A CINDRELLA Story

Falling in love with a 50 year old

I understand that it is easy to say than follow, but this time it has come from my heart. I am not a regular blogger of course not by choice. Most occasionally I open my blog link with the hope of writing a blog today and think for hours for a suitable topic. And it happens always, I close the window and try to concentrate on other things, so to divert my mind from the urge of writing a blog and my helplessness to not been able to search an interesting topic, engaging enough for readers to read like a story.

This time the events on a particular day was falling in such order as if God wanted me to write a blog on the same soon after the day and the day's experience is over. 

It was an eventful day throughout but got exciting and thrilling as the day passed. It was a sunday morning supposed to be a resting and trouble free day. I woke up thinking that ‘today I will take care of myself and relax after a hectic office week’ only to realize that my maid had not come. It was heartening to even consider of me wasting another weekend on household work and wait for next weekend to think about me.

I somehow managed, worked, cleaned, cooked and then completely tired went to bed for some nap. My phone rang, boss calling…. Ohh no, please don’t call on a Sunday, this was the last thing I wanted to happen that too on a holiday.‘I am tired…please...’ however I picked the call anyway. He complained as I didn’t pick his call in the morning. I told him my current state of getting employed as a maid in my own house, he sympathized and said ‘then you would not be able to come at The Lalit Hotel’. My initial reaction was WHY would I??? After a brief frown and complain I remembered that yes… one of our client had a charity function at the hotel and have invited BOMAN IRANI for supporting the cause. Fumbled on how to react and instantly said, ‘yes I am coming’. But then realized and went into a thought as client never told us to be present there. I asked my boss if he was joking and saying it sarcastically. He said that he was serious. I again inquired if he was seriously serious, “mother swear” was his reply.

As I was already late in getting the message therefore I had little margin time to do anything else so without wasting any more time, I assured him that I will be there as soon as possible. I straight away got ready wearing my new Tshirt and trouser (after all, I will be meeting Boman Irani, one of my favorite actors). “I always dreamt of becoming an actress and if I will become one someday then would like to work with my favorite threesome, Boman, Arshad, Ritesh (I love comedy J)”. Ok, enough of dreaming, I am getting late. Speeding for getting ready, I wore the pair of sandals which was easily available and was lying out of the shoe rack. Then I left the house with a dream of getting clicked with him, even if we would be standing far from each other or if standing in a group.

On the road, I fetched an auto for metro station and told him to hurry up. As he was taking me to the station, one of his colleague auto wala told him that police van is standing ahead and there is no way that any auto can go till metro because the area is restricting the entry of autos. He dropped me 300 meters behind the station, I told him to atleast drop me somewhere nearby but he apologized. I abused him in my heart and gave him money with great twinge in my heart. Wearing a heel and running was not the option. As I was walking fast on rock laid street and was crossing the road, suddenly my foot tripped on a big rock and it broke my sandal as if it was taking its last breath. 

WTF was my immediate reaction. How much I have to struggle and suffer embarrassment to meet Boman Irani (50 year old who act as a father of most heroines in movies), my excitement started to dip and I cursed my decision of saying yes for coming for the event, that too on a Sunday knowing that I was exhausted since morning. Anyways, it was not a personal trip but an official one so I kept moving, stumbling, falling and yet going forward. I gave a call at home and asked my housemates to get a fresh pair of sandals but then I realized that waiting here for someone to come to me to get the sandals will waste another half hour of crucial time, so I called my housemates again to not to bother and assured them that I will get some cobbler here at the roadside. However there was none at the sight and as getting late was not the option, I took a richshaw till metro station. On the rickshaw, I tried to temporary fix it but to no avail. I got down and entered the metro station, realizing that the broken pair has decreased my speed of walking tremendously and that too when I was already late. 

I could see the angry and agitated face of my boss scolding me for coming late on every event. 

