45 days before 1. Followed my fellow
If you need something in life you need to work hard. Is this true? May be true. If I need him, I need to work hard, but how? I had zero knowledge of doing that. I have a habit of watching love story movies. By that I got an idea of following him. This idea glowed on my face. By the time I finished the movie at night 12.30, I decided to start following him the next morning.
I had no idea where he was staying, but I knew where he was working. I didn’t know his work timings, in that matter I knew nothing about him. I thought of simply going near his office and waiting for some time. I reached his office way early around 8 o’clock. Again a confusion is there were 3 buildings by his company names, which one should I see. I wish I could smoke, as guys go to the security guard for a match box and enquire about the company and employees.
I stood there for 1 hour, trying to glance at all the buildings for the employees. Stood there till 10 o’clock, didn’t get a clue of him coming. So I thought of planning it properly instead of wasting time like this. So I decided to apply for leave for a day. Divided my day into three parts like 10–2, 2 to 5, 5 to 8 to check on all three buildings. Continued standing near building no.1, no clue till 2 o’clock. Now I have gone to another building, no clue. Next also no clue.
Is it like he changed his job and forgot to update on social media? Is he on leave for today? Should I wait for some more time? Should I go home and come tomorrow? Is he in another building which was not glancing, like when I was waiting near building no.1 and he came out from building no.2 or 3? I could see everybody going home, but no idea about him. I thought of going to the security guard and asking for the details. I didn’t dare to ask by his name. As it was night 8.30 the crowd was less, so I went to him asking for some address and tried to ask him about the company employees. I asked him in the local language, “Where do tech teams sit? Where do ops teams sit?” He had no idea what I meant. He said he doesn’t know anything. Asking him left me nothing. I left home for the day.
Next day I started again, and today I applied for work from home. Mostly I need to attend calls and reply for pings as I have completed my day’s task the previous night. Today I changed the time and place for the first part near the 2nd building, the second near the 3rd and the third near the 1st. No clue near the 2nd building, I moved to the 3rd one around 2:15. I was so seriously looking at the 3rd building, I had no idea what was happening around me.
I covered my face as it was too dusty to stand on the road, the only entertainment was watching some videos, seeing people around, crossing the road back and forth. My eyes stuck to building no.3 which was almost 500 to 1000 meters from building no.1. I heard somebody asking, “excuse me” as I was standing on their way. I left the way and bhoom! I heard his voice for the first time. WOW.
Where did it come from? Behind me? Then he is working in which building? I was thinking, then striked, why can’t I follow him to find his working place? I followed him till his restaurant as he went in. I didn’t want to get in, because he may notice and I didn’t want to do that. I waited like an hour or so, he was still in. Sometimes I had a doubt like, do these restaurants have back doors? After waiting for 1 and half hours, I saw a bunch of people coming out, highlighting my fellow.
I didn’t observe him earlier as I was following him. He was wearing white shirt with dark brown, it thinks it’s not black, it’s brown! Confused!! Some dark color trousers look like black and it’s dark brown. Trimmed beard, french beard place seems a little darker than the rest of the area. Proper side locks, which is connecting his beard so neatly. Properly shaped eyebrows, small nose. Perfectly measured ear length, normal length hair. I couldn’t stop seeing him in my mind as I wrote this. He is an awesome dude. I was standing just seeing him walking out of a biryani store. As he neared me, that’s not a plain white shirt. There are dark brown dots on white shirt with black semi formal shoes. No comments on his dressing, just admiring.
I didn’t want him to ask me for an excuse again, so I stepped aside. He passed me, I could smell his perfume. I don’t know how to explain the smell of the perfume, but it’s very tempting to walk with him. I waited for him to walk 10–15 steps, so that I could start following him. He was working in some building, I don’t bother to know whether it’s the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd building, but it’s a lucky building. This is the first success step for me.
I waited so long for him to complete his work and come back, he is a very honest worker. I was thinking my future life will be great with him. Who knows nowadays all IT companies will have all indoor games in there. Waiting for your loved ones is the most boring thing ever. Don’t know where you get all these thoughts and ideas. I had 3 coffees, 100s of yamnings. As the time crossed 7 o’clock, I didn’t order anything. What if he starts and I order coffee? So I was simply waiting for him.
Guy next to me started checking me out. He started saying, “Hi” in all possible languages, he finally concluded that I m deaf. I was very much fine with the deaf, but he didnt leave me. He started each and every colleague he knew and started saying that I’m standing here since yesterday, I’m waiting for someone blah blah blah. I still acted as deaf. As I have removed my covered face for drinking coffee was his advantage for talking with me and about me. I can’t leave, at least I can cover my face, so that he may stop.
