A bet - The last laugh!

P.S: I haven't written a story for long.. how ever my darling friend Neeraja told me one of her funniest incident on which this story is developed upon.. For this I dedicate my story to my darling sweetheart!

It is a beautiful wintery morning. Birds chirping, flying over the rosy hued sky with golden sun yawning lustily and peeping .. taking its own time rising. A wonderful day for morning walk. Not chilly enough to make you want to curl inside your blanket and not hot enough to sweat.

Standing in the line since pre dawn, the last thing Radha noticed is the weather. She was here in Tirupathi to visit the Lord Balaji. Not that she is very religious. It would be hard to believe that this girl praying fervently right now had once declared emphatically that if god exists he is an asshole. Incidentally, this irony was lost on her.

Tall with shoulder length dark thick silky hair, she should turn many a shoulders. But awkward grace and innate shyness made her pile up the hair under a cap which she refuses to take out even in the heat being cooped up in an narrow corridor; made her inconspicuous. A lil on the plump side she fights a daily losing battle with weight gain. Nondescript but regular features which on first look looks plain however gives a certain impish beauty to her face. We can say her beauty grows on you. Wearing a very unconventional attire for the temple visit- jeans and tee shirt thats 2 size too big for her , we could say that no one would bother to give her a second glance.


" Please god let him love me. I may not get such a tall man in my life again. He even has mustache! My dream man! I know I have been very disrespectful of you but I will make it up by intense religiousness all my life. Will do a big aarti for you. They say repentance is always accepted. Kindly accept mine."

Radha was busy praying since she started to stand in the queue. Queue that seemed endless and yet she wouldn't stop praying.

As the time passed most people lost their devoutness and started cracking jokes and chat with each other to pass time but not Radha. She was on a mission. Like everything else that she did in her life, Radha prayed with a doggedness that would have defeated most.

After 3 hours in the queue she finally reached near the inner sanctum of lord Balaji. She prayed,

" Please god give me some signal that you hear me! make something fall! Make Ronit love me. I know he is debonair.. he is handsome he is sexy.. please god.. I love him a lot. If you feel he can love me.. show me an indication.. make something fall! Please god. I wouldnot ask anything from you ever again! please!"


After offering her fleeting prayer she stared at god beseechingly.. willing for some flower to fall. Thats when there was a huge commotion in the back.

Apparently, someone had fallen down. And even in god's own home ppl cannot let go their ego.. or their anger and end up fighting with each other loudly. Radha's mouth curled into a smile on its own. She couldn't help but laugh at god's wry humor :)

It took all of her presence of mind and stamina for Radha to reach out of the temple avoiding the pushing angry and unruly devotees. *smirks*

" Can't you have a better meeting place? " Radha quipped as she looked up towards the open sky.

She was again at odds with God. He had given her a signal alright. As they say, better know what you are asking. The signal was as vague as confusing as it can get. Radha was yet clueless if god gave a positive or negative signal.

As she stood in the hot sun in the mid morning, all Radha could think was the bus.. and her home and AC. Two hours hence, the bus was no where in sight. Radha worked in an call center and had her shift by 5:30 in the evening and it was 12:00 pm. It was 5 hours of travel. Radha sighed. She will be late again. And all the effort she took was futile!

Ronit would still go to the party with Smruti the sexy sophisticated beautiful bitch!! Things couldn't have been worser. Radha's boss hated her for being the only girl in the team and a plain looking woman. Not only that, She was more competent with all the team put together. He is bound to use this chance to its fullest to be rude to her. As usual no one will interfere not even she herself. She has long given up the idea of fighting for injustice, she knows it doesnt help at all and it spoils the future. Its better to listen and forget.....

"Please god! I know you have a very nasty sense of humor. But i need to reach office on time! Lets have a bet. I am challenging you to make me reach office on time. I say its nearly impossible! If I reach office on time.. I accept for ever that you exist and that Ronit is mine.. or else I forever renounce you. So you better show some of your power and make me reach office on time."

Predictably, the bus arrives. And its surprisingly fast and com[letely empty. Radha sends an thank you message to god and keeps her fingers crossed. They reached the city in record time! It was just shy of 5:10 pm when the bus reached the bus stand.

And one more miracle, Radha got a cab to her office as soon as she got down.

"Thank you lord. Thanks for being there for me. I know i never accepted that you existed. But now I am a convert. Thank you."

Radha believed that today stars would change and Ronit will notice her. She starts sprucing herself in the cab itself. Suddenly the cab stops. The wristwatch shows that its 5:20 pm. She is not concerned. They are near her office.

She asks the driver, " Bhaiyya kya hua?" * What happened? *

" Malum nahi memsaab. Check karna padega." *donno got to check*

" Der lagega kya." * will it take time? *

"Ab kya batau.. pata nahi. Ek kaam kijiye aap dusra cab le lijiye"
* What can i say? I donno. Please take a different cab.*

" Ab office door nahi hai.. Agar der nahi hoga toh mein rukh sakti hoon"
* My office is not far. I can wait if it wont take time*

" Jaisi aapki marzi memsaab. 10-15 min lagenge atleast"
*As you wish maam. Wil take 10- 15 min atleast*

"Fir mein chalti hun. Kitna hua?" * Then I will leave. Whats the fare? *

"Aap rehne dijiye" *Let it be*

She could not believe her ears. A cab driver refusing fare?? !!! She became sure that miracles do happen and its happening to her!.

She saw that its 5:25 pm already and started to run. She will be sweaty and completely messy. Sleepless night and constant travel will show.. But she didn't care. Things are going to be just fine.

Surprisingly, she reached on time. Got lift on time. Radha quickly thanked god again.
As soon as she reached her bay she saw no one was around. When she asked a guy from opposite bay she realized everyone is congregated in the conference room.

She quickly reached the conference room and opened the door.

"Friends we are here to celebrate engagement of our very own Casanova. Yes ladies, Ronit is no longer free. He is engaged to none other than Smruti!!"

" Lets have a toast to their happy life together"

To avoid the roaring congratulations and excited back patting, Radha closed the door quietly.