Prachinta sprang back to life today
Vinay caught Prachinta unawares. She was completely engrossed in reading the article on her PC, when he walked in unannounced. She had been expecting him to show up. Yet when he walked in, it surprised her and it made her adrenalin gush a little. Inside her, she wondered how it might be possible to behave like a colleague with him. Would it be possible to discuss work with this man, before whom she had bared her innermost truths?
Vinay seemed unfettered. He sank into the nearest chair to the door with a grace, reducing the size of the already small room. The room seemed to fill with him, while she receded into its fringe. It felt to Prachinta as though all professionalism and intelligence had just been trampled under Vinay’s tallness.
“So, let’s discuss the time division and divide the working hours so that you and I can step in for each other and avoid confusion.” Vinay spoke as though they had been talking about work for a very long time. Those should have been my words- thought Prachinta.
” Yes.” Prachinta felt as though she had forgotten the agenda of their meeting. She had been planning what needed to be shared during the meeting the whole morning, and yet she suddenly felt blank. She hated it. There was nothing between Vinay and her. She could be sure that Vinay felt nothing for her. And yet she felt a mild congestion in her chest.
Her life recently, had been focused on work and nothing else. With work pressing her down, she had even turned unattractive and she felt old. Now, in Vinay’s presence, she started to feel so ugly and foolish, she wished the meeting was over and Vinay would leave. She hated the feeling that he brew, transforming her into a desperate, hopeless creature.
“What are the updates? What else are we planning to work on now?” Vinay asked
Prachinta turned back to her PC and started to open different files. Trying to explain to Vinay the progress of work, was gradually turning into an ordeal. The computer had turned into a monster! Vinay dragged himself in the chair, next to Prachinta, to get a better view of the PC. It was the first time she had been alone with Vinay in a room and it stifled her. As though sensing it, Vinay drew his chair away. She felt uglier.
Dinesh walked into the room, “Sorry I was caught up with something.”
The rest of the meething, was a dialogue between Dinesh and Vinay, while Prachi faded into a wallpaper. When Vinay said, “Right, so I will see you guys again next week.” she felt relieved.
When he walked out of the room, she felt a little sore within her.
Posted on April 7, 2008
