Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(6)

'What's up?' Ish said as I laid my head on the cashbox early morning.
'Nothing. Couldn't sleep well,' I said.
'Why? Thinking of Pandit-ji's daughter,' Ish laughed. I ignored him. Every few hours I had the urge to send Vidya a 'did anything happen' message. But she would tell me if something happened. I opened a calendar and tracked all the past dates of our intimacy. Apart from the first time several months ago, I had used protection every time. Could they be late for any other reason? I didn't know and I could not ask anyone. Ish and Omi probably didn't even know the P-word. And there was no other woman I knew apart from Vidya. And I couldn't ask mom anyway. I picked up my phone again. 'How is it going?', I sent a neutral message. 'Nothing yet', she replied back.
The next night I did get some sleep. I sprang out of bed early morning to SMS her again. I had an SMS from her already, 'a bit of pain, nothing else'.
I threw the phone away. I wanted to reach the shop early to take out supplies from the godown. Somehow, I hated being late anymore.

Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(5)

'You promised to help Mama, remember?' Omi said, his silk badge fluttering in the breeze.
I walked over to the other end of the park, to the other rally, The decorations here were less saffron and more white.
'Gujarat is a place of intelligent people,' Ali's dad was speaking, 'who know politics and religion are separate.'
I took a seat in the last row and eyeballed the crowd. Unlike Mama's hundred per cent Hindu, this was more of a mixed bunch, If the secular party was so pro-Muslim as Mama suggested, why were so many Hindus sitting here?
'The gods we pray to, stayed away from politics in their time. If we truly want to follow our gods, we must keep our religion separate from politics. Religion is private, politics public,' Ali's dad said.
'You a party member?' someone asked me. I shook my head. I guessed he was Hindu.
'How about you?' I said.

Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(4)

'It's ok. I like the tag. Makes it clear that studies are first,
right?'
I nodded.
'How are you doing?'
I overcame my urge to turn to the wall. 'Life goes on. It has to. Maybe an air-conditioned mall is not for me.'
'Of course, it is. It isn't your fault. I am sure you will get 1 here one day. Think about this, aren't you lucky you weren't in the shop already when it happened? Imagine the lives lost if the mall was open?'
She had a point. I had to get over this. I had to re-accept liittoo Mama's smug face.
I returned her M.L. Khanna and kept the card under my pillow.
'Ish said you haven't come to the shop.'

Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(3)

'That was a good shot,' Paresh said.
'Shut up. Hey Ali, I know you can do that. Learn the other aspects of the game.'
Ali froze, very near tears.
'Ok, listen. I am sorry. I did not mean to...,' Ish said. 'That is all I know. I can't do anything else,' Ali's voice cracked.
'We will teach you. Now why don't you bowl?'
Ali didn't bat anymore that day. Ish kept the practice simple for the next half an hour and tried not to scream. The latter was tough, especially because he was an animal when it came to cricket.
'Get your books from upstairs. We will study in the backyard,' I told a sweaty 'Ali.
He brought his books down and opened the first chapter of his maths book. It was on fractions and decimals.
Omi brought two polypacks of milk. 'Here,' he gave one to
Ish.
'Thanks,' Ish said, and tore it open with his mouth.

Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(2)

'Oh, you think Parekh-ji is some old, traditional man who will force you to read scriptures. Do you know where Parekh-ji went to college? Cambridge, and then Harvard. He had a big hotel business in America, which he sold and came back. He talks your language. Oh, and he used to play cricket too, for the Cambridge college team.'
'I will come if Govind comes,' said Ish the idiot.
Mama looked at me. In his eyes, I was the reason why Hindu culture had deteriorated lately.
'Well, I came to invite the three of you in the first place. He only said he doesn't believe in God.'
'I didn't say that,' I said. Oh, forget it, I thought.
'Then come.' Mama stood up. 'All three of you. I'll give Omi the address. It is the grandest house in Gandhinagar.'

Chetan Bhagat-The 3 Mistakes of My Life(1)

A Story about Business, Cricket and Religion
Chetan Bhagat
Rupa & Co
Acknowledgements
My readers, you that is, to whom I owe all my success and motivation. My life belongs to you now, and serving you is the most meaningful thing I can do with my life. I want to share something with you. I am very ambitious in my writing goals. However, I don't want to be India's most admired writer. I just want to be India's most loved writer. Admiration passes, love endures.