An imposter, a prostitute and me

My trip to Delhi last weekend was really happening for many reasons. As soon as I got down from the train, someone approached me-

Idiot: Excuse me!

Me: (I turn back). Yes

Idiot: I am a Chartered Accountant from IIM Ahmedabad and I am supposed to return to Mumbai tonight. I have blocked a ticket to Mumbai but need to pay 3000 at the counter. The thing is that I lost my purse. I have 2400 so I need another 600 to take that flight home. I promise to return by tomorrow as soon as the banks open.

Me: I see. (But when did IIM Ahmedabad start offering CA degrees?) Fine. I don’t have the money so lets go to the near by ATM.

I acted like a big fool. I now wonder what made me so altruistic that I decided to give 600 to an imposter. He was an imposter. He not only cheated me but several others. It seems he was off to the airport to meet his newly made air hostess girl friend, he was cheating her as well. I don’t want to write about it anymore because I get this guilt and shame of being cheated for the first time in my life.

I went with my friend to Nazim’s (CP), which is one of the best kawab restaurants in the country. We were enjoying our kawab when a lady with flashy clothes walked in to our table. I went to get another order and when I returned back she was seating on the other side of the table because there was no place to sit. I was a bit uncomfortable but had to manage. Her behaviour was indicating that she was more interested in getting our attention rather than eating kawab. She kept asking arbit questions like, “Is there service tax to the items listed?” “How is the food here?” etc etc. She then took out her century old Reliance cell phone to give a missed call to someone. After that she took out a poster of a baby! I wanted to finish the food and move out asap but my friend had other intentions.

My friend- “So how long have you been in this business?”

Me- (Poking him) abbe WTF?

He shows a hand to me beneath the table.

Lady- “So you have guessed it?”

Me- “It doesn’t take an genius to guess your profession after seeing your behaviour”

Lady- “So interested? I have my own menu card as well. I offer a lot of services like ****************************************************************** (All these are beyond the scope of this blog). The cost is mentioned alongside the job. The rate will be double because you are 2.”

Me- Abbe oye chal yaha se.

My friend- What about a discount? 1 and a half times more considering the fact that we are students.

(We still look like a student and particularly with my laptop bag which I hang like a school bag.)

Me- Marwayega? Why are you trying to get into this trouble?

Lady- “Your friend looks perturbed. Is he a virgin?”

I walked out of the restaurant.

My friend also walked out within few minutes. I could see her cursing us as we got her to waste few hundred rupees on the kawab and also not ‘availing’ her services. But I am still reeling under the shock of a ’menu card’.

Well if you haven’t guessed it by now, she was a prostitute. Be careful while roaming after 8 in CP because they are many on the look for a bakra.

Anyways it was a nice trip overall as I did my first shopping of my first salary. I am now off to Chennai for convocation….