Fearful, I took my sandals in my hand and ran with bare foot like someone has stolen my purse. I ran the long pathway area to catch the metro. It was a huge lane that I traveled barefooted and starring eyes kept running with me. I entered the security area and then went downstairs to board the metro. Took a seat and watched my feet, entirely dust covered and brown in color. I cried watching my freshly pedicure feet in this state. As metro started to sped, I sat there relaxed and taking long breaths as no further running was required; I started to work on fixing my broken sandal. The strap did get inside but till how long it will stay there??? Bad thoughts bounded me, “I will face embarrassing glances at such a high profile event when I will walk stumbling in a 5 star hotel lobby”. I regretted on my another hasty decision of stopping my housemates for getting a pair of sandal from home L

Ohh God, is it a good day (chance to see and meet Boman Irani) or going to be a very very bad day. My sandal did get better after some alteration and I came out at Rajiv Chowk metro station. But as soon as I climbed the escalator, it broke again L

Uncertain about my future, I kept moving stumbling and falling to fetch the auto for The Lalit hotel. My mind was racing on the kind of looks I will have to bear from so called high profile page 3 people, if I walk with broken sandal or decide to walk bare foot. I consoled myself by thinking that, “I will set up a new fashion trend by walking bare foot ;) who cares….”

Watching me walking hesitant and staggering, one aged sardarji stopped and offered me ‘Quick Fix’ and said “beta ye laga lo, thodi der ke lie chapal chipak jaegi”. I was like J J J J J J He cannot be a common man, he is God who have come in disguise as a savior but why will God come on earth for such a petty issue of fixing my broken sandal? The issue is big for me but for God it is just another series of stupid decisions that I made on a single day one after the other. He is just another good Human Being. He stood there for more than 5 minutes to pierce the Quick fix bottle with the pin he pulled from his turban and then handed me the bottle saying, “lelo aaram se fix kar lo”. Just as the popular saying goes… “Insan hi insan ke kaam aata hai”, Here “sardar hi sardar ke kaam aaya hai” ;-)

I sat there on the stairs forgetting that I may be looking a fool and tried to get the strap inside the broken area on the right side of the sandal. Yeahhh yippeeee… It got inside and was not coming out. I stood and started to walk, heaaayyyyaaa I moved 5 steps without stumbling…. Yeahh I came out of the metro station without getting the strap out of the hole. The greasy substance and the whole process of fixing my sandal made my hands look like I had broken several rocks after working in a coal factory. Thik hai, 5 star hotels have bathrooms spacious and well equipped than our bedrooms at home. I will never keep 2 enlarged sofas, mirror at every wall, 4 hand moisturizer dispensers, 4 commodes separated by partition and 3 wash basins in my bathroom.

Okkk. Finally I can see the hotel entrance and got down from the auto blessing the auto wala as if he gave me a lift free of cost. Anyways I hurriedly entered the lobby and then the hall where the event was taking place. I could see my boss standing with the client looking at me. I hoped that he will not do the usual bashing in front of her but they welcomed me very graciously as if someone told them regarding my ‘Sandal breaking story’. I asked regarding Boman and they informed me that he has not come in yet and I was glad that I was on time and not missed his single glimpse or any part of his performance.  

