She stands in front of the full-length mirror and looks at herself.
She cringes a bit, for she does not like what she sees.
The jeans make her look fat.
And the tight blue top – it’s all wrong!
So she wears a loose dress – Churidar, Kurta and Dupatta – to hide her bulges.
She looks at her new high-heels – should she? They’ll make her look tall, less fat.
No. Not today.
Now it’s got to be walking shoes.
A brisk invigorating walk from Sanky tank to golf course rejuvenating her body breathing the fresh evening s breeze is what she needs to cheer her up.
She stands on the weighing machine near richie rich ice cream parlor and, with a tremor of trepidation, puts in the coin.
Lights flash.
Out comes the ticket.
She looks at it.
Same as yesterday.
And the day before.
And the day before.
No change.
She is doomed.
There is never any change in her weight or in her fortune!
Her face falls.
She’s trying so much; exercising, dieting. But it’s no use.
She looks longingly at the Softy Ice Cream counter.
There is a smart young handsome man with two Ice Cream cones, one in each hand.
He looks at her for that moment longer than necessary.
She averts her eyes, but he walks up to her and says, “Hi! How are you?”
She looks at him confused.
His face seems vaguely familiar.
“You are Sheena’s roommate, aren’t you?” he asks.
She remembers him. He is Sheena’s boyfriend!
“Here,” he says, coming close, proffering an Ice Cream cone.
She steps back awkwardly, perplexed and taken aback by the man’s audacity.
“Take it fast. It’ll melt,” he says.
She hesitates, confused.
“Come on. Don’t be shy. I know you love Ice Cream. Sheena told me.”
She takes the Ice Cream cone from his hands.
“I’m Raghav. I work in the HR department"
She doesn’t say anything.
“Let’s walk,” he says, “and hey, eat your ice cream fast before it melts”.
They start walking.
As they walk slowly out of richie rich 's towards golf course, they slowly lick the creamy yummy softy ice cream off their cones.
“You walked all the way?” he asks.
“Yes,” she speaks for the first time.
“All alone?”
“Yes.”
“You come here every evening?”
“Yes. I jog every morning too.”
“All alone?”
“No. On other days we come together.”
"We?"
"Sheena and me."
“And today?”
“Sheena’s gone out.”
“For the office party at the disc?”
“Maybe.”
“And you? Why didn't you go for the party? Didn't want to go all alone is it? No date?”
She’s furious. But she controls herself. Says nothing. No point getting on the wrong side of HR.
He notices and says, "Hey, don't get angry. I didn't go the party too."
She hastens her steps and says, “Okay. Bye. Time for me to go! And thanks for the Ice Cream.”
“No. No. Wait. Let’s have a Pizza over there,” he says pointing to the Pizzeria near golf course.
“No. Please. I’ve got to go.”
“Come on. Don’t count your calories too much. And don’t weigh yourself every day.”
“What?” she goes red with embarrassment!
This is too much!
So this guy has been stalking her - watching her every day.
Outwardly she fumes. But inside, she secretly feels a flush of excitement.
“Yes. Don’t get obsessed about your weight. Like Sheena.”
“Sheena?”
“She keeps nagging me about my weight!”
“But you’re not fat!” she says.
“Then what would you say I am?” he asks.
“Let’s say you’re on the healthier side?”
“Healthier side? That’s great!” he says amused. “Then you too are on the healthier side, aren’t you?”
“Oh yes. We both are on the healthier side.” She laughs.
He laughs.
They both laugh together.
Healthy laughter!
They sit in the cool breeze and relish, enjoy their pizzas.
He is easy to talk to, she has much to say, and the words come tumbling out.
And so they enjoy a ‘healthy’ date.
Relishing delicious Pizzas, and other lip smacking goodies, to their hearts’ content, capping the satiating repast with the heavenly ice creams at Baskin Robbin's nearby.
“Where were you?” Sheena asks when she returns to their room in the working women’s hostel late at night.
“I had a date.”
“You? Fatso? A date?” Sheena says disbelievingly
“Yes. A yummy date at golf course.”
“A date at golf course? Wow! Things are looking up for you yaar!”
“Yes. Things are really looking up for me. And you Sheena? How was your date?”
“The whole evening was ruined. That creep Raghav. He stood me up. He didn’t turn up at the disc and kept his mobile off.”
“You’ve met him.”
“Raghav? You’ve not introduced me to any Raghav.”
“Of course I have. He’s come here to pick me up so many times. He comes over to meet me at our office too. He works in HR.”
“Oh the guy from HR. The chap on the healthier side! That’s your darling Raghav, is it?”
“Darling? My foot!” Sheena says angrily, "Bloody ditcher, that’s what that Raghav is - how dare he stand me up - to hell with him!” Sheena mutters and goes off to sleep.
But our heroine cannot sleep.
She eagerly waits for sunrise.
For at six in the morning her newfound beau Raghav has promised to meet her on Sanky tank opposite the - for a “healthy’”jog on Sanky tank.
And they will be meeting in the evening too - at golf course- for ice cream, pizza and a yummy lovey-dovey date.
She feels happy, full of anticipation and zest.
Happiness is when you have something to look forward to.
