A Passing Tale

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Was it reality or one of the famous games of illusion? Surely infatuation is short lived, but this was something more than that. There she stood, right in front of my eyes, and for the moment, the distance didn’t matter, as she was mysteriously clear to me. Her beauty surpassed all limits in my heart as I stood on the other side of the mall, bedazzled.2

It was nine in the evening, and I had come to the mall to get a baseball kit, but not even a couple of minutes had passed when I had forgotten everything about it. She was the prettiest lady I had ever seen, and perhaps will see. Her striking self had a subtle charm to it, and she moved graciously along the escalator. Her eyes had a mysterious story about them, and the lips and their glow, had their own tale to say. She seemed like a saleswomen to me, as she had a sort of a questionnaire in one hand and a catalogue in the other. 3

It seemed to me she was here to persuade people into buying a particular credit card from some infamous bank, and as I noticed, people were interested, in her or in the offer, I wasn’t sure. Whatever the case may be, I could see interested glances at her momentarily, and I don’t know why, but I felt angry about it, yet was desperate to do anything unless...4

A part of my mind said that I should have her, yet the sensible one didn’t regard it possible. Clearly we would be a great match, I assumed, but another thought hinted that she didn’t even know me, and wouldn’t just like my getting in between out there. But taking a chance was worth it, I thought, as I fixed my gaze upon her, and she being oblivious of this onlooker went on with her job with a one-of-a-kind charisma.5

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 6

Though busy with constant interaction with customers, I still managed to look at him some way or the other. In the horde of people walking around between us, trying to unintentionally block our line of sight, I could see him, without letting him know that I am, of course. He was a handsome man indeed – vibrancy in his body and an enchanting appeal overall - and something told me that this was the kind of man I always longed for, yet never got the right one.7

“Excuse me, lady,” some customer began, interrupting my thoughts, “How would it be if I would want to buy a huge amount of stuff on credit?”8

“Good,” I answered, not being able to understand what I had just said. Perhaps I wasn’t even concentrating, or not even listening, and my answer didn’t seem sensible enough, for the customer looked at me weirdly and simply walked away. I didn’t care, though. This job didn’t pay me as much as it expected from me: standing here for 10 hours a day, getting hold of any adult visitor to the mall, and trying to beg for him to get the ‘no interest’ credit card for himself. It was supposed to be a revolutionary card, but the responses seemed unsatisfactory, and most people tried to fake their interest just to get me to talk to them.9

Anyways, the constant herd of customers all around me made it impossible for me to look at him for more than five seconds. But I was determined to chat with him the moment I get my freedom. I was supposed to be out of there in one more hour, and the watch on my wrist ticked laboriously, as I impatiently waited for the painful hour to pass.10

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 11

Now, I was up on the second floor, lucky to get a place where I could easily look down and get a beautiful aerial view of her. The baseball-kit business was not yet over, and I didn’t care anymore. This was like a fantasy come true – the girl I had always dreamed of was now right in front of me. Whether this was an opportunity for me, I didn’t know, as for all I knew was I couldn’t get my eyes off her. Again, my mind went towards the idea of striking up a conversation. After all, that was the only way we could get to know each other. But this moment wouldn’t be an ideal one, I thought, as looked at the current flow of people; she would consider me another customer of hers. Yes, now I knew what her whole business here was. Some credit card company, it was. The cashier was kind enough to tell me that at least.12

Wait a minute, I thought, as an innovative idea just hit my idle mind. The fact that she would consider me as one of her would-be customers could be the best way to talk to her. She would try to persuade me into her offer, and I would have a better chance to examine her closely and make her talk to me some more. Who knows, this plan might lead to my fantasy. But what if she doesn’t want to go further than just business-talk? Ah, my mind just wanders off towards the wrong direction. But what if she actually thinks of rejecting me, thinking that I’m a stalker or something? Now there was no time to consider the pessimistic, but to advance. 13

Hey, I just saw that. She went up to her little stall on the corner and drank a bottle of water, cleaned off her sweat, and smiled at the guy on the stall. Yes, her working hours were over, or maybe she was on a rest. This was the chance for me, I thought. I miss it, and I miss her. Hoping for the best and trying not to think about the worst, I ran down the escalator, ready for what fate had in mind.14