He tried to continue till my hero came out. I should name my fellow, it should be so unique and special. I should be able to justify that name and nobody would have heard that name. How about “Jack”? This is very unique and yes I can justify this name, when he asks me why I named him so. My eyes were wide open to see him, I was checking my scarf, if I had covered my face properly. This guy started saying the same thing to Jack as well. He glanced at me and said, “ignore yaar, looks don’t define beauty” in the local language. I glanced at him back and left the place. I could still hear that guy saying Jack, “Machi, she left after seeing you, tell us the truth. Who is she? Your date?”. “Shut up!!, I am getting late. I will catch you tomorrow”, he said and left.
I was hiding behind the compound nearby and waiting for him. He came near the bike. He owns a Yamaha FZ 150cc black bike. He looks like a hero on that bike. I totally forgot that I needed to follow him. He left in front me, I ran to my bike and started following him. He is a pro in riding, and found it very difficult to follow him. Somehow managed to find his apartment, with some guesses on the route. Almost got to know his timings also, later on following him was not a tough task. I could go early to my work, finish it fast and wait near his office till he finishes his. Follow till his house, then return to mine.
This continued for 15 days. I started feeling, boy’s put so much effort into following a girl. This is a really tough job, I heartily appreciate all the boys who followed girls for their love. One night I was late from my office, so I thought of going directly to his place, instead of following. I parked my bike near his apartment. Apartment does not mean a big one, like a single building with 6 floors. I didn’t know where he was staying either. It was almost 9 o’clock. No clue of him coming. It was a cloudy evening, maybe he caught the rain.
As I was waiting for it to start raining, I went near that building to escape from the rain. As I was standing near the gate, security asked me, “Who are you? Waiting for someone?“. I was confused and didn’t know what to say, “Yeah, waiting for Jack”, I was about to say, called him, but he is not home yet. By that time he said, “Yeah, his brother and sister-in-law are going home, so he went to drop them”. I was like, “oh ok, which floor is he staying on?”. Security told me, “3rd floor ma’am”. I smiled and concluded the conversation with him, as I didn’t want to give any other info about me.
As I was still waiting for him, I could see a beast approaching and he was driving. He owns a Red color sexy Duster car. He glanced at me and as he passed through the gate, he asked security, “Who is that girl, at this night?”, Security replied, “I don’t know, she is waiting for you”. I heard the conversation. I left the place by the time he parked his car and came out searching for me. I was curious to know what was the conversion they had later on.
I started feeling bored of following him, felt like life is not moving, where I started, ended there only. So I thought I should go to his flat. I know he is on the 3rd floor, but I don’t know which door he resides in. I remembered one more info that security told, he stays with his brother and sis-in-law. Somehow I wanted to move to this building or one, so that I can see him daily.
After a week, I went near the gate of his flat. Security asked me, “Hello ma’am, the other day you left without talking to Jack? He was asking me”. I was shocked, he still remembers me. I smiled at him and said, “yeah, I got some urgent work and couldn’t wait for him”. Then the guard told me, “Oh ok, he asked me if I knew your name, I said I didn’t ask, ‘What is your name ma’am”. I have to avoid this now, “That evening I called him, Oh, one second I am getting a call”, I lied and moved a bit away. As I returned from the call, he said, “Jack is not home, whom do you want to meet today?”.
“Jack told me you have a vacancy in this flat, Can I see the house for rent?”. Left a lie arrow towards him. Not sure it may come back to me. He glanced at me and said, “Yeah ma’am we had one vacancy, but it got filled yesterday, maybe Jack don’t know about that”. I was like, ‘Shit!! Why didn’t I try 2 days ago for this?’, he continued, “..but they didn’t confirm with the token amount, If you want I can show you”. Fair deal, I agreed and followed him. “Ma’am you are so lucky, you have a vacancy on the same floor where Jack stayed”. We climbed till the 3rd floor and turned right for the flats.
As we passed the first door, security pointed at the door and said, “Jack stays here”. I just smiled, next door was mine, I mean security wants to show me. I was not at all interested in seeing the rooms, Kitchen, bedroom, whatever. I was all thinking about how to take this and shift here. I showed security a glad smile and said, “Wow!! This is awesome, tell me what’s the advance? How is the token? I can come to an agreement with the complete advance”. He said, “I don’t know ma’am, I need to check with the owner, let me call him”.
