Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The keyhole


“Excuse me” Mukesh said.

The key-maker raised his head.

“We’re living in a nearby flat. Today morning, we got out of our flat for breakfast and closed the front door. The door got locked automatically. We went back after our breakfast, and realized that we forgot to take our keys. Its inside our flat.” Mukesh said.

The key-maker didn’t say a word. He angled himself and spat the chewed off red pan-parag to his side (which he frequently does) and started searching for something amongst a set of around hundred keys in his suitcase.

“Where do you both live?” The key-maker asked after a while.

“In the ‘Kasturbha Complex’. First right, 3rd building.” Sunil answered, as if he was expecting that question for a long time.

“I know where ‘Kasturbha Complex’ is”. The key-maker sounded a bit arrogant.

Both the guys kept their mouth shut.

“Raju, I’ll back soon. Finish the Khandekar’s key; he’ll be coming before lunch.” The key-maker assigned some work to his assistant and started off with Mukesh and Sunil.

“We are software engineers, working in Navi Mumbai. We have Saturday and Sunday off.” Sunil said.

The key-maker kept walking.

“Are you open on Sundays?” Sunil asked.

“No.” The key-maker replied.

“Thank god. If it would have been tomorrow, we would have got stuck outside. No way could we have got back into our flat.” Mukesh said.

“Which floor?” The key-maker asked when they reached the Kasturbha Complex.

“Second. Flat 201.” Mukesh replied.

“Who’s living here in 202?” The key-maker asked when three of them reached the second floor.

“It’s a family. The parents would have gone for work and their kids to school.” Sunil said.

By that time the key-maker had started his work. He inserted different keys and turned them left and right.

After a series of tries he selected a key and started scraping it off with his tools and kept on trying the half-finished key frequently into the key hole.

Mukesh and Sunil were eagerly looking at his work.

The door opened suddenly when the key-maker turned the finished key to the right twice.

He packed his suitcase and said.

“150”

Mukesh took out his wallet from the right pocket of his shorts and gave the key-maker 150 rupees.

The key-maker left at once, and both Sunil and Mukesh entered the house, smiling.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Sonia, it’s about 5pm. Change your dress quickly; the show is at 6pm.” Rahul opened the door of flat 201 and both of them entered.

“What’s this? Our house has been robbed.” Rahul appeared frightened.

“Oh my god! All our savings are lost.” Sonia started crying.

“But how did the thieves get into our house?” Rahul asked himself.

1 comment:

Arun Jose Francis said...

hehe, athu kollaam! :-)