An Ideal Wife (15 page)

‘When is the shoot getting over?’

‘Getting bored?’

‘No, I mean yes, somewhat.’

‘Ma’am, shot is ready,’ one of the assistant directors intervened.

‘Just coming,’ Payal said and turned to Sameer.

‘Why don’t you go and meet your friends? I’ll call you once I am done and we could go for dinner together.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ Sameer’s face wasn’t complementing his words.

‘Are you sure you are okay?’ a concerned Payal inquired again.

‘Yeah, you carry on. Just give me a buzz once you are done.’

‘Okay.’

Payal knew something was surely wrong but she decided not to probe any further.

Sameer left the shoot location with a heavy heart, which severely impacted his driving abilities. After 15 minutes and nearly hitting three vehicles during a short journey, he finally reached Juhu beach and parked his car in the paid parking lot.

Lost in his thoughts he ambled towards the beach and after a minute he found himself right in the middle of the Juhu Tara Road with scores of vehicles honking at him.

‘ Arre marne ke liye meri hee gaddi mili kya, samne samundar hai wahan ja ke mar, mujhe kyon police ke lafde mein dal raha hai,’
shouted one of the car drivers.

Sameer said sorry to him and walked slowly towards the beach. The calmness of the setting sun was in contrast to the turmoil within him.

He walked up to the fag end of the beach passing many couples holding each other’s hands. Merely looking at those couples made his walk even more torturous. He quietly sat in one corner of the beach pondering over his situation.

‘Why god why, why is this happening to me?’

‘Why can’t you leave me alone, man?’

Surprised, Sameer turned and found me standing in front of him in a taxi driver’s uniform.

‘Just because of you I have been sent back again and that too like this,’ I jibed, pointing at my uniform.

‘Because of me???? And really dude! What’s with this taxi driver uniform now? If you were so desperate to try on a human uniform, at least try a cop uniform or something…sheesh!’

‘I have been punished to stay in Mrityulok and that too surviving on my own so I took up a taxi driver’s job.’

‘But why this? I can get you some other work.’

‘Na,
I am happy doing this. Earlier I used to ferry Bhagwaan Dada in Heaven.’

‘What?’ Sameer’s jaw dropped. ‘Then how come you became god?’

‘One day Bhagwaan Dada was mightily pleased with my driving skills, so he promoted me to god status despite much resistance from other gods.’

‘Wow, I have seen drivers in my world getting top posts of Company Directors in many organisation owned by politicians even without their knowledge, but you guys are way ahead of us,’ Sameer jeered.

I didn’t like the comment so took a jab at Sameer.

‘You never seem to be happy with anything, do you?’

Sameer mellowed down a bit.

‘Everyone is hitting on my wife and you want me to be happy about it.’

‘Hang on hang on; you wanted your wife to be extremely beautiful, right?

‘True, but everyone is hitting on her even in my presence. This is so embarrassing.’

I was calmly hearing everything.

‘Earlier it used to be people in my apartment complex. Now even everyone in the shoot was doing the same. Honestly I am getting jealous,’ Sameer continued.

I just couldn’t control myself any longer.

‘Wow man, I am amazed at your double standards.’

‘Double standards, what do you mean?’

‘Oh wonderful, now it’s my job to remind you that as well.’

‘What?’

‘Think buddy, think,’ I knocked on Sameer’s left temple.

Sameer kept thinking, looking at the setting Sun and he once again went back into flashback.

A setting sun painting adorned one of the walls of Sameer’s living room where Sameer and I were talking to each other.

‘My second condition is…My wife should not feel jealous of my girl colleagues.’

‘It’s a short pitch bouncer for me and all I can do is duck,’ I expressed my helplessness.

‘See, in my office there are lot of beautiful girls and I spend lot of time with them till late in the night …… so my wife should not feel jealous about them.’

‘Girl without jealousy! I know miracles do happen but here you are asking for much more than a miracle.’

‘What are you here for?’ Sameer winked at me.

I started thinking.

‘What happened?’ Sameer inquired curiously.

‘I think I need to find someone with a programming error or with a bug which kills the jealousy,’ I spoke innocently and we both started laughing.

Sameer and I were sitting on a bench near the beach on Sameer’s return from the flashback. Sameer was extremely worried whereas I had a cunning smile on my face.

‘You are enjoying my situation, aren’t you?’

‘Don’t pin it on me. You got what you wanted,’ I replied in a flash.

Sameer didn’t like this and just stared at the setting sun.

‘Do you know people spend all their lives to find something which they want? And here just look at yourself, you got exactly what you wanted and still you are not happy,’ I tried to console him.

‘Stop lecturing me.’

‘Okay, as you wish. Just give me 1000 rupees.’

