(Continuing from Part Two.)
After a dull few days, there is a buzz in town. A large Army Conference is coming up and everything is being repainted and repaired. A few days after we leave, senior serving officers will start arriving for the conference. By now, we all know which officer is partly responsible for at least that part of town where I’m situated. Rather convenient.
I think I might be a bit wet with anticipation. Or it could be the damp due to incessant rains. It’s not like I have anything to be anticipating.
There he is again. Walking on the road in front of our porch as we sit there sipping hot chai & lemonade in the morning. He has a cute ass. I’m trying my best to act cool, almost choking on my nimbu-paani as he comes into view. “Good morning Sir. Good morning Ma’am. Morning.” For Dad, Mom and me. I manage to smile back with a wry smile and add a “Hey!” Full, direct eye-contact again. Made me squirm a bit on my seat.
I like this. A little uncomfortable with his open face and eyes. I doubt he has anything on his mind. He’s probably too pre-occupied with his duties to worry about my half-bald head and smiling face. What a pity. Sigh.
I’m supposed to be enjoying the mystery and the fantasy. Who cares what he actually thinks! I’m certainly convinced that he’d have loved to get into my pants in a parallel universe. I certainly would have been a whole lot more uninhibited. I’d have figured out a way to have a drink with him for sure. And much sooner. I don’t smoke anymore, but hiding from the crowd, not twenty feet away from the wife and stealing a drag with the officer husband, was always way too much fun to pass up on. Especially when there was a hint of a history. The good old days.
Meanwhile, Mr. Broken-Nose has left my field of vision. I carry on with the rest of the day, wondering if I will get to run into him when he’s alone. Maybe I should have packed at least one set of garments that aren’t grey and / or loose fitting. Would he mind my muffin-top and flat butt if he suddenly saw me naked? Ugh. I did not want to think about that.
Evening chai rolls around. I’m sipping more nimbu-paani. More sitting at the porch. “Good evening Sir. Good evening Ma’am. Hi!” Wait. WHAT? I turn around just in time to squeeze in a smile and a nod but he is already on his way.
White-collared t-shirt. Grey-white loose evening shorts with a tighter inner layer peeking an inch or two on his thighs. Socks. Sneakers. The ass is definitely cute. Would it bounce if I slapped it? His thighs and calves are solid. A guy who takes care of himself. How very attractive. My eyes don’t leave his body till he is out of sight. No eye-contact this time. We leave tomorrow morning.
He walks back into my field of vision. He knows I’m looking at him. Not so much as a glance is thrown my way. I’m now certain of the source of the wetness though. Yummy. In a parallel universe. In an alternate life. We would have been well met. Even if only momentarily. It would have been nice and fun and short and no drama. Or maybe not. Who knows. But this was exciting.
If he had indeed acknowledged my attention and responded to it, in this universe, now, the farthest we would have gotten would be the bar stool at the Kumaon Banquet Hall. Smart, straight-spine, strong-willed perhaps, well-mannered, articulate, hard-working and polite officers are rare these days. Of me having come across one during the hill vacation was a massive stroke of luck.
Maybe I will add him to my arsenal of fantasy faces that I need to conjure up when I only have my imagination and my hands. Such help from an Army Office is always appreciated.
The End.
(All the characters and incidents in this story are imaginary, resemblance to any person dead or alive is purely coincidental. Or maybe not. Who knows! The story is set in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand, which I visited for a vacation recently. Photos from the actual trip can be seen under the #NAINAxRanikhet hashtag. )
