Asif is on his last legs.
He is totally tired carrying around twelve books in his back and left hand. There are two more lanes to go to raise the final curtain for the costliest book purchase he has ever done in his life in one shot. The total bill amount stands cool at double two double zero.
Though he is hungry in the afternoon because of not having lunch, drained opposing gravitational pull of books, I tell him to go to the first booth in that lane which is full of my kind of books- Arts, photography, comics, travelogue.
After browsing through some of the books,
I - “Wow. Calvin and Hobbes full collection. Awesome! Ask them how much does it cost.”
I recently fell in love with the complex thoughts of Calvin and his exciting life with Hobbes, since my friend introduced me to the unseen world of Calvin. The collection of comics I was referring to here has all the comic strips of Calvin and Hobbes from 1985 till 1995 created by Bill Watterson.
Asif- “Hey it is too thick to carry now. I’m sure it’s much costly too. I don’t have enough budgets for that collection.”
He was trying to apprise that he is not going to buy it.
I-“When did I tell you to buy it. I told you to ask the price”.
I was building the foundation to let him do what his heart desires.
Asif asks the price of that collection.
(It feels good to be a tyrant of Asif’s life... Ha ha, Evil Laugh…)
When the volunteer tells him the price, the thankoholic Asif thanks him for his help in letting know the price.
Asif- ‘OK. It is forty five hundred bucks after discount. Happy now?”
We move on to next booth and again see the same collection there.
I-“Ask them how much does it cost here.”
Irritated Asif –“ Commmonnn…!!! I’m damn sure that the difference will be delta.
My very dear, forty five hundred bucks is totally out of my budget!”
Asif –“Excuse me what’s the cost of this collection?” asks volunteer and gets the answer.
Irritated Asif – “Outstanding deal. Here its two hundred rupees more. This makes it forty seven hundred bucks. Happy now?”
We slowly walk through the remaining lanes without giving much interest on other stalls.
Though the hall is crowded with myriads of people and their hubbub, I can clearly hear the silence between I and Asif.
We reach till the exit door.
Asif, who is now having emphatic look on his face, takes a reverse turn, walks back to the first booth, and buys Calvin and Hobbes collection using his card.
The silence still continues between us. But now I can see his face glittering with his heart’s desire. I know he is given the best gift to himself.
I remain,
the J