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 15

“So to get interest free credit on every purchase, I will have to put a minimum balance of 6000 bucks in my bank account?”16

“I guess so.”17

I looked at my watch again. It was time to go, and I bid goodbye to my now-disinterested customer, and walked towards my stall. That man was nowhere to be seen now. I wondered if he had left, but I had a feeling he was close to me, able to see me. I gulped up a bottle of water in a jiffy, and wiped the sweat off my top.18

“Tiring day, huh?” asked James, my assistant.19

“Sure it is, especially when it is scorching and people stare at you all the time.”20

The day was indeed not good for me. Someone or the other stared at me all the time, and whenever I looked at them, they smiled with immorality. Anyways, I had to reach home quick before I fainted, but before I went, I wanted to see that guy. Whether I was missing him I didn’t know, but all I knew was that he seemed interesting.21

And then I saw him. He was running down the escalator – he was in a hurry for something – pushing everybody off his path. Our eyes met for a second the moment he reached down and all of a sudden, he slowed down and stopped just below the escalator and began to look around. I decide to go up to him and start talking; a gut feeling inside urged me to. As I walked towards him, I could see him looking at me, and to my surprise, he began walking towards me too. Was he intending to talk to me too? I had to be sure, and I would know of the answer in a matter of seconds. As I approached him, I saw him suddenly stop and concentrate on something, and then he turned around. Almost magically, at the same time, a hand reached up my shoulder and ran slowly towards my neck. I swiftly turned around to see who it was.22

“Hey sweetie, how was your day today? You look really tired.”23

It was Matt, my fiancé, and he looked at me passionately like he always did, and that’s one reason why I liked him.24

“I thought you would be tired,” he said, “and that’s why I decided to come up here to pick you up. We will go to a hotel. You freshen up there, and then we will watch a movie. What do you say?”25

“It’s a good idea, Matt” I told him.26

Suddenly, his phone rang and he excused me to talk to some client of his. I took this opportunity to look at that man I had completely forgotten about for some time. He was talking to some kid in a corner, and I couldn’t look anymore, when Matt came back, and signaled me to leave with him. As left the mall, I couldn’t stop thinking of that man. He looked like a good guy, after all, and I hoped that he gets a good partner. Tired as I was, I walked out of the mall, picturing him for the last time in my mind.27

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 28

I was off the escalator now. While on it, I could not stop looking at her, and the moment I reached down, our eyes met each other's and I had a feeling that she must have spotted me while I was running, suspecting that I was desperate for her. Thus, I slowed down, and stood there.29

But then I saw her walking towards me and I felt that maybe she wanted to talk to me too. This gave me the initiative as I picked up a little more speed inconspicuously, and every moment got me closer to her. She, too, was walking towards me at a steady speed. I couldn’t believe this: in a few seconds, I was going to meet the girl I had been thinking of since the last hour, and I was determined not to screw anything up.30

But then I stopped for something. Behind me, I could hear a child calling out my name loudly, and it seemed to get clearer every second. I turned back, and was not very surprised to see Jamie there.31

“Papa, I searched all the sport stores and finally found the kit. See here, it reads: New York Yankees. Now that I’m going to join the children’s baseball league, this is going to be fun. Thank you for allowing me to buy this, Papa.”32

“My pleasure, Jamie” I replied.33

I looked back at that girl. She had now stopped and was standing in front of a rich-looking but ugly man, busy on the phone. Perhaps another customer, I thought, clearing up some final doubts.34

“So what were you doing all this while I was with the kids?” asked a feminine voice from behind me.35

It was Mary, and even Stephen emerged from behind her, trotting about saying lyrics of some song.36

“Nothing, I was just strolling about here and there. Got everything required?”37

“Yup,” she replied, ‘and I guess its time to leave now, isn’t it?”38

I nodded, and together, my family and I began walking towards the back exit from the mall. Before taking the last turn, I looked back at that girl. My fantasy was now over, though I couldn’t believe the infatuation was over so soon. She looked beautiful like before, and I smiled secretly at her, while she left the mall and my life forever.39