A mouthful of Sky

“Black rum large with coke please,” she asked the bartender as she passed through me.
She smiled at me, “sorry!” and got busy talking. “Yes baby… missing you so much!”
“It’s ok” -I said but she did not even bother looking back.
“JD large on the rocks,” I asked the bartender.
She was busy talking on the phone behind the glass wall, probably with her husband… or boyfriend. Without a doubt, she was strikingly beautiful and that black halter of hers made her look gorgeous. But black rum! She did not look like a regular drinker.
“Here is your glass sir,” said the bartender breaking my chain of thoughts.
“Thanks and cheers,” I said taking a sip before lighting a cigarette. The music added to the mood as the DJ tuned in some love songs celebrating the Valentines flavor…
“Wise man says
Only fools rush in
But I can’t stop
Falling in love with you
As the river flows
Gently to the sea
Darling so it goes
Something’s were meant to be
Take my hand
Take my whole life too
I can’t help
Falling in love with you………”

Three girls just crossed giggling, holding colored glasses of cocktails. The smell of cigarette smoke and mixture of perfumes, with the Neon lights twinkling everywhere, the evening was just in the ‘mood’!
“Is my glass ready?” she came back and asked the bartender.
“Here is your drink Ma’am”
She looked at me and said, “I am so sorry. I was in the call and did not realize!”
“No Problem at all… Are you here with someone?” I could not resist the words slipping out from my tongue.
“Yes” she said after a pause which seemed almost a minute!
“Today is a ‘Propose day’. So I was wandering if I could propose you something…”
“Well… Actually…?” she said partly filled with surprise and apprehension as to how to react.
“Don’t worry, I am married and was just looking for a company to enjoy this drink,” I replied trying to make her comfortable.
He approval came in form of some questions. “Okay then! What’s your name and what do you do?” she asked me as she headed towards a table near the pool. I smiled and asked her back the same questions.
“Malvika. Mrs Malvika Dutta Baruah. I am a florist and also I have a small boutique of ladies accessories,” she said looking at her glass before looking at me for answers to her questions.
“That’s great! You don’t get to meet a florist every day. I guess my lucky day! I am Ahmed. Rakib Ahmed. And I write articles for newspapers and magazines,” I replied in my very own James Bond style!
“Wow… well well, So I am talking to a writer! Who is lucky now! I like writers. It’s quite fascinating, how you all dive into the sea of thoughts and come up with mesmerizing pearls!”
“Thanks. Usually people tend to run away from me when I tell them I have a new poem!” I said laughing out.
“I love Poems!”
“Oh! Really? How about I test you right now?”
“You are funny! Don’t worry I have cotton pads in my purse…,” she chuckled.
“You have got nice sense of humour. Are you are married? What does your husband do?”
“He is a businessman and right now he is in Dubai. Deals in real estate. I was missing something… don’t really know if it’s him or his absence, so came here for a drink… You come here often?” she asked me.
“Not really… I prefer drinking at home but my wife is in Singapore for a corporate meet. This is the day, February 8, when I proposed her for marriage three years back. I was talking to my wife on skype and my sister who stays in Singapore surprised her by arranging a cake and wine. I saw my wife’s teary eyes and could not stop myself from a drink!”
“That’s so sweet… you love your wife very much.”
“I guess you were talking to your husband sometimes back?” I asked.
“Yes”
“Can I offer a drink for you?”
“Yes…”
I raised my hand and signaled the waiter “repeat both please.”
“Hope I didn’t scare you when I asked you to join me!”
“For a moment yes but not to worry I know Kung Fu and I have pepper spray in my purse!” she smirked.
“Woohoo…now that’s scary! Anyways… What’s your plan for Valentine’s Day?”
“Nothing… I am alone in town. What’s yours? Is she gonna be back in town by then?”
“No… she will be there for two more weeks and so don’t really have any plan for the day”
“Hey! It’s 11.30 already. It’s closing time for the pub… and I got to go,” she said as she checked her watch.
“Oh Yes! I have to cook dinner for myself too.”
“Are we meeting tomorrow then?”
“Yes. I would love to, if you don’t mind!” I smiled.
“Alright… same place, same time tomorrow?” she questioned as she emptied her glass.
“Sounds good for me.”
“Catch you tomorrow then. Bye and take care. And yes, thank you so much for the drink. Tomorrow will be my turn!” she said in one breath and walked away.

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