first date....(part 3)

Arun handed over the phone to his dad and walked into the house. Arun didn't know who Paramasivam was and the name, just like Karan Johar didn't mean anything to him. But, Karan Johar at least helped him get his first date in 25 years. Arun at the very moment felt like a Casanova. Well this was the closest he has ever got to a girl if he discounted all filial relations (mom, grand mom, cousins) and Ashok. Well Ashok acted as his love interest in their second standard school play because none of the girls in the class came forward to act opposite Arun. It wasn't because Arun looked too bad. For a 7 year old he looked pretty okay, a few missing teeth but except for Nivedita all the other girls in class had a few missing as well. The real reason for his unpopularity was Ashok. He scared all the girls in class by saying how Arun had set fire to Sabapathy's tail. No one believed Ashok the first time but Ashok took it as a personal challenge and brought Sabapathy to school the next day to prove that Arun was a major threat to Kendriya Vidyalaya 2nd standard B section. Frankly, Arun didn't know what it was with girls and stuffed animals (dogs/bears/cats/orangutans), even if he had killed a real one they wouldn't have felt so bad. Ashok realized his folly and had a change of heart. He volunteered to play 'Seetha' to make it up to Arun. But what he didn't realize was that made Arun even more mad. Jumping into the well was better than Ashok playing Seetha.

Arun still got nightmares of that play but a little whiskey made him forget the bitter past. But, things now were going unbelievably good for him and what mattered most was the present.If there was ever a mirror in the world that could reflect how happy people felt, Arun could be staring into an unopened bottle of Seagram’s single malt. Arun now felt that Priya could probably make him feel more happier than Seagrams, the very thought of a girl replacing his favourite drink could have been blasphemous to Arun 2 weeks back. But, such was the power women exercised over men.

Just as Arun was about to enter the bathroom he heard his dad call out for him. It must be the water tank Arun thought to himself. It was 1:00 and Arun had just about enough time to shower and eat lunch. Cleaning the tank was something that Casanova Arun could not accommodate in his schedule at this point in time. But, Arun just like any other average Indian wouldn't dare say that so bluntly to his father's face. So Arun picked up his phone on the way to the terrace and set an alarm so that it would ring in 2 minutes. On reaching the terrace, Arun found his dad waiting with a towel tied around his head. His dad had 2 packets of chlorine, 2 torchlights and 2 scrubbers laid down on the floor

Dad: "Dai Arun will you come back from your office by 6:30 tomorrow evening?"
Arun: "Yes pa, that’s what I thought too. We should clean the tank tomorrow evening. It would be a lot cooler."
Dad (glaring): "Dai, we are cleaning it today. I want you to come by 6:30 tomorrow because I want you to meet someone
Arun: "Who pa?"
Dad (Arun's phone ringing): "Broker Paramasivam wanted us to meet Mr. Chaari's family in Myl.."

Arun's dad halted midway as Arun after struggling for a few seconds finally managed to pick the phone out of his pants

Arun:"Yes Sir, Ok Sir."
Arun:"No problem sir."
Arun:"I will be there in an hour sir."

Arun hung up the phone hoping that his dad didn't find out that he was faking the call. Arun summoned all the acting skills that was imparted to him in second standard to pull that stunt off.
Dad: "Dei, who was that on the phone."
Arun:" My Boss pa. He wants me to help him out in the office something urgent came up."
Dad (in an astonished tone):" Your boss wants YOU to come to the office to take care of something important on a Sunday afternoon."
Arun(sweating):" Yes pa, do you want me to call him up and tell him that I will be there an hour later after I am finished with the tank."
Dad: "We can clean it later. Work is more important and besides that to have your boss dependent on you at such an early stage in your career augurs well for your future."

Arun felt relieved and a little guilty. This was the closest he had ever got to a compliment from his dad in the recent past. But, the fact that he got it for something that he fabricated robbed it of its charm.Moreover, his micromanaging boss wouldn't trust Arun to switch on his computer by himself. Anyway considering the current circumstances, living with some guilt seemed far more attractive than scrubbing concrete.

Arun(making his way to the stairs): Ok pa. I need to be there in an hour.
Dad: "Dei Arun what about tomorrow?"
Arun: "Yeah tomorrow, what about tomorrow? (suddenly realizing) Oh tomorrow 6:30 dhaane, sure pa."

