A note of 500

A note of 500

There is a little child inside of all of us, and it often surprises even ourselves when it peers through the layers of adulthood we have skirted it with. A little reminder goes a long way, in keeping it alive.  

A gathering of tea time with a bunch of co workers sitting around a round table in the cafetaria. It is a light October wind, with a warm sun and fragrance of shiuli flowers filling the evening. There is tea, green tea, coffee and maggi. Not a lot of healthy options, but good enough to fill the hungry

stomachs of these youngsters and keep them fuelled for the evening ahead.  
"Nice earrings Richa" Mehr remarks as Richa tries to look away. Recieving compliments was never her thing. 
"Yeah, Salad got me these. We're going Pandal Hopping for Pujo later in the night.

"Ae who's Salad?" Samarth could not help but ask. 

"Don't ask yet. He is the mystery man in Richa's life. We get names once he convinces her of being the man." Mehr winked at Samarth.
"Okie dokie" Samarth did a little croos my heart and hope to die kinda gesture he learnt as a kid in tom n jerry shows.

"What did I miss?" Sarika butted in bringing in her Black coffee. 
"Nothing much. Richa got pretty earrings" Samarth smiled. He knew how to keep private talks private.
"Oh ya, I noticed them in the morning only. They look expensive AF" Sarika smirked. 
"Good things look better when worn by great people" Mehr raised her coffee mug filled with hot water as if to raise a toast.
"I agree, whatever she just said" Samarth chimed in. 
"Stop guys, why you all so cheesy." Richa moved her hands in irritation as if trying to chase away some invisible flies. Compliments had her flustered, and she did not like attention. Plus the mention of this mystery man had got her blushing anyway.
"Something is fishy." Sarika smiled. 
"No fishes, it is navratri" Richa said jokingly. 

"Ya, so Fish is a must. In our culture the best fish is offered to the goddess" Sarika shared. The others around looked at her in disbelief. Navratri for most North Indian households is 9 days of fasting and fruits and vegetarian food strictly. Sarika happened to have eastern routes in the Bengali city of Kolkata. The festivities were rather different there. 
"Any body got a 500 to spare?" Sahil asked as UPI payment failed for some reason.
"Mehr, I see one in the back of your phone cover. Is it real."

"I can offer to pay UPI on your behalf Saahil. The note is not spare" Mehr replied, she did not appreciate rerouted talk anyway. 

"Ae why do you always have to call me Saa- Hil why not Sahil?" Sahil could not help but ask and went on"You need the note for aesthetics? Your phone is expensive enough already. No need to attract more attention" He sounded annoyed. 

"Saahil, you really want to school someone when they are offering you a courtesy?" Mehr raised an eyebrow as she anwered in an annoyed tone.
"OOOOF" Samarth covered his mouth, and did a little mic drop gesture. 

"Okay Okay Sorry Mehr Sorry. You're a bro indeed. " Sahil made a gesture to show gratefulness. He always made up for his loud mouth with the bro code talks which were far more annoying than he was. 

"It's just a cafetaria payment. Aarti is at the payment desk, no need to get so worked up." Mehr gave a smile. She waved at the cafetaria lady who simply looked at Mehr and waved as if to acknowledge the payment." 

"Stupid network had me stuck there." Sahil sighed. 
"What's with the aesthetics though? You want someone to pick your phone and take the note?" Sahil smirked as he tried to take the bill out of her clear phone cover.
"Back off" Mehr hissed at him as she snatched her phone back. 
"Geez, Now who's worked up?" Sahil chuckled.

Mehr simply made a face and gestured him to peace out.
Back at the work stations, Mehr and Richa wrapped up work and put their laptops inside their bags. Walking towards the elevator, Richa could not help but ask if Mehr was Okay, Sahil was quite a handful and Mehr was easily annoyed of his antics unlike Richa who was far more patient. 

"Yeah, I'm good. Saahil really needs to grow up a little." Mehr remarked nonchalantly. After office, office people also did not matter to her in this new city. What mattered to her was her dreams.
"I agree. See you next week girl. Enjoy the weekend." Richa gave Mehr an Air hug (Something they had drawn a truce onto) and they both went their ways. 

