Let’s get Nostalgic!!

I like to observe people and their behaviour – especially, during huge cultural meets or in various big weddings or a party where a huge number of members participate. You can say it is kind of passing my time in a good way and getting some inputs about how people behave which can be used in my stories (if the story situation demands).

I had a chance for the first time to attend a party thrown by the Head Office of the organization I worked with at that time. People from all over India had been invited – sales, service, administration, finance and H.R.D and obviously everyone from Head Office was attending the party.

I had topped all India sales that year and was a name discussed in every office of the organization – people had heard of me but except my region nobody had seen or met me. I knew that I was supposed to be in the limelight when the awards would be presented and had to deliver a short speech about how I achieved the sales figure motivating the rest of the group.

From the region I hailed, people who had attended similar annual functions had told me what the proceedings are and my male colleagues were excited to see and probably meet up with beautiful girls from other regions – they were from sales, administration, finance and back office and told me about them and about the mysterious few who also were attending the function for the first time… their looks were being speculated based on their names. People were excited about Ms Rosario from our Goa office – she was the business coordinator for South Indian operations and her voice was sweet. Nobody except colleagues from Goa office had seen her and there was an imaginary romantic mystery about her which my colleagues had decided…

Office romances are not a myth – they happen when you least expect them. There also are secret crushes of untold romance settings which never get revealed…

Thus, with all the background I had received and the thrill of winning a coveted award I reached the venue. I was a bit late by about 15 minutes for I had taken time to shave clean, dab the best of perfumes I had with me. I knew I wasn’t ugly to look at – in fact my appearance was quite a pleasant one. I was not a handsome hunk but I had the confidence of meeting any person and dealing with him. I didn’t have a great smile but whatever I had pleased the person who saw my smile. I am almost 6 feet tall and slim – no protruding belly or any another fat to kill my personality and I am healthy.

Yes, I had wit and I was someone who could adapt to any on-going conversation which the girls and ladies in the office I worked liked me for it – you can tell that by the attention you get… I had seen such interest in me from the secretaries or other females of the clients I visited and I did feel good about it.

Anyways, I entered the huge hall where the party was being hosted. People were still arriving and I was amongst them… I was pleased with the attention I got from the top management who were warm in welcoming me to the party.  I looked around and found members from the region I came from and who I was comfortable to be with…

We had welcome drinks and were just about settling when the function for awards was announced and I excitedly looked forward to the moment when my name would be announced and I could grab the limelight. As expected the awards started getting announced and I was the last person being the best in the country to receive the award. I had prepared well for the speech and delivered it with confidence to a fantastic applause by one and all and I regaled in the glory of the moment.

Then the party started with drinks being served at the bar with people queuing for the free drinks and they were plenty…

People started to mingle around congratulating those who had won the awards. As expected I was one of the most wanted persons who was sought after by sales people from all the other regions – they wanted to know how I had achieved the dream sales figures. Some of them, I could sense some sort of smoke emanating from their jealousy. Some were plain friendly while others were in awe of the performance.

I glanced at colleagues from my region and found them intently watching someone in the crowd of employees. I had been so involved in rehearsing my speech that I had forgotten to notice all others who had received awards. They were looking at a girl – Anushka – from Bangaluru branch. She was one of the persons who had received the award for being the best back office sales…

It was now that I had a chance to look at her. She was pretty and smart. Her hair was cropped short in a combination of baroque bob and a lob cut. She had a good height and was slim with a near to perfectly carved figure. She had a wheatish toned skin. She adorned a mesmerising smile. Her laughter was tinkling and contagious… She was attending the party for the first time … No doubt, she was attraction of all males in the party who were looking for some romance or wanted to dream of a romance.

I watched as guys were awaiting their turns to approach her and try impressing her and smiled away to myself at their rush to do so… In midst of that I saw her glance at me and smile. But, the rush of people to meet her was too heavy for any chance of approaching her. Every guy who wanted to meet her was trying their best for some time but they were interrupted by others who wanted the chance to meet her.

