One good turn deserves another

I am usually one of the first persons to go for lunch. Come noon and I will be practically sprinting for lunch (kya kare control nahi hota) . One of my friends who shares this sentiment is Aki. After enjoying a leisurely lunch, we will be back at our desk in 45 min.

Today was no different. I was on my way back when I received a call from Y.

Y: Where are you?

Me: Duh! I am almost at my desk.

Y: (sounding disappointed) I have already bought an ice-cream for you. Would you mind coming back?

Me: (ears perking up at the word ‘ice-cream’) Sure. I will be there in 10 min.

While I was cycling back (will write a piece on cycles at my workplace later), I pondered about Y and the circumstances under which we met.

It was one of those beautiful drizzly days. For a change, the scenery outside seemed more beckoning than Radio City. I was lost in the world outside when my thoughts were disturbed by a sweet voice “Excuse me, are you a Mangalorean?” I reluctantly turned away from the window to face the questioner – it was a young good-looking girl. When I answered in affirmative, the gloomy expression on her face (perfect match for the weather outside) was replaced by such radiant joy that made her look all the more prettier and left no doubt that she too was a Mangalorean!

She introduced herself as Y. During the course of our chat, I came to know that she had to get down at Chamrajpet. Huh?? I was sure that our bus did not travel via that route. When I got it confirmed by the driver and relayed the news to her, she was on the verge of tears. Since she was new to Bangalore, she was not sure of the route. Her problem was compounded by the fact that her mobile ka battery-charge was finished.

Now, I really cannot handle people if they cry (especially if they are grown-ups). So, I offered my mobile to her so that she could make a call to her relative. When the tears continued, I hastened to say that I will get even wait till someone comes to pick her up. That cheered her suitably and I heaved an inward sigh of relief.

At the designated stop, I stepped down from the bus and the next moment, I was sitting cross-legged on the road thanks to a shooting pain in my ankle. The pain was so intense that I felt the world around me go black for an instant for two. By then, Y’s brother had come. So, sporting a jaunty smile which took some effort considering the pain I was experiencing, I sent Y off. As for me, I took an auto home, spent the next day at home, came to know from my doctor that I nearly had a hair-line fracture and limped the whole of the next four weeks ! During the next few, I grumpily wondered about the irony of the episode - is this what happens if you help people in distress? One good turn deserves another? Sheesh!!

The next day Y mailed me that she wanted to thank me by treating me an ice-cream. Even ice-cream was not a good enough trigger to make me walk (wobble would be a better word). So, the treat got postponed. The next time, it was she who cancelled it on the pretext of some work. On and off…on and off… this continued till I received the call today.

I finally had my treat - a black-currant ice-cream with lots of nuts :) :)!