Page 61 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

He said, ‘Did you recently break up?’

Everything about him was moderate, except for the simple audacity of
raising such a question, or even to know something of this sort at first
glance.
‘Who are you?’

‘I’m the owner of this place.’

‘Ricky?’ Having stayed in Goa for three years by then, I was familiar
with Goans naming their establishments after themselves.
‘When did this happen?’

‘What?’
‘The break up?’

‘We have not broken up. Why would you care?’
‘It looks like you aren’t sleeping well. Coffee is more expensive than
beer in Goa. If you’re ordering that, something is definitely up with you!

Better for my business though,’ he chuckled and left.
‘Creepy fellow!’ I sighed.

As I sipped my cup of coffee, the song in the background changed to the
cult classic ‘Let It Be ’ by The Beatles. I took out my smartphone from my
pocket. It was something I had longed to do in the past few minutes as I was
keenly waiting for Tara’s call; she had promised that she would call.

I hadn’t taken a look at the notifications in the last ten minutes due to the
hasty march towards the shack, as opposed to the past few weeks when my
average rate of checking the cell phone was an incredulous 100 times a
minute, except for the three hours of sleep at night, enough for a person to
be termed as deranged. I was not deranged—just an insomniac, or so I told
myself to not end up questioning my rationality every few seconds.

One New Message, the screen read.
I tapped the app icon with the excitement of a small child poking soap

bubbles blown by roadside toy-vendors at tourist places such as The
Gateway of India. However, it was not Mumbai and I was not a child, but
all I was here with was immense hope.

It’s not working anymore.
I am getting married.
All the best.