The Conversation

Kevin: Alright! lets get you ready. So, this is your harness. It will save your life - change your life. Most importantly, it will keep you and your (para)chute connected, which is a very good thing. Seperate from the boat - you float down. Seperate from the chute - splash - very bad day - I lose my job - you lose a healthy body. Nobody wants that, right? [grins]

Vince: Okay, what's your name again? ......Kevin, right? Okay, Kevin, where is the guy who was para-sailing some time back?

Kevin turns around, gazes into the sea.... looks little worried since he can't see his para-sailing boat....... with a customer attached to it.

Kevin: I am gonna be right back.

After sometime Kevin returns. Vince is all tied up to the chute, ready to take-off.

Kevin: Alright. Okay. So, you ready?

Vince: Did you find your customer?

Kevin: Not yet, but we will. Tide's coming in. So that's not gonna be a problem.

Vince looks at him with little surprise.

Kevin: Anyways. So, the boat's gonna take off and the line is gonna get pulled like a flash - "sshwoosh". It's gonna snap straight. You're gonna feel it, alright. Harness is gonna pull you right up. You will be right up, in a flash.

Hearing this, Vince checks the knots again.

Kevin: Okay, we use thumb signal. Thumbs-down: It will bring you down. Thumbs-up: High ride! You get scared when you are up there, something goes wrong - just scream like a little girl, ......... we can't hear you anyways. I am just kiddin man, we can hear you........ No we cant! Ahem!

Kevin: Okay, if you get into any trouble, for real. You need to pull this handle. That's gonna release you. Hold on to the chute and float down to the water. You afraid of sharks?
After a slight pause....
I am just kiddin man!! I am just kidding. Just trying to get you relax.
No seriously, the sound of you hitting the water will scare the sharks away anyways.

Kevin continues the instructions...

Kevin: Oh yeah, when you hit the water and if you are conscious what you wanna do is get out of the harness as quickly as possible, because the weight of that is gonna pull you down to the ocean bed. We will eventually find you, but it's a long shot.

Kevin: So, you ready?

Vince: Ready? Yeah! Yeah! I am ready........ for a hamburger... Maybe a cold bear. Thanks a lot man.

Vince unties the harness and leaves...

Kevin: What? You don't wanna do this? C'mon dude!! Its fun!

As Vince is walking along the beach, he selects a pair of foot-prints among several others and starts walking, steping exactly on that pair of foot-prints. Coincidently they take him in the direction of 'Beach-Cafe'.

Vince reaches the cafe and takes a seat.

Susan: You know, those foot-prints you were tracing, those were mine.

Vince: Now you wouldn't give me your phone number. So, I had to do 'something' to find you.

They both stare at each other for sometime and then start smiling.

Susan: That's quite a pick-up line.

Vince: Technically, that wasn't a pick-up line, since you were the one who started the conversation.

Susan: Right! [Smiles]. I just noticed how you were matching your footsteps with the one's on the sand and I got a tip for you. Come here at around 4:30-5:00 in the morning and there would be a lot less foot-prints to pick from. And boy! They can take you places.

Vince: Seems I am not the only one who is a connoisseur of .......... strange markings on sand.

Susan: [Smiles] Yeah, I like doing that too.

Vince: I mean, I like it too, but I wouldn't waste like 3 hours of sleep over it.

Susan: I like jogging early......... bit too early I guess.

Vince: You stay nearby?

Susan: Not that easy, James Bond.

Vince: James Bond?

Susan: Your accent. It seems Irish. Like Pierce Brosnan.

Vince: [Smiles] It isn't exactly Irish. It's Welsh. Like Sean Connery, the other James Bond. Oh, and the name is Vince...... Vincent.

Susan: Alright.

Vince: You know, this is the place where you give me your name.

Susan: [smiles] It's Susan.

Vince: So Susan, may I join you......... at your table? It's rather inconvenient talking at the top of my voice, while the creepy old chinaman keeps staring at me, confused whether I am talking to you or him.

Vince joins Susan at her table.

Vince: Okay Susan, you won't give me you last name, you won't tell me if you stay in this neighbourhood...

Susan: [interrupting] Hey, you didn't give me your last name either.

Vince: [Smiles] Right! Ok. So, let's stop acting like undercover government agents and covert assassins. Tell me something about what you do?

Susan: [Smiles] You know, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.

Vince: Hmmm... seems worth the risk. Go ahead, enlighten me.

Susan: Well, I work for the Green Cross. It's an environmental organization. We work on different environmental issues from clean water to disarmament of chemical weapons. You know, the international laws dealing with environment.

Vince: So, what do you do for them?

Susan: Uhm, different things. Like last year I was in India working on a water treatment plant.

