Page 53 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

from the locals to encourage their art and play a small yet significant part in
contributing to their livelihood.

I keep moving along the beach towards the less crowded corner. A couple
—probably Malaysian tourists, their t-shirts read so—ask me to click their
picture. We instantly strike a bond, engage in casual chit-chat and get a
picture clicked together. They also promise me to email them later.

I open my diary and scribble. Still looking for Ricky’s Shack in the
intervals. Where are you, Ricky?
A young girl, probably in her teens, approaches me. She smiles from a

distance, too hesitant to come near me. I smile back and continue to write in
my diary. As I look up, she is still standing there.
‘Hey! What’s your name?’

‘Parvathi,’ she chimes.
‘Why don’t you come here? Sit with me?’

‘Can I?’ she asks. Her innocent eyes look kind and full of aspirations.
‘Hey! So my name is…’ I move my hand forward as she interrupts,
‘Alara.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I follow your music on YouTube. ’
‘Really?’

‘I am your fan. Your music reminds me of Elisha.’
‘Who is she?’

‘You don’t know her? She’s one of our best singers. Goans still love her.
You must listen to her songs.’
‘Where do I download them?’

‘Oh no! She was more like a live performer of original compositions. She
never recorded for a music studio. Some recordings are available on the
internet, but they’re not very clear. There’s a place called Ricky’s Shack at
the end of the beach. Ricky has some good recordings as he was the

drummer of that band. However, he is a psycho and you’re supposed to
switch off your phone before entering. So the only way is to spend an
evening there,’ she points to the end of the beachline as she talks.
‘Can you do me a favor?’ I ask her.

‘Yes, only if you share an autograph of you,’ she says cheekily.