Page 57 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

‘All set for the performance?’

‘A little nervous, as we’ve sold tickets this time.’
‘That’s a good sign!’

I head towards the stage. It’s still an hour before I start performing, but I
like familiarizing myself with the performance space to deal with stage
fright. While I am still practising in front of a few people seated at Ricky’s,
a girl smiles at me from a distance. She’s here with a friend probably. Ricky
and the girls are having an animated conversation. Her smile feels familiar
and comforting. Oh! I recognize her from the railway station. I feel

compelled to go and speak to her.
As I reach closer to her I notice that she’s wearing a black dress, smells
amazing, has red lipstick on, and just a lean choker around her neck. It is
dull golden colour and perfectly complements her skin that resembles ripe
blossoms of wheat shrubs. She picks up a glass of water placed on the

adjacent table, takes a sip, and places it back. Try this, look into someone’s
eyes when they drink water, they look inexplicably innocent. When I look
into someone’s eyes, I know exactly the kind of people they are. She isn’t
the kind who would hide her insecurities behind her heels.

‘Hello,’ I say as I break into their conversation.
‘Have we met before?’ the girl chimes.

‘Yes, at the railway station.’
‘Oh, yes! Thanks for helping me out.’

‘By the way, my name is Aarav. I am performing tonight. I am a...’
‘Novice stand-up comedian,’ Uncle Ricky interrupts and continues,
‘Why don’t you perform tonight? If we like it, you can perform every

Saturday.’
For Ricky, flirting is not sacred. It is not only her with whom he would
flirt. He would do this with every woman who crossed his path. Being

straight, he could only cajole the guys, like me. This inclination of his was
more towards tourists though. His can be termed a personality with
congenital flirting disorder. He could have started flirting as early as he was
a zygote. He must have winked at the gynecologist every time his mother
went to a clinic for an ultrasound. Although he is jaunty and carefree at
heart, I do not like him for his flirting obsession. He flatters everyone and
can keep people happy with this idiosyncrasy of his. He is smart, intelligent,