Back home in her studio apartment, Mehr stood at the window from where she could see the massive Dandiya celebrations her society was organzing. The night breeze was cool and brought in the strong smell of Shiuli flowers from the nearby garden. It was this smell that took Mehr to her childhood, the small flowers with their smell brought back memories of Navratri days when her parents would take her to the temple and treat her to a late night ice cream. Those late nights were barely 10-11 pm in the night, but for the 7 yo Mehr, that was a lot of adventure. Turning away from the window, she checked the time, 10pm was now her usual dinner time in this new city. 
*Phone buzzing* Saa- Hill Calling 

Mehr looked at her screening, and saw the name. This was the last person she wanted to talk to in this city. Bearing with them at work was enough. She turned her phone upside down and the device was silenced. The note was visible again and it brought back the joyful memory again. Thinking about the memory of how the bill ended up in her possesion anyway. 

It was last year, as a newcomer to the firm when Mehr had recieved this 500Rs bill. It was during the Diwali Carnival at the office, when she had playfully setup a silly pop up stall for "Inaccurate Tarot Readings" where she charged everyone 50/- for a random silly reading using Pokemon Cards, as a joke and dedicating a one liner pun to each of their customers. The charges were 100/- for senior management and anyone wanting extra laughs and jokes was asked to keep their chosen Pokemon Card as a gift. It was a little joke they had started for giggles but a few colleagues actually humored them into a decent collection. It was during that carnival that one of the board of directors, a jolly old man in his late 70s had shown up. It was Mr. Kharbanda, known well for the riches he had made working with their firm and for his otherwise jolly nature. True to his nature he asked the girls to humour him and picked a random Pokemon Card at their stall. "So kido how much for this old man?" he had asked. 

"Umm Sir" Richa was overcome by humility. The joke had probably gone too far. This was a super senior and held a lot of power. Taking a dig at the old man could be invitation to trouble she thought and tried to come up with something appropriate to say. But, she was cut short as Mehr had already started.
"Should'nt we be charging you a bit more, since you rake all the Moolah here" Mehr beamed. Having gotten into the festive vibe and the old man's jolly nature spreading around on everyone.
"Well yes, why not. But first tell me what is this Moolah you talking about?" The old man smiled kindly as he took out a 500 bill from a stash he pulled out from his pocket.
"We do not have change sir" Richa was being polite.
"We are not returning change is what she means." Mehr gave a child like smile and shrugged her shoulders as Richa scorned at her. 

"You are quite the naughty child out for trick or treating are'nt you" The man chuckled as he handed out the note to Richa who was on cashier duty. Mehr giggled like a child with the old timer before he took their leave to check out the other stalls at the carnival. For a brief moment, at the least, she had forgotten office hierarchy and laughed like she used to as a kid with her grandpa. Just then Richa snapped her out of her silly musings. 
"What did you just do?" Richa asked in disbelief.
"What ? He is such a grandpa like character, let him be. It is the festivities anyway and a 500 won't hurt him." Mehr brushed it off. 

"Umm, nope, this is your doing. I am not taking any share in this one. You keep it." Richa pushed the 500 bill into Mehr's palm as she counted the rest of the collection for deviding shares. 

Mehr held onto it, as for a brief moment she was reminded of not being the obedient business executive of the firm but rather becoming the firm child she used to be, one who would make demands and be fussy. This was a reminder of that lil girl that still lived within. She kept the note in her clear phone case as a reminder. 

Unknown to her, Mr. Kharbanda, the senior board member had kept the pokemon card with him too. Off late his children were all settled in different countires abroad, starting thier own respective families and festivals were just long video calls or travels to fancy destinations. His kids were now well groomed adults who had everything by god's grace and did not need anything from him. At work, he was beyond revered and simply held on the position for purpose in life. It was after a really long time that someone had treated him like family and giggled with him the way his youngest daughter used to. He looked at the card, it was a Psyduck, something his daughter had been crazy about as a child. 

She had once made him  buy her a toy that looked like it, for 500 rupees, back in the day when 500/- meant a lot, geting the toy for the child for the same amount had been quite a task for the man. How times change and how value of money also changes with it is quite a marvel. He looked at the card, thinking of the young girl who reminded him of his daughter who was now a grown woman with a family of her own and no time to make stubborn demands from her old man.