The Scent of a Woman

“Sir, you want to go to office?”

“No, the work has been completed yesterday. I’ve got the whole day off. Mr Bajpayee, the MD has allowed me to keep the car and you for the whole day to myself.”

“Yes, I was instructed to take you wherever you want. Where do you want to go Sir? Lalbagh, ISKCON temple, Bannerghata National Park, …”

“No. Am not going to those places. Take me to the Forum mall in Kormangala.”

“Sure sir. You want to meet anyone there?”

“Maybe, or search for something. Let’s go.”

“Chalo Sir. When is your flight btw?”

“It’s tonight at 7pm.”

“Ok Sir. We have enough time.”

“Welcome to CCD in Forum mall, Sir. What can I get for you?”

“Umm, get me a regular coffee please”

“Ok Sir, please be seated.”

“Did you meet your friend in Forum Mall, Sir?”

“No, not really. I did not go there to meet anyone”

“Oh right, you said you’d be searching for something.”

“Umm, yes. Couldn’t find it.”

“Ok, so where do you want to go now?”

“Thippasandra”

“You know Thippasandra!!! Had you been in Bangalore before?”

“I stayed here for 3 years Suresh.”

“Wow Sir, I thought you are a Delhite”

“Nope, my initial location was in Bangalore.”

“When did you leave Bangalore?”

“4 years back.”

“You got transferred?”

“Ah, not really, I changed the company.”

“Oh, do you like it in Delhi Sir? I heard the climate is not as good as here.”

“Are you from Bangalore?”

“Mysore, Sir.”

“No. I don’t like Delhi at all. In fact, I never believed I’d get settled in Delhi.”

“Then, why did you leave, Sir? Didn’t you find any other good company here?”

“Not that Suresh. It was not possible for me to stay in Bangalore any longer.”

“Oh. Ok.”

“Excuse me, which is the way to Thippasandra post office?”

“To your right, Sir.”

“Thank you, and one more thing. There used to be a Annapurna Ladies PG here. Does it still exist?”

“Yes, take the road just opposite to the Post Office. You’ll find a four storied green building.”

“Thanks”

“I guess you did not find what you were searching for Sir.”

“No.”

“Where do we go now?”

“Indiranagar, 12^th main.”

“Mr Ramchandran?”

“Yes.”

“Can you recognize me?”

“Ah, oh yes. You must be Mr Banerjee. Worked at IBM”

“Right, I was your tenant 4 years back.”

“I remember. Come in. How are you?”

“Am good. How are you Mr Ramachandran? How’re your wife and son?”

“My wife passed away last year. My son is still in US. San Jose. He bought a house there. Did you know of my grandchild?”

“Ah, am sorry to hear of Mrs Ramachandran. What happened to her? I knew about your grandchild. He was born just before I left.”

“Right. Anuradha had a heart attack. Never knew it could happen to her. She was so fit. Used to walk every morning in the park.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyway, are you moving back to Bangalore?”

“Nope, am here just for the day for some work.”

“Ah. I see. Nice to see you again.”

“Nice to see you. Can I please take a tour of the house where I stayed?”

“You see, it’s Thursday. Am sure, the current tenants are at work now and have locked the door. It’s unethical for me to open the house in their absence. Sorry, Mr Banerjee.”

“Goodbye Sir. When you visit Bangalore again, let me know. Here’s our cab service card with my name and number.”

“Thanks Suresh. You have been really helpful.”

“Have a safe trip Sir.”

As soon as I took my seat, numbered 5A, in the Spicejet non-stop flight to Indira Gandhi International Airport, I got the smell. The smell I had been searching for throughout the city today. The smell, which used to attract me four years back and the smell, which has haunted me for the past four years. I looked at my co-passenger’s seat. There was a copy of Dan Brown’s Inferno lying there. Yes, the smell was emanating from the book. I bent down and inhaled. It’s the same smell. My heart started beating faster. My palms were dry. Is it? Will it be? Would we fly together? What should I say? “Hi, how are you?” Would I be ignored?

A twenty-something girl with colored hair and a “Pink Floyd” T shirt took the seat. She picked up the book, smiled at me forcing me to return the courteous smile and started reading. I buckled myself up and closed my eyes. It’d be wise to concentrate only on my olfactory perception.