Sudheer's blunder (668 words)

 I was bored staying alone at my home. The TV showed an old action movie Bad Day at Blackrock with Spencer Tracy in the lead. I liked his role as a single-handed stranger who was on a visit to investigate in a small town with a shady past and prone to violence, if necessary to keep its past a secret. How long can one see the old classic Westerns though I loved them.. Then I watched the recorded Tennis match between Rafa and Djokovic at the French Open. I was hungry but had no mind to cook. I ordered some Chinese food from Wang’s with the instruction that it be delivered within 30 minutes.

It was then the mobile rang. “Hello,” I said and there was a brief silence from the other side.

“Hello, is Sudheer there? “ That was a young woman’s voice with a drawl and a convent accent.

“Yes, Sudheer here. Who is it?” I asked as there was a number without a name.

“I am sorry. You don’t seem to be the Sudheer I rang for.”

“How do you know?”

“His voice is youngish with a life in it”

“I am also young and not old as you seem to suggest”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean that way. He is 28 and a singer with an arresting voice.”

“It is alright. I am Sudheer t though I cannot sing like your friend. You did not tell me who you are.”

“Anita Roy, your voice is also good but different. I like the mix of husky and the  baritone in yours.”

“Thank you, not as sweet as yours anyway. I am unlucky as I am not the Sudheer t you are looking for. What do you do for a living?”

“I am a software engineer. Why unlucky? We have come to know each other now, though by chance”

“One second. Let me switch on the AC. It is sweltering here and sultry too”

“ Oh, do you live in Chennai? It is miserable, unlike this place. I visit Chennai often  once or twice  a month at least and will be there this weekend for some work at my  office on Monday”

“You must be in Bangalore”

“How did you know?”

"Where else do these software engineers swarm to? Hahaha.”

“Why the contempt for software engineers I could discern in your laugh? "She said.

 “Far from it. I am also in the IT sector working for TCS,” I replied.

“Same pinch. Then we can meet at our office when I come there next week.”

“With much pleasure. Are you single staying alone in Bangalore?”

“Yes. How about you?” she asked.

“Single for a few months only though. My wife has gone to her parents’ place in Coimbatore.”

“Oh, oh. married eh… It does not matter anyway. We will stay in touch.’

“ We must meet over dinner early next week, "I said.

“Sure. By the way, congrats”

“Whatever for?”

“I surmise you are becoming a father in a few months.”

“Yes, you are sharp and thank you. You have my cell number. You can ring me any time.”

“Yes, that is the intention. I will smother you with phone calls. Hehe, bye”

“Would love to be. Are you in a hurry? If you were in Chennai, we could have met right away”

The call was cut making me wonder why she disconnected abruptly. I checked through the True Caller App to find her name. I was shocked to see it was from Mahalingam & Co., my father-in-law's Chartered Accountant’s firm at Coimbatore.

I realized immediately that it was my unmarried and mischievous sister-in-law, Malini, a Chartered Accountant by profession, playing a prank on me impersonating some  Anita Roy, with whom unwittingly I indulged in a flirty conversation. I am sure she would have squealed by now the talk we had with my wife.

After a little while, I rang my wife’s cell number repeatedly only to find my calls getting cut unanswered. I knew the mischief had been done.