As it started to drizzle on a warm summer evening on the busy streets of chennai,the air was filled with the pleasant,rare petrichor,putting everyone in a magical trance.But there were a few other beings who begged to differ even in such an enchanting scenario-the rickshaw puller who kept going as if he had been endowed with a waterproof skin,the rag picker who went about his business without enjoying the smell as if his noses were clogged and the skinny cow on a donkey's diet which was busy tearing apart and devouring the movie posters off the walls.Along with these idiosyncratic beings,there were 2 other souls who had become immured in recent times to any change happening around them.
Whether it was the day of the Sept 11 attacks on the WTC in the U.S.A or the day of the Mylapore Theppom,it made no difference to them.Life was getting into some sort of a routine where they had started believing that the soul purpose of living was to meet each other, every alternate day at their favorite location - The coffee Day.Laxmi and Sreeni are the above mentioned unique,interesting characters upon whom this whole account is based on.They belonged to the modern day tier 1 middle class family in terms of their moderately affluent lifestyle bearing a stamp of adequate cosmopolitan outlook.As noticed in all south indian brahmin families,their parents still belonged to the earlier generation in terms of their traditional beliefs and practices yet they exhibited an excellent understanding of the younger generations' changing thought process and bestowed their kids with a measured but adequate freedom to carry on their lives.
Sreeni was never forgetful in demanding his weekly quota of pocket money of 300 rs which had been raising very modestly in the recent months after innumerous bouts of argument with his dad. Sreeni had to use all his IIM-C acquired skills in the field of finance/management and economics,to elucidate the changing economic scenario in India and the rising standard of living in order to substantiate his claim for a hike in the weekly Pocket money during his month-long trips to Chennai.In the age of college goers spending their money recklessly on movie tickets/smoking/drinking with their friends,Sreeni was of a totally different genre.Not a single paisa was wasted on anything other than buying the "Cafe Mochas and expressos" for his evening tryst with his lady-love.
As for her,Laxmi possessed an exact antonym to almost every quality that Sreeni possesed.He was a typical iconoclastic guy of his age who often spoke of his athiestic beliefs in front of his friends but at the same time was never forgetful in sporting the customary Vibuthi stamp on the temple of his head.In comparison,Laxmi was a devout Tanjore Brahmin girl,who never spoke or displayed her traditional values in public and sometimes wouldn't even bother to sport one of those Pondi-Bazaar sticker Bindis.Her trademark unplaited locks of hair,which reminded everyone of the shampoo-ad models was in stark contrast to the well-combed hairdo that Sreeni sported.There were a few other traits in them that seemed to be totally different.While Sreeni had been well-versed in identifying Raagas/thaalas of carnatic music and was also adept in playing the Violin,his guru being none other than Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan;Laxmi's knowledge of carnatic music was at unmentionable levels.
While it would seem something next to impossibility to fathom 2 such characters to share a common frequency,it was their opposite nature that rendered the apposite basis for their association.The modern-art wall hangings and the dim-lit lamps sprouting out of the false ceilings at "Coffee Day" had been accustomed to lay as mute spectators to the 3 hour conversations between the two.If those inanimate objects had the capacity to speak,they would vociferously vouch for the fact that it was the difference in opinions and style between Sreeni and Laxmi that provided the much-needed substance to their conversations.The only thing that both of them agreed to without much of a fuss was the type of coffee they wanted.If it was the Iced Orange Cuppucinno on one day,it would be the arabian-Mocha on their next visit.
To be continued...
-Raapi
Posted by rajesh | 
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