We were queuing up at the cafeteria, waiting to fill our plates with food kept warm in baines-maries. It was the day after the Derby, and one of India's oldest newspapers - as has been its new wont - carried on its front page, above the fold, a mosaic of photographs of exquisitely and exotically dressed derby-goers. Comments on the picture cantered into the conversation: about the outsized shades and hats, the flowing gowns, and the charming faces. A consensus was building up on who among the ladies photographed was 'sexy.' Pretty, ravishing, even beautiful, might have been more appropriate adjectives, but sexy was being used instead, ignoring the seemingly unintended lascivious lacing that got into the chatter.
A colleague who'd been delayed by work slipped into the line among us, much to the ire of the long tail. He was in the derby mood, too. He, however, found the horses sexy, almost giving Equus a prurient makeover in keeping with the times. Of course, he only meant - and I believe him - to compliment the vigour of the racing horses!
On another day, I see a few people hunched over my colleague's computer screen. There are some giggles and congratulations, and then, "Wow! She's super cute!" The guy wears a Harley Davidson biker jacket and helmet as he rides his Royal Enfield Thunderbird, and listens only to Heavy Metal. I was sure he wasn't married or, taboo as it still is even for a Metal-head, fathered a child out of wedlock. Perhaps, he was showing the photograph of a nibling, or of a mirthful child he had met or been. Or, did he have a kitten-loving alter ego, now?
I squeezed in and peeked into the monitor. I saw the picture of a lass, and even as I tried to make sense of it all, I overheard someone asking the colleague about when he was to wed. I shook his hand and muttered a congratulation, when he told me the lass in the picture was his lady love - Priya.
A lady addressed him - "She's super cute! You'll make a cute couple! Congratulations, again! And treat us, Leela Palace, while you can still spend your money as per your whims!!" - and there was happy laughter. Sure, they might have made a cute couple, only if they had married when they were still in primary school.
A colleague who'd been delayed by work slipped into the line among us, much to the ire of the long tail. He was in the derby mood, too. He, however, found the horses sexy, almost giving Equus a prurient makeover in keeping with the times. Of course, he only meant - and I believe him - to compliment the vigour of the racing horses!
On another day, I see a few people hunched over my colleague's computer screen. There are some giggles and congratulations, and then, "Wow! She's super cute!" The guy wears a Harley Davidson biker jacket and helmet as he rides his Royal Enfield Thunderbird, and listens only to Heavy Metal. I was sure he wasn't married or, taboo as it still is even for a Metal-head, fathered a child out of wedlock. Perhaps, he was showing the photograph of a nibling, or of a mirthful child he had met or been. Or, did he have a kitten-loving alter ego, now?
I squeezed in and peeked into the monitor. I saw the picture of a lass, and even as I tried to make sense of it all, I overheard someone asking the colleague about when he was to wed. I shook his hand and muttered a congratulation, when he told me the lass in the picture was his lady love - Priya.
A lady addressed him - "She's super cute! You'll make a cute couple! Congratulations, again! And treat us, Leela Palace, while you can still spend your money as per your whims!!" - and there was happy laughter. Sure, they might have made a cute couple, only if they had married when they were still in primary school.
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