THE SHADY CHARACTER SYNDROME--WINDOW SHOPPING

THE  SHADY  CHARACTER  SYNDROME

By A.V. Dhanushkodi

WINDOW  SHOPPING

One fine evening, I was taking a leisurely walk in Besant Nagar.  As I got into the Second Avenue, my sight fell on Spencers Department Stores.  I remembered that  I needed to buy something.  I stepped into the store, but was not sure where I would find what I wanted.  I thought of asking an assistant there, but changed my mind to first look at all the things that were on the shelves.  So I started at one end of the store and went methodically, shelf by shelf, taking my time, picking up things, reading the labels and putting them back.  There were other customers going through more or less the same act of “window shopping”.  Among them I noticed a tall, lean, and attractive young girl looking at the products on the shelves and at others now and then.

I moved on to the next section of shelves and was indulging in the same kind of “window shopping”, when I noticed the young girl follow me almost immediately and continue to window shop.  Now and then, she took a quick glance at me, but would avert my eyes, when I caught her in the act.  First I thought, perhaps she was attracted to me, a flattering thought, but soon I dismissed it, being aware that I was not all that attractive or handsome.  Then I realized the reason for her behaviour, when I remembered that I had acted in many stage plays, in about six feature films, and about the same number of TV serials.  Perhaps she was unable to place me, but felt shy to ask me, unlike almost all those who recognized me as an actor and confronted me with the question boldly.  Or, perhaps, she was merely a customer like me trying to find the article she wanted to buy.

Having exhausted the second section of shelves, I moved on to the third.  Within seconds, she was there in the third section, rummaging through the shelves and stealing glances at me now and then.  This time, I was more or less sure she was not there to buy anything.  Perhaps she was there only to window shop, like me.  The next time our eyes met, I smiled at her, but she instantly turned away, unable to hide her annoyance.   I took a few steps towards her to say “hello”, but sensing my intention, she moved over to the opposite row of shelves in the section, an obvious indication that she did not welcome the idea. 

Being rather sensitive in such matters, I dropped the idea and moved on to the next section, but there she was, promptly close on my heels.  Now I began to get annoyed.  I decided to complain to the store manager, if she persisted in her cat and mouse game.  Although I tried, however hard I could, to ignore her presence, I could not.  She was hovering around, within the periphery of my vision, now left, now right, and now behind.  What kind of a game was she playing?  Finally, I took a firm decision that,  if she followed me to the next section, I would definitely go to the Store Manager.  With that resolution, I moved to the next section.

After a few moments,  I realized to my surpise that she had not followed me.  I was greatly relieved, when I suddenly caught sight of her talking to someone near the counters, who looked important enough to be the Store Manager.  She was pointing in my direction now and then.  Was she complaining about me, that I was harassing her?  Probably, yes.  I was furious now.  That made up my mind for me.

I started walking towards them when, at the same moment, I saw them walking towards me.  We met halfway, but before I could open my mouth, I saw a look of extreme surprise and a broad smile appear on the young man’s face.  When we were near enough, he extended his hand with a, “Sir!  What a pleasant surprise!  How are you?” 

I gave him my hand, for a warm handshake.  The girl was visibly flustered and at a loss to know what to do. 

“Sorry, I don’t recognize you.  Have we met before?”  I was asking him, as he pumped my hand up and down, almost dislocating all my bone joints from the fingers to the shoulder.  Now, the girl was getting flushed with embarrassment. 

“What Sir?  Don’t you recognize me?  I am Vinod.  Your student for three years.”

“My God, Vinod, you!  You were such a horrible little golliwog, when you  were my student!      But now you have grown up to be a handsome young

man,” I exclaimed and added, “and who is this pretty young girl?”as she was attempting to slip out of the scene. 

Vinod caught her by the arm, “Sir, this is Malini, my wife.  We were recently married.  Malini, meet Mr. Dhanushkodi, my art teacher, way back ten years ago.”

Malini had no option but to greet me with a namaskar, her face red.

“Well, young girl, were you complaining to Vinod that I was sexually harassing you?”

She was stunned and speechless.

Vinod laughed heartily, “Sir, not exactly, but she was complaining.  You see Sir,  I am the Store Manager and she is the house dick.”

Now, I laughed heartily, but there still was one matter that needed clarification. 

“Tell me Vinod,” I asked him seriously, “do I look like a shady character, a kleptomaniac?”

Vinod looked at me keenly for a few seconds and answered, with a serious face and tone, “To be frank Sir, yes, you do.”

We three burst out laughing so loudly, that all eyes around us were on us with a look of annoyance.

Soon after, I took leave of the fine couple and stepped out.  I was happy that an unpleasant event turned out to be pleasant in the end.   I thrust my hands in my pockets, my habit whenever I was in a happy mood.  I stopped suddenly, when I felt my left hand groping at something in my pocket beside my bunch of keys.  I pulled it out.

To my horror, I was staring at a brand new Eveready Battery Recharger, I had been wanting to buy for quite some time!

A.V. Dhanushkodi

June 28, 2011