A few years ago – at a get-together – I met a lady called ULKA
At the same get-together – I met a young lady – she told me her name was ALKA
Ha Ha – ULKA and ALKA...!!!
This reminded me of a story that I had written around 17 years ago – in the year 2004 – after a visit to Hyderabad.
During my IAT Pune days in the 1990's – I would travel to Hyderabad and Bangalore quite often in connection with work – and later too – so – many of my stories are set in these two places.
I hope this flirty love story will cheer you up.
Do comment and tell me if you like this rather amateurish romance.
Happy Reading.
And Hey – Dear Reader – please remember that I wrote this story 16 years ago – in the year 2004 – when online “e-ticketing” was not that prevalent – and you normally bought Air Tickets from a Travel Agency.
Read on...
ULKA and ALKA
Short Fiction - A Flirty Romance
By
VIKRAM KARVE
“Ulka. It’s “Ulka” – I will spell it out for you “– U – L – K – A –” that’s my name – not “Alka”...” screamed the furious lady.
“I’m sorry Ma’am. It’s just a small mistake...” the ticketing clerk, a young girl, said apologetically.
“Small mistake...? You spell my name wrongly – and you call it a small mistake...?” the beautiful lady fumed.
“I must have heard wrongly on the phone...”
“It’s carelessness. Anyway – you change the ticket...”
The ticketing clerk took the ticket from the lady.
Then – with her pen the ticketing clerk overwrote “U” in place of the “A” – thereby – changing “Alka” to “Ulka”.
“What nonsense is this...?” the lady flared up – she looked livid.
“How does it matter, Ma’am...? It’s just a minor change of spelling. Besides – your surname is spelt correctly.”
“What...? “Minor” change...? How dare you call it a “minor” change...? You need an “attitudinal” change...!”
“Excuse me, Ma’am...!”
“What do you mean “excuse me”...? You just cancel this ticket – and you issue a new one with my correct name.”
“You will have to pay cancellation charges if you cancel the ticket...”
“Cancellation charges...? What nonsense...! Why should I pay...? It is your mistake. You think I am a fool...?” the lady shouted – beginning to lose control of herself..
Till this moment – I was just watching from the sidelines.
But now – it was time for me to intervene.
“What’s the matter...?” I asked the ticketing girl.
“She is creating a big fuss over a minor issue...” the ticketing girl said to me.
“Big fuss...! You change my name and you say that it is a “minor” issue...? Suppose the plane crashes – what happens to the insurance...? You are incompetent. I will have you fired from your job...! Who is the “Top Man” over here...?” the lady said, trembling with fury.
“Excuse me, Madam...” I said, “May I help you...?”
“I want to see the “Top Man” in this office...” the lady shouted.
Her enormous brown velvety eyes were flaming – her flawlessly smooth cheeks flushed – her slender upturned nose luminous, almost translucent – her deliciously juicy lips quivering.
In her anger – she looked devastatingly beautiful .
“I am the “Top Man” here...” I said to her.
Then – I turned to the ticketing clerk – and – I said firmly:
“Issue a fresh ticket with the proper name. Don’t make any mistakes...!”
“But, Sir...?”
“Just do what I say. Do you understand...!!!” I snapped at the hapless ticketing girl.
Then – I turned to the angry lady – and I said politely to her:
“Ma’am – please come to my cabin.”
After a glass of water – a freshen up – and a cup of coffee – she was a composed and appeared a bit contrite.
With the fresh ticket with her correct name on the table in front of her – the beautiful lady said to me:
“I am sorry for creating a scene – but I get very upset when I am called “Alka” instead of “Ulka”. My name is “Ulka” – and – I do not like to be called “Alka”....”
“I can understand...” I said. “One’s name is important – and people do get touchy if there is a mistake. But then – “Alka” and “Ulka” – both names suit you.”
“What do you mean...?” she asked, confused.
“Well – “Alka” means a girl with curly hair. Just like you...!”
She blushed – and she asked me:
“And “Ulka”...? What does “Ulka” mean...?”
“Well – “Ulka” means a meteor – a star falling on the earth from the heavens, fire, a torch – or a firebrand...”
“Are you telling me that I am a hothead firebrand...? Or – do I look like a meteor...?” she smiled mischievously.
The ice had broken.
Her anger had melted.
“Well – “Alka” and “Ulka”. They sound so similar that one can easily confuse “Ulka” with “Alka” which is a more common name...” I said.
“I know. But – because of this “Alka-Ulka” slip-up – I have paid a heavy price for it...” she said.
And then – “Ulka” began to tell me her story.
I am easy to talk to – and her words came tumbling out.
“Around 10 years ago – when I was in my final year at college – a boy saw me in our college canteen – and he fell head over heels in love with me...” she said.
“Wow...!” I said.
“He was so desperate – that after we had left – he asked a waiter my name – and the stupid waiter made the same mistake – instead of telling the boy that my name was “Ulka” – the waiter told the boy that my name was “Alka”...”
“But the boy was in your college, isn’t it...?”
