chapter 17

“What the hell is this?” Kabir asked as he looked around in astonishment.“This is one of the biggest book stores in Mumbai, ‘The Creative World’.” I couldn’t help grinning at his perplexed expression.“I can see that,” his angry stare was enough to burn me alive, “but why have you brought me here?”“Instead of doing such stupid things, why don’t you read some books?”“I hate books!” he said as he loosened his neck-tie feeling already suffocated by the mere sight of books. “I had to cram up some books only to clear my college exams. Moreover, I don’t think I will get the kind of stuff I love to read here!”“Just give it a try, Kabir.” I said as I turned to my favorite section of sci-fi, “you might get lucky.”Kabir instantly ran towards the exit but then something caught his sight and he turned around.“How could you do this to me?” A beautiful woman was arguing with the clerk at the counter. “I have been telling you for over a month that I need poet Qureshi’s books. Then why haven’t you ordered them?”“We already have, Ma’am,” he looked meekly at her fierce glare, “but the delivery got delayed.”“Excuse me,” Kabir asked the clerk while completely ignoring the woman, “please tell me where I can find poet Qureshi’s books?”“They are currently out of stock, sir.” The clerk turned his imploring eyes from the woman to Kabir.“What!” Kabir raised an even bigger alarm. “How can you do this to me? I have been asking you to order them for the past 6 months and how dare you tell me that you haven’t yet?”He looked carefully at Kabir as his was a new face that the clerk had never seen in the store before.  His accusation of an order made 6 months ago didn’t seem to fit in.“Now, why are you staring at me like a moron?” Kabir burst out at the poor clerk before he could cross-question him.“Sir, Madam,” the clerk’s gaze oscillated between both his customers, “I assure you that the books will be here by tomorrow.”“I can’t even think of spending a day without reading his books!” Kabir almost wailed.“You seem to be a huge fan of Qureshi Saheb,” the woman standing next to him at the counter said.“Excuse me?” Kabir turned to her with a surprised look as if he had noticed her only now.“Hi, I am Kavya Verma,” she said looking admiringly at Kabir, “a fan of poet Qureshi just like you.”“Oh, I am so pleased to meet another fan of Qureshi ji.” He pretended as if the privilege of befriending him was allowed to her only because she was a fan of the great poet of whom Kabir had only recently heard. “I am Kabir Suri.”“I have something for you.” She drew a picture out of the book she was holding and held out to him.Kabir frowned at the picture of an old man with a long, grey beard who seemed like an ugly, atrocious goblin from the bedtime stories.“Is he your father?” Kabir asked her casually.“What!” Kavya grimaced. “Can’t you recognize your favorite poet?”A sinking feeling took over Kabir but the very next moment he was able to perch upon the raft of a brilliant idea that helped him reach ashore safely.“He is a father figure to me.” Kabir said confidently. “He had ushered me into the world of knowledge through his beautiful verses and transformed me into a better human being just like a father does to his son. And because you are also a fan, I thought it would be the same for you.”“Oh! I see.” Kavya totally fell for his idealistic words and felt like she had finally found someone worthy of worship apart from her idol Qureshi. “I would love to discuss his works with you, Mr. Kabir.”“Of course!” What more could Kabir ask for. “Let’s discuss them along with a cup of coffee in the cafeteria.” *     * “Why weren’t you answering my calls?” Kabir complained as soon as I opened the door of my apartment for him, late one night.“I was not well,” I said in a heavy voice, “I am have cold and fever.”“Have you had your dinner?” Kabir said looking around as he settled on the sofa. “Where is your maid? Has she left?”“I have a male servant Shambhu and he is on leave,” I said inhaling as much air as my blocked nose allowed me to. “For his sister’s marriage.”“You should have appointed a maid instead of Shambhu.”“And what makes you think so?” I glared at him as fiercely as I could through my weary eyes.“Nothing, I was just saying,” Kabir looked sheepishly around to avoid my glare, “it’s lovely to have a gorgeous maid around.”“Kabir!” I gathered all my energy to yell at him and stop him from talking his usual nonsense.“Fine,” he threw his hands up in the air. “Well! That means you haven’t had anything for the whole day. Let me cook something for you.”“That’s okay, Kabir.” I coughed and my chest ached, “I don’t feel like having anything. Moreover, there is nothing in the kitchen to cook and you don’t know cooking either.”“At least, I can make a cup of coffee for you.”“You don’t have to bother, Kabir. Shambhu will be back by tomorrow morning.” I closed my eyes as I felt lethargic. “It’s getting late and you should go home.”“Okay, let me make you some coffee and then I will leave.” Kabir came near and helped me get to my feet. “Now you go and lie down on the bed like a good boy.”Kabir took me to my bedroom and left for the kitchen as soon as I reclined.“Sam, you don’t have any milk in here,” Kabir shouted from the kitchen.“Make it black.” I whined back even though my throat was sore.“But you don’t have any sugar too,” he groaned as he opened one of the jars.“In my current state, it doesn’t matter whether it is sweet or bitter,” I said as I laboriously drew in a deep breath through the congested pathway of my occluded nose. “I can’t perceive any taste.”I heard some clattering noises as he ran a massive search operation among the tin jars placed in the kitchen cabinet.“Sam!” His voice sounded more like a clap of thunder, “The coffee powder is also out of stock.”“Didn’t I tell you earlier that there is nothing in the kitchen?” I half-opened my eyes as he came running to me holding an empty jar in his hands. “Now, run home, Sonia must be waiting.”“I will buy some groceries and return in a moment.”“The shops have closed hours ago, Kabir.”“Then we have to knock at the doors of the ultimate solution.”“What solution?”