kissed her and said “Me too”
“So what’s cooking in there?” Priya asked Boney
“What else” Jiya replied and it was understood that Boney is cooking sandwich. Boney and Jiya came out with tons of sandwiches and then Boney said
“I have a surprise after these sandwiches so keep a small space in your tummies” No one reacted because we knew the options of surprises he can give and on one was exited.
“Anyone up for juice” Jiya asked while going towards the kitchen
“I will have” Priya said
“Pass me a bear would you” Boney said
“What? It’s Sunday morning dude?” I said
“You want something Parag?” Jiya asked from the kitchen
“No, I am good” I replied and we started to eat. It was a normal conversation about our work, movies, managers, managers and managers and just when we were about to get a surprise dish from Boney someone rang the bell. We all looked at each other as we all were in the room and no one was expecting anyone on Sunday noon. Jiya got up and opened the door.
“Who is it?” I asked
“Wait” Jiya said and turned back. She had flowers in her hand
“Am I missing something? Is it your birthday Parag?” Boney asked by looking at the flowers
“No, but who is that for?” I asked and looked at Jiya. She looked at the card and said
“For you, it says ‘Thanks for your help. I want to take you out on dinner so that I can thank you better’ and then there is a smiley” Jiya read the card in the flowers. I looked at Priya and she was turning red. I ran towards Jiya and pulled the card
“A beer on Sunday morning doesn’t feel so bad, hun!!!” Boney said and I looked at him
“Who is this Simlin?” I said with surprising voice
“I heard this name somewhere… oohh oohh she is the one from railway station, isn’t she?” Boney said with excitement in his voice. I looked at him and nodded a no as Priya was sitting there and I have forgotten to tell her this story.
“Parag” Priya called my name so that I should start explaining
“Ohhh it’s gonna be interesting” Boney said and Jiya came and sat on the couch. They both were looking to us as if they are watching a movie or something.
“It’s nothing, just slipped from mind to tell you about her” I said
“About your new girlfriend” Priya said with anger in her voice. Jiya and Boney got more adjusted and comfortable to listen to my answer. All eyes on me now
“I met her in the station and helped her that’s it.” I said to make it crisp and clear
“And she now knows your address and asking for dinner DATE” Boney said giving stress on ‘date’
“Boney, don’t be so mean.” Jiya said and looked at him and continued “But we need to know what happened”
“In detail” Priya added
“Ok, you remember I went to pick up my bag which my mom sent with my friend” I said and looked at Boney to agree on my statement
“Ya, I do” Boney said
“Well I met her that day, I guess on Wednesday”
***Meet the Stranger Start***
I reached to railway station at around 6:30 in the morning as the train would arrive at 6:30. I was on time and looked at the train status screen to check the platform. The train was scheduled at platform 1 and a few minutes late.
I purchased the platform ticket and went in. I was sitting on a bench and sipping tea, waiting for the train. A cute girl came and sat next to me. She was traveling someplace and I guess she was going for a marriage as she had lots of baggage. After like 5-10 minutes she said
“Excuse me” I removed my headphones and looked at her
“Can you keep an eye on my luggage, I will just be back” she said and I nodded along and pushed my headphones back. I resumed to my game on mobile but at the same time I was getting thoughts like, what we read in news paper. May be there are bombs in these bags or may be dead body. I was a little scared so I thought I should concentrate on my game. In another 10 mins she came back and said
“Hey, where is my red small bag?” She was looking at me for an answer
“What bag? No one came here” I said while plugging out my head phones and putting my mobile in my pocket.
“You are kidding? Tell me you are kidding” She said with all confused voice and she was looking so tensed
“I am sorry but I didn’t see anyone near your bag” I said and started to look around for someone.
