‘If I move, I have to wait again for the food. I don’t have the time. You are spreading your germs all over here, so you move.’ The younger man was now furious. Anu leaned back into her chair and covered her coffee cup subtly.

The older man settled snugly into the chair and coughed more vigorously. The young man muttered to himself but knew it was hopeless to argue more. When the cougher got busy with his phone, Anu tilted her cup to spill the coffee closer to him. As the brown liquid neared him, threatening to drip all over his white pants, Anu shrieked. ‘Sir, watch out.’

The man jumped out of his seat in horror. ‘You mad woman! Do you have Parkinson’s to spill the coffee?’

As he coughed his way to the sink to wash the stains off, Anu got up to leave. But not before emptying more coffee onto his seat. She smiled at the young man and whispered, ‘Enjoy your Dose.’

Following her out of the hotel, Pete looked heavenward. ‘You are one of a kind!’

After a bit of strolling and shopping, Anu took pity on Pete. He looked just about ready to have a nervous breakdown amidst the vehicles, potholes, street vendors and dogs. Leading him inside a Coffee Day, she laughed. ‘Relax your frazzled brain now.’

Pete sighed. ‘This was nice and adventurous. But I can only experience this chaos very briefly.’

Anu ordered two lattes and plonked on a sofa. ‘Takes a different mindset to live in real Bangalore. Nothing seems to work but everything works. There is a hidden method in all the madness which only a local can decode!’

Pete sipped his coffee and smiled at Anu. ‘I wouldn’t say this to your face but you are a remarkable woman! And, a great mom.’

Anu smiled back. ‘I wouldn’t say this to your face either but you are one of the nicest people I have met.’

‘I have got some news, though.’ Pete swirled the coffee. ‘I heard from my brother that my mom isn’t keeping well. So, I am leaving tomorrow night.’

Anu gasped. ‘So sorry about your mother, Pete. You are going to be back again, right?’

Pete shook his head. ‘No. We are moving back for good. There was not much to pack since it was a furnished house. We lived minimally, as you saw.’

Anu felt a knife pierce through her. ‘I knew you would leave soon but this is sudden. I am going to miss you.’ She fought back her tears.

‘Thank you for your friendship and for showing me a Bangalore I never would have seen on my own.’ Pete patted Anu’s hand. ‘Stay happy and don’t resist change too much.’

Anu smiled at him. ‘I will try. By the way, I read ten pages from each of the eight books you want me to like.’

‘And? The verdict is?’ Pete looked at her curiously.