Those were the days when they had coffee day shop @ Jubilee Hills - Madhapur stretch. I always used to wonder why most guys or girls turn out at this place when they can get something even better and for almost 1\10th the price. It’s just not opulence that matters. Guys like Rakesh come to see girls. Those in their skimpy outfits or their skin hugging attires sometimes flaunting cleavages and sometimes those Veet smooth legs.

The other day I was dining with a colleague of mine when I saw this pretty cute foreigner. No doubt she was a heads turner. No doubt that she was the cynosure of all eyes at that place, then. But I felt ashamed of my own species, the male fraternity, most of whom were almost drooling looking at the girl. Perhaps they aren’t even allowing her to breathe. Everybody who was crossing her path was constantly staring at her.

I just hate this kinda approach of guys towards girls. They just don’t give them enough space. Not that I have never stared any girl flaunting her bounties but ….. I don’t know. I can’t explain.

“Mama, potti ko dekh,” Rakesh kinda yelled in excitement with jaws dropped.

“Started this again?” I gave an angry stare at him. Nevertheless, I turned around to check those Barbie dolls and the reason for Rakesh’s advertence, with a what big deal kinda expression on my face. They were sitting at a table behind us.

I was just bowled over by her looks. She was god damn pretty. No, pretty would be a smaller word undermining her beauty. “Man, she’s drop dead gorgeous,” I turned to Rakesh.

She had carved out a niche for herself with those stupendous looks and enhanced her beauty with a white top and a blue denim skirt that extended slightly beyond her knees.

“Of what use is it just to see her. Go ahead and make a conversation with her,” Rakesh encouraged. I was least interested. “I bet you can’t talk to her for five minutes,” he said.

Why should I talk to her, you dumb ding bat?

“If you wanna strike a conv. Please go ahead, I will wait for you…” I was about to continue when he stopped me.

“Abey, you don’t have the guts….”

Stop it, I showed him my palm. He’s knocked hard enough on the doors of my fragile ego.

I pulled the chair behind and started to walk towards her. I reached her table and said, “Excuse me, I am new to this place. Can you please temme how to reach Shopper’s stop from this place?”

What the f@k!! The most idiotic way to strike a conversation with a girl is ask her an address or ask her time, and I have done it just now. I looked like that jackass, Tom would imagine when Jerry made him one. She raised her head and shot me a stare which perhaps meant, why me when there are so many around?

But then she started to explain, perhaps out of courtesy.

“Mind if I…” and I pulled the chair. Her friend was still giving me those looks which made me feel like one of those guys whom I was reviling a few minutes back.

“No, I am not trying to flirt. Mera shaadi ho chuki hain,” I said when the other girl almost popped her eyes and raised her brow a little, gesturing a suave sorry.

Perhaps girls are more comfortable with men who are already married. They find a sense of security with them. Atleast they know that the guy isn’t flirting, else he wouldn’t have to say that he’s married.

Ten minutes and she had tough time explaining the route to me. All’s well that ends well and we became good friends in this short conversation of hers, thanks to my sense of humour and above all the blandishing talk which stumped her over.

“Nice meeting you girls,” I extended my hand. Aisha (that’s the girl’s name) gave that beautiful smile which meant the pleasure was hers too and above all, she was pretty impressed.

“I am head over heels in .... -dash-... with her,” I told Rakesh. “Wish my wife was as beautiful…”

The next morning an Estilo pulled over next to the KBR park and a girl sporting some great figure got out of the car. I was jogging for a while when I looked at her. “Aisha…” I called out.

Hey, she waved her hand. “You jog in the same park,” I surprisingly asked her. She gave that Mickey err... Minnie Mouse smile which temporarily blinded me. Even as I groped in the darkness, she started the normal chit chatting that most girls would love to do. Hmm... upto a certain point you can enjoy that chat. Beyond that, I guess I need not say. But all the while when she spoke, I was mesmerized. And finally she bade bye attaching an uncle tag.

Shit, I am married... I reminded myself.

Call it coincidence or fluke or wonderful timing or whatever, she was always at most places where I go. I see her more than thrice a week. And we have exchanged our numbers too. Day by day we were becoming alarmingly close (alarming for my wife)

What she liked in me? My sense of humour, my caring nature and above all, the candid way in which I put things.

What I liked in her? Beauty and brains, her simplicity and many things which I would have loved to have in my wife.

And finally the doom’s day has arrived. She was almost in tears when I asked her what’s the issue.

Aisha said, “You, a big U....” and there was silence. “I have become so close to you, why did you come into my life?” she said.
“No...” I was about to say.

She held my collar and demanded, “What do you mean by a simple NO...”

“You ushered into my life with a peal of laughter only to leave me in tears? You knew that you were married and yet you came so close to me....”

“What...”

“I love you....”

“I know I am doing the wrong thing, but I can’t help it. I love you....” she said and she was in tears. I held her shoulders and comforted her.

One year later, I was at the same Coffee Day, Madhapur.

Anoushka was in all smiles. She’s got a role change. “Whom else can I share my happiness other than you, sweetheart,” she said and I smiled.

I just turned behind when I heard a clamor. A bevy of girls were enjoying their day out. I was reminded of Aisha. Her cute innocent Minnie Mouse smile was still before my eyes.

“Nothing’s gonna change my love for you,” my mobile rang. Anoushka immediately snatched the mobile from my hand and attended to the call.

“Yeah madam, he’s doing fine. Why would I allow any girl to come near him when I am around?” Anoushka said in a flirtatious tone.

“Okies, I was just kiddin sweetheart. I know you, right. You would kill me, if I try to flirt with your husband...” she said and looked at me handing over the phone.

“Lijiye pati Ram ji.. aapki sati Seetha...” and she winked at me.

“Yea Aisha babes, I am doing fine...” and the conversation went on.

“I seriously wonder how Aisha fell for a rogue like you, sweetheart,” she sipped her double espresso and paused for a while.

“I still remember that day when you came and pulled over the chair when me and Aisha were sitting at the table. And you started off saying the scandalous thingy that you were already married...” and she started sipping again.

“It was love at first sight for me. Hadn’t I told her that I was married, you girls would have got the impression that I was trying to flirt. Remember the look you had on your face....I had to get close to her heart before knocking at its door. And this was the path I choose to reach to its doorstep”

A lot can happen over coffee, one day @ Coffee Day.