~Ajit Baral~
My sister walks past us and climbs down the stairs and out into the garden she goes without looking at us—not even from the corner of her eyes.
“What has come between you two?” asks Father.
“Nothing,” I say.
What can I say? I met her at one o’clock in front of the zoo, the day after our chat just like we’d agreed. She was wearing a white tshirt and black jeans, just like she said she would, her hair flowing down her back and shining red in the glare of the sun, standing in front of the zoo looking at the signboard above, and I had called out, my heart fluttering, “Paro.”
“What’s happened?” says Father.
The chat happened:
Paro: hello, who is this?
Devdash: this is devdash.
Paro: devdash, who?
Devdash: devdash ke. n u?
Paro: i mean, u’r real name?
Devdash: this is my real name.
Paro: don’t bluff. tell me, yar.
Devdash: what’s in a name?
Paro: everything is in a name. ha, ha…
Devdash: so why don’t u tell me u’r name–u’r real name.
Devdash: where…
Devdash: are u.
Paro: was saying goodbye to friends. i am leaving, bye.
Devdash: oh, don’t…
Devdash: don’t go, yar.
Paro: i have to rush.
Devdash: where to?
Paro: home?
Devdash: oh, pls stay a bit longer.
“You two act like strangers, what happened?” says Father.
Flirty little things happened:
Devdash: i was chatting with one guy. he just logged off….
Devdash: he said he liked to read…hardy boys etc. n I asked if there were hardy boys books. he said, “do u mean I am lying?” and logged off. eccentric, mula.
Paro: huh, huh!
Devdash: by the way, do u read books?
Paro: a bit. Sidney Sheldon, shoba de and the likes.
Devdash: o! u’r into that kind of books.
Paro: what do u mean that kind of books?
Devdash: i mean, romance..
Paro: they’r fun to read.
Devdash: yes, unputdownable.
Paro: u have also read them then?
Devdash: yes. but not anymore. however, my sis is hooked into them..
Paro: why don’t u read them anymore?
Devdash: they drive me crazy.
Paro: crazy! why?
Devdash: because of their eroticism. cannot stand to read De—oh god ! her sex scenes are so graphic.
Paro: that’s the fun, hoina ra?
Devdash: but they turn boring after sometime. Like a blue fi lm.
Paro: what?
Devdash: have you seen blue films?
Paro: not on video, but I have seen them on the screen of my mind.
Devdash: but the fi lm on your mind-screen doesn’t stretch beyond a scene or two, I guess.
Paro: yes.
Devdash: so you won’t understand.
Paro: what?
Devdash: the banality of seeing virtually the same scene over and over again.
Paro: khai…
“How come then I don’t see you talking to her since the last few days? In fact, I don’t even see you two looking at each other when you talk.”
Because the stupid movie happened:
Devdash: tell me, why did u choose to chat with me.
Paro: the name devdash struck me. me, paro; u, devdash.
Devdash: so u have seen the fi lm devdash?
Paro: yes.
“Something definitely has happened to you two,” Father says, and goes into his room.
My handle happened. Her handle happened:
Devdash: did u like it?
Paro; yes. n u?
Devdash: i didn’t like it. all razzle-dazzle and no substance.
Paro: why did u then choose the name devdash?
Devdash: i kind of sympathize with the hero
devdash… wasted away his life craving for love.
Paro: r u also craving for love?
Devdash: who doesn’t?
Paro: but what r u—a he or a she?
Devdash: i am a he. otherwise, why would i be chatting with u for so long?
Paro: what?
Devdash: i wouldn’t be talking with a she, if i were a she.
Paro: but I could be a he, too.
Devdash: u aren’t.
Paro: don’t be so certain.
Devdash: i m more less certain. u haven’t seen blue films. but every boy sees blue films these days.
Paro: so you know my sex and i know yours. What is u’r age?
Devdash: 35
Paro: 35?
Devdash: surprised? no, I m 26.
Devdas: don’t bluff
Devdash: i m not bluffing.
Paro: prove
Devdash: i wouldn’t have talked with u for so long
if i was 35.
Paro: why?
Devdash: i sure don’t want to take a girl in the early 20s on a date if I was 35.
Paro: how do you know that I m in the early 20s?
Devdash: I m a Sherlock homes. ha, ha, ha…
Devdash the detective, scenting a game, happened.
Paro: are u kidding?
Devdash: just guessed from the kinds of books you read. older women usually don’t read romance and thrillers; they prefer family sagas. moreover, you have the brazenness of the uppity 20-something girl.
Paro: and what was that taking a girl on a date thing about? do u mean you want to take me on a date?
Devdash: of course. Nobody wastes time chatting on the internet for nothing. Some people chat for vicarious sexual pleasure while others chat hoping to find a date.
Devdash Holmes in-hot-pursuit happened:
Paro: you sound interesting.
Devdash: that’s a yes, right?
Paro: what yes?
Devdash: that u will be my date?
Paro: no.
Devdash: u will.
Paro: no.
Devdash: yes, u will.
Paro: let’s talk about that tomorrow.
Devdash: no, please.
Paro: okay, okay. where do u want to take me on a date?
The going-in-for-the-kill-to-bring-the-quarry home thing happened:
Devdash: somewhere u would love to be.
Paro: u will not tell me then?
Devdash: yes. i want to give u a surprise.
Paro: so when do we meet?
Devdash: what about tomorrow. 11 in the morning.
Paro: i have classes till 11.
Devdash: so what about meeting at 1.
Paro: all right. but where?
Devdash: let’s meet at the zoo and i will take u somewhere.
Paro: where?
Devdash: as i told u, i want to give u a surprise.
Paro: it’s a deal then. bye.
Devdash: no, no wait….
Devdash: how do i know u?
Paro: i will be wearing a white tea shirt and black jeans.
Devdash: tell me u’r real name before saying goodbye.
Paro: leave something for tomorrow.
Devdash: okay, okay. so see u tomorrow.
Paro: sure.
Yes, something has happened.
(Source : Jan-March, 2008 Read Tri-monthly Magazine)