“How can you be so irresponsible? I just asked you keep an eye on bags for not more than 5 minutes. How???” She said as if I am her boyfriend or husband
“I am sorry mam, but if you can’t take care of your own luggage I can’t help it” I said and was about to leave
“Oh my god!!! That bag had all my money what my father gave for the stay” she said with a low voice. I wanted to leave but she was looking so sad, I decided to be there and console her. I sat next to her and said
“I am sorry, let’s try if we can find it”
“I don’t think we can find it. My father gave me the bag and told me to keep it with me. It’s my fault. How am I suppose to pay the hostel fee now. If I will tell my father he won’t let me be here and he will call me back to Chandigarh” She said
*** Meet the Stranger Interrupted***
“Wait, and you paid her hostel fee? Didn’t you?” Boney said
“Did she here?” Priya asked
“No she wasn’t here… or was she. You are such a dork man; I never thought you will do this with Priya. I hate you” Boney said with all drama in his voice
“No, nothing happened, do you wana listen to what happened. Boney you not need to be a drama queen” I said
“Cut him some slack guys, Parag, tell us what happened” Jiya said
“Anyways I told her” I said and continued the story
*** Meet the Stranger continued***
“Listen lets go and keep your bags in cloak room and meanwhile the train would come and I will pick my bag from my friend and then we will look for yours” I said and looked at her. She was breaking into tears and said while crying
“I am sorry I yelled at you” and then she gave a hug to me. I consoled her and then we went to the cloak room to keep her baggage. Just then my train came and I saw Abhi ‘my friend’ getting down from the train. I ran to him and she came along me.
“Hey buddy how are you, man” I asked him while hugging him
“I am doing ok, tired of dragging the weight of you bag” Abhi said in a funny way
“Oh really then drop it till home” I responded I the same fashion.
“Hi Priya, I have heared a lot about you, it is nice to meet you” Abhi said while extending his hand towards Simlin
“Hi” she said in a confusing voice and did handshake with him
“She is not Priya, she is…” then I stopped as till now I haven’t asked her name
“Simlin” she said. Abi looked at me with his one eyebrow raising high. He leaned towards me and whispered “Way to go buddy, you don’t even know her name” then he leaned back and said out loud
“It is nice to meet you”
“Same here” Simlin said
“Hey thanks for the bag dude, I will call sometime we gotta go” I said and looked at Simlin and she nodded.
“Oh I guess, ok will see you guys later…” He said and left. We went back to the cloak room to give my bag as well. Now my mind started to work, what are possible ways to find that bugger thief. The first thing that came in my mind was to go to the loading room and ask the coolies about local thieves here. So we went there. It was dark and smelly, like fishes. The bikes were parked on one side and lots of cartoons all tied in rough cloths. It was dusty so I asked Simlin
“Why don’t you stay out, it’s too messy for you”
“No I want to come” she said and I nodded along, understanding her curiosity. I spotted an old coolie there and went to him and said
“Hello” he didn’t even heard me and I looked at Simlin showing how pathetic these guys are and so she tried
“Hello, excusme” not just one, five of them turned back. They were looking at her as if they haven’t seen a girl from long. Then one of them came out from the group
“Yes, what happened? You were not suppose to come in sir” He said while looking at me
“We are sorry, I lost my bag on platform so we thought we can ask if you know the local thieves around so that I can find that bag” Simlin said and looked at me to take confirmation if that is how it was suppose to be said
“Did you go to the railway police?” He asked
“No” Simlin said.
“Then go to them first” He said and turned back to do his work. She looked at me again but this time with an angry face with such a bad idea.
“Police don’t work, I know” I said while coming out from the room. Then we went to police and he took an interview of two of us and wrote a complained and asked to come after 2-3 days to check. I gave Simlin the same look as she gave me after we had a conversation with coolie.
“I know Police don’t work” She said and we laughed and then she continued “what do we do now?”