After few dance performances from some groups which came from Kolkata, it was time for Boman to come on stage. I stood at the entrance of the hall along with the client and my boss. Here I can see him from far walking towards me, he was coming more closer to me… more close … more close and as he reached near the point I was standing, the client took him to enter the auditorium where he was supposed to sing, perform and entertain the audience. I followed him and entered the room and took a seat quickly so as not to miss his single act. His was a brilliant performance making the spectators laugh, sing, clap and enjoy completely. He is not only funny in movies reading scripted lines, he was actually very witty and made the audience laugh at every of his one liners and situational jokes. He was a darling as he interacted with the patients, the audience, like he is among one of them. I could not sense a single sting of ego which mostly big stars carry with them. Still as he was a star, I was little scared to go near him. After his scintillating performance, he came down from the stage and all lights were switched on. I was to get him interviewed with the Aaj Tak channel but people were just not letting him free. I broke the crowd and went near him. He was meeting and wishing everyone as if he knows them since childhood. I was amazed to see that he knows everyone and it’s only me who would be a stranger to him. I started clicking his picture with my phone to show to my family that I stood so near him (till that time I was not sure if I would get a chance to get clicked with him). After awhile, I finally got to speak with him and I seeked his permission of giving an interview to Aaj Tak. His reply was, ohh sure sure, tell them to come. I requested him to please stand in front of the banner and he ASKED me the place where should he stand, idhar khada hou main ya udhar… tell me where??? ohhh my God, celebrities can actually be so adorable. After an overwhelming interview I accumulated the courage of asking him for a photograph with me. I gave my phone to his assistant and asked for a favour of clicking my picture with him. As I went near him to ask for a picture together, he instantly said, sure come and he held his hand on my arm on the other side holding it tight like hugging me facing the camera. I started to tremble and then suddenly I heard him saying, “You also do Jaddu ki Jappi”. Ohhh my God...., I also put my arm at his waist and held it tight from behind but my arm was so small to even reach the other side of his waistline. I was so tiny and our standing together sight gave people the impression as if a “khali” has hugged “Rajpal Yadav”. He is a dinasour and I am a swirrel. He is standing at 3^rd floor and I am at ground floor. He is big grandfather and I am his just born granddaughter. I remembered my client saying that he is on strict diet and has lost lot of weight. I thought that if he would have met me before losing weight then I would not have even reached to hold his half part of the waist.

I was in dreams thinking of him and the picture was clicked. I went to see my pic and the cameraman (Boman’s assistant) said the picture is not clear as the flash was off. Ohh noo.. 1 pic and that too not clear. I asked the assistant if I should go again and disturb him for a silly thing like this then he told me to switch on the flash and go ahead. I went again and asked him ki “sir picture achi nai aai”… his reply “picture achi nai aai to come-on, mukesh (his assistant)  click good picture this time, come onn"… heheheheheh… that means Boman also wanted to get clicked with me ;) he seems so happy and got ready for a second posing. Click click click ;) hehehehehe… I thanked him for letting me get a picture again with him and his reply, “ek baar aur dekh lo ki picture thik aa gai” otherwise he was ready for a 3^rd time posing and clicking with me.. hmmm Naughty…His generosity and humbleness took my breath and made me fall in love with him.

It is not a big deal for him but it was one of the memorable experiences of my life and ofcourse who falls in love with a 50 year old daily. During the dinner time as I held my plate, I was only thinking the hug, the jadu ki jappi, his kind words and his face throughout the evening. I didn't listen to what my boss was telling me to do and instructing me the office work for tomorrow as I was constantly thinking about Boman with a constant grin on my face J

After the party was over, my boss dropped me at nearby metro station and I immediately took my phone out of my bag and wrote a message, “yippe I met Boman Irani today and he hugged me tight :P” copy pasting and sending to all my contact list. Then my phone didn’t stop beeping… from congratulations messages to jealous posts to blessing texts for another 2 hours. Only by getting a chance to get clicked with a star makes you a temporary star among your near and dear ones. Anyways, the smirk and grin was not leaving my lips and throughout the journey I could only see his face flashing in front of my eyes. As I reached closer to my home, I thought that the eventful night is about to end and just before climbing stairs, my sandal strap broke again making me climb the stairs with bare foot. Who cares now, I don’t need you was my reply to my sandal….. As I reached home, I woke everyone from their slumber and started to narrate everything that happened to me and Boman. With the excitement he showed to get clicked with me, I think that either he has also fallen in love with me or he has decided to adopt me (Looking at my picture everyone was saying that he is looking like my grandfather). No probs, I am happy either way, just want to get associated with him through any relation, be his girlfriend or his granddaughter ;-)

Thank you Boman for an action-packed evening J I am happy I got a chance to meet you.

Now that I did it all that Cindrella did, from cleaning house to getting ready to meet my dream man and breaking my sandal, will Boman come looking for me too matching the size of the footwear ;-)