He tried for 2–3 times, his number was not in reach. I took 5k and kept it on security’s hand and said, “See, the previous tenant did not give any token and your owner will surely agree to this, just inform him about this’ ‘. I took the owner’s number so that I can confirm that I’m shifting there officially. I was dancing with happiness, I left the place before Jack reached his flat. Now I’m very expert about his schedule of reaching home and office.
It was around evening 8, I reached my old flat and informed my old flat owner about me vacating the place in a week. I went to my room and called the new owner, I didn’t want to take any risk. Conversation went like this,
“Hello, Am I speaking to the owner of the Lovely apartment?”
“Yeah, Who is this?”
“Hi Sir, today I visited your flat, I really liked it. Even I paid an advance amount with the security”.
“Ma’am, Do you even have a little common sense? Who will confirm renting a house with the gatekeeper? I am the owner, I decide whom to give my flat”.
I felt he was in a bad mood, I didn’t know how to convince him to get that flat.
“Sorry sir, security tried calling you and your number was not reachable, and I wanted that flat very badly, so I decided to pay in advance. Why sir? What happened?”.
“Ma’am, I am keeping that flat for my personal use. My relatives saw that flat the previous day, since they did not pay in advance, security got confused about that, ``Very sorry I can’t give you that flat”.
Do you really think of anything that can work out in favor of me? I was like,
“Oh really? I am in a very bad situation. I have to vacate this place by tomorrow, now I don’t have time to search for a new one also”.
Tried girl’s strongest weapon, emotional way.
“Sorry ma’am, my daughter is coming to India next month, I want this flat for her. I can’t afford this to anyone. I can check with some of my friends, if they have any flat”
I got an idea of staying there, till she comes and I didnt want this owner to suggest to me some flat where I can’t go anyways.
“Oh I also have to manage till next month, by the way when she is coming?”
“Next month 20th”
My thoughts worked.
“Sir, if you don’t mind, can I stay there till next month on the 20th? I have a uncle who will return from US and I can stay with him after that”
No owner will agree to this, I know he will also not agree.
“No, ma’am, after that I can’t clean my flat, I didn’t want to take a risk on this’ ‘.
I got his fear.
“Sir, let’s have an agreement for me to leave by the 20th of next month, both will have a copy of the agreement. Fair??”
No business man will avoid the free money coming in. But this fellow seems strong emotionally. My breath started raising. He paused for 20 seconds.
“Okay ma’am”, I exhaled all my breaths. “..but you have to leave my flat by the 20th morning, I will send you the agreement for signing. See I am not doing this for money, you are like my daughter, so I don’t need any deposit. Just pay me 15k more. It will be 20k in total. If you are ok with this you can move tomorrow”.
By talking nicely he asked me 5k more, that place actual rent was just 15k as per the security. He left me no choice to argue or back out.
“Thank you sir. Very fair I am ready to pay you 15k and sign your agreement”
“Okay then, you can move in tomorrow, tomorrow is the 10th. So from 10th to 20th of next month. I will get you the agreement when I visit you once you moved in”
I realized he asked me for 20k not for 30 days instead 40 days. I feel I am too quick in judging people.
“Sure sir, thank you so much, Also can you please inform the security guard about our conversation? So that it will be helpful for me tomorrow?”
“Sure ma’am, bye”.
“Bye”
Wow!!, isn’t this all a positive omen? Guiding me towards the things that I needed? God is within you, he will be waiting for us to move a bit so that he will drag us to our destination. I made sure my old flat was still in my name, and canceled the vacation plan. I told my old owner that I will be traveling home for a month, and will be back soon. This is very common to the owners who rent their houses to bachelors/spinsters.
I packed my luggage for a month and left by cab to my new place. I made sure this is the time when he won’t be in the house. As I reached there, I took the keys from the security and went to my flat. I passed Jack’s door, and reached my flat door. I was trying to open the door, and somebody opened his door. I was trying to jump in, and was not able to open the door. While struggling, I tried to see who it was. It was him. I don’t know how I opened that door and got in. Good I didn’t get security with me.
Oh my God, if he meets security? Shit! Shit! I peeped outside, he was not there. I ran to security, I didn’t have any plan. How to tell security not to talk about me to him? Should I confess? Also I didn’t want him to think wrong about me. I told security, “Sir, can you do me a favor? Please don’t tell him that I spoke about Jack with you na? He dont like me talking to others about him. If you ask him about me na, he dont like that. Can you do me this favor?”, he nodded, but for sure he had doubts about me. But I don’t mind, just that he should not tell him that’s it.
