Saying sorry sucks!

Poor Jiten, I looked at him and wondered why he really even thought any girl would consider a live in? Especially, when she was expecting marriage. Was Jiten really so blind that he could not see what she wanted?

No I think Jiten knew what she wanted and that is why he tried to make a commitment. Sure a live in is a commitment, but Jiten does from time to time forget we are in India not in some super advanced European country. If the distance between insanity and genius, is measured by success; then Jiten had been insane in making the suggestion. Because from his description of the entire event I felt it could not have gone any worse; so much for Jiten being mister wise guy, and a super smooth talker.

All the women he kept going out with, all the so called experience he had with women amounted to diddly squat. I remember Jiten waking up early in the morning and calling Saira up. She did not answer his phones. He called her up from my cell she did not answer. Jiten had tried to act smart and called her up form the land line at the office, the result was the same no answer. I suggested Jiten go up to her house with flowers and beg for forgiveness.

It was the only thing I could think of doing. So sure enough immediately after work, I and Jiten bought an expensive bouquet and were at Saira’s doorstep. I remember sitting in the car and looking out at the doorstep as Jiten stood their in his suit with a bouquet of roses in his hand. He must have rung the bell twice before the door opened. It was Saira’s room partner. She gave Jiten a look so dirty, I think our suits would have needed dry cleaning it was that dirty a look.

There was poor Jiten, standing in the doorway with a bouquet of roses in his hand and waiting for the love of his life to come down. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Saira finally came down. Her face was swollen and her eyes were red. She had been crying.

I guessed the sight of Jiten in a suit, looking sober and carrying a bouquet of roses, should have pacified her. But then as always I was mistaken about women. I was a considerable distance away from the scene and all I could see was the now red face of Saira with her arms waving about furiously.

The occasional word like ‘Whore’, ‘broke my heart’, ‘I loved you so much’ did float down to me.

Jiten was trying very hard to get a word in, but she refused to listen. I think it was finally when Jiten handed her the roses and was a little more assertive that she listened to him. I have no idea what he said to her, but whatever he said pacified her a little. She seemed momentarily relaxed and willing to listen.

I could make out the ‘I love you’ dialogues from a distance but that was all. I saw Saira smiling. I was already celebrating the good work that Jiten had done when the scene erupted. Saira flung the roses on Jiten’s face and pointed in my direction. I could make out she was telling him to ‘fuck off’ and ‘leave her alone’. It was then that I decided to pull Jiten out of the situation. I had no idea how he would react, after all only a saint could have taken such treatment and not say anything. Why don’t women understand how difficult it is for men to genuinely apologise?

They are all in the misconception that we apologise only when necessary and convenient. Not true, we apologise when we genuinely feel we messed up. And a genuine apology is as good as gold. I was about to rush out but I decided against it. This was Jiten’s battle and his mess. As far as I could see since I had no luck at love, I was the last person he needed helping him out. I just stood outside the car visible to everyone. Saira saw me from a distance and got the hint. She just slammed the door shut in Jiten’s face. I saw Jiten return to the car slowly. He trampled over the 15 rupee a rose bouquet on his way back. Sure money is supposed to be no object when it comes to love, but damn it we work for those 200 rupees Saira had just thrown away. Jiten was seething. He walked by me and sat down in the car.

“What the fuck does she want?” Jiten said shouting out aloud. I wanted to calm him down but who was I to give Jiten any advice?

“Did you see her? The way she actually smiled in the middle. I thought I had made amends and then the way she erupted.” Jiten’s face was now a shade of red I had never known it could be.

I remembered vaguely once before in my life that his face had been the same. It was when the class bully had pushed me to the ground.

“What does she want? Blood? There I was apologising to her and what does she do? Throw the bloody roses on my face. And yesterday they way she threw the 500 Rs on the table. Damn it there is a limit to the attitude I can take from her. Just because I love her she thinks it gives her a license to mistreat me.”

It was then that the situation went from bad to worse. A person had carelessly parked his massive sumo in the middle of the road. The gully was congested as it was and there was no way I could manoeuvre the car around the sumo. I was busy honking the horn in hope that someone would come out.

There was no one in sight. The sumo had dark tinted windows and I could not see inside. I was busy honking when I heard the door of the car open and shut quickly. Jiten had left the car.

I quickly undid my seatbelt and followed after Jiten. Jiten was already next to the sumo; he looked inside and found the driver of the SUV having a nice nap. Jiten pounded on the windshield, there was no response. I was next to him now. I was trying to hold him back from any serious damage to the sumo. I was too late.

With one massive punch to the bonnet Jiten managed to activate the AutoCop of the SUV the alarm was sounding. I saw the driver awaken startled. Jiten was busy pounding the bonnet, the driver was in mortal fear for his life; there was a look of fear on the driver’s face as he quickly started the SUV. I was afraid he might run Jiten over and I quickly pulled Jiten away, in less than 30 seconds the driver and the SUV where no where to be seen.

Jiten was busy spitting out obscenities in Punjabi, Hindi and English. I just let him vent out his anger, but the sight of the neighbours beginning to collect on the balconies was beginning to worry me, so I literally shoved Jiten into the car seat and drove off. I saw anger in him that I had never seen before.

He was furious and I guessed the poor driver had borne the brunt of Jiten’s frustration. I knew then that he was truly, madly, deeply in love with Saira and there was no way I was going to let him loose her.