Anti-ageing

Raja stared at the haze, the morning coffee steaming in the small porcellean mug that he held to his lips, the morning was yet to begin and the fog yet to dissipate. Presently he looked over his shoulders to witness a colleague light up a ciggerette in the officially "No Smoking" zone and looked back over the lake that was barely a trace in the shifting fog. He thought about the things that has been keeping him aloof and bothered. Something about this fog also bothered him. Actually everything with a bit of intrigue or uncertainty nags Raja. His thoughts were interrupted:

The colleague called out... 'Mr Chatterjee would you like a fag?'

'No thanks! I've been trying to quit you see' Raja said politely and clenched his left fist in his pocket. It is difficult quitting a habit like smoking... but he will try... will he not? It will stop his ageing...says the medical Journal he read somehere.

It was very warm the night before and he had tossed and turned on his bed till 3. The climate was one reason alright but there was something else too. He had thought about the incident that night and wondered if he had been correct. Did he hear clearly? was the person the other end of the line calling him by his name? "Raja".. yet he felt as if it could not have been true... He did not for some reason believe that it was just the name and not "Mr. Chatterjee" as Nupur is used to calling him. That means nothing... He must have been mistaken... she called him Mr. Chatterjee alright... Nobody calls him by my name as he wished they would... he was always Mr. Chatterjee to everyone in office and in para and everywhere... why did he have to be born with that limp and why was he so ugly... he looked 40 and in reality he is only 28... okay 29 then ... no more...

He was happy and very merry in the most infantile way after the conversation which was primarily regarding shifts and Rotas but the note in which it started... 'Rajaaaa... Hello, yes,... this is about the Rota...' it kind of knocked out the words from Raja... he was not that old after all... maybe the turmeric and rosemary paste is helping... What was said in the conversation he did not remember... he had approved of all that was asked and put the phone down in a haze...

He had looked at himself in the mirror and admired the unruly hair that hung about him, gave it a run with his fingers and posed like the bond! Bang! phooooh... he blew the imaginary smoke off the barrel of the imaginary pistol he had made with his index and middle finger... and gave a spin... God! what about tomorrow's shift?!!! Raja was not even sure if he was to go in tomorrow... he wished he would call back Nupur and try and speak about the shifts once again but thought otherwise... maybe this time she will call me 'Mr Chatterjee'... let it be let me bask in the short stint of glory and youth.

His thoughts were interrupted again... Nupur had just joined him on the table at the cafeteria she was with Sangitha Nair... a south Indian Brahmin very talkative and friendly in a good natured way...

'Morning Mr Chatterjee' Sangitha called out over the Vada mouthful...

Raja Hung onto his seat

Nupur was on a phone and was about to hang up ... 'Ok cahlo bye and take care... yes baba will speak soon' She hung up, sipped the steaming mug, turned...

'Good Morning MR CHATTERJEE'

The Sun was finally shining through the fog.