As we flew along on Rajesh's motorbike, I reminded him that I wanted 2 BHK. "That will be difficult because everything is 3 BHK "! He admonished. "And I would like something semi-furnished", I added - thinking that if the kitchen had a fridge, stove and water purifier, and the bedroom had bed bases, I could buy the sofa and chairs and put in some finishing touches - something to my taste. Finally we pulled up outside a huge block of flats. "This is just what you are looking for - semi furnished in a good area" Up we went to the second floor - a mild apprehension set in...and then he flung open the door triumphantly.... Each room was completely empty.........! "But you said it was partly furnished"....... "Yes" he said...... "it has ceiling fans in every room" !!!
On to the next flat. A towering block with at least a hundred flats. The sheer bulk of it against the darkening sky was off-putting - it looked like Al Katraz. We were joined by a second agent - his jet black hair had been slicked back on either side and he wore very dark sunglasses, even though the stars were out and the moon was appearing. Up to the second floor..."they'll be gone by the 1st October" he said. We all took our shoes off before entering - all was chaos as the large family were in the throes of packing up.....from the balcony, you could see the slum dwellers on the other side of the road, beginning to light fires - they sleep under plastic or rude shelters, close to the ground. By now I had a team of 3 agents - they stared at me quizzically...."no I don't think this one" I said....
"Well" they said, undeterred by my lack of enthusiasm..."we have just the thing for you - it's fully furnished and in Akota - a very good area"
Perched on the back of Rajesh's motorbike, I felt the warm night air brushing past - we passed the 'Cow Circle', and the Havali house temple - then we turned left - a road I didn't know. Flats everywhere, we pulled up outside a brand new block, freshly painted white. Now this looked promising.... a young man came out to greet us. He turned to me and asked "Are you vegetarian"? My heart sank......surely I wasn't expected to sit down to dinner with the family? After all I was only looking for a 2 BHK and I had planned on going to the local Pizza place to reward myself, when this ordeal was over....I decided to look noncommittal. He shrugged and led us up to the second floor - and unlocked the door - the interior was painted pink, it was empty but there were built-in cupboards and two Art Deco bed bases in the bedrooms.....when and how were they going to serve the meal? I wondered. Then the owner walked in - a severe looking man dressed entirely in white. He introduced himself and then told the agents in Hindi, that whoever rented the flat was not to consume any alcohol or cook or consume non-vegetarian food in the flat.... EVER !! I could feel myself shrinking under his imperious gaze and wondered it he could sense my penchant for boiled eggs ?
I was relieved when Rajesh dropped me outside Pizza Inn - I had clearly asked for the unattainable ..2 BHK, semi-furnished for non-vegetarians, doesn't exist" "I'll show you some more tomorrow" said Rajesh.....I forced a polite smile....hmmmm perhaps.
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