Kahani Cafe Ki

A girl arrives at a coffee café in her casuals and occupies one of the many empty tables over there. She orders her favourite flavour and starts going through the magazine on the table. Within five minutes, she gets served an additional flavour (along with her order) which is again her favourite and five free napkins. She giggles at the waiter while keeping all that stuff on her table. And then, she continues with her magazine sipping her coffee.

Meanwhile, there arrives a handsome guy. He occupies the seat opposite her.

‘Hi, this is Ritik. Software Developer at Wipro with 8 LPA salary.’ He gives his intro but didn’t get any reply from her.

‘I am watching you from distance for many days in this cafe. You look different and interesting. Why don’t we interact and spend some time together? I mean…’ He continues the convo.

‘My salary is 10 LPA.’  She quits the convo.

His ego hurts and he stands up.

‘Okay… I am the one who has sent you those napkins. They will help you when you cry with regret in your future for rejecting me today.’ He says with a demanding voice.

She leans back on her chair and laughs at his words.

‘You are not a Wipro guy!’ She makes an intellectual guess.

He sits back and asks, ‘How do you know?’

‘So, tell me now, who are you?’ She questions back.

‘Owner of this café.’ He says with confidence.

‘Oh! Cool. Actually, I am sorry. I said that my salary is 10 LPA. That’s a lie.’ She admits.

‘Me, being the owner of this café is also a lie.’ He reveals.

‘What? Batei badalna koi tumse seekhe (You are an expert at changing your words).’ She shocks.

‘If your salary is 10 LPA, I should own this café, right?’

‘Acha teek hai, Koun hu tum? Bata do na (Fine then, who are you? Tell me na).’

‘Rahne do (leave it). Anyways you are not going to believe me as I have lied twice.’

‘Okay, then… bye.’ She leaves.

He sits there with a dull face. After a while, she gets back.

‘Hey, I asked that waiter about you. He said, that you are really the owner of this café. Are you playing with me?’

‘No, that is also a lie.’ He says.

‘How?’

‘If you are interested in me, you definitely come back tomorrow and try to know my details. So, I asked him to say that I am the owner of this café when you enquire about me. But you enquired today itself.’ He reveals.

‘What?’ She laughs again. He throws his phone down with rage and shouts at her.

‘Am I looking like a joker? Why are you laughing at everything?’

‘Calm down. Why are you getting serious?’ She moves ahead, takes his phone and checks for any damage.

‘Astrology check kar rahe hu… mere jaane ke bad? (Are you checking astrology after my departure?)

What was given here… “that your day ends sadly”. But what has happened? Your day hasn’t ended yet and you are already sad.’ She says.

He grabs his phone from her and sits back. She too occupies her chair opposite him.

‘You look optimistic, but you are very negative-minded. The girl who is interesting to you till yesterday is irritating you now. Wah!’ She expresses her opinion.

‘Then, tell me why did you laugh?’ He questions her.

‘First, I liked your creativity in the case of napkins. Second, I liked your foresightedness when it comes to that café owner vaala lie. Simple. Vaise bhi smile karna koi crime nahi hai(and by the way smiling is not a crime).

Listen, if you wanna meet me again, come with a blank mind, not a loaded one. Will have some better convo. Bye.’ She says and leaves towards the exit. He follows her and stops the door she is opening.  

‘Anyways, I don’t have any other work to do. May I drop you?’ He asks.

She looks at him with a smiling face by crossing her hands.

‘You don’t worry, my mind is blank now. No pre-plans.’ He assures.

‘Okay…’ She agrees.

They both get out of the café and drives on his bike.

‘You know, on the day of Christmas (i.e yesterday), all the customers were served free napkins in this café. I thought they are serving me all the leftover napkins when that waiter brought those napkins today. But you are the one who sent me those napkins.’ She says.

‘You know, I thought of meeting you on the day of Christmas. But you haven’t turned up. I visited the café 5 times on the same day for you and they have served me those free napkins 5 times.’ He reveals.

She starts laughing hiding away from him.

‘You are laughing, right?’ He asks and she laughs aloud.

‘First time creativity, second time foresightedness, what are you laughing for this time?’ He questions.

‘You are making the maximum utilization of the things available, that’s why.’ She laughs again.

‘Hmm… let me know, who are you? what you do?’ He asks.

‘If you come to know who I am, you will run away.’ She says.

‘You asked me to keep my mind blank and why are you thinking ahead?’ He asks.

‘I think… ‘who are you?’, ‘what you do?’, ‘what is your salary?… such questions don’t work well between us.’ She escapes.

‘Hmm… what else then?’ He asks.

‘My destination has arrived.’ She says and he stops his bike.

‘Journey has started just now, and you are speaking about the destination.’ He murmurs while dropping her.

‘Every destination can become a starting point for a new journey.’ She gives a positive response.

‘Okay, see you again in the café. Bye.’ He leaves.