One Night at the Call Center Read online

  “Thanks. However, Priyanka, I can't marry you. Sorry to say this, but my answer to your mind-blowing proposal is no,” I said.

  “What?” Priyanka said as her eyes opened wide in disbelief. The guard inside me was in full charge.

  “I can't marry you. I'm a new person tonight, and this new person needs to make a new life and find new respect for himself. You chose Ganesh, and he's fine. You have an option for a new life and you don't really need me, so maybe it's better this way,” I said.

  “I still love you, Shyam, and only you. Please don't do this,” she said, coming closer to me.

  “Sorry,” I said and moved three steps backward. “I can't. I'm not your spare wheel. I appreciate you coming back, but I think I'm ready to move on.”

  She just stood there and cried. My heart felt weak, but my head was strong.

  “Bye, Priyanka,” I gingerly patted her shoulder and left.

  Chapter 37

  6:59 a.m.

  WHAT THE HELL KEPT YOU? ”Vroom said, sitting on his bike at the main entrance. He showed his watch to me, it was 6:59 a.m.

  “Sorry, man, Priyanka met me at the water cooler,” I said and sank onto the pillion seat.

  “And?” Vroom said.

  “Nothing. Just good-bye and all. Oh, and she wanted to get back together and marry me, she said. Can you believe it?”

  Vroom turned to me.

  “Really? What did you say?”

  “I said no,” I said coolly.

  “What?” Vroom said.

  As we were talking, Radhika, Esha, and Military Uncle came out of the main entrance into the wintry sunshine.

  “Hi, you guys still here?” Radhika said.

  “Shyam just said no to Priyanka. She wanted to marry him, but he said no.”

  “What?” Radhika and Esha spoke in unison.

  “Hey, guys, chill out. I did what I needed to do to get some respect in my life. Stop bothering me,” I said.

  The Qualis arrived and the driver pressed the horn.

  “We aren't bothering you—it's your life. Let's go, Esha,” Radhika said and gave me a dirty look. She turned to Esha as they walked to the Qualis.

  “Where's Priyanka, madam? We are late,” the driver said.

  “She's coming. She's on the phone to her mother. Ganesh's parents are going over for breakfast and her mother is making hot parathas,” Radhika said, loud enough for me to hear. The mention of parathas made me hungry, but I'd be the last person to be invited to their breakfast.

  “Looks like their entire families are getting married to each other,” Vroom said. He lit a cigarette and took a few final puffs before beginning our ride back.

  The driver started the Qualis. Esha and Radhika sat in the middle row, while Military Uncle sat behind.

  Priyanka came dashing out of the main entrance, avoided me, and went straight to the front seat. Then the driver turned the Qualis round so its rear end faced us.

  As we began to move off, Military Uncle looked out from his window and said something. I could only lip read but I thought he said, “You bloody idiot.”

  Before I could react, the Qualis was gone.

  Vroom stubbed out his cigarette.

  “Oh no. I am a bloody idiot. I let her go,” I said.

  “Uh-huh,” Vroom said as he put on his helmet.

  “Is that a yes? You think I am a total idiot?”

  “You are your best judge,” Vroom said as he dragged the bike with his feet.

  “Vroom, what have I done? If she reaches home and has parafhas with Ganesh's family, it is all over. I'm such a moron,” I said jumping up and down on my seat.

  “Stop dancing around. I have to get going,” Vroom said as he placed his foot on the kick-pedal.

  “Vroom, we have to catch the Qualis. Can you go fast enough?”

  Vroom removed his helmet and laughed.

  “Are you insulting me? Do you doubt that I can catch that wreck of a Qualis? I am so hurt, man.”

  “Vroom, let's go. Please,” I said and pushed his shoulders.

  “No. First you apologize for doubting my driving abilities.”

  “I'm sorry, boss, I'm sorry,” I said and folded my hands. “Now move, Schumacher.”

  Vroom kick-started his bike, and in a few seconds we had zipped out of the call center. The main road was getting busier as the morning progressed, but Vroom still managed a top speed of ninety. On the road into the city, we dodged cars, scooters, autos, school buses, and newspaper hawkers.

  Four minutes later, I noticed a white Qualis at a distant traffic signal.

  “It must be that one,” I pointed out.

  Just as Vroom moved ahead, a herd of goats decided to cross the road and fifty of them blocked our way.

  “Damn, where did they come from?” I said.

  “This urban jungle of Gurgaon was a village until recently; the goats are probably asking where did we come from,” Vroom said as he cracked his knuckles.

  “Shut up and do something,” I said.

  Vroom tried to move his bike, but bumped into a goat's horns. He considered taking the right side of the road where traffic flowed in the opposite direction, but it was full of trucks and we'd have been mowed down in seconds.

  “There's only one option,” Vroom said and smiled at me through his helmet.

  “Wha—” I said as Vroom lunged his bike up onto the road divider. “Are you crazy?” I said.

  “No, you're crazy to let her go,” Vroom said and started riding along the divider. The goats and drivers looked over at us in shock. Vroom dodged around the streetlights until we'd passed the herd, and once we were back on the road he accelerated to a hundred. One minute later our bike was level with the Qualis at a red light. I got off and tapped the front window. Priyanka looked away, so I banged the glass with my palm.

  She opened the window. “What is it? We don't want to buy anything,” Priyanka said as if I was a roadside vendor.

  “I'm an idiot,” I said.

  “And?” Priyanka said.

  Everyone in the Qualis rolled down their windows to look at me.

  “I'm a moron. I'm stupid, insane, and nuts. Please, I want us to be together again.”

  “Oh really? What about the new man who needs respect?” Priyanka said.

  “I didn't know what I was saying. What does one do with respect? I can't keep it in my pocket,” I said.

  “So you want to keep me in your pocket?” Priyanka said.

  “You're already in every pocket—of my life, my heart, my mind, my soul—please come back. Will you come back?” I said as the red light turned yellow.

  “Hmm. Let's see …,” Priyanka said.

  “Priyanka, please answer fast.”

  “I don't know. Let me think. Meet me at the next red light, OK? Let's go, Driver p? she said as the light turned green. The driver took off at full speed.

  “What did she say?” Vroom said as I sat on the bike.

  “She'll answer at the next red light. Let's go.”

  There was a mini traffic jam at the next red light, so I got off the bike and ran past a few vehicles to reach the Qualis. I tapped the window again but Priyanka wasn't there.

  “Where is she?” I asked the driver, who shrugged his shoulders at me.

  I looked inside the Qualis. Radhika and Esha shrugged their shoulders, too; she wasn't in there.

  Someone came up from behind and hugged me.

  “I told you we didn't want to buy anything. Why are you bothering us?”

  I turned around to look at Priyanka.

  “I didn't know what I was saying at the water cooler,” I said.

  “Shut up and hug me,” Priyanka said and opened her arms.

  Our eyes met, and even though I wanted to say so much, our eyes did all the talking. I hugged her for a few seconds and then she kissed me. Our lips locked, and every passenger in the traffic jam looked on, enjoying the early morning spectacle. It was awkward to kiss in such a public setting, but I couldn't extract