She was at the PC that day. Exactly 11 AM as usual. He was there too. Her heart thumped, his skipped a beat.
She looked lovely in her profile picture. Her silky hair let loose and the white dress she wore, simply had him swoon. She was besotten too by this tall, lanky smiling guy with a slight stubble on his broadish face.
'Hi.' She began.
Today would be the day. She had been thinking of it all night.
'Hey, love.' His reply made her blush deep red.
'So what plans for today?'
'Nothing.' He replied nonchalantly.
'Well, just thought..just thought..umm..'
'You actually think?'
She laughed. She liked his humor. Her love grew by the minute.
'Well, am thinking if we could meet up somewhere.' She let the cat out, her fingers trembling.
'Ummm...let's see. Do we really need to? I mean we know one another only for the past so many weeks. Why the hurry?'
'Please..please.' She was adamant.
Silence on the other side.
'Hello..?'
'Yes..if you so wish.' She thought his words somehow were laced with some kind of annoyance, as though he didn't wish this sudden interruption.
'So where..when???' She couldn't just wait.
Her heart so taken up by this guy.
'Wait..what about your folk? Won't they know.?'
'No. I'm single ..ready to mingle.' Her favorite line..whenever he asked her this question.
'Okay. If you so insist, let's meet at barista's today evening five PM sharp.'
It was crowded at barista's. Couples chatted away merrily, unwilling to go even after hours of deep chit chat.
She waited for him. It was 6:30. No sign of him.
The crowd began to dwindle slowly. Lovey dovey couples walked away hand in hand.
She sighed deeply.
When would he arrive? She began getting nervous. A trifle irritated too.
He had said he would wear something brownish beige, she remembered suddenly. She kept standing at the entrance. Folk now threw strange stares at her.
She looked inside the cafe. Only the staff remained..and one elderly man seated at the table on the far end. It seemed he was waiting for somebody too.
7PM. She lost her patience. 'I can't stand here like a moron all my life.' she thought.
She straightened her chunni and with irritation began walking. Suddenly a thought flashed across her mind. The man at the table. He didn't make a move to go at all. He definitely seemed infinitely patient.
She went in, pulled up a chair and sat on it.
Her eyes fell on the man again.
He looked at her for the first time. He had been busy reading the paper.
She observed his clothes. They were neat and sort of stylish. Brown shirt and beige trousers. Brownish beige?
He..he's the one? She gasped.
He looked up again. This time really long. Their eyes seemed to do the talking. Finally he smiled.
He got up from his seat..came up to the elderly stout woman, shook her hand and sighed,'So we meet..two con artists..trying to hook up one another..ultimately getting conned!'
She rose up wordlessly. It was indeed the first time in her life she had been conned and that too so easily. She had gotten away every other time in the past..she had a fetish for young good looking guys. She usually chatted them up, befriended them, enjoyed them and then absconded with the gullible fella's belongings.
But now, she was caught in the act.
But he..he was in it for some good time too. With a pretty FB female. Only she didn't turn out the way he thought she was.
She walked away without smiling. He followed her silently, ruing the day he had responded to her 'hi'.
