A Shy smile, a twinkle in the eye gave up the fact that this is a fun loving girl. She did not have much to say. I did not have much to say either. Funny that we hardly spoke to each other when we first met at the temple (now we cant stop talking to each other.) We invariably interrupted each other when we spoke.
So there we were two strangers who had never met before standing in the shadows of the temple and trying to say something to each other. The last time I was tongue tied was when I was born, with this condition called Ankyloglossia.(tongue tied) I was actually wondering what was the ice breaker I used to start the first conversation (Just spoke to Nandhini to check with her ) I asked her “So which school did you go to?” and she says VSKD School and I say “Ok” like I know where the school is. (Funny me!)
Still no question from her… So I throw the next question at her “So what do you do?” I half expected her to say that she is a scientist who is researching on molecular physics but I knew that she has finished her MSc in Physics and she is at home, and she replies ” I love printing designs on sarees” and I notice that she is not very comfortable standing and she is fidgeting around with her feet. So bang come the next question “”Are you feeling hot? Are your feet getting burnt?” She is a bit annoyed with that question which is taken over by a slight sign of amusement. We are actually standing in the shade of the temple’s gopuram.
Then I am cool with talking to her now or so I think but still it is only me who is talking. She is like just standing there looking nervous. And I ask her the question that no one ever asks a nervous person “Are you feeling Nervous? Dont worry I will not gobble you!!!” and I continued with my rants of how I studied BSc Physics for a year in Sivakasi in Iyya Nadar Janaki Ammal College and of how I ran away from there. So I thought it is now time to shift gears and take it to the next level…
“Can we go out to Bell Hotel for lunch?” and she is in thought for a while undecided and stunned by the question. “Yes Sure, I will let my parents know and we will all go out for lunch” But the question running in my head was “Why WHy WHY WHY WHY???????” Why can’t I just go out with her and not her entire family? Simple questions of a city bred guy. But Nandhini Oh man the flutter in her eyes, her dimpled chin…I am getting floored again…