Young Man across the Street

Shooting was delayed by an 1 hour. I had already left my place, and returning home was the last thing on my mind. Film City was less than 1 km away but I decided to take a longer route.  Busyness of the narrow lane was alarming.  Street vendors had occupied every corner, making it difficult for two wheeler parking.

I disciplined myself on the footpath. There was young man across the street. He wasn't selling anything. An old lady approached him and he gave her a seat on the floor mat. From a distance I could not make out what they were conversing. But the lady seemed intrigued to what the young man spoke. Occasionally she smiled, at times she felt amused at what she heard. Her expressions were a perfect give away of how she felt. 

Almost 20 mins later, the lady left the place. Neither did he sell her anything, not did she pay. They briefly spoke to each other and she left the place happily. Before she went out of sight, I approached her. I wanted to know, who the young man was, and what they spoke.

The lady, in an excited tone said - Last week, I lost my handbag on the street. The young man is a cop in disguise. He said, they have nabbed the thief and I can collect my bag from the police station. I am on the way to collect it.

I was impressed, a cop in disguise in the middle of the road ? I wanted to praise him for a good job. I approached the man  "Good Job I said, the lady told me how you helped her".

He  looked up & said, "She must have told you , I am a cop in disguise? And that she has lost her bag? Yes, I said sheepishly.
To my surprise he said, "She has been telling this for the last 20 years" 

20 years???? Oh God! Does she suffer from a memory shock or something ?

"No she doesn't exist anymore...20 years back, I drove her on this very street, when a speeding car hit us and we both instantly lost conscious. Neither of us regained it thereafter.....

As he spoke those words..I noticed a familiar spark in his eyes....

I hurriedly reached the studio, and went straight to Crew Managers Room.

 " A funny thing happened on my way to the studio," I said. 

"The spot boy we sacked last week is playing a Ghost act on the other side of the road. 

His acting skills & costume are pathetic. On top of it, he has a supporting artiste to play along". 

The Crew Manager smiled & said- but his story & narration is impressive isn't it? "You are the 6th person, in our crew to have approached him on the street today".

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda         

          This post is also a part of Ultimate Blogging Challenge - July 2014 - Day 26