WHAT ATTRACTED ME AT MUMBAI

-A hypocritical story

It was during a boring seminar at Kanjur Marg that Arundhati madam showed me her anthology of poems that depict an unquenchable thirst amidst the life in Delhi.

Extreme heat.

I could see madam’s AC corolla car waiting out when I walked to the mess for lunch. Her driver opened the door for her.

With two of my colleagues I went out in the evening to Gateway of India and the city. Since I found going by bus would be cheaper I insisted on it. They convinced me on share taxi.

Renovation at the Gateway of India. It was getting dark slowly.

I bargained and bought an ear ring for my wife from a shop near Taj Hotel. Fifty rupees!! When the purse opened its mouth, I could see a yellow five hundred rupees and a white hundred!! Since I was on “roaming”, I had told my wife that I would stick to SMS only and at times a missed call!! Had to roam a lot in search of BSNL Oxygen!

Taj, like a huge tower of light before me! People clad in suit getting in and many leaving in their posh cars! Half clad and with coloured locks, dames enter. What a structure!!!! A touch would suffice. I found it hard to resist the temptation. If at all I could spend a life like this enjoying all the pleasures!!!

 

 

The dim yellow light gave a distant glimpse of the decked walls and tables.

Extreme hunger!!

No book below two hundred on the footpath. SHAME, two hundred and fifty!

No dark skin entered MacDonald’s.

“Don’t you want to buy anything else?” asked Chaudhary sir from Jodhpur.

“No, not now”

Ram sir from Pune and Chaudhary sir bargained for leather bags. Then to an electronic shop. Chaudhary sir wanted Digital voice recorder. What is it? I had the maiden glance at it.

A girl explained the product in the familiar voice of those customer care girls. Same speed.

My hunger grew intense.

For some reason, Chaudhary sir didn’t buy it.

I should have a laptop, home theatre. Rooms with dim yellow lights. AC corolla car, driver opening the door for me….

Speed.

Dozed off in the taxi for a while.

After supper in the mess I returned to my room. Turned off the lights and lay down. Gentle breeze came in as I kept the window open.

Feeling low. Sour grapes! So angry and frustrated! Got up and turned on the lights.

Wrote a short story about plight of the poor roaming around the traffic points and outside MacDonald’s. Titled it as “What attracted me at Mumbai”. After all, those poor folks were the ones who dominated my thoughts all through the evening!!!!! I put the story in an enevelope, wrote the address of a magazine. As soon as I reach home, I would post it. Let people read and learn how honestly I care for the poor!!!

Emptied the last few drops from Aquafina. Lights off.                   
                                                                         –by Santhosh Kumar Kana