'Friend of the day!'

'Ooooops...!'

My lips whispered arrogantly and yelled to the driver to stop the bus. He applied break and dropped me on the road where is no bus-stop or a second person to laugh at me! 'I have to walk back to the nearest bus-stop and to board the CORRECT bus to my place, RT Nagar. I walked back about a kilometer to find the bus stop. Street was empty. There were neither pedestrians nor whores. Vehicles were very less. The city was dim in the peak of the night. I reached out my cell phone and it was 8.30pm.

I reached the bus stop and by the time i realized that this area is a corner of the city and no more much transport-service in the night. Some cars, some ricks, some bicycles and some bikes were lonely moving left and right on the road. I went inside the scaffolding of the bus stop hut and sat on the thin-marble seat. I saw another figure sitting at the other end of the seat. I threw my notice at the unknown figure in semi-dark. It was a young lady(or a matured girl i would say). From her costume, i got that she is a genuine Muslim. She did not look at me, but resumed her play with her cell phone. 

Time crept on. I called some of my friends on phone to explain the job description, cost to the company, work environment and the nature of my new job at 'Au Bon Pain'. Time reached at 8.45 and no buses so far! 'How will i reach my place? Oh, my Lord, i can't walk'!

I looked at my neighbor lady. 'What she is waiting for in this late night!?' i thought. She was in tight white leggings and a brown churidar. Her helm was covered with the black scarf, the religious costume. She got good height and a slim physique. I looked around, there were none. Talking to a Muslim girl in this kind of situation can be offensive. But, i decided to make her speak.

'So, you are also going to RT Nagar?' I asked in casual pitch of voice without any self-introduction. 

'Yes' she politely retorted. 

'Actually, i got into a wrong bus and i just got down. So... have to reach RT Nagar now. Any chance for buses? Do you know?' I asked my second question.
'I daily go by 7.30. But, today, i got late. I think the last bus might have gone by 8.30. Even i am also thinking how to get hell out of this...!' and, she acted as if she is tensed with a smile like a child.

But, she did not mind to look at me when spoke. 

Our eyes spent a few more minutes in search of buses around. In a few seconds, an antiquated BMTC bus suddenly seen coming from one end of the road. Without any prior notice, 'she' gently jumped out of the bus stop hut and ran toward the other end of the road. She showed her grouchy hand-bag in front of the bus at a decisive distance. Bus found stopped and i just thought to run to get the bus. Just before she got in, she looked at me. And, she smiled when she saw me running toward the bus.

She sat in the front row of seats. The bus was almost empty. I sat three rows behind to her. I expected her to look back at me. But, she did not even bother to assure that i am inside the bus! I sent my eyes across her high-healed sandals, bag and the 'parts of her' which can be seen from my view point through the seating.

In 5 minutes, the bus reached at Bangalore Cantonment railway station and the driver announced loudly, 'Last stop!'

Bus got evacuated quick. I was ignorant about the place, about the respective bus numbers and about the spot where which the RT Nagar buses can be boarded. I followed the girl. There very less crowd. In the sense, a baby could sleep calmly on that street since there were not much disturbances. 

I kept following her. She was walking fast as if she was familiar with every nook and corner of the place. She seemed to be aiming a particular and pre-planned spot, say bus stop. I followed her by adjusting my pace of walk, so that i can keep a healthy-distance of a minimum of 10 meters at the least. When we cross the road, she saw me following her. No reactions! She resumed ushering me.

She reached in a huge traffic junction and there were more crowds. She stood still and looked at me. I was keen on maintaining the 10-meters distance with utmost consciousness. One blue bus came, i walked over to it and asked the driver and came back. I made my face expression vividly disappointing, so that she can understand that, the particular bus is not into RT Nagar. I could understand that, she saw my frowned face and stood still. Some minutes passed by quickly. Another bus came at her side. Before she got in, she just made an imperfect stare toward the North, where i was positioned. I too got into the bus even without asking the driver.

The bus was rushy. I moved infiltrated in to the front through the rash group of citizen and stopped when i got her nearer in a touchable distance. Ladies seats were filled with non-ladies personalities. I angrily ordered one buddy to get up and i communicated 'her' to sit in there with a gentle face action. She obeyed me. At the next stop, i too got a seat, just opposite to her. We were facing each other due to the special seating arrangements on the BMTC bus.

It was cold outside. Breeze flew into the bus like unlimited-waves. It took around 15 minutes to reach RT Nagar. I did not launch even a single look at her! Contrary to my history and character! She looked genuine and innocent. So, i decided that not to steal even a single piece of 'look' out from her.

'Next stop is RT Nagar'. The automatic speaker-set on the bus announced.

I got up from seat, she too. I made a gentle look at her face and told her silently, 'may god bless you dear girl...' She gifted me a most enchanting smile.

We got down. She walked toward the left and i toward the right.