“Coffee with me at 4 pm?”, the first thing I read in my blackberry when I got up the next morning. It was a text message from Natalie. The message had already made my day. Hymning a love song while brushing teeth as I get ready for work, made mom little suspicious about my behavior. “Aaj Bahut Khush Lag Raha Hain… Kya Baat Hai?” she inquired. But I totally ignored her doubted question, and continued hymning my song.
I didn’t know what to do and what should I reply to her?. It was for the first time someone had asked me for a coffee date. I couldn’t handle the excitement, so I call up my friends Ajinkiya and Faisal, to take their valuable suggestions. I made my first call to Faisal, the bell was ringing at the other end but he didn’t answer my call, maybe he was in a gym or still sleeping. Next call was to Ajinkiya, to take help about our coffee date. It was probably my first official face-off with her, after growing my friendship over internal messages and late-night calls when she returned home from partying.
‘Kya Hua Bey? Itna Subha Call Kiya” said Ajinkiya, in his lazy sleepy voice. I asked him to wake up as I was eager to tell him my entire story from a phone call from the previous night to the text message in the early morning. He didn’t say much about my date but only suggested me to wear a good formal dress while coming to office and clean shave too.
The first thing I did after reaching to office was. I straight went to Ajinkiya’s place to show him, my attire a tight pressed navy blue shirt and a black trouser. He seems pleased with it… Hmm good, said Faisal, who sits just next to Ajinkiya’s cubical. I knew by now Ajinkiya had already told him about our morning conversation. They both looked happy for me, and with the stirring voice, Faisy told me to behave little maturely when I talk to her. I apologized to both of them as I won’t be joining them for evening tea today. Usually we three go for tea break together every day. “Ja Jeele Apni Zindagi… Aaj Chod Diya Tuje Bhabhi Ke Liye” said Faisal, in his funny voice. After spending some quality time over morning tea with both of my friends, we left for our respective work.
I had just login in my desktop, and there was a message from Nathalie. “I’m sorry to disturb you… SIR, but I have texted you this morning about something and you haven’t replied to me, I hope I got my answer”. For one second there was a complete blackout in front of my eyes. I remembered that in my excitement to meet her on a coffee date. I have completely forgotten to reply to her Yes or No. And that sophisticated word ‘SIR’ has given me a clear picture that she is angry with me.
I didn’t give her much explanation. But in one line said, will explain to you during the coffee break. Also added a sad smiley so that she could understand that I have accepted my mistake. Sometimes it’s better not to give length explanation; a simple smiley can do all the rest of the talking. A message popped… that she has read the message. A revert came back, stating ‘But, do you seriously want to go for the coffee?”. Immediately, I replied, yes! But I am not a coffee person. I like tea more. There was no reply from her side.
That day I didn’t go to play snooker. No, it was not that I don’t wanted to play, but I was afraid to face her before our date. Especially after making such a big blunder of not responding to her phone message. Time passed, the eagerness inside me was building higher and higher. Deepak and I sat on an editing desk to complete one of the projects. Thou I was giving my inputs to him, my total attention was back on my computer to see, whether Nathalie has replied to my message.
At around 4 pm sharp, the internal message box popped. The message reads, “Ok, a tea for you Sir, and a coffee for me”. I was still reading that message. There was another popped-up, which reads “Don’t wait for me, near my cubical. You, go ahead at the dead-end of the pantry. And I will join you soon along with your tea cup.
I was waiting for her at the pantry, where she had instructed me to stand. It was drizzling outside. From the corner of my eyes, I can see her making a tea from the machine which was placed at the other end of the pantry. While I was thinking about what all excuses should I give her for not messaging her back.
After a few minutes, I saw her walking towards me, with two cups. One cup she gave me, while the second cup which was in her hand also contained tea. As she stood in front of me, the whole world seems disappearing. In a few seconds, everything went blank for me. There was a total slow-mo moment. I couldn’t see anything other than her, her red lips touching that white cup in which our company logo was printed, sound of her sipping tea and the full speed of my heartbeat.
For a few minutes, there was total silence between us. Finally, she spoke, so why didn’t you reply to my message. I could have given her a lot of excuses but, thought, If I speak truth to her than there will be no reason to give her unnecessary excuses. So, with the plain face, I told her, that this is the first time that I got a message from a girl for a coffee, before this there has been no such incident. So I didn’t have the idea as to what should I reply you.
I believe, she must have read my face, and the true expression has given her the feeling that I wasn’t lying to her. There was no reply from her. The silence was once again taken over us. Finishing her tea, she started walking back to her workstation. I was completely shattered, there was no much conversation between us.A thought came in my mind, whether I was right or wrong, whether she would be happy after listening to my truth or I should have lied something to impress her. What would be her perception of me? She walked and passed the pantry door without turning back. The sweet moment between us has ended so fast that there was nothing to describe about this date. The words of Faisal, act mature while talking to her started rolling in my mind. I didn’t know what to do.
The next two hours both of us got engaged in our respective work. There was no exchange of messages between us since the tea break. I thought to give her some time to think over, whether she would like a true person to stay with her or someone who would give excuses and excuses for one or the other reasons.
The day was above to end. The clock had struck 6.30 pm and it was time to leave. But before I could shut down the PC. Nathalie messaged, “Don’t forget to bring your bike tomorrow… And pick me from King Circle. See you tomorrow!” and at last she added a smiling smiley. Wahh, what a relief it was… A mysterious smile came on my face thinking about the ride with her tomorrow.
