…and We remained 12 hours apart…

After waiting for half an hour, at 8:30, I finally swiped my card in and walked up to the bay. Took off my shirt, signed against the canoe I was taking in and I hit the water.

I always find myself into the rush to row wider and stronger and faster in order to get away from the shore as quickly as possible. And I enjoy it because it gives a kind of rush of blood and flexing of muscles so fast, am often close to getting a cramp but I love it anyways. Once, I rowed my way in, I relaxed a bit and found my rhythm. And once me and my canoe were one and ore was cutting water just as smooth, my mind couldn’t help but wonder - why didn’t she come?

I had met her a day before. Nahh, I mean we’d known each other for over a three years (or two as she would like to correct me) from the days when I was still in Germany. A quiet face, brownish short hair over her forehead, and comforting yet mysterious smile on her lips, flawless blue eyes and elegant eyebrows- yeah, I can still remember. Two years had gone by and none of us had bothered to get in touch, why should one. It was probably an evening or a workshop that we did together. I sure noticed her back then but I’d noticed her friend more, so to say.

Well, I was excited to meet after so long. I thought of it more so that she is in my city and if was in hers, she would show me around and that is what I’m going to do. Just like another Job. I’ve spent at least five of my weekends showing people around and have got some of my dearest friends and acquaintances out of that and it is cool thing. I get to know a little more about my own city. So, I was up for it.

I walked into Café Leopold. It wasn’t full but there were a lot of tourists and I was wondering if we would recognise each other at all. Turns out, it is still not possible for someone like her to go unnoticed. She was writing her diary, sitting at the right corner table, black coloured salwar-kurta, same good old short hair, pretty eyes and spark in her smile. Very formally, I said hello in my possible German dialect and I settled down on the chair in front of her. She still looked very pretty and this time with a subtle sense of peace in every-bit that she came across. But somehow, I wasn’t going to compliment her. Just a thing you know, you don’t want to go ga ga about someone just within in five minutes of seeing them. Let us just call it a guy thing for the moment.

We walked around. I did my routine, Gateway of India, docks, Bombay Stock Exchange, Fountain, Churchgate, High Court building and back to Regal theatre. While I wasn’t explaining something about the place, I was listening to her story. Which was like yours and mine, but for the fact that she had been on the road from January and she has been pretty much all over the world, from South America to New Zealand, Laos to Varanasi, Agra to Kanyakumari.

While we stopped at Mondegar’s to have our lunch. I completely stepped out of my guide’s shoe and we could really catch up. Surprisingly, we spoke a lot and said a lot as well. Now I knew a little more than before. In her words, ‘I knew that she wasn’t that kind of person and She wasn’t that kind of girl.’ I guessed, I had rest of the afternoon and then probably the evening to figure out those two ‘thats.’

Then we rode up to VT, Xaviers’ College, Metro, Marine Lines, Churchgate and then to the lands end at Nariman Point. And we just hung around by the sea face. We watched people, skyline of Bombay, fancy cars passing by, people walking, breathing, talking, sweating, talking on phones, crossing roads, shopping…we just let the life of the city sink in.

She asked, if we were going to party anytime. And I nodded.

Left the bike and home and we took on street by foot.

We walked up all the way up from Choupati to Nariman Point by the sea. We decided to make a quick pit-stop and sit by the sea-face for a while and we ended up hanging around there for an hour and then back on feet. Very soon we ended up at Mondy’s, now Café Mondegar(Mondy’s) has become a phenomenon for me or rather a synonym for ‘Good Times’ and well that day wasn’t an exception. We sat in, downed some beers, scribbled on tissue papers, put in coins to play songs on Juke box and met some people. We left only when they decided to shut down.

No one wanted to go home so we walked past assembly house to the sea. Alcohol does help you get over some inhibitions and talk a little more than you otherwise. So it did. We just lazed around till early morning, laughed for no good reason, starred at the horizon in the dark and heard the bikes and cars breeze by. Then I walked her back to her guest-house and she asked if we were still on for rowing in the sea next day. We agreed to meet up at 8 o’clock and then just a long silent stare and then I left.

She thought it was 8 pm and it was apparent to me that it has to be 8am to be able to row in the sea.

Well, that is why I probably waited for half and hour. But now I’m hitting the water.

I remember, she told me bout this guy she met in a pub on some evening and then how they were the only ones left to leave when the sun rose. Twelve hours, did she say ?

I couldn’t help but think…

Well, I met her following day in the evening and as both of us were a little short on money we just hung around. Walked, talked, and grabbed an ice-cream and some road-side food. I remember when in Bombay, an hour doesn’t pass without looking at the watch half a dozen times, but this time around the time check was courtesy Mom, dad and all the friends whom I was still to meet. They kept buzzing on my cell-phone.

It only got clearer that time is something; we never have it on our side.

Wine, dine, walks, rides and well hours and hours spent talking and sometime just thinking, grinning and smiling, just felt like a routine, I didn’t want to let go off.

So here was the deal, I couldn’t get in touch with her and she could. So, there wasn’t a lot of room for being spontaneous, even if I was around where was she was staying, there was no way to get in touch with her. Well, it works both ways, if you don’t know if you are going to meet the person again or not, you make most of the time you’ve got and other way, you know it…

So, she buzzed later on in the day and we met up at Regal. I happened to reach early and thought I could take her out for movie and so I got tickets. Turns out she really wanted to see that one and I just smiled like I could read her mind, whereas I had no damn clue…bout nothing.

That was the last evening, next day by that time, I was to be in the bus headed towards Hyd. Only consolation was I hate to be the one driving back from the Airport, so I much rather be on the flight (errr…on the Bus).

We sat and watched the fireflies in the sky and I joked that the city was bidding farewell to her. She was on the road for last nine months, she had travelled over ten countries and met tones of people and this was her last stop before heading back home. Just makes things interesting. You always have lots to talk about lots. Not to mention, I could practice a bit of my German.

For someone who hasn’t been on holidays in the last seven month and for whom 9 to 6pm has been the schedule and life was defined in by nothing but the sum 5+2, spending such a refreshing time with someone was …well beyond all the words that you read so far…

We met up in yet another of my favourite café, she slide the printout of our photograph and a lighter that she had carried with her for last nine months and I slide across an envelope, contents of which I leave to your imagination.

We walked a mile. And I heard myself saying, “So, Das wars.”..means so that was it..

She smiled and we hugged.

And we parted, no one looked back or maybe someone did…

Neo