“Do you think she will say yes?” asked an anxious Raj to his friends as they stood near the ice-cream cart outside their school gate.
His friends looked at him in amazement. They just couldn’t believe that a coward like Raj could pull such a thing off. They were totally taken aback when Raj told them that as the school bell rang and most students left the classroom, he rushed towards Niharika, handed her a chit and dashed out of the class. Raj told them, that he had written all his feelings for Niharika in that chit and had asked her to meet him outside the school gate if her answer was a ‘yes’.
All the boys felt a huge respect for Raj after listening to this episode. Although they usually loved to jeer at him, today they felt really happy. After all their friend was the first in the group who had dared to propose a girl.
But despite their goodwill, they were clueless about Niharika’s decision. So, instead of discouraging their friend, they chose to focus on the ice- cream bars at hand.
Raj too didn’t have a clear answer. How could he have one, he was too excited to be able to think clearly. His heart was beating fast and he was imagining countless situations. He felt a chill run down his spine as he asked his friends, “What if she wants to say yes but declines the proposal lest her parents or our class teacher finds things out?”
Once again, the friends were clueless.
Raj understood their silence and placed his right foot on the wheel of the ice-cream cart to stop the nervous fidgeting. Whatever it was, like his friends he too realized that ice-cream was the best go to option. He handed a ten rupees note to Manohar bhaiya (the ice-cream cart puller), who in return gave him his favourite orange bar.
How ironical it was! Manohar bhaiya, a barely literate person standing outside the school, knew more about student’s lives than their teachers or parents. He loved listening to these stories children shared about their lives while eating ice-creams and hanging around his cart. Through these tales Manohar got a chance to live a life he never had: The school life.
He would always listen but seldom participate in their discussions. After all, he knew he was just the ice-cream man. Not that he would be unwelcome in their discussions but nevertheless Manohar liked to admire them from a distance.
Manohar had heard so many tales from Raj and his friends. After all they came to his cart frequently. He knew all about Raj’s fear of showing his report card at home and now also about his first crush. As he watched Raj eating the ice-cream, Manohar observed how Raj’s eyes were on the lookout for someone. Finally, Raj exclaimed, “Guys! I don’t think she will be coming. It’s 2:20 already.”
Just as he finished the sentence, the van drivers started honking aggressively. Raj looked around. This was the signal for his friends to sit on their respective vans and head home.
Raj’s friends looked at him morosely.
Raj looked back and said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to come tomorrow!”
“But won’t you go home?” asked one boy
“I’ll sit in the park for some time!” replied Raj half-heartedly
The school bell had rung at 1:45 PM. It was 2:25 PM now. Raj understood that if it was a yes from Niharika then it wouldn’t have taken her so long to meet him. With a sigh, he said to himself, “So this is how rejection feels” and began walking towards the park adjacent to the school compound.
Manohar saw Raj walk away but soon became occupied in other ice-cream orders. He was totally engrossed when he saw a girl running around frantically.
“Must have missed her van” Manohar wondered.
In about five minutes, the same girl, stood near the cart and rested to catch her breath. One of the girls having an ice-cream near the cart saw her and exclaimed, “Niharika! Wanna have an ice-cream?”
Relieved on seeing a familiar face, Niharika replied, “No buddy! I came to meet Raj but I am unable to find him. The art teacher caught me on my way and asked me to help her in the decorations for tomorrow’s assembly. I got late and I think Raj must have left by now.”
Manohar heard her and easily put two and two together. He knew this was the girl Raj was talking about and he genuinely wanted to help. But he understood that if he told her directly that Raj was in the park, she would feel uncomfortable hearing it from a stranger.
Just then Manohar felt a pat on his back. It was Brijesh, the paan-waala around the corner who asked, “What’s up Manohar! Are the sales good?”
And suddenly it clicked.
Manohar replied a tone louder than usual to catch Niharika’s attention, “All good brother, just some boys trouble me. They take the ice-creams but then sit in the park, forgetting all about payment.”
Fortunately, the word ‘park’ rang a bell in Niharika’s head and she headed there straightaway. Manohar felt happy to see her going in the right direction. He wanted to wait but it was time to move his cart to the evening market.
The next afternoon, Raj’s friends came again at Manohar’s cart. They ordered for the usual ice-creams but spoke nothing of Raj’s fate. Manohar was beginning to feel anxious, just when he saw a couple, walking towards him hand in hand. He easily recognized them; they were Raj and Niharika.
Raj greeted Manohar with a smile and placed an order for two orange bars. Manohar happily took the money and gave out the ice-creams.
Maybe what people say is true. When two people are meant to be together, even the universe helps in mysterious ways. And maybe, those who sell ice-creams can actually make everyone happy.
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About the author: Arijit Roy has majored in English Literature from Delhi University. He is a writer and a poet, and his words paint a vivid picture of whatever is being written. From diction to content to the nitty gritties, it’s a wonderful journey perusing his work.
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