Vince: Really? Wow!

Susan: Yeah, well the cotton industry there is a major source of pollution. So..

Vince: This...... This is really awesome. You know, like you are actually 'doing' something. I mean, most people, myself included, we just bitch about how the developed countries are consuming all the world's resources, SUVs should be banned, Global warming is real and blah blah. And here you are, actually doing something.

Susan: I know. Actually that's how I got into the Green Cross. I became really tired having those endless conversations with my friends about how the world is falling to pieces. So that's when I decided what I really wanted to do. I wanted to fix things.

Vince: You know, but somehow I have this alternate notion about this 'world is falling to pieces' theory. I mean sometimes I actually feel that things might be getting better.

Susan: Better? How are things getting better? How could you possible think that? Well, NewsFlash - The world is a big mess right now!

Vince: I know, I know. But, all I am saying is that... is that, there is more awareness now. People are going to fight back, now that we know our enemy. You know, like we are evolving or something. We have the maturity to tackle this. Ok ok, let me give you an example here; ten years ago... I was healthier and stronger, but I was racked with insecurity and ignorance. Now, I am older, my problems are deeper, but I am.... I am more equipped to handle them.

Susan: [Smiles] So what are your problems?

Vince: [looks into Susan's eyes] Right now, I don't have any.

Susan: [hesitantly]So....... You wanna order something?

Vince: Yeah, your scrambled eggs look nice. I think I would have those as well.

Vince: So, did you always wanted to become an environmental activist?

Susan: No, not exactly. I mean, I did my majors in political science. My dad wanted me to work for the government and ultimately become a Senator. But I saw that dream crumble years ago.

Susan: I still remember having those converations with my dad. You know, like when I was a kid, my dad used to ask me what I wanted to be and I would say a writer - he used to say 'journalist'. I would say, I wanted to build a refuge for stray dogs and he would say 'Veterinarian'. I would say I wanted to be a stage actress and he would say 'TV News Reader'. It was this constant conversion of my fanciful ambitions into these practical, money-making ventures.

Vincent: Yeah, I mean childhood for me wasn't exactly a joyride. But somehow I managed only to remember the blissful moments and shut the depressing ones in my closet.

Susan: I guess it's a pretty big closet you got there. I mean, is that why you are kinda reserved? You haven't told me anything about yourself. Apart from your name and that you are Welsh.

Vincent: Oh! So you noticed. [Smiles]

Vincent: Well, there isn't much to tell about me. Just another consultant trying to climb up the corporate ladder. Our company just got listed in the NYSE and that's why I am here.......... here in New York. And since my chauffeur only knew Coney Island when asked about beaches, I am here sipping latte with you.

Susan: First time in New York?

Vincent: Yeah! Not much of a traveler.

Susan: But, of course you have seen most of Europe, right?

Vincent: Not really. I mean I have been to almost all the major cities. But that hardly counts. Just fly-in, do my job, fly-out. Strictly business.

Susan: That's sad.

Vincent: I know. I know. But, I have my share of happy European memories. I remember as a teenager I went to Warsaw once, when it was still a strict communist regime. The city was very gloomy and gray. TV was in another language and I had all teh time to myself. Just walking around and thinking. After about two weeks I realised that I had spent all this time away from most of my habits. My brain felt at rest, free from the consuming frenzy. It was like a natural high. It's been a while since I have felt so peaceful inside.

Vincent: And now,..... now I think I am so dissatisfied with everything. You know, like always trying to better my situation. I satisfy one desire and it just agitates another one. It's like I am never happy.

Susan: See, now not being happy is good too. I mean imagine that a person is happy and laughing all the time. Very soon he would be dead with cerebral aneurism or something.

They both start laughing loudly.

Susan: You know, I should get going now.

Susan stands up and gathers her stuff, ready to leave.

Vincent: Where do you have to go? I mean it's saturday.

Susan: I have this important meeting-cum-lunch. It was nice talking to you Vincent.

Vincent: So, thats it? I thought we hit a node here.

Susan: Listen, You seem like a great guy. But, I am passing through some difficult times right now and I can't really get into any....... You know what I mean, right?

Vincent stands up.

Vincent: Susan, you may not know this about me, but I get bold like once every five years. And today is my day. So, if you are seeing someone - fine, if you are dealing with some loss - my sympathies. But since today is my day, I am going to tell you when and where we are going to have dinner together and you are going to show up.

Susan stares at him and can't help smiling.

Vincent: Tonight, 7:30, the lobby of Waldorf-Astoria. Don't be late. And yeah, have fun at the meeting-cum-lunch.

Vincent turns around and leaves. Susan watches Vincent leave and continues smiling.

End of part I. Hopefully, there would be a part II.