THAT ONE CLICK

The sudden cacophony had resulted from the din of passengers eager to board the compartment. A few had already made their way in, panting dragging their luggage. Heaving a sigh of relief in cool breeze of the air conditioner, gentry shifted finding their respective berths.

 

The usual commotion had a dented impact on Rhea's concentration. She raised her eyes over the novel to scan the change in passengers in the coach. Her eyes fell on a middle aged fellow who looked a darn outdated in his demeanour. A quick scan later, she was amused to note the funny ensemble the man carried. The man had receding hairline of salt and pepper. He bore a scraggy unshaven look of equal salt and pepper seven days of stubble. Rhea noted that the man had a dark grey round necked tee with an oversized outdated khaki 6 pocket camping trousers. A pair of blue flip flops were on his feet. The tee had some dull chest print of something illegible, maybe it had faded over many washes. What caught Rhea's fancy was a shiny embroidery of a tiger placed around the lower side of the tee. She made a mental puke, on the entire bad sense of fashion the man carried. Over and above that the man carried a red tacky plastic framed specs with thick glasses.

She contemplated being judgemental, “What kind of people are now travelling in such high end classes. Look at them, people don’t even know decent grooming and the kind of clothes they should wear. Just getting rich doesn’t give them common sense and etiquette.”

 

Rhea being conscious now as she had an instant dislike to the man, who now sat diagonally opposite to her on the side lower berth. He had tried a smile on her to begin a pleasantry. She had given a stern ignorance. As he settled down, moments later he started fiddling with his mobile.

 

The train had picked up speed now and it galloped through a rustic scenery. The landscape scrolling by the window now turned into hills and abundant greenery with little ravines and rivulets snaking through the wilderness. The late afternoon sun was already bestowing its ochre hue to the landscape. The man looked pleased with the world outside and shifted close to the window. He now had his mobile stuck to the window glass firmly holding it and kept clicking the changing landscape. Momentarily examining his images, rejecting the ones he didn't like, he went back to clicking a few more.

Rhea resumed her reading now. The novel was taking an interesting turn as the protagonist narrated his changing ordeals. The man kept busy in fiddling with the images he had taken, tweaking them to his satisfaction. He eyed Rhea a few times and tried catching what novel she was reading.

He assumed Rhea must have been in her late 30s. She had a nice coral coloured top with jade coloured botanical leaves printed on it. She must have been tall, he summed up with a glance to her pristine black denim that hugged her. The clothes looked pricey and tastefully chosen. Aptly fitting, the attire made her look younger. She had an oval sweet face with bougainvillea skin. She was fair and had a reading black and red framed spectacles that added an elegance to her already intelligent look.

Rhea adjusted her pillow and sat comfortably now raising the novel closer.

The man looked at her and mumbled in a low whisper, "Er, excuse me ma’am, would you mind I take a picture of you reading the book?"

 

Rhea at first wasn't sure she had heard it right. As it slowly dawned on her what he had meant, she blasted, “What! How dare you?"

Looking at her eyes glowering, he immediately wanted to say something to apologise. But he didn't get a chance.

Rhea continued," How can you be so audacious to ask a stranger even? I mean who the hell you are and what do you think of yourself. I really am bowled by your guts to ask. And what have you been doing with that mobile? Did you clandestinely click pictures of me?"

Her voice rose. She added, “Mister, give me that mobile, and I need to check if you have been shooting me. Such a disgusting moron. What the fuck!!"

Now she was visibly in rage. She fumed and her eyes glowered and her cheeks were raging pink now.

The man tried to mumble with his hands in defence to no use. She almost snatched the mobile out of his hands. One thing the man didn't know was that she detested being clicked and over that a stranger had shown audacity. The rest of the passengers were now getting into the row. They tried to pair on the fair lady's reason.

Rhea was now almost at the top of her voice in anger. The man tried to pacify in vain. All his logic, reason and request fell on deaf ears. The altercation was reaching nowhere.

Finally he raised his hands in defence and yelled, "I AM SORRY MA'AM. All I wanted was to take a picture with your permission, mind you."

“But why you pervert," Rhea bellowed.

"Coz I just wanted to have a picture of my reader with that book you were reading. I am the author."

Rhea went into a stunned silence. It was her favourite author, she was reading.