“I don’t know how your bag was? What all do you have in it?” I asked out of curiosity
“It was a red Fast-track bag. I have around 20 thousand in it and all my degree and marksheets” she said and got depressed again
“May be we can look for it around that place where we were sitting.” I said and we were going towards that place back. I saw a young guy holding the same fast-track bag. He wasn’t looking that rich to buy that bag, rather he was looking a rowdy must be a girls bag, why does he has it. I didn’t even gave it another thought and ran towards him. Simlin yelled from the back
“Parag” as I didn’t even turn back she started to run behind me. I fetched the bag from the boy and pushed him. He got unbalanced and was about to fall. He controlled himself and yelled at me while taking a grip on the bag
“What the hell”
“Leave my bag you bugger” I yelled. Simlin came close and yelled “that looks like my bag Parag, don’t leave it”
“Oh what the hell” he said and was trying to push me but I was standing rough. Just then when I was about to pull it to me someone hit me from the back and I heard a voice
“Leave that you moron” unfortunately it was a girls voice and I looked back. She was a girl and somehow I fell down and lost the grip of bag. She took the bag from the boy and hit me again twice with the same bag.
“Stop stop” I said and rolled back and stood up. I saw there were so many people around us, watching the little play in which a boy got hit by a girl.
“This is my bag you moron” She said again. I looked at Simlin while easing my pain
“Looks the same, I am sorry” Simlin said with low volume
“We are sorry, we lost out bag and it was just like that, I am so so sorry” I said with pin in my voice
“Do we look like thief” She yelled again
“I am sorry” I said holding my abs. The guy picked the suitcase and she hit me softly again with the same bag and walked out
“ouch” I yelled in pain and looked at Simlin.
“Let’s go and get you some water” Simlin said. We went to a shop and I said
“I am fine; I will get some water and soda to drink” She nodded and I went to the shop.
“Bro, get me a coke and a water bottle” I said to the shopkeeper and then I saw there is a red bag sitting at the back stool in the shop. So, I asked him
“Bro, is that bag yours?” He looked at the bag and nodded in no and said
“No, a girl came in the morning to get some tea and she forgot it here, I thought she might come back.” I looked at him and gave an awkward silence and then I turned back and yelled
“Simlin” She looked at me and I didn’t say a word, she came to me and I said with anger and frustration in my voice
“Is that your bag?”
“Oh, you found it, yes that is my bag, oh wow” she was jumping with happiness and gave me tight hug
“Ooh Oohh Ouch” I said with pain. Then the shopkeeper gave her the bag and we came and sat on bench. It was silent for sometime while she was checking her bag and then she said
“Thanks” and she looked at me. My eyes were red and so she said “sorry” with shrinking her nose like a cute little girl. I was flustered but it was funny as well so I couldn’t stop but laughed out loud. She got relaxed and then I proposed to drop her to her hostel.
We collected our bags from cloak room and I dropped her and came back home.
****meeting with stranger end***
I looked at Priya as if now you understand it was not a big deal. Priya was still confused and she said after taking a long breath
“I guess it is fine then”
“No no, how come she has your address” Boney said and mysteriously raise both his eyebrows. I said in plain English without even thinking twice
“I gave it to her thinking if she might need any help as she is new in the town, any more question” I was still looking at Boney and he said
“No question by me sir” he said like a commando and I looked at Priya and said
“Hey, listen, I can’t believe I got accused because I helped a girl find her bag” Priya didn’t respond, may be she was thinking about it and Boney said
“Ya, don’t worry she would not date him. He got hit by a girl” he said and raised his hand to Jiya for a high five. Jiya said
“You accused coolies, a young boy, hit by a girl trice, made a decision of finding thief by yourself instead of going to police and hit by a girl”
“You said that already” I replied as a reflex
“Oh yes Mr. Sherlock Holmes” Boney said while laughing, Jiya caught his laughter and then Priya and I had no option but to break into laugh. Just then my phone started to rang and it was silent. Boney said
“I bet it’s her” I leaned towards the phone said “it’s my mom” and picked up the phone and went to balcony. I couldn’t hear much but still could hear them laughing and then I heard Priya saying
“Whatever he is an hero, at least for me” and then Boney said
“Still it can never go back that he got hit by a girl in the public place” and they started to laugh again
****
Whatever we may do in a situation, it may be making a fool out of you or being a hero, our friends can always find a way to make fun of it. At the end what you remember is the fun part of it so keep going and don’t stop making mistakes, moreover don’t feel shameful telling your friends about it, they gonna make it a bigger memory a better memory.
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