Arun's father was feeling very happy even though he didn't show it. He hoped that Mr. Chaari's daughter was a perfect match for Arun. Arun was feeling just as happy, or perhaps even a tad happier than his dad but for entirely different reasons. Arun had a quick shower and was searching for the perfect deo/cologne/perfume to spray. It was a pretty important decision because according to the most recent issue of Debonair some French researchers have found out that women usually tend to like men who smelt nice. So the easiest way of getting to a woman's heart is through her olfactory and Arun was going to trust Axe for this momentous occasion.

Just as Arun was walking out of his room to the dining table with the deo in hand, the Axe commercial was playing on Sun TV. It was the commercial where a dozen women swoon over the Axescented Man. Arun's parents had a very disgusted look on their faces on seeing the ad. The digusted look soon gave way to a disapproving look on seeing Arun with a very similar can in hand.

Mom: "Arun kanna, is that the same spray they were showing on TV?"
Arun(desperately trying to hide the black spray can): "Uh..yes Ma, its Axe but its not the one they showed on TV. This is Axe Tsunami and the one they showed on screen was Axe Phoenix."
Dad (glaring): "They also showed that it’s available in Voodoo and Tsunami. I am pretty sure that they will retain the same ad director Arun. I don't think they will rope in Bharathiraja to give an earthy feel to Axe, now would they?"

Arun was wondering how Bharathiraaja would make an Axe commercial for a minute. The very thought cracked him up.

Mom(to Arun’s father): “What kind of names do these people keep sunami..peenix ? Mysore sandal soap and Nycil powder (looking in Arun’s direction) seemed to work well till last year.”
Arun: "The Chennai heat no ma..."

Arun's dad interjected him before he could complete his sentence.
Dad: "Your boss must be mighty pleased. Wish my students had the basic decency to brush their teeth before entering their class rooms."

Arun couldn't really tell whether this was one of his dad's veiled witticism's. One thing was sure; his dad now was beginning to have doubts about him going to the office. He had just enough time for lunch and he really didn't want to worry about his dad when he should be thinking about wooing Priya.

Ambujam Aunty had a very relaxed Sunday morning. She practically kept track of the time through the different programmes running on TV. Priya didn't want to attract undue attention to the fact that she was going out for a movie with the boy next door. So she just told Ambujam aunty that she was going to Kal Ho Na Ho with a friend. Priya never liked to lie she was just merely letting Ambujam aunty to reach her own conclusion. Thankfully a very young and charming Kamal hassan helped Priya’s cause by distracting aunty from questioning any more about the friend. Priya told her aunt that she would be back by 7:00 as soon as the movie gets over.

Arun reached the Kwality ice cream shoppe 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. Arun was standing outside the shop but decided to walk in on seeing that the shop was Air-conditioned. Arun entered the shop and sat on a chair waiting for Priya. The shopkeeper walked towards him and asked for his order. Arun let the Shopkeeper know that he didn’t like ice creams and was waiting for a friend who might possibly order an ice cream. The shopkeeper looked at Arun and then the door, very clearly expressing his displeasure. Arun chose to ignore the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper didn’t want to create a big scene but he still wanted to get the better of Arun so he switched off the air conditioner. Priya walked into the complex and was waiting near Arun’s bike in the car park before Arun could think of his next action in the cold war that was developing between him and the shopkeeper. Arun saw her through the window and walked out of the shop hurriedly. Priya looked lovely in a blue chudidhar and it even matched the blue shirt that he was wearing. Arun somehow had a gut feeling that said that she was the one, even the colours they thought of matched.

Arun: “Hi.”
Priya:” Hi, did I interrupt you? You could have the ice cream we still have an hour.”
Arun (turning back to look at the shopkeeper): ”Nah, we can have it at the theatre. The ice creams there are way better than the ones you get here.”
Priya:”Oh okay. So lets leave then.”
Arun started his bike and was waiting for Priya to get on the bike. Priya put a book bag in between the backseat and Arun before sitting on the bike. Priya held tightly on to the steel bar behind her seat for support. Arun didn’t even notice the bag until she sat down. Arun realized that women were very careful unlike men and never let anything to chance. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had some chilly powder in her bag. A slight disappointment but nonetheless a back seat with Priya and her bag was better than an empty back seat.

Note: Guys, I don't know why this is spanning out like the Mahabharath, I hope I can finish it by next week. Really should commend Rowling for managing to write so much and so well.