She was occupying a seat one next to his seat. The seat between the two remained unoccupied, till the film ended.
Since she kept looking at people entering the hall, even several minutes after the movie had started, Pazhani concluded that her companion did not turn up.
It appeared to Pazhani that when there were some interesting scenes in the film, she turned to his side and looked at him, as if she wanted to share her enjoyment with someone.
During the intermission, she turned to Pazhani and asked him, "Can you do me a favour?"
"Do you want me to get you coffee, tea or some snacks?" asked Pazhani.
She laughted out loudly and said, "No, no. My friend was to give me company, but she didn't turn up. After the film is over, can you please accompany me to the bus stop?"
Wondering why she wanted an escort during the evening time, Pazhani said, "Oh, definitely."
The bus stop was not far from the theatre.
"If a young woman walks alone on the road, some miscreants may create trouble. That is why I asked you to escort me" she said, while they were walking towards the bus stop.
"You appear to be a gentleman" she said, as if she was justifying her seeking his help.
"It is unusual for a young man like you to come to the theatre alone, without the company of friends" she remarked, as they were walking.
"I asked some of my friends to come along. But they were not interested in watching a Gemini Ganesan* starrer. If it were a Sivaji or MGR film, they would have accepted my invitation, enthusiastically. Why, they would have taken the initiative to go to the movie and dragged me along!"
"So, you are the only fan of the 'King of Romance**' in your group!" she quipped, with a giggle.
"Did you come to this film for the heroine Savitri?" asked Pazhani.
"No. I am also a fan of the 'King of Romance'" she said, smiling at him.
Pazhani wondered whether she was trying to convey any subtle message to him.
They reached the bus stop.
Driven by the anxiety that her bus could be arriving any time, Pazhani hastened to ask her, "What is your name? I presume you are a college student. In which college are you studying?"
"My name is Narmada. I am s student of B.Sc. (Botany) in Kamakshi College."
Even before she could finish her sentence, her bus had arrived.
Narmada took leave of him saying, "Thank you. See you!"
Quite unexpectedly, she extended her hand, gave him a handshake and boarded the bus.
'How will she see me again? She has not even asked me for my name!' thought Pazhani, cursing himself, for having not got her contact details, when he was walking with her from the theatre to the bus stop,
"I wonder whether there will be any other person in this world, matching your stupidity. You should have got her contact details and given her yours, before you reached the bus stop. Instead of doing this, you talked about the 'King of Romance' and missed the chance to affirm your romance" said Pazhani's friend Govind.
"I had just met her. I thought that after I escorted her to the bus stop, we would part as strangers. It was only after we started conversing that I had a feeling that she had a liking for me. By the time, I convinced myself of her interest in me and discovered that I was also interested in her, we had reached the bus stop. The bus arrived immediately and she left. Everything happened so fast."
"If she had a liking for you, she could have skipped the bus and taken the next bus, using the opportunity to converse with you."
"It was a five minute walk from the theatre to the bus stop. Neither of us could have thought and acted the way you expect us to have, within such a short time" said Pazhani, showing his irritation at Govind's persistence with finding fault with him and the girl.
"But, such a short duration was enough for romance to develop between the two of you!" quipped Govind.
"The romance is real. For the past one month, I have been tormented by my inability to meet her again."
"Did you go to her college and enquire?"
"For one week, I stood outside the college gate at the time the classes ended and looked at the girls coming out. But, I didn't find her. I thought of making enquiries about her, with other students. But I didn't do so, lest it should create a bad impression about her. She herself may not like my doing so. This is not the Sangahm Era***, when one could express one's love openly. This is the year 1962. I should be wary of the ethos of the present times."
"In which college is she studying?"
"Kamakshi College."
Govind's face became brightened.
"I think Lady Luck has not abandoned you. My fiancee is also studying in that college. She is studying B.Sc. (Chemistry), final year. As you know, our marriage was finalized only last week. Since our marriage had been arranged by our parents, I expressed a desire to talk to the girl, in private. The girl's parents have asked me to come to their house tomorrow. I will ask her to enquire about Narmada."
"I will write a letter to Narmada. Please ask your fiancee to deliver it to her."
"First of all, I am not sure whether my fiancee will be able to locate Narmada. Even if she finds her, delivering a love letter to a person she is not acquainted with may not be appropriate. As you have just mentioned, our society doesn't have a healthy attitude towards love between a boy and a girl. You will remember that in the film 'Kalyana Parisu,' there is a scene showing your favourite hero, the King of Romance, being expelled from the college, for giving a love letter to a girl student!"
"My letter will be very short. I will write it and give it to you now. You can read it and decide whether it is appropriate" said Pazhani.
He then took out a small sheet of paper, wrote a few lines and gave it to Govind.
Govind read out the letter loudly.
"Narmada! After taking you to the bus stop and getting you board the bus, I couldn't meet you again. I will wait for you at the same bus stop, this Sunday at 4 p.m. - Kaththirundha Kangal."
"Instead of writing your name at the end, you have written 'Kaththirundha Kangal!' said Govind.
"That was the title of the film we watched. So, she will understand who has written the letter. Incidentally, the title has the appropriate meaning 'eyes that were waiting for you!'
Pazhani and Narmada met again at the same bus stop, at 4 pm, the next Sunday.
* Gemini Ganesan, Sivaji (Ganesan) and MGR (M G Ramachandran) were popular stars of Tamil films in the 50's, 60's and 70's.
** Gemini Ganesan was called the King of Romance.
*** Sangam Era was an ancient period in which Tamil literature had flourished. Love was a prominent theme in the Sangam literature.
Section 3
Shedding Shyness
nOnA udambum uyirum madal ERum
nANinai nIkki niRuththu.
Verse 1131
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