Chapter IV
Contrasts
Mahendra kicked his bike to life. It roared, piercing the silent night. Tall lampposts lit the darkened street. Another long day at the office had ended. The raids had taken a toll on the officers, and everyone felt unnaturally weary'Even the normally exuberant Rajesh was surly, as he exited the office before everyone else, much to the silent laughter of Mahendra and Kartik, who delighted in his quirks.
"Taxi!" she shouted, as another yellow and black cab sped past her, without stopping. He contemplated for a moment. She was standing on the curb, waving at every taxi that passed by. She looked in amazement as his bike stopped in front of her. "Ghar chod doon?" he asked.
"No thanks."
He shrugged, and started a huge show with his bandanna, tying and retying it.
"Taxi!" she shouted again, without little success. Five minutes and one more unsuccessful attempt later, Mahendra caught her eye. She smiled at him, nodding her head, defeated'
She walked up to him, and he slid back wordlessly, gesturing her to sit in front. She smiled at the bike, remembering the crazy ride in Chamba' She sat and then revved the bike'Her black shoulder bag slid from her shoulder to her wrist. She tossed it back on her shoulder. Mahendra noticed the attempts, and finally said, "Pakdoo?"
She removed it, and then stuffed it in his arms. His hands were on her waist, but this time she did not say anything'After all he had to hold something'A small smile appeared on her face, s she murmured to herself, "Bahut shaana banta hain na tu?"
It was normally a fourty five minute drive, but it took only thirty. Not a single gasp escaped from his mouth at her sharp turns and reckless cuts' He just smiled at those. He too was not much of a slow rider, especially when the roads were deserted, and when the moon reigned the sky'.
She stopped the bike under her building'But even after a minute, she did not descend'
Mahendra thought that she was not getting off due to him, so he got down and then looked at her'She was looking at her house on the top floor, and there was an inexplicable expression of irritation on her face. Her dark hair framed her chiseled cheekbones, and her eyes flashed at her gaze swayed from the top floor to the bike'Finally, she noticed Mahendra standing next to her, following her gaze. In the moonlight, she coloured, and thanked herself for the darkness and dim light'In the bright penetrating rays of the sun; her torn expression and her blush would have been easily readable.
She got down from the bike, and held it out to him. He accepted it with the same silence. She turned towards the entrance, lost in her thoughts.. Mahendra sat on the bike, and kicked it, when he noticed the presence of the dangling black bag on his wrist'
"Oye!" he shouted' She was nearly ten feet away by now. He sped the bike on the asphalt and it skidded to a halt next to Brinda, who looked taken aback with the noisy intrusion in her thought process.
"Bhool gayi thi'" he drawled'.
"Oh'.Thanks'.." She nodded, turning back to the entrance.
He stood there till he saw her getting into the elevator, and a few minutes more'His gaze turned to the floor she was looking at. Predictably, the foyer at the entrance of the house was now lit'Then he turned the bike back, and accelerated it, disappearing round the turn'
He stopped the bike in a dark alleyway. It was littered with plastic and papers, and with broken dreams and high aspirations. Quite a different setting from the high end Malabar Hill society he had just exited. Byculla was just not in the same league'.
He opened the lock of a wooden door, its green paint was peeling in many places, and the rickety steps leading up to it were in a general state of disrepair. The dilapidation of the area was emphasized in the darkness, the derelictness underlined by the swank buildings still fresh in his memory.
His hand flicked a switch. With numerous attempts, the tube overhead flickered and flashed, and finally lit. The room was simple. A bed in one corner, the kitchenette in the other. A wardrobe occupied the third corner. He preferred to sleep in the apartment he shared with Julie. This room was more or less like a fallback option. Just another connection to the neighbourhood he had grown up in'
He lay awake in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, alit due to the shafts of light from the municipality lamp entering through the window.
Some thing gave you just pain with further contemplation. He turned over and closed his eyes, listening the hum of the neighbourhood.
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