Absentmindedly,
(or was it deliberately?), she had pressed the button for the sixth floor. When
she emerged out of the elevator, she had an irresistible urge to knock on
Mahesh’s door, but listening to her warning instincts, she let it pass and
reluctantly returned to her room.
As she felt slightly cold, she ordered for a pot of tea and changed into a slinky, lilac gown and lounged on the couch, watching some nonsensical (in her words) soap series. The unbidden thoughts of Mahesh’s brusque behavior kept pricking her inwardly, as she stared at the television set unseeingly. Resolutely, she decided that she wouldn’t lose to the tears that threatened to overtake her! She clenched her jaws and decided to have a hot and relaxing bath.
She prepared the bath with a liberal sprinkling of her favorite, heavenly, almond oil. As she undressed and slipped into the bath-tub, she could feel herself unwinding. Her tension eased as she languorously rubbed herself with the fragrant foam and let herself drift off into a highly relaxed state of mind. Her thoughts went back in time.
She had run away from her parents’ home in a small town in Uttar-Pradesh at the tender age of 16, to make a name in movies. That first day in Mumbai was etched in her memory. She had landed in Mumbai with no clue about what to do next….
Just then, a leering pimp materialized next to her. “Can I help you Babe?” He picked up her hold-all and started walking towards the exit of the railway station. She panicked. “Wait a minute! I don’t know you. Leave me alone!”
“If you don’t know me, you’ll will, soon enough. I help all pretty little things like you, who have nowhere to go,” he had said cockily.
As alarm bells rang loudly in her ears, she desperately looked around for some help. Spotting a sturdy-looking guy, just ahead of her, she had said loudly, “Bhaiyya, please help me. This is the address that I want to go to.” It was her college-mate Reena’s address. She hadn’t informed her about her plans to land in Mumbai and had conveniently assumed that she would welcome her with open arms. Little did she know that Reena had since married, as they hadn’t been in touch for 2 years! After all Reena wasn’t her best friend, just an acquaintance.
That guy looked at her quizzically and asked her to take a taxi to that address. He even offered to drop her there as he would be passing by that locality on his way home. Relieved, she grabbed her hold-all from the crest-fallen pimp and walked with her ‘savior’ towards the taxi-stand. Suddenly, she broke into a cold sweat. What if he too was in that tout’s league? Could she trust him?
Then she shook her head. She’d have to trust someone! Taking a chance, she followed him into a taxi. When it stopped at her given address, she heaved a sigh of relief. She offered the fare to the stranger, who politely but firmly refused it. As she walked towards the shabby building, she turned around and was surprised to see that the taxi was still waiting there. She shrugged and walked up two flights of dingy stairs to ring the door-bell.
A dour-faced elderly man opened it, frowned and asked her what she wanted. “I’ve come from Lucknow to meet Reena. I was her class-mate in college. After she shifted here, we lost touch.”
Gruffly, he asked her, “So what brings you here now, young lady? She has married and now stays in Nashik.”
Samaira couldn’t believe her ears and cursed her hard luck. Now she was truly lost. Where would she go? She didn’t know anyone else there. In a small voice she asked him, “Could you put me up here for a week? I’ll…..” Before she could say anything further, he rudely interrupted her and said, “This is not a hostel or a hotel! Get out!” He banged the door forcefully on her face. She burst into tears, humiliated and forlorn. Served her right, she thought. She should have had the sense to find out about Reena’s whereabouts before running away from her home.
She did have some stolen money with her, Rs.1000/- to be precise, but how long would it last, if she had to pay rent and purchase meals for herself? Besides, she knew that Mumbai was an expensive city. The money that she had wouldn’t suffice for even a day! Dismayed, she started walking downstairs and walked out of that dingy building. She didn’t pay any attention to the taxi that was waiting outside. She was surprised when a now-familiar male voice called out. “Ma’am, may I help you?”
As she felt slightly cold, she ordered for a pot of tea and changed into a slinky, lilac gown and lounged on the couch, watching some nonsensical (in her words) soap series. The unbidden thoughts of Mahesh’s brusque behavior kept pricking her inwardly, as she stared at the television set unseeingly. Resolutely, she decided that she wouldn’t lose to the tears that threatened to overtake her! She clenched her jaws and decided to have a hot and relaxing bath.
She prepared the bath with a liberal sprinkling of her favorite, heavenly, almond oil. As she undressed and slipped into the bath-tub, she could feel herself unwinding. Her tension eased as she languorously rubbed herself with the fragrant foam and let herself drift off into a highly relaxed state of mind. Her thoughts went back in time.
She had run away from her parents’ home in a small town in Uttar-Pradesh at the tender age of 16, to make a name in movies. That first day in Mumbai was etched in her memory. She had landed in Mumbai with no clue about what to do next….
Just then, a leering pimp materialized next to her. “Can I help you Babe?” He picked up her hold-all and started walking towards the exit of the railway station. She panicked. “Wait a minute! I don’t know you. Leave me alone!”
“If you don’t know me, you’ll will, soon enough. I help all pretty little things like you, who have nowhere to go,” he had said cockily.
As alarm bells rang loudly in her ears, she desperately looked around for some help. Spotting a sturdy-looking guy, just ahead of her, she had said loudly, “Bhaiyya, please help me. This is the address that I want to go to.” It was her college-mate Reena’s address. She hadn’t informed her about her plans to land in Mumbai and had conveniently assumed that she would welcome her with open arms. Little did she know that Reena had since married, as they hadn’t been in touch for 2 years! After all Reena wasn’t her best friend, just an acquaintance.
That guy looked at her quizzically and asked her to take a taxi to that address. He even offered to drop her there as he would be passing by that locality on his way home. Relieved, she grabbed her hold-all from the crest-fallen pimp and walked with her ‘savior’ towards the taxi-stand. Suddenly, she broke into a cold sweat. What if he too was in that tout’s league? Could she trust him?
Then she shook her head. She’d have to trust someone! Taking a chance, she followed him into a taxi. When it stopped at her given address, she heaved a sigh of relief. She offered the fare to the stranger, who politely but firmly refused it. As she walked towards the shabby building, she turned around and was surprised to see that the taxi was still waiting there. She shrugged and walked up two flights of dingy stairs to ring the door-bell.
A dour-faced elderly man opened it, frowned and asked her what she wanted. “I’ve come from Lucknow to meet Reena. I was her class-mate in college. After she shifted here, we lost touch.”
Gruffly, he asked her, “So what brings you here now, young lady? She has married and now stays in Nashik.”
Samaira couldn’t believe her ears and cursed her hard luck. Now she was truly lost. Where would she go? She didn’t know anyone else there. In a small voice she asked him, “Could you put me up here for a week? I’ll…..” Before she could say anything further, he rudely interrupted her and said, “This is not a hostel or a hotel! Get out!” He banged the door forcefully on her face. She burst into tears, humiliated and forlorn. Served her right, she thought. She should have had the sense to find out about Reena’s whereabouts before running away from her home.
She did have some stolen money with her, Rs.1000/- to be precise, but how long would it last, if she had to pay rent and purchase meals for herself? Besides, she knew that Mumbai was an expensive city. The money that she had wouldn’t suffice for even a day! Dismayed, she started walking downstairs and walked out of that dingy building. She didn’t pay any attention to the taxi that was waiting outside. She was surprised when a now-familiar male voice called out. “Ma’am, may I help you?”
To be continued....
The copyright of this story is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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