Sitting at opposite sides of a corner side wooden table on a noisy , lousy discotheque bar is probably not a beautiful setup for romance.However there were two souls who where absolutely not bothered about their surroundings. There they were immersed in love unaware of the commotion around them but aware of the commotion within them.
However something was wrong. He was drunk and was speaking about cricket.She was hearing and not listening. She realised he was going somewhere off track. She wanted him to talk something relevant. Something about them.Something about how they fell in love.(Eventhough they have re run this part everytime they have met). So... When he gave a pause. She entered..
"Why did u fall for me??..Why ?" .. she asked him.
"Well... Natraj smacked his lips and continued "for the same reason , you fell for me"came the reply.
And as it always happens..Mudra blushed.
Mudra liked him. She liked his frankness. She liked his sense of humour. She liked him for his looks.She liked his shyness. Natraj liked her. He liked her because she was intelligent.
It was in this very beach side bar on the ECR that they both met for the first time. Natraj had come in with his colleagues then. Natraj was neither new to alcohol nor night life. However when his colleagues asked him to accompany them to this only bar in Chennai where girls dance , he was apprehensive.Apprehensive not about whether he must visit the bar but rather about the way he must project himself before those girls. He was a loser in girl matters. He knew it himself. Should he project himself as a playboy ?. Should he be pretend to be good?.Is it manners to tip the girl after a dance?.What would the girls think of him?
However when he entered the bar and saw the dance floor ,all his doubts melted.He saw Mudra . He instantly knew this was the girl he wanted to dance with.To his surprise , he quite easily approached her.She looked at him with grace and accepted with a nod of head.Then they danced under the cold shower with loud jarring music which both of them could not understand.
After some unsuccessful attempts.. his mouth finally released sound when he spoke.
"I am a shy person. This is new to me.."
"Dont worry.. This is my first day too on this job... I am as nervous as you are.." replied Mudra instantaneously.
He remained silent.. The dance was getting mechanical.. There was no chemistry in it. The confident Mudra spoke to break the ice..
"So... you say you are shy with girls... and how come you are here..?" asked Mudra. Natraj guffawed and then spoke by shaking his head horizantally. "I only said I am shy.. I never said I am not a man ". He ceased shaking his head all of a sudden and looked into her eyes... and said.. "do u know..? no man is innocent.. everyone is a pervert."
"Women are too" - said the inner voice of Mudra.
She gave a grin. She was not surprised by the replies from Natraj. After all she knew men speak truth when they are intoxicated.Here was Natraj half enthralled by wine and half enthralled by Mudra. She drew him across a table and looked at his eyes.
"Can you take me from here" asked the confident voice of Mudra.
From 6 am the next morning both of them had become more than just friends. Mudra left the job. A job that lasted only a single night.
That was an year ago...
Now after several of several meetings.. Here they were back to the original bar to celebrate their anniversary very late on a saturday night. Infact it was early hours of sunday morning.
The private conversation in the public place now entered into the next level.
"What is your sun sign?"asked Natraj all of a sudden.
"Virgo... and you?"
"Pisces...."
He smirked.Mudra knew something was coming...
"Can I tell you something.. We both wont get on well with each other at all.. We are not made for each other atleast astrologically..."
"oh.. how come may I ask sir.."
"Yes... we aren't.. Your sign is an earth sign. Mine Water."
"So what ?"
"You are earth and I am water ..and.. All we would be doing together is nothing but making mud.!"
Mudra roared with laugher.
"You know.. This is what I like about you.Your jokes.. even though they are dry , they make me laugh..".
Natraj giggled.
"Remember.. I joked about water.. Is water dry..???"
They both laughed out loud.She gave him the quick peck.In the 12 months in which they were in a relationship, this was the first time.It was special.
"What do men like?.." quizzed mudra.
"Men like women.. thats science.. Men like sports.. thats adventure....Hmmm.. In short..Men like balls.."
And as it always happens.. Mudra Blushed..
"Why is it you always speak well when you are intoxicated." enquried mudra.
"I like being watered....Infact as we speak I need it.."
Natraj called out the waiter.
"H I J K L M N O please..."
The waiter stood still..
" I dont understand sir.." said the helpless waiter.
Natraj smiled and said.." I asked for water.. H to O.. H20..please.. ".
The waiter gave back a smile and obliged..
"Now H20 cube please.."
"What is that sir?"
"I meant ICE".
Mudra was watching this conversation.She felt angry and humorous at the same time.
The sun had come out.
"Hmmm.. lets play a little word game" said Natraj.
"Ok..."
" Fine... I will ask you a question..and you must reply in a single word but in additon to the answer it must mean something else.."
"deal"
"So lets begin.. Can Vijay dance ?"
"What ??"
"Can Vijay dance?"
"Obviously he can. Thats the only thing he's capable of"
"I said one word answer"
"I dont know. I dont understand the game of yours"
"hey its simple.. Its Vijay Cant.. So it becomes Vijaykanth.."
"Aiyo..."
and as it always happens... Mudra blushed.
"Now..Easy one.. Can Rajini dance?"
"Rajini Cant....hussss... Rajinikanth.. I feel like slapping you.."
"wait .. wait.. final one.. Can water dance?"
"Water dance ah?.. There's nobody by name waterkanth.... is it not?"
"But there is something called Water Can.."
He laughed loud.He showed the bisleri bottle the waiter had just delivered.
"Bisleri bottle.. Water Can.."... He laughed again.
"We will stop this game.. Its spoiling my intelligence.."
"Ya.. I love you because of that... Lets not spoil that.. we will stop the game..."
and as it always happens Mudra Blushed.
It was at this juncture that they heard the sound of water rushing in .. They felt the thorns pricking their feet...They heard the people scream...They heard the rushing water break open the gates...They felt the rush...They sensed the panic...
.
.
.
Water had indeed danced... Tsunami had occurred.
.
.
.
.
.
Natraj woke up a day later in a makeshift hospital.Mudra had succumbed. He saw her being taken away by the waves. He could not understand why he was alive...
.
.
He was still strong with remorse..
.
.
He started to walk home.....
.
.
.
As he walked there seemed to be a darkness at the end of the east coast road. He extended his hands, pointing it to the dot of black hole. Being used to the balance of his life, the road ahead was too rocky for him. Then, like death, he had memories flowing around his head. The vision of the ghosts he saw in his childhood dreams. The anxiousness when his dad came home. The beauty of the morning sun. The ridiculous thing called education. The awesome winter rains. The parent teacher meetings. The mom`s kisses, the sister`s hugs. The friend fights. The first crush, the first rush of blood because of lust. The futureless present, the past less future. The recognition of beauty. The realization of music. The happiness on balancing a cycle, The first college, the first love, the first moment of satisfaction, the first moment of complete dissatisfaction, the first job, the first salary, the first roommate, the tears, the pain, the unrealized love, the unforgettable moments, the beauty of a child`s smile, the innocence of a child`s tear, the love from the family, the days in no man’s land, the days of exploiting labour, the crooked way to where he was. He remembered everything. He did not cry. He knew he had just has seen the worst . He stood up and walked towards the darkness. His mind was still fresh with yesterday's bad humour.He mind was saying."Take it EASY YAAR on ECR....".He felt like slapping himself. Extending both his arms, hoping to grab someone or something along the way. He walked to the ends of the endless road ..... and then the inevitable .. a flash.. the innocent face of blushing Mudra cut across his mind...
He fell down.. and started crying. Warm tears started flowing...It seemed it could never cease. The cry became louder and louder as he came to terms of the fact that there was no Mudra to blush at him and console him...
Mudra blushed but water had danced.