The rush to meet her and impress her finally started to dwindle as one by one they started to give up and indulge in free drinks served – they found getting a drink easier… I thought I now had a chance to meet her and started to approach her – my walk confident similar to when I met prospective clients. I was about 5 feet away when I was greeted by the National Sales Manager and I had to comply…

At the same time, she was approached by the Area Sales Manager of Eastern territory of Assam and North East – he was young and probably eligible. I could faintly hear the compliments he showered her and felt a bit uneasy because they were good… I looked at her and she smiled at me again showing her interest. I somehow managed the conversation with the National Sales Manager (after all – He was the boss of All India Sales Teams). He offered me to come with him and join him on drinks. I politely told him that I am yet meeting people from various regions and would join him in few minutes. He moved on to where the drinks were being served…

I saw the chance and looked in the direction where she was having a conversation with the Manager from North East. She was missing and he was engaged in conversation with someone else now. I looked around wildly and found her about 15 feet away from me speaking to girls from Central Region. I started to make my way toward them… I could see that she also was on lookout for me – the corners of her eyes searched and followed me…

I was intervened on my path by the admin of the company and by the time I could release myself and reach the group of girls from the Central region – she had vanished. I had to entertain and attend to conversations by those girls who I knew for I had visited the Central regional office based in Jabalpur. They were all admiration for me and my achievement.

As I spoke with them, my eyes searched for Anushka – now she was playing on my mind and had me attracted to her. And the attraction for her was growing as the time passed. She was with the group of her own region and I started making my way toward the group. As soon as I reached the group, I found her waiving to someone from North region and walk away to that group. I was left stranded amongst the Bangaluru group… It was pretty much the same talk congratulating me and asking how I did it.

I was a bit in two minds now – should I follow her or wait for the coincidence to meet up with Anushka. She though was with the Northern regional group her eyes were still on me. I started to think about what was happening and I realized that she was playing the game of coquetry. It’s simply that you show interest in a person and when that person gets interested in you – start manoeuvres which will allow you to evade him or her… I wanted to be sure and thought of playing the same game with her…

Now it was my turn to play the game – her way. I made sure that I could easily avoid her by meeting different people in different groups. I started to show her that I was still interested but my interest in her was dwindling and I was more interested in other girls at the party. Now, it was her turn to chase me throughout the party hall and I enjoyed her frustration of not being able to meet me…

She was about to approach me when I waived to a person from North East team and walked over to meet her leaving her to acknowledge the appreciation of her achievement from where I moved – this stuck her to the group I was talking to – I did the same when she approached the North East team members. I was now enjoying the mind game and was enjoying on how I turned it around…

Then the entire group for the event was asked to proceed to the dance floor. I was not interested in dancing and it was a chance to me to get my drinks and be alone for the moment where I could think a bit more clearly. It was my turn to get another drink – almost 30 minutes had passed when the dance floor was hit by the people.

I was about to take a seat on one of the vacant sofa when she approached and sat beside me…

“Finally…” we both said at the same time knowing that we had been trying to meet up but couldn’t…

“Did you just say what I did?” she asked, her eyes wide

“I did – rather – we did it together…” I laughed at the question and so did she…

I think I would like to stop here and let you imagine what could have happened next and next to next…

Simply a memory I thought I will share with you.

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By Prasad Deshpande

Are you ready for a thrill ride like no other? Look no further than Prasad Deshpande, the mastermind behind heart-stopping, spine-tingling thrillers that will leave you breathless and begging for more! "Unimaginable Plots, Unrelenting Suspense" With a twisted imagination and a flair for the unexpected, Prasad Deshpande weaves intricate tales that will keep you guessing until the very end. From shocking twists to heart-pumping action, it is a wild ride that will push you to the edge of your seat. Dive into a World of Thrills and Chills Explore the dark corners of the human psyche, where the unimaginable becomes reality. Prasad Deshpande's thrillers are not for the faint or weak of heart, but for those who crave a story that will haunt them long after the final page is turned.