Durga | ✓

10. Regionalism

Rudra's smile disappeared. He had hit the weak spot. He tried to change the topic.

" I can understand that. Your choice is different. You like Vijay Prakash. Any special reason?"

" He is from Mysore." said Durga, shyly. She remembered something and asked him, " Sir, what do you mean by 'Your choice is different'. How is my choice different?"

" I thought you like Dr. Rajkumar?" grinned Rudra.

" What? No! Appa liked him. I never watched any of his movies or listened to his songs."

Rudra chuckled. " Mind telling this story." he said, pointing towards the photo.

Durga nodded. " I was coming with Appa after writing my last board exam when I saw Vijay Prakash. We knew he comes regularly to his ancestral home here. I ran towards him and asked for his autograph which he signed on my board question paper. I displayed it in my living room. But people didn't know much about him. Appa bought his poster and below is his signature."

Rudra smiled. She is so naive and innocent. Indrajeet is really a fool. He should consult a neurologist.

" Anyway Sir, you wanted to say something?"

" Ah yes! Please don't be late at any cost. Tourism minister of Andhra Pradesh is coming to meet us. I don't know the reason. I want all my staff to be present there. On time."

Durga nodded. Rudra left the home. Durga did a victory dance.

" No will you give any job Durga." said Indrajeet.

" They will. I trust myself and my skills." said Durga. Her voice seemed little shaky.

See Indrajeet I got the job. I had told you I trust my skills. Her voice was full of confidence.

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The whole environment was tense and serious. Dead serious. The whole staff had gathered in Rudra's room. Durga didn't even knew the name of a single person. She knew a familiar face, Ramaiah but she didn't knew his name either. Rudra was tensed. Very tensed. The tourism minister was seated in front of him. None of his employees had seen him so tensed. Durga, was particularly scared.

You couldn't blame her. It was his visage. He looked like a typical rowdy politician, who seemed to have won the election by threatening the people. He was tall, around six feet, very stout. Okay stout won't be the word. He was obese. He was wearing white cotton shirt with white trousers. His face was dark. He had an ugly mole on his swollen cheek, adding ugliness to his already ugly visage.

Durga looked at him, he was giving Rudra a frosty nose stare. He has been checking Sir for past five minutes. I still don't wonder how he fitted in that small white car.

Everyone wondered the same when he stepped from the car. A typical white car which is used by politicians in India, with a red light on it. The politician cleared his throat. Rudra gulped in.

" So Mr. Rudra, I hope you remember me? I'm Arvind, Arjun's father. Tourism minister of Andhra Pradesh."

" Yes Sir." said Rudra barely audible.

" It was wonderful meeting your staff. Can we talk about the proposal alone?" asked Arvind, eyeing at everyone sitting behind him. Everyone was leaving the room one after the other. When Durga was about to leave the room, Rudra called her. "Durga don't leave. I need your advice for the proposal."