Newyork Minute II

Nov 13 2000 Mon 06:30 hrs
[Beep beep beep beep beep bee…]
Anna switched off the alarm. She saw Rachel still lying on the bed with her IPod earphones still inside her ear. She took it switched off and took a look at Rachel. Rachel has a good selection for songs, dresses and lipsticks. Except for being flirtatious, she is good by heart. She studies in an evening college which is just a few blocks away from their place. For Anna things are not that cool as Rachel. Anna works for a famous bank in floor number 84, WTC, North Tower. It is just a few minutes drive from her place. She usually punches in at 9.00 sharp. She has enough time to reach her work place. She usually spends some time on the dailies and music for sometime. Rachel always tells her to put the volume down. She sleeps a lot. Anna took her mobile and was a bit upset. She had expected Naren to return her call back, but she thought he might have had a thought of not disturbing her in her sleep. They had exchanged their numbers just a day before

Boston July 9 2000 Sun 09:55 hrs
[Janie's got a gun…
Janie's got a gun…
Her dog day's just begun…]

Naren opened his eyes, hearing Aerosmith. Though he did not have much affinity to any Rock band, his cousin from India, who is doing his final year in MBA in Boston, had come to visit Naren on his semester holidays. Naren liked Yogesh a lot except for his selection of songs. Yogesh or The Dude [After The Big Labowski had hit the screens, Yogi called himself “The Dude”]. Hey Yogi, please turn that off or just keep it low. “Hey big bro, call me The Dude, man”. This was Yogi with a big grin in his Shorts and T-shirt. A funny T-shirt though which read, “Wanna date babe?” “You will never sound American, unless you are left hand drive by nature. Don’t try that one too hard”, Naren replied. “Come on man, get your &#$ off and help me with this thing, will you?” The Dude wanted something to be done for him. “Now don’t you ever dare to use that word again in front of me? That doesn’t sound professional”. “You know man, I am the Dude.” “For gods’ sake, tell me what is it you want me to do”. Naren now had a close look at the T-shirt. “Now where did you get that?” “Well, I just sneaked in through your wardrobe and found this one lying in the bottom. This sounds cool on me. Don’t they? Now tell me where did you get that? I would like to buy myself a couple of things like this”. He had been trying to be so modish. “I had bought it in a store opposite to my college. They’ve closed the business. It didn’t go well as expected. Now tell me what you want me to do”. “Do you have BSB?” the dude asked Naren. “I Am sorry. What’s that? “Backstreet Boys’ new album. Show me the meaning. I love it man.”

Brookline Nov 13 2000 Mon 13:00 Hrs
“Am sorry I came very late last night. Thought you must be sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb you”, Naren was talking over the phone. “That’s ok. So had you lunch or brunch or whatever?” Anna asked him. “Yes had brunch at 10.30 and how about you?” “I am just planning to leave for lunch”. “So…”- Anna. “So….”-Naren. “So…..nothing. I will call you in the evening. See you then. Bye”. She cut the call

[Once in a lifetime….
You have seen what I’ve seen….
You will always swim for shore…
Once in my lifetime….]

Naren laughed to himself as the Texas’s song rhymed through his mind. He blamed himself for not being able to continue the conversation. He had planned for a photo shoot in Brookline. He might stay for the night if it would take a longer. His original plan was to turn back to Boston by midnight.

Yerba Buena, NYC Nov 14 2000 Mon 20:13 Hrs
“I don’t know what is wrong with this guy”, Anna was telling Rachel. “He is not attending my call at all”. She was almost in a shrill and worried tone. “May be he is not well or busy with his schedule” Rachel added not knowing what to reply her back. They had been waiting for their dinner. Rachel had ordered Arroz con Pollo, something out of chicken and chaufa rice. Anna had ordered Hongos, a mushroom dish. This Latin cuisine restaurant brought Anna many memories. Anna had given Rachel her treat, when she got her first job. She had some bond with the restaurant as she met her first love in the very restaurant. Later Rachel ordered for a cocktail; “Dark 'n Stormy”, a combination of rum, ginger beer and lime juice. Anna liked to remain a vegan, a non-alcoholic, through her entire life. She was staring at those Muted lime green walls trimmed with dark brown and decorated with large framed photographs of Havana. She had no mood to enjoy the cuisine.

Brookline Hospital, Brookline Nov 15 2000 Wed 09:34
Naren opened his eyes after staying in the Hospital for 2days. He had no clue why he was there. Worrying about his laptop and diskettes containing 5 hours of work, his eyes were frantically searching for them.

He had met with a major accident while returning to Brookline and luckily escaped the crash. “We never expected you to be alive”, the doctor said. He also asked him to take good rest in the hospital for a day or two. The dude was sitting beside Naren and was happy to see him alive there. “Hey Naren” Yogi said in a cheering voice. “Hey Dude”, replied Naren in a feeble voice. The Dude was very happy for 2 good reasons. One- Naren was ok. And two- he called him “The Dude” for the first time.