8/14/2019 11 P9 Prose AniruddhaSen

1/3

o

Palki9

@

calcuttans.com/palki

February

14,

2010

AniruddhaSensstory

He was ambling on the Versova beach of Mumbai. It was a Saturdayeveningandtheplacewasoverflowingwithpicnickers.Amidthemillingcrowdhewas lookingexpectantlyforafaceasweetone,apttofulfillhisdesire.

Thenhesawheradameclearlywaybeyondeventhewildestofhis fantasies!Shewas tall,beautiful, smartlyattired,andyes, sexy.Butwhatreallysetherapartwasacharming innocence thepurityof thefreshmorningdeworthefirstauraofthedawnonherteenageface.Shewasstandingaloofnear thewater,withhereyes transfixedon the fastdescendingredblobnearthehorizon.

Well,hehadmetgirlsbeforeandhadevengotfriendlywiththem.Butthathadbeenmostlyincourseofhisprofession.Nowthiswasagirlwithadifferencetheoneitseemedhewasallthewhilelookingforinvainfromamongthecolorfulshadowsthathadjustwhizzedpasthislife.Hefelthisheartpoundingasheadvanced.

Goodevening,madam.Started,sheturnedaround.Lookingstraightintohercautiouseyes

hesaid inanassuringtone,Justtowarnyouthetidesareadvancinganditsnotsafetostandtooclosetothewater.

Oh!She

immediately

recoiled

and

grabbed

his

hand

like

a

kid

in

instantpanic.Nextshelookedathimapologeticallyandblushed.

Loveatfirstsighthethought.Loveatfirstsightshethought.Andboththeheartspulsated inunisonyearningtodoanything

forlove!Sohail,heintroduced.Monica,shereciprocated.They were now far off the sea coast and walking towards the

nearbymangrove,inquestforasecludedspot.I never feel like getting cozy with boys, she whispered. But

youresospecial!Imflattered,hesmiled.ButmayIknowwhyImsofortunate?Its the innocence, written large on your face. She said, You

cantdeceive anyone.Were so scared, you know! I forone canneverstandtheideaoftreacheryandheartbreak.

8/14/2019 11 P9 Prose AniruddhaSen

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o

Palki9

@

calcuttans.com/palki

February

14,

2010

Samewithme,heutteredgently. I, too,wasattractedby thearomaofyouruncontaminatedsoul.

Infact,deepinsideweallfeelsoinsecure!Amidpretensionsandsubterfuges raging all around, the heart forever seeks a safe cove oftranquillovetoanchoron.

AndwhenonefindsoneIts Eden, she murmured and grabbed his hands firm, before

bringingthemoverhersoftbosom.Couldntwemoveoffabitfurthernearerthemangrovesfor

betterprivacy?After some hesitationhe said, Im tempted, butmaybewe can

waitawhile.At themoment Imenjoying talking.By theway,wereyoujusttestingmyintentions?

Thanks,youvepassedwithflyingcolors!shegiggled.Well,letstalk!

Andtheyweretalkingtheirheartsout.Theirchildhoodjoys,their

broken homes and struggles, sorrows and satisfactions, agonies andecstasies,andthentheircherisheddreams.Wouldthatevermeet?

Ive never talked somuch inmy life!He sheepishly said, Mythroatisparched.MayIhaveasipofyourcoke?

Youmay not. She replied after some deliberation. I think thebottle ispast the safedate. Illbetterbuyyoua freshoneonourwayback.Besides,Iwantyoutoremainhotandthirstyforsomemoretime.

Nowhejoinedherinaspontaneousoutburstofmerrylaughter.Shadows were lengthening inside the darkening mangroves. As

they walked past, they saw silhouettes of couples clinging hard andapparentlydetachedfromtheambient.Didtheyfindthesafecovesafterallordidntthey?Theduowondered,asthey lookedwistfullyateachother.

Deeperanddeeper into thewood, theyultimately realized therewasnonearound.Inaninstanttheirfeetfroze,eyeslockedandnextonan impulse they hugged each other. Immediately they melded andunified into a single sensation that started like a low music, thengraduallypickedupandultimatelyreachedthecrescendo.

It was snapped by a sharp whistle and some heavy footstepsnearby.Police!Hewhisperedandimmediatelyrecoiled.

Butwhy?Sheaskedintearfulinnocence.They act the moral guardians of the society hell bent to

preventindecencyintheopen!hesaidbitterly.ButIthinkwebetter

8/14/2019 11 P9 Prose AniruddhaSen

3/3

o

Palki9

@

calcuttans.com/palki

February

14,

2010

ra.

hurryup. Istaypayingguestwithan auntie.Shell throwmeoutoncesheknowsIwascaughtindecentwithagirl.

Dontthinkmyoddsaremuchbetter!Shesighed,Mymotherisabitchandwilllockmehomefordaysifshecomestoknow.

So theyexchangedphonenumbers, tiptoed fastand thenpartedwithheavyheartspromisingtomeetagain.

Shessocute,butsogulliblehewasthinking.Hadalmostaskedforit!Aquietlayonthemangroveandafewquickshotswithhissecretcamera and it wouldve sold like hot cake on the web. Thatunmistakableinnocencethatwouldveclinchedtheissue!

Howhardputhewasto letgosuchawindfall!But itwasalright.Ultimately,anysacrificeisworthforlove!

Hewas sowonderful, but such a dupe shewas thinking.Hadalmost run into it!A few sips of the laced cola and by the time hewould

have

been

back

to

sense

she

would

be

miles

away

with

his

mobile

andthecutelittlecame

But she wasnt sorry to squander such a golden opportunity.Doesntshelovehim?Andanysacrificeisworthforlove!

Wish Imeether again,he thought, Wish I could giveher thecorrectphonenumber!

Wish Imeethimagain,shethought,Wish Icouldgivehimthecorrectphonenumber!

Andtheirheartsachedinunisoninanurgetogiveupanythingforlove two troubled souls, looking desperately for a safe cove in thisdangerousspotthatsworld.