“HAPPINESS IS WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO” – A Love Story

HAPPINESS IS WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Short Fiction – A Love Story

by

VIKRAM KARVE

Here is one of my Lazy Mumbai Stories.

I wrote this story almost 15 years ago – in January 2002 – after an evening walk on Marine Drive.

“HAPPINESS IS WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO”

Mumbai

Circa 2002

She stands in front of the full-length mirror and looks at herself.

She does not like what she sees.

She cringes a bit. 

The jeans make her look fat.  

And – the tight blue top – it’s all wrong...! 

So – she wears a loose dress – Churidar, Kurta and Dupatta – to hide her bulges. 

She looks at her new high-heels – should she wear them? 

They will make her look tall – and less fat.

No. 

Not today.  

Now – it’s got to be walking shoes.

A brisk invigorating walk from Chowpatty to Churchgate to rejuvenate her body breathing the fresh evening sea breeze on Marine Drive is what she needs to cheer her up. 

She stands on the weighing machine at Churchgate station – and – with a tremor of trepidation, puts in the coin.

Lights flash.

Out comes the cardboard ticket.

She looks at it.  

Same as yesterday.  

And the day before.  

And the day before. 

No change. 

She is doomed.  

There is never any change in her weight – or in her fortune – written on the weight card. 

Her face falls.

She is trying so much – exercising, dieting. 

But it is no use.

She looks longingly at the Softy Ice Cream counter. 

There is a smart young handsome man with two Ice Cream Cones – one in each hand.

He looks at her.

She notices that he is looking at her for that moment longer than necessary.

She averts her eyes – but he walks up to her – and he says: “Hey...! How are you...?” 

She looks at him – confused.  

His face seems vaguely familiar. 

“You are Sheena’s roommate, aren’t you?” he asks. 

She remembers him. 

He is Sheena’s boyfriend.

He works in HR. 

“Here,” he says, coming close – proffering an Ice Cream cone towards her. 

She steps back awkwardly – perplexed – and taken aback – by the man’s audacity.  

“Take it fast. Otherwise, the Ice Cream will melt,” he says. 

She hesitates – confused. 

“Come on. Don’t be shy. I know you love Ice Cream. Sheena told me...” he says

She takes the Ice Cream cone from his hands. 

“I’m Mohan. I work in HR...” he says.

She doesn’t say anything. 

“Let’s walk,” he says, “and hey – eat your ice cream quickly – before it melts”.

They start walking.

As they walk slowly out of Churchgate station towards Marine Drive – they slowly lick the creamy yummy softy ice cream off their cones. 

“You walked all the way from your hostel at Chowpatty...?” he asks. 

“Yes,” she says – speaking to him for the first time. 

“All alone?” he asks.

“Yes.” 

“You come here every evening?” 

“Yes. I jog every morning too.” 

“All alone?” 

“No. On other days we come together.”

"We?"

"Sheena and me." 

“And today?” 

“Sheena has gone out.” 

“For the office party at the disc...?” he asks.

“Maybe,” she says.

“And you? Why didn't you go for the party? You did not want to go all alone – is it? No date? No partner for the party...?” he asks.

She is furious. 

But – she controls herself. 

She says nothing. 

There is no point getting on the wrong side of HR. 

He notices her silent anger – and he says, “Hey – please don’t get angry. Even I did not go the party...”

She hastens her steps and says, “Okay. Bye. Time for me to go! And thanks for the Ice Cream.” 

“No. No. Wait. Let’s have a Pizza over there,” he says pointing to the Pizzeria on Marine Drive by the sea. 

“No. Please. I’ve got to go.” 

“Come on. Don’t count your calories too much. And don’t weigh yourself every day...” he says.

“What?” she goes red with embarrassment!

This is too much.

So – this guy has been stalking her – watching her every day.

Outwardly she fumes. 

But inside – she secretly feels a flush of excitement. 

“Yes. Don’t get obsessed about your weight. Like Sheena...” he says.

“Sheena...?” she asks.

“She keeps nagging me about my weight...” he says.

“But you’re not fat...!” she says. 

“Then what would you say I am...?” he asks. 

“Let’s say you’re on the healthier side...?” 

“Healthier side...? That’s great...!” he says amused, “Then you too are on the healthier side, aren’t you?” 

“Oh yes. We both are on the healthier side...” she says – and she laughs.

He laughs.

They both laugh together.

Healthy laughter...! 

They sit in the sea breeze.

They relish and enjoy eating their pizzas.

He is easy to talk to – she has much to say – and the words come tumbling out. 

And so – they enjoy a ‘healthy’ foodie date.

Together – they relish delicious Pizzas – and other lip smacking goodies – to their hearts’ content – and then – they top up the the satiating repast – with heavenly ice creams at Rustom’s nearby. 

“Where were you?” Sheena asks her – when she returns to their room in the working women’s hostel late at night. 

“I had a date...” she says to Sheena.

“You...? Fatso...? A date...?”  Sheena says disbelievingly

“Yes. I had a date. A date at Churchgate...” she says.

“A date at Churchgate...? Wow...! Things are looking up for you yaar...!” Sheena says.

“Yes. Things are really looking up for me. And you Sheena...? How was your party...?”

“The whole evening was ruined. That creep Mohan. He stood me up. He didn’t turn up for the party and he kept his mobile off...” Sheena complains bitterly.

“Mohan?” she asks Sheena.

“You’ve met him.” 

“Mohan...? I don't think you have introduced me to any Mohan...” she says to Sheena.

“Of course I have introduced Mohan to you. He has come here to pick me up so many times. He comes over to meet me at our office too. He works in HR...” Sheena says.

“Oh...! That guy from HR...? The chap on the healthier side...! That is your darling Mohan – is it...?” she says to Sheena.

“Darling? My foot!” Sheena says angrily, “Bloody ditcher – that’s what that Mohan is. How dare he stand me up? And that too at the office party? To hell with him...!” Sheena mutters – and goes off to sleep.    

But – our heroine cannot sleep.

She eagerly waits for sunrise.

For at 6 AM in the morning – her newly found beau Mohan has promised to meet her on Marine Drive opposite the Aquarium – for a “healthy” jog on Marine Drive.

And – they will be meeting in the evening too – at Churchgate – for ice cream, pizza, and yummy goodies – and a lovey-dovey foodie date. 

Overwhelmed with a joyful sense of anticipation – she feels happy. 

“Happiness is when you have something to look forward to...”

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

I wrote this story in January 2002 and I have posted it online a number of times, in my various academic, fiction and creative writing blogs, including at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/ice-cream-pizza-and-lovey-dovey_418464_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/02/happy-valentines-day-date-at-churchgate.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/02/valentines-day-story-date-at-churchgate.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/02/valentines-day-story-date-at-churchgate.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/11/weight-watching-and-happiness-love-story.html