Avalon

Hard to say when you love

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Raindrops were pattering upon the weatherbeaten cobblestone pavements when Ish and I got to the Powder Tower. We hastened our footsteps, the dark visage looming ever nearer with every step. That was the meeting place, and it sure took us a while allowing our eyes to rove about until we made out Somali and Agnelo amidst the throngs of passers-by hurrying past. They were waving to us, Sonali all huddled up in a hooded pullover, Agnelo with his hands wrapped around his trunk, clad in a Ralph Lauren jacket.

We exchanged brief greetings before moving towards the nearest shelter in sight, the shopping centre just a few steps away. It was then I told Agnelo how surprised I was that he could join the three of us for dinner. "I postponed my boat cruise to tomorrow." He said, his eyes gleaming, "The rain was so bad today and when I went back to my hotel, Sonali rang me up. It was all in good time." I smiled in reply, shoving the umbrella I was holding to his side.

"No no, don't get yourself wet." He patted my shoulders, where a few raindrops had accumulated on my jacket.

It did not take long to decide on a place to have dinner. The Indian restaurant on the top floor of the shopping mall seemed to be just there, all inviting.

"I can't believe we are here in Prague getting Indian food." Sonali exclaimed.

"Well, I am sure it will not be Indian food, but European Indian food." Ish supplemented.

"We were shown our table, and eventually the three Indians calmly scrutinised the menu, filling me in with what each dish contains and subsequently deliberating over what to order.

"I think I will get a drink. Maybe a glass of Johnnie Walker." Agnelo announced. He had told me to call him Agnelo instead of "sir" or "uncle" some time before, while giving me the same pat on the shoulder as a form of added reassurance.

"I will get a cocktail." Sonali said.

"Me too." Ish joined in.

"Just coffee for me."

Dinner proceeded thereafter, each of us talked about what we have done during our travels so far, and our plans for tomorrow. In the midst of it, Agnelo was talking about his interest in ball-room dancing, and how his wife just could not dance at all.

"You know, Agnelo actually has this list of 1000 things-to-do list." Sonali looked up from her vegetarian dish.

"No way."

I took a glance at Agnelo. The man was munching on a slice of butter chicken, a placid look on his face. When he was done he said, "Well, I read this book about the 1000 things to do before you die, you see."

"He's at the 500 mark." Sonali chirped, eyes darting from side to side.

"Amazing." I said.

Agnelo scratched his head, pushing back the tufts of grey and white as he spoke. "It's not exactly 500 places but things, rather. I will consider this event as one thing, for example."

"To the next 500 things then." Sonali lifted her glass.

"To us all, for having met each other here." Agnelo quickly joined in.

We brought our glasses together, feeling how strangely the glasses clinked, just like how we collided into each other. Four separate individuals travelling on their own.

"Why do you travel alone?" I was curious.

"For that I have a perfect answer. You see, I have been working hard for most of my life, supporting my family and all, such that I rarely get the chance to enjoy. I have brought my family to most parts of the world and I have been travelling with my wife for quite some time now. But you know, my wife loves to shop, and I don't, so it is not easy. What I want to see, she probably doesn't. So when I went to see my doctor for my regular checkup, he asked me what I want to do now. I said I would want to travel more, see the world, and told him of my situation. 'Why don't you go alone?' He asked me, and I thought, yeah, why not? So here I am."

He noticed that we were all paying close attention by now, and took a sip from his glass before continuing, "My wife figured she could just spent the money set aside for travelling on her purchases, so all worked out well."

"Good to have worked it out this way." Ish said. Sonali and I nodded.

"Well, me and my wife, we came a long way."

"Oh, tell us."

He took another sip from his glass, contemplating, but remained silent for a while. "That's just another story. I could write a book."

"Oh come on, tell us!"

He thought for a while. "Just a little bit then."

"My wife and I went through alot. Back then when we met, I fell in love with her, but I was a Catholic and she was an orthodox Hindi. Her family forbid us to get together. so the third day after I met her, we eloped." He related everything in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You eloped with her?"

"Yes, we decided to elope together, but her family caught up with us, almost ready to kill me. They sent her away, all the way to Bombay. They threatened me, they did. Told me to stay away from her and not to go looking for her."

"It must have been difficult." Ish remarked.

"I was going to find her, absolutely. But her father, my father-in-law, he sent a gang leader to get at me. Now I knew this gang leader, he married for love as well. He had the same experience, in an inter-class marriage. So I told him, 'Are you going to hurt me, knowing that I am in the same situation as you?' And he said, 'No, of course not.' He let me off, and I went to my uncle, who helped me seek protection with a higher up at the time. That powerful man wrote a letter to her family. 'As long as you touch one strand of hair on this boy, you and your family will have to answer.'"

We sat there in mild bewilderment, occasionally eyeing each other, without muttering a word.

"Ok now, let's go!" Agnelo got up with a start, making a gesture for the bill.

When we had walked out of the restaurant, someone exclaimed. "Tell us more!"

Agnelo tried to hurry us to walk on, but quickly gave in. With a look of quiet resignation, he opened up his palms and said, "Well, after that, we got married. My father-in-law, he eventually came to respect me, because I started from nothing, and gradually went up to where I am now. In fact, when he was older, he actually came to me for advice at times. He really grew to like me."

"That's so inspiring. You should get it published." I said.

"It will be a best-seller, yeah?" He replied, a glint in his eyes.

"That's a great story." Sonali concluded.

"That's great love." Ish added.

"I guess ball-room dancing probably doesn't matter that much after all right?" I concluded, jokingly.

Agnelo lowered his head, his hands tucked into his shirt pockets. "Yes, I guess so."

"When will it be your turn, then?" He turned to me, a cunning spark lighting up his face.

"Well, I will see." I shrugged. "It's hard to say, when you love."

Envoy of the Stars @ 4:21 PM
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