A Stranger's Company

That day, I chose to shop alone. The thing with shopping alone is that you tend to feel hungry very quickly. 'A coffee would be great', I thought. So, I carried my bags over to a cafe and took the only vacant table. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was a couple's table. I settled down and while I rather uselessly browsed through my cellphone, a female voice interrupted.

"May I?", she pointed towards the empty chair on my table. "Please", I replied. She put her bags down and took the chair.

She was one of those girls who appear to be okay on the first sight, but turn into Greek Goddesses once we get to know them. Her appearance didn't bother me. The fact that a girl was sitting in front of me, overwhelmed me. I had to talk to her. There was an irresistible urge to make a conversation. But my skyrocketing heartbeat almost made it impossible. I breathed in and breathed out; let my heart settle down and finally spoke.

"Are you alone here?", I said. She turned to me and replied, "Yeah, I thought I’d shop alone today." She could have easily answered my question with a straight yes or no. But that little extra information she had shared, told me that she wouldn't mind a conversation. "What a co-incidence!" I said, "I too am shopping alone today." "Oh that's nice." she replied with a smile.

"So, would you like some coffee? Shall I order something for you?” I asked, fearing a denial. "Sure, I’ll take a mocha truffle", she announced with the kind of puppy eyes anyone could have fallen for. I gave the order for both of us.

As soon as the waiter disappeared, we shook hands and introduced each other. "Sam.", she had said while I felt her silken palms on mine.

By now it was certain she wasn't hesitant to talk to someone she had just met. We got into a conversation. It was a natural butter greased conversation. I had hardly ever been in a conversation as smooth as is this one. Everything came naturally. No made-up topics and no awkward silences. We engaged ourselves in all kinds of talk. Soon, time flew quick and the waiter appeared with the bill.

We walked out of the cafe while keeping the conversation alive. It was time we had to go our own ways. But that didn't bode well with me. I wished I could spend more time with her. There was nothing else to talk now either. The most wonderful chat I ever had with a stranger had come to an end. And for the first time in an hour, we faced an awkward silence. I had no clue what to say further and neither did she.

Nevertheless, I broke the silence. Again. Half expecting a negative response, I asked, "I've got some shopping left to be done. Would you like to join me? We could give each other some company I guess?" The fear of a denial was once more concealed by a smile. "Umm. I guess." She replied. A big smile covered my face. I took her shopping bags and we walked together.

Our first stop was a toy store. She took 20mins to buy a palm sized teddy bear and a few designer key chains. Apparently, those were for her little cousins. Next destination was a mobile store. Then we went to the lifestyle showroom; all the while chatting, mocking people in our own terms, smiling and sharing stories from our lives.

A boring, tiresome and lonely afternoon turned into the most exciting thing that ever happened to me. Somehow, this girl converted three most unamusing hours of my life into smiles and laughter. Three hours back, who knew that the next three hours of my life would be a remembrance of a lifetime.

But I soon realized all good things must come to an end. She stood there staring at me, about to depart. I knew I had to say something. Gathering a little more courage this time, I asked. "Would you like to go out sometime?"

My sentence ended with a smile on her face. A shrewd one at that! She pulled the bags on her shoulders, looked right into my eyes and said, “Do I know you?”