I sat in my new flat, a semi furnished one. I was comfort myself. Arranged my belongings, ordered food, all set. I was scared to face him, I don’t know why I moved him. I’m going blank. Getting in contact was the plan to move here, but I don’t think that will happen anyways.
Next day morning, I went near the parking lot and saw his bike. Also tried to observe my flat from there. Couldn’t succeed in spotting. Walked around the chariot which was carry my fellow as passenger everyday. I came to my floor. While passing his house, I saw an open shoe rack, which also had space for his helmet. I got a plan now, I thought I should impress his family members also at the same time, so we need not struggle at the time of our marriage. I’m feeling like a criminal.
So I went to my flat and tried to find out the place where his bike was parked. I could see some bikes, since it’s from the 3rd floor I can’t recognize whose bike it was. I decided I should track him with his helmet. I planned to talk to his brother and sis-in-law. I decided to go early to the office and come back soon, so that I can talk to them, as I know his schedules.
First 2 days I was just keeping my ear to the wall and trying to hear some voices from the other house. I could hear baby cries where I could guess the age of the baby, it was 5–6 months. I couldn’t hear anybody else’s voice. Either this is a very calm family or this wall is sound proof for elders. I was imagining myself in the family, then my voice will be like a loudspeaker to this entire apartment. Also I tried hard to know the relationships between them. Thinking there could be some quarrel which made them talk less or not talk at all.
I got very little time to be with their family to know about them. So the next day I had a plan to execute and get in first contact with their family. That was Monday, I started from office early. I reached my apartment, climbed the stairs till the 3rd floor, turned right and stopped at the first door to open the door. I put my keys into the door key hole and started trying to open it. I was not able to insert my keys. I was struggling hard and the door suddenly opened. Not because of my keys, instead it was his house I was trying to open.
My eyes wide open, his SIL (sister-in-law) opened the door holding her son in hand. I was dumbfounded. She asked me, “who are you? What are you doing?”. I was trying to look around and realize it wasn’t my house door. I replied with shock on my face, “I am very sorry. Newly moved to the next flat, just missed the door. Sorry” and escaped from there. I could still see her shocking facial expression. Came back to my flat.
As soon as I entered my flat, my shocking facial expression changed to cunning. Yeah you guessed it right, I made a plan to initiate the conversation with them. Why I looked around when she opened the door is to make her believe that I missed the door. And why I immediately ran from her is to explain to her later that I was so embarrassed to knock on your door. I had all my plans ready, but I have to meet her today before Jack is back. Why? To make sure she will not run to security to ask about me. Now all my ears are listening to her door bell sound. I heard it. I slowly opened the door to see who was at their door.
It’s Jack’s brother. I opened completely and came out to smile at her. I went near her door. As her husband was still standing outside, I smiled at both of them and said, “I am very sorry, I felt so bad about my behavior before, I got confused, I couldn’t face you with embarrassment, so I came back now to apologize”. Her eyes told me that she believed me. Genuine smile told me they will not take this to the security. My 2 purposes served, one was they were not go to security and the other was me grabbing an opportunity to talk to them.
We had a proper conversation for 10–15mins, she invited me inside for a cup of coffee. I should deny this, to prove my genuinity. We spoke with each other and came back to my flat. First level of success was a smile on my face. After 2 days of this incident I saw Jack’s SIL coming out. While passing by, me with a broad smile told her, “I will not knock you again, I am more conscious now!”. We both laughed out loud and had 10 mins of proper girly conversation to build a good relationship.
Now I can knock on her door anytime, I kinda got that right. Immediately the next day I started building it. I was 2 hours earlier than any other day. I directly knocked on her door and said, “Do you mind joining grocery shopping? I am new to this place and I don’t really enjoy shopping alone. If you are ok we can go out and back by the time your husband’s home”. No woman will say yes to this immediately, that too with a 5 month old baby. But as I observed she had some stuff to buy where she cant buy them when she is out with her husband. I grabbed that opportunity and continued, “I can understand, with the baby coming out is painful, that’s okay I will manage”.
As I turned to walk towards my door, she called me by my name, Oh I didn’t tell my name, I am Disha, “Disha, lets go, but we should be back by another 2 hours.”, I nodded, as I also expecting to be back by same time. I ran to my flat to drop my office stuff, grabbed my wallet and grocery bag and came to her door to knock. We also decided to go to a nearby shop which is walkable. I just had one carry bag and wallet, I saw her with a rocker for her baby, a small snack bag for the baby and a grocery bag. It was like we are going to picnic.
