Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Dating and Mating – A Passionate Love Story

I wrote this story 11 years ago – on the 1st of April 2006 – April Fool’s Day (also known as All Fools Day– and called it DATING AND MATING

This story features in COCKTAIL – my book of short stories about realtionships.

Dear Reader – Let me post the story once again for you to read and enjoy...

DATING AND MATING 
Fiction Short Story – A Passionate Romance
By 
VIKRAM KARVE

I am busy working in my office on the morning of the First of April – when my cell phone rings. 

It is Sudha  my next door neighbour  so I take the call. 

“Vijay  you lucky dog  your life is made...” Sudha says excitedly.

“Lucky Dog...? Please, Sudha – I am busy...” I say, a trifle irritated.

“Don’t switch off your cell phone,” Sudha says, “you are going to get a very important phone call.”

“Important call...?”

“Yes – you just wait for a most important call – from the hottest and most eligible woman in town,” Sudha says with exuberance, “She has fallen head over heels for you, Vijay. She wants to date you.”

“Hottest woman in town...? She wants to date me...? Who is this woman...?”

“My boss.”

“Your boss...?”

“Come on, Vijay – I told you  didn’t I – about the chic Miss Hoity Toity – who joined last week…?”

Suddenly it dawns on me – and I say to Sudha: “Happy April Fools Day…”

“Hey, seriously, Vijay  I swear it is not an April Fools’ Day prank. She is really going to ring you up…she desperately wants to meet you…”

“She desperately wants to meet me...? I don’t even know her – I haven’t even seen her…”

“But she has seen you…”

“She has seen me…? Where…?”

“Jogging around the Oval Maidan – I think she is stalking you…”

“Stalking me…?”

“She knows everything about you – your routine – where you stay – she knows that you are my neighbour – so she called me to her office and asked for your mobile number.”

“I have told you not to give my number to anyone…”

“I told her that – but she said it was very urgent. I think she wants to come over in the evening…”

“This evening…?... I am switching off my mobile…”

“No you don’t do that please. I am sure that you will like her – she is your type…”

“She is “my type”...? What do you mean by that...? Sudha please…”

“Bye, Vijay – I don’t want to keep your mobile busy. She will be calling any time now. Remember – her name is Nisha…All the Best…” Sudha cuts off the phone.

As I wait for the mysterious woman’s call  let me tell you’re a bit about Sudha. 

Ever since she dumped me and married that suave, slimy, effeminate, ingratiating sissy Suhas – Sudha probably felt so guilt ridden  that she had taken upon herself the responsibility for getting me married.

Sudha was my neighbour  the girl next door  my childhood friend, playmate, classmate, soul-mate, confidante and constant companion. 

I assumed we would get married – but she suddenly fell for Suhas – who she met at a training seminar.

I hated Suhas – he was one of those glib, smooth-talking, street-smart, slick characters that adorn the corporate world – a clean-shaven, soft-spoken, genteel, elegantly groomed metrosexual type with an almost feminine voice and carefully cultivated mannerisms  as if he had been trained in a finishing school.

At first  I was devastated and I could not understand why Sudha had betrayed me. 

But when Sudha gently explained to me that she always saw me as a friend and never as a husband  I understood and maintained cordial relations with her  though I loathed her husband Suhas  who had shamelessly moved into her spacious apartment after relocating from Delhi to Mumbai.

Probably – Sudha thought I had remained unmarried because of her (which may have been true to an extent) 

So in order to allay her guilt conscience  she kept on setting up dates for me  hoping for the best. 

Suddenly  I hear my mobile phone ring.

The ring of my cell-phone interrupts my train of thoughts.

“Mr. Vijay…?” asks a sweet mellifluous feminine voice.

“Yes. This is Vijay...” I say my heartbeat slightly increasing.

“Nisha here...” she says, “Is it a good time to talk.”

“Of course...” I say.

“I want to meet you. Is it okay if I come over to your place this evening…?”

(Wow – she comes to the point pretty fast isn’t it...?)

“Today evening…?” I blurt out – a bit incredulous.

“It’s a bit urgent...” she says.

“Sure. You are most welcome...” I stammer recovering my wits.

“Let’s meet at 6:30 PM – before you go for your jog at the Oval – or maybe later  after you return – or maybe we can meet up at the Oval Maidan itself…”

I am truly stunned.

This Nisha is indeed stalking me.

She wants to meet up at the Oval – as brazen as that…!!!

I have never experienced such blatant propositioning.

Tocsins sound in my brain.

“Mr. Vijay…?” I hear Nisha’s soft voice in the cell-phone earpiece.

“Yes, Yes  6:30 is absolutely fine. I’ll wait for you in my house. You know the place…?” I stutter recovering my wits.

“Yes, I know your place,” Nisha says, “I’ll be there at six-thirty...” 

And  she disconnects.

I go home early, shower, deodorize, groom, titivate, put on my best shirt – and – I wait in eager anticipation for this mysterious woman who is coming onto me so heavily.

Precisely at 6:15 PM the bell rings. 

I open the door.

“Hi, I’m Nisha...” the stunningly attractive woman in front of me says.

Sudha was right – Nisha is certainly very hot – and  yes  Nisha is indeed my type of woman.

“I’m sorry  I’m a bit early  but I noticed you were in – I saw your car below…” Nisha says.

She noticed I was in”...?

My, My...!!!

And – she knows my car – about my daily jogs around the Oval – my routine – this Nisha – she knows everything – she’s really hot on my trail  isn’t she...?

I look at her. 

She comes closer towards me.

She looks and smells natural. 

No attempt to camouflage her raw steamy physical self behind a synthetic mask of make-up and artificial deodorants.