“No. No. I never noticed him. He must have been one of those rich types just hanging out in our college – to ogle at girls. He had fallen so madly in love with me – that he tried to find out my address from our college office.”
“Then what happened...?”
“I told you – instead to telling the boy my correct name ‘Ulka’ – the waiter told the Boy that my name was “Alka”...”
“Oh...!” I said, waiting for “Ulka” to continue her story.
“Ulka” looked at me and said:
“So the Boy went to the college office and he asked for “Alka” – and unfortunately there was an “Alka” in my class – so they gave him Alka’s address...”
“A goof up...?”
“Now listen to this...” “Ulka” said, “the Boy takes the address – and then the guy goes to his parents – he gives them the address – and he tells his parents them to meet Alka’s parents and ask for her hand in marriage.”
“And then...?”
“They saw each other – the Boy and “Alka”. The Boy realized his goof-up – and he told “Alka” – he described me accurately to her – the Boy told “Alka” that he had fallen for me – not her. But then – “Alka” is smart – very smart. She wasn't going to let go of such a prize catch. I don’t know what she did. Maybe she told him there was no one like me in her college – or maybe she lied to him that I was from some other college – or some such yarn – but she must have sure worked on him with all her wily charms – and finally – they did get married. And now – “Alka” is having a ball of a time loaded in dough – as the wife of a wealthy businessman – while I slog it out all alone like a slave – day in and day out...”
“You never met the boy after that...?”
“No. In fact – I have never met him in my life. I don’t even know how he looks...”
“How is that possible...?”
“I told you that I did not notice that the boy was looking at me in the college canteen. He was looking at me – but I did not know that he was looking at me – there was so much rush in the canteen and I was sitting with my group of girls – so I didn’t even seen the boy looking at me...”
“Oh...”
“In fact – till yesterday – I did not even know all this story that I told you just now...” Ulka said.
“You did know all this till yesterday...? Then how did you come to know...?” I asked.
“Well – “Alka” told me...” she said.
“What...? “Alka”...? Here. In Hyderabad...?”
“I ran into “Alka” at Abid’s last evening. At the jewellery shop. I was just looking at a string of pearls. Too expensive for me. But “Alka” bought a lovely pearl necklace and an exquisite diamond studded watch.”
“A diamond studded watch...?”
“Yes – just imagine – I couldn’t even afford one pearl necklace – but “Alka” bought a pearl necklace and an expensive diamond studded men’s watch too. I am sure that Alka’s husband must be rich – she must be loaded with money...”
“And then...?”
“I noticed that she was staring at me – so I smiled back. Then – “Alka” came towards me and introduced herself – “I am “Alka”...” – then – she told me that she had recognised me – and she asked me: “Your name is “Ulka” – isn’t it?”...”
“Really...? She directly asked you whether you were “Ulka”...? And then what happened...?”
“Yes. Then “Alka” took me out to dinner in a restaurant. Do you remember that I told you that the Boy had told her everything about the “Alka-Ulka” name goof-up – well the Boy had accurately described me to her. “Alka” teased me that her husband still remembers me...”
“Really...? Didn’t “Alka” invite you home...? To meet her husband...?” I asked
“I asked her to take me to her home. I told her that I wanted to meet her husband – the Boy who had fallen for me in our college canteen – the Boy who I had never seen. But – she made up some excuses. Maybe – “Alka” is scared of letting her husband meeting me. After all – a man’s first love always has an enduring place in his heart...”
“That’s really sad...!”
“Yes. Just one small “Alka-Ulka” goof-up – and look at the consequences. She is glowing in matrimony in the lap of luxury – and me – lonely in the abyss – all alone...”
“All alone...? You did not marry...?”
“No.”
“Why...?”
“Well – I just don’t seem to like any boy – maybe – I still haven’t got over that Boy, I guess...!” Ulka said.
I paused for a moment.
Then – I looked into Ulka’s eyes – and I said:
“Well – let me tell you – that – what you are imagining – it may not be true...”
“What do you mean...?” “Ulka” asked, looking a bit confused.
“Alka’s husband – the “Boy” who fell head over heels in love with you – he is not a hot-shot businessman. Alka’s husband is just the owner of a modest travel agency...” I said.
“Do you know him...? Do you know Alka’s husband...?” “Ulka” asked me.
“Of course I know him. That “Boy” is me. I am Alka’s husband...” I said.
She froze.
Then – she melted.
And then – she broke into a smile.
We – “Ulka” and Me – we looked wistfully into each other’s eyes in silence for a long long time.
After “Ulka” left my office – there were just two thoughts perambulating in my mind.
Firstly – I wondered what life would have been like if had I married “Ulka”.
Secondly – I wondered why my wife “Alka” was hiding things from me.
My darling wife “Alka” had gleefully shown me the lovely pearl necklace – the moment I reached home last night.
I wondered why she had not told me about the exquisite diamond studded men’s watch – which she had bought along with the pearl necklace – at Abids last evening...?
VIKRAM KARVE
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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