Sameer looked at me with a ‘what the heck?’ kind of a look.

‘I haven’t got even a single passenger all day and then on top of it your constant whining brought me here. How am I going to pay my cab owner? I need to pay 500 rupees to the cab owner and other 500 rupees for this
paapi pate.
Man, now I understand why you people commit crimes?’ I patted my stomach with a sad face.

Sameer shook his head in disbelief, took out his wallet from the back pocket of jeans and gave 1000 rupees to me.

‘Thanks, I’ll return this money on my next visit.’

‘Next visit?’

‘Seeing your situation, I am sure I am in Mrityulok for a long haul,’ I winked and left.

Sameer once again kept looking at the setting sun and sat there for another two hours till he got a call from Payal.

He picked Payal up from the studio and both went for a nice dinner at the JW Marriott, Juhu. Sameer initially wasn’t very happy about the whole episode but slowly started enjoying Payal’s company. After dinner, both went for a long walk on the beach and this time Sameer found lot more solace. They came back to their apartment around 1am. Payal had a morning shoot so she went to sleep whereas a much-relaxed Sameer decided to spend some time in front of the TV.

14

Cheers and cocktails

P
ayal got up early in the morning and was pleasantly surprised to see Sameer up too and reading the newspaper. She went up to him and kissed his forehead. Sameer smiled and continued to read the newspaper. Payal brewed two cups of Sameer’s favourite coffee and sat down beside him on the couch.

‘Wanna come along for the shoot?’

‘Nope, but you get ready, I’ll come down to see you off,’ Sameer replied with a smile.

After finishing her coffee, Payal went to her bedroom to get ready to leave for the shoot whereas Sameer continued to enjoy the coffee while reading the newspaper. It was all very calm and companionable in the house.

Payal got ready in an hour and both went down. As they were coming out of the lift Sameer’s cellphone rang. It was Jimmy.

‘Yeah Jimmy, just wait a sec.’

‘You go ahead, I’ll be right with you,’ Sameer said to Payal and she walked on towards the parking lot.

‘Yeah, what were you saying?’ Sameer continued on the phone.

‘I hope you remember about Friday’s party?

‘Oh shoot.’

‘Not again!’

‘Chal phone rakh,
I’ll ask Payal about it and call you back in 5 minutes to confirm the time for our arrival.’

‘Are you sure she’ll be able to come on such a short notice?’

‘Are you challenging me?’

‘No, was just checking as she is India’s hottest and busiest model.’

‘Don’t you know she is my Ideal? You just wait and watch.’

Sameer disconnected the phone and moved swiftly towards Payal. On the way he saw Sachin (the same kid who wanted to play cricket on his terms) talking to the other kids.

‘So, who’s going to bowl at me?’ Sachin asked.

‘No one.’

Sachin was extremely surprised at the answer and so was Sameer.

‘Are you sure?’ Sachin asked authoritatively.

‘Yes, we are damn sure,’ one of kids replied with greater authority in his voice.

‘You know that you guys are not going to get this, right?’ Sachin flashed his cricket kit.

All kids standing in front of him smiled and parted their ranks to reveal something hidden behind them. It was a cricket kit! Sachin was shocked to say the least.

‘We collected pocket money and bought this secondhand kit,’ explained one of the kids.

Sachin didn’t know how to react to this and just kept looking at them.

‘But for old times’ sake, we can allow you to play with us only if you decide to field first and take your batting in the end,’ another kid decided to put the past behind and start afresh.

Sameer was a little confused to see all this and slowly moved towards Payal.

‘Sameer, please hurry, I am getting late for the shoot!’ Payal almost shouted.

As he reached her side, he was still thinking about Sachin.

‘What happened?’

Sameer came out of his reverie.

‘Payal, the office guys have arranged a party for us on this Friday.’

‘But I have an important shoot on Friday.’

Sameer just could not believe his ears.

‘They really worked hard for it, can you please adjust?’ Sameer pleaded.

‘It’s not possible Sameer.’

Sameer just kept looking at her.

‘Hmmmmmmmmm…………How about next to next Friday?’ she said, checking her schedule on her iPad.

‘I have promised them.’

‘Sorry darling, I had given these dates a long time ago and you know we both can’t compromise on our careers, right?’

Sameer wasn’t happy about it but he was as helpless as the kid.

‘Sameer, just a request — please check with me before you finalise any other date for the party.’

Payal kissed Sameer lightly and left. Sameer just kept staring at her car leave. After a while he turned to go back and saw Sachin was sitting on the side, watching the other kids play. Sameer couldn’t comprehend what had hit him and the kid as they both wanted to get things on their terms but just like sand things were slipping from their hands.