Her persona is tantalizingly inviting and temptingly desirable  her tight-fitting pink T-shirt tucked into hip hugging dark blue jeans accentuate the curves of her exquisite body  and she radiates a captivating aura  an extraordinary magnetic attraction that I have never experienced before.

I cannot take my eyes off her, her gorgeous face, her beautiful eyes, her lush skin  so I feast my eyes on her  let my eyes travel all over her shapely body.

The frank admiration in my eyes wins a smile. 

She lets her eyes hold mine.

“Aren’t you going to ask me to come in...?” she smiles, as if reading my mind.

“Oh, yes, sorry  please come in...” I say, embarrassed at having eyed her so openly.

I guide her to the sofa – and I sit as near her as is politely possible.

We sit on the sofa. 

She looks terribly attractive – and – very very desirable.

Our closeness envelops us in a stimulating kind of intimacy.

Overwhelmed by passion  I inch towards her.

She too comes closer to me.

I sense the beginnings of an experience that I have dreamt about in my fantasies.
  
“Actually, I have come for mating...” she says.

“Mating…?” I exclaim instinctively, totally shocked, stunned beyond belief.

I look at her. 

I feel tremendously excited  yet frightened, baffled, perplexed.

I wonder what to do  how to make my move towards “mating”...

The improbability of the situation makes me incredulous and bewildered.

I notice her eyes search the drawing room.

Then – Nisha looks at the bedroom door – and  she asks me: “Where is your daughter...?”

“Daughter...? I’m not married...” I say, completely taken aback.

“I know,” she says, “I’m talking about your lovely dog – or rather – your bitch…” she laughs tongue-in-cheek.

“I have locked her inside. She is not very friendly...” I say.

“I know. Hounds do not like strangers – but you don’t worry – soon I won’t be a stranger…” Nisha says – and – she gets up and begins walking towards the closed bedroom door.

“Please,” I say anxiously, “Angel is very ferocious and aggressive...”

“You named her Angel – what a lovely name...” Nisha says, “I have been seeing you two jogging and playing at the Oval. That’s why I have come here – to see your beautiful hound Angel…” 

And then – Nisha opens the bedroom door.

Angel looks suspiciously as Nisha enters the bedroom. 

But Nisha extends her hand towards Angel – to pat her on the head. 

Angel growls at Nisha menacingly  her tail becomes stiff  and the hackles on her back stiffen  since  like most Caravan Hounds  Angel does not like to be touched or handled by anyone other than me  her Master”...

“Please – Please…” I plead to Nisha  but Nisha moves ahead undaunted – and she caresses Angel’s neck. 

Suddenly  there is a noticeable metamorphosis in the hound’s body language as the dog recognizes the true dog lover. 

All of a sudden  Angel licks Nisha’s hand – wags her tail and jumps lovingly at Nisha  who embraces her.

I am really surprised at the way Nisha is hugging and caressing Angel – since not even the most ardent of dog lovers would dare to fondle and take liberties with a ferocious Caravan Hound.

“She’s ideal for Bruno. They’ll love each other...” Nisha says, cuddling Angel.

“Bruno...?”

“My handsome boy Bruno  I was desperately looking for a mate for Bruno – and then I saw Angel – they are ideally suited for each other – a perfect made for each other couple...” 

(Bloody Hell...” I say to myself, so this was the mating” she was talking about...!!!” And – I was letting my imagination run wild about “dating and mating” with her...)

I interrupt my train train of thoughts – and I say to Nisha: “You’ve got a hound...?”

“A Mudhol...” she says.

“Mudhol...?”

“Exactly like your Angel...”

“But Angel is a Caravan Hound...”

“It’s the same – a Caravan Hound is the same as a Mudhol Hound – in fact  the actual name is Mudhol…”

“I don’t think so...”

“Bet..?”

“Okay...”

“Dinner at the place of my choice...”

“Done...”

“Let’s go...”

“Where...?”

“To my place...”

“To your place...?”

“To meet Bruno – doesn’t Angel want to meet him...?” she asks.

“Of course  me too...” I say.

And so  the three of us  Nisha, Angel and I  we drove down to Nisha’s home on Malabar Hill. 

The moment we opened the door  Bruno rushed to welcome Nisha. 

Then – Bruno gave Angel a tentative look.

For an instant – both the hounds stared menacingly at each other. 

Bruno gave a low growl – then extended his nose to scent – and – Angel melted – it was love at first sight”...

Nisha won the bet. 

We surfed the internet  we cross-checked in libraries.

She was right. 

Mudhol Hound is the same as Caravan Hound – but not the same as a Rampur, Rajapalyam or Chippiparai Hound.

But – that’s another story.

Here is what happened to our “Dating and Mating Story.

As per our bet  I took Nisha out to dinner – a sumptuous Butter Chicken and Tandoori affair at Gaylord’s. 

And while we were thoroughly enjoying our food  suddenly  out of the blue  Sudha and her husband landed up there. 

They sat on the neighbouring table  and the way Sudha gave me canny looks  I wondered if it was a “contrived” coincidence.

Angel and Bruno had a successful mating”.

Nisha and Bruno would visit my pregnant girl every day. 

And then  on D-Day  Nisha stayed through the night to egg on Angel in her whelping.

Angel gave birth to four cute little puppies.

Every day – the “doggie” parents (Angel and Bruno) – and – the “human” grandparents (Nisha and I) – we would spend hours together  doting on the little ones.

Since Nisha and I could not agree as to who should take which puppy – we solved the problem by getting married. 

It was strictly a marriage of convenience – but Sudha  her aim achieved  tells me that Nisha and I are the most rocking couple  and – we seem madly in love.

And so  now  we all live together as one big happy family – ours, theirs, mine and hers.

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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