Recap: Jayanthan, Rajan, Ahmed, and Mrs. Mangalam are all passengers on a morning train bound for Trichy, their workplace. They encounter Jyoti, a friendly and talkative vendor, at Poongudi station, where the train is usually delayed as it waits for another one.
Part 1: Coupling Signals
Chapter 4: Downpour Disappointment
One monsoon morning, the rain came down hard above our town. Heavy rain lashed down, getting me completely wet before I could even reach the train. My packed-breakfast, sadly, became a mushy, unappetitable casualty of the downpour.
As the train reached Poongudi, hunger haunted me. With a sheepish nod, I approached Jyoti, her presence momentarily erasing the rain’s gloom.
“One idly packet, please,” I mumbled, avoiding her gaze.
“Morning rough?” she asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.
My stomach gurgled in response. As I paid, I stole a peek – her hands danced expertly, flipping idly packets inside the basket, her eyes sparkling with mischief even as she chatted with customers.
Unwrapping the idly, I expected the usual burst of flavor. The sambar was like a watery soup, lacking the usual depth and complexity. Disappointment welled up, and I turned to Mrs. Mangalam, forgetting Jyoti stood right behind me. “Perhaps,” I made a wit, unable to resist a sarcastic comment, “the downpour was heavy inside the sambar and chutney pot too.”
A worried note crept into her voice as she asked from behind, “Is something wrong?”
The blood drained on my face. Jyoti stood as a silent witness to my complaint. I hadn’t meant to involve her, especially not after her kindness that morning. Swallowing my disappointment, I mumbled to Mrs. Mangalam, “Actually, it’s alright. Maybe I just need some…” I trailed off, searching for an alternative that wouldn’t hurt Jyoti’s feelings.
The silence stretched, heavy with the rain pounding on the roof.
(To be continued)
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He should blame it on his HANGRY pangs!
Ha ha. Cupid’s arrows may pierce his heart, But they won’t cause pain, will they? Thank you Careena Ji for visiting and commenting! Much appreciated 👍
Overhearing is the worst! How will he make up for this?
Thanks a bunch for supporting Jayanthan. Yes. It is hard to manage. Perhaps, Cupid is amused at his mumbling responses. And, it appears Cupid’s work is far from over. Thanks a lot for reading and commenting 🙏
uh oh! Did we just poke the bear? I wonder what he’ll say to save himself from Jyoti’s wrath.
You could be right. Jyoti doesn’t seem to be happy. Wear the seat belt! Things may get interesting 🙂 Thank you very much for your support. It means a great deal to me! 🙏
It may have been a rude comment but it was an astute observation so he is forgiven!
True. Sometimes the truth hurts, though it is delivered a bit harshly. But how can save himself from Jyoti’s eyes? Let’s see. Thank you so much for your ongoing encouragement. Your comments mean so much to me!
I loved the downpour on the sambhar and chutney pots and the images are actually mind blowing… 🙂
Downpour into sambar and chutney is mine and the images belong to AI! Your ongoing patronage of this series is greatly appreciated. 🙏