Close Shave

A small-time real-estate agent from the crumbling environs of Grant road and Charni road almost blunders into disaster under the spell of his attractive client. Only the very lucky few come out of such close shaves literally smelling roses. 

Sushila Ramani was gorgeous. She was tall, slim, with big flashing eyes, and a smile like the sunshine. Her skin glowed, her feet barely touched the ground. When Sanjay Motwani met her to show a 1BHK flat near Grant Road station, he could not take his eyes off her. He forgot he was married to Lata, that Lata was going to have a baby, that his mother-in-law was coming to live with them for the next two months.

Instead, he asked Sushila to wait on the footpath outside the building. “I have to check something first.” he mumbled, rushing off.

“Please come,” Sanjay said a few minutes later, leading her up to a flat infused with the aroma of a scented candle. A bouquet of flowers lay coyly on the kitchen counter. 

“This is the open hall, dining, and kitchen,” he said, her heady scent filling up his senses, “and this is the bedroom.” 

She moved forward to look. He drew closer, enthralled and bewitched by her intoxicating presence.

Suddenly, Chaand Ramani walked in. “Flowers and candles!” he exclaimed, “where did they come from?”

“You’re here,” Sushila said, turning to the smiling god-like specimen standing in the hall.

“I, I…” stammered Sanjay before the words came tumbling out of his mouth. “I got the flowers for my wife. She is expecting.”

“That is so romantic!” Sushila smiled approvingly, “your wife is lucky.”

“You’re back,” Lata said when Sanjay came home that evening. “Let’s buy some vegetables after our walk.” Then she stopped short, “why do you have flowers?”

“For you,” Sanjay smiled nonchalantly.

Lata glowed as she walked down the street clutching her precious flowers.

Suddenly, tires screeched, brakes squealed, a bus groaned to a halt, an angry horn ripped apart the air. The taxi slipped away down the street.

Lata stared disapprovingly, “these taxi drivers think every road belongs to them. That was such a close shave.”