Toffy Memory
Ajinkya started to office on a Friday morning during Ganesh Festival season. Nice, breezy air flowing with mild sunshine and almost zero traffic. He thought, what a day! A once-in-a-year dream in Pune these days. The drive, which otherwise took 45 minutes to an hour, took only 25 minutes today.
Reaching office and finding an almost empty parking lot, he smiled and entered the 5th floor with hardly anyone around. He picked the best place and, bang, entered into his daily business.
After a long-loaded discussion, he walked to the glass windows to peep through the podium. The podium was almost empty, with very few people around. The coffee corner was open and, with the nice weather, he thought some mee time and walked towards the elevator.
A colleague from another team was waiting for the elevator. Though she observed Ajinkya, she preferred to ignore him. Ajinkya thought, Ghanta phark padtha hai!!!
The empty elevator doors opened. The two entered, and both had to force a dry smile. Ajinkya again said inside, Ghanta!! He looked up and just thought, ek toffy hojaye.
As the elevator moved down from the 5th floor, it stopped between the 2nd and 1st floor with a power cut.
A few seconds of darkness, and the lights flashed back. Ajinkya tried to check if she was okay. She pretended to ignore him. Again, he thought, Ghanta!!!
The elevator slowly moved to the 1st floor and the doors opened. Ajinkya gestured for her to exit, and she did the same. Ghanta!! phir se, thought Ajinkya.
And then, right when his foot was crossing the elevator door, the doors began to shut. There came an announcement with an alarm:
“Evacuate, evacuate…”
Ajinkya understood that the doors were closing. He tried to forcibly stop them and asked her to come out quickly. Hesitantly, she moved.
Out from the elevator, she walked swiftly without looking back.
Ajinkya closed his eyes, took a deep breath, enjoying the moment, looking up with a smile, gesturing his finger.
Toffy…toffy…
He went to the podium, ordered coffee and sat at an isolated table, and started swiping his phone. He caught a whiff of perfume and looked up.
The elevator colleague was standing before him.
“Hey, Swetha, right?” Ajinkya said.
She smiled and said, “Ajinkya, right!”
Both smiled.
Ajinkya, with a flick of one eye, said, “So you know me.”
She said, “Sorry for not saying thank you. And thank you.”
Ajinkya, for a second, thought what to reply. Saying welcome, my pleasure, or koi baat nahi; nothing seemed to fit as a response.
He just smiled and said, “Coffee.”
She nodded.
He asked her to sit and went to bring two coffees.
Both sipping coffee, she said, “It was a bit awkward moment, hence my reaction.”
Ajinkya nodded.
She said, “Should we prefer to forget?”
Ajinkya said, “Preferred!!!” and laughed.
He said, “Men are men,” and smiled.
He then continued, “It’s not something I will sleep over and over, and neither would I forget. Men, he said! I would share the moment with my close friends without the name.”
Smilingly, he said, “No one would believe this filmy moment.”
“Jealous men… men are men.”
And both laughed.
While continuing the general conversation, they both walked toward the elevator and saw a few women in panic mode coming out of the elevators, with animated expressions.
She looked at Ajinkya and, without sound, only moving her lips, said,
“Thank you once again.”
Ajinkya smiled.
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