You’ve been fighting right from the beginning!’
‘Hey!’ he protested, ‘not right from the beginning.’ There was a pause as she looked at him uncertainly, and he gave her a weak smile, continuing, ‘We didn’t fight on our honeymoon!’
She glared at him, caught between the angry tears and the smile that he could see she was trying to suppress.
‘Not on the first day of our honeymoon, at least.’ It worked. His feeble attempt at making her smile worked. ‘Okay, look,’ he continued, ‘I know we argue a lot … and we’ve been doing more of that than usual. But I really don’t know why. Mandira’s been acting weird and cold of late, and I just thought I’d give her some space and time to get over it. You know?’
‘Hmm…’ Aditi seemed to have forgotten her crying and her brow was now furrowed in concentration. Sid looked at her – Ms Jasoosy Pants – he had come up with the moniker spontaneously, but decided it fit the bill perfectly. She continued, ‘You’re telling me … she’s been more withdrawn of late, and so … you’re giving her “time” and “space” instead of trying to find out what’s really going on with her?’
Sid felt himself getting irritated all over again – just because Aditi’s style was to confront all problems with the delicacyof a sledgehammer, she expected everyone to apply the same approach. But he had enough control now to swallow the irritation – he wasn’t going to risk making Aditi cry twice before dinner. So, he said mildly, ‘Yes … I think that’s what people need sometimes … to be left alone, and that’s what I’m trying. Besides, if she really wants to talk, I’m pretty sure she’ll be able to do it with Vikas and Sunny – she’s quite close to them.’
She sighed. He was pleased to sense that Aditi was now on the verge of giving up. ‘Okay, Sid. I just want you to know, I’ve been watching you for a while now, and you’ve changed. You were such a happy-go-lucky and cheerful person, always up to something or the other! And of late, you’ve been so lost, you don’t even remember what day of the week it is!’
He knew she was right, but he just said lightly, ‘Come on, Adu, people change … you’ve changed too, except for the fact that you still use the phrase “happy-go-lucky”. Come on, who talks like that any more?’
She mock-glared at him, unable to hide her amusement. That’s why he felt comfortable with Aditi despite her firecracker temper. He invariably managed to find her funny bone and tickle it.
‘Fine,’ she said with an air of finality. ‘If there’s ever a time you want to talk…’
‘Sure, thanks,’ he said, unable to meet her eye this time. Why did women feel the need to spell everything out all the time? It was embarrassing.
Luckily, the bell rang and Aditi jumped up to answer the door. ‘Must be Krish, he was getting off early today. See, if you had come tomorrow like we had planned we could have talked longer…’
Sid felt an enormous sense of relief for fortuitously landing up a day early, and was so overcome with warmth towards his saviour that when Krish walked in, he jumped to his feet and hugged him with a ‘Heyyy … Krish!’
Krish waited for Sid to let go of him and then said with his usual easy grin and straightforward manner, ‘Oye … Why the hell do you keep hugging me nowadays? Don’t be such a woman!’
‘Oh, right.’ Sid stepped back and offered his hand to Krish who shook it firmly.
Inwardly, Sid shuddered. A Woman. Last thing he would ever want to be.
Nuts, the whole lot of them.
7
The Script Presentation
S id read his email with growing dismay.
Great, just what he needed now – another visit by the Global Team from the headquarters in Germany, which his team referred to as the ‘Toilet Seat of Power’. In just ten days. Now, he and his team would have to make audio-visuals and walkthroughs and presentations for the goras instead of doing any actual
‘Hey!’ he protested, ‘not right from the beginning.’ There was a pause as she looked at him uncertainly, and he gave her a weak smile, continuing, ‘We didn’t fight on our honeymoon!’
She glared at him, caught between the angry tears and the smile that he could see she was trying to suppress.
‘Not on the first day of our honeymoon, at least.’ It worked. His feeble attempt at making her smile worked. ‘Okay, look,’ he continued, ‘I know we argue a lot … and we’ve been doing more of that than usual. But I really don’t know why. Mandira’s been acting weird and cold of late, and I just thought I’d give her some space and time to get over it. You know?’
‘Hmm…’ Aditi seemed to have forgotten her crying and her brow was now furrowed in concentration. Sid looked at her – Ms Jasoosy Pants – he had come up with the moniker spontaneously, but decided it fit the bill perfectly. She continued, ‘You’re telling me … she’s been more withdrawn of late, and so … you’re giving her “time” and “space” instead of trying to find out what’s really going on with her?’
Sid felt himself getting irritated all over again – just because Aditi’s style was to confront all problems with the delicacyof a sledgehammer, she expected everyone to apply the same approach. But he had enough control now to swallow the irritation – he wasn’t going to risk making Aditi cry twice before dinner. So, he said mildly, ‘Yes … I think that’s what people need sometimes … to be left alone, and that’s what I’m trying. Besides, if she really wants to talk, I’m pretty sure she’ll be able to do it with Vikas and Sunny – she’s quite close to them.’
She sighed. He was pleased to sense that Aditi was now on the verge of giving up. ‘Okay, Sid. I just want you to know, I’ve been watching you for a while now, and you’ve changed. You were such a happy-go-lucky and cheerful person, always up to something or the other! And of late, you’ve been so lost, you don’t even remember what day of the week it is!’
He knew she was right, but he just said lightly, ‘Come on, Adu, people change … you’ve changed too, except for the fact that you still use the phrase “happy-go-lucky”. Come on, who talks like that any more?’
She mock-glared at him, unable to hide her amusement. That’s why he felt comfortable with Aditi despite her firecracker temper. He invariably managed to find her funny bone and tickle it.
‘Fine,’ she said with an air of finality. ‘If there’s ever a time you want to talk…’
‘Sure, thanks,’ he said, unable to meet her eye this time. Why did women feel the need to spell everything out all the time? It was embarrassing.
Luckily, the bell rang and Aditi jumped up to answer the door. ‘Must be Krish, he was getting off early today. See, if you had come tomorrow like we had planned we could have talked longer…’
Sid felt an enormous sense of relief for fortuitously landing up a day early, and was so overcome with warmth towards his saviour that when Krish walked in, he jumped to his feet and hugged him with a ‘Heyyy … Krish!’
Krish waited for Sid to let go of him and then said with his usual easy grin and straightforward manner, ‘Oye … Why the hell do you keep hugging me nowadays? Don’t be such a woman!’
‘Oh, right.’ Sid stepped back and offered his hand to Krish who shook it firmly.
Inwardly, Sid shuddered. A Woman. Last thing he would ever want to be.
Nuts, the whole lot of them.
7
The Script Presentation
S id read his email with growing dismay.
Great, just what he needed now – another visit by the Global Team from the headquarters in Germany, which his team referred to as the ‘Toilet Seat of Power’. In just ten days. Now, he and his team would have to make audio-visuals and walkthroughs and presentations for the goras instead of doing any actual
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