What Do You Think of Love? – a short story from India.

What Do You Think of Love? – a short story from India.

In March 2004 I was 25 years old. With not a care in the world, no particular place to be and zero commitments to speak of, I packed up a rucksack and headed off to India. The future lay sparkling and I thought it would last forever.

——

Delhi’s imposing Red Fort came into view long before we reached it. ‘‘Its towering red sandstone walls extend for two kilometres and vary in height from eighteen meters on the Yamuna River side, to thirty three meters on the city side’’ I read. Not that Allan was listening. Rather, he was busy trying to swat a persistent fly. 

“Red Fort!” exclaimed our rickshaw driver exultantly, arms aloft, as if he’d just built the thing himself. Thankfully his hands quickly returned to the steering wheel and seconds later we gurgled to a stop outside the entrance. While undoubtedly excited at the cultural explorations that lay ahead, my overriding emotion at that moment was one of pure relief. After all, we’d actually made it in one piece without the passenger door falling off along the way, me tumbling after it.

Allan dropped some crumpled notes onto the dashboard and we jumped out, denying our excitable chauffeur the opportunity to contest the fare. Which is exactly what our sneaky taxi driver had done the day before. Quoting one price in the beginning and then hitting us with an extortionate fee upon arrival. Moreover, he’d even had the audacity to insist that we’d “misheard” him. Allan and I may have only been in New Delhi a matter of days, but we were learning fast. 

What Do You Think of Love? – a short story from India.

Wading into the crowds at the fort’s entrance and the inevitable onslaught hit us head on. “Which country?” yelled a faceless voice from my left. In the meantime, to my right, a bony hand clamped down hard on my shoulder. “Yes please, red for postcards!” giggled a gaunt looking man, performing a delirious dance around me.

Having caught our attention, he proceeded to unveil a sorry pile of faded cards that looked as though they’d gone into print fifty years ago. The top postcard presented a group of middle aged tourists, surely long dead. Thumbs up, wide smiles, as behind them The Red Fort loomed large.

Looking the hawker squarely in the eye, I could see he was totally ignorant as to what a piss poor product he had. “Yes?” he grinned hopefully. “Red Fort!” screeched another opportunist, stabbing a finger towards the colossal construction before us. Just in case we were somehow confused as to where we were. “Tour only 500!” he continued, hopping from foot to foot.

What Do You Think of Love? – a short story from India.

Ignoring all the attention, Allan and I pressed on. Until that is I felt a pair of hands grab hold of my head from behind. Before I could react, a hairy contraption of some sort had been expertly hooked over my ears. “Indian beard make you look lovely jubbly!” chuckled the seller. “Only 30 Rupees!!!”

Speechless, I found myself rooted to the spot while Allan howled with laughter. It took a few seconds for the cold hard truth to sink in. That I had in fact been attacked with a fake beard. It suddenly struck me that from time to time, against all logic and reason, they actually sold some of this pointless tat. Why else would one bother getting up every morning?

Highly amused but ultimately beardless, we made it inside, ready to lose ourselves in a few hours of Indian history. Reaching The Red Fort’s vast courtyard, an information board informed us that construction began in 1638 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The dude who was also behind The Taj Mahal.

What Do You Think of Love? – a short story from India.

Photo courtesy of Chester Beatty Library.

The fort took a decade to build and was an integral part of Sha Jahan’s plan to move his empire from Agra to Delhi. Sadly for him however, this dream was never realised. This was due to the fact that he was deposed and imprisoned by his own son, Aurangzeb. In fact, legend has it he ambushed his old man with a group of renegades while in disguise. Quite possibly utilising a 30 Rupee fake beard. Lovely jubbly!

With the street pests banned from entering the complex, we were able to explore the grounds in peace. Subsequently, we passed through The Hall of Public Audiences (Diwan-e-am), The Royal Baths and several impressive marble mosques before resting at a colonial teahouse.

Several scones and a pot of brew later, we made for the Museum of Archeology. Chiefly to seek respite from the burning afternoon sun! Inside we got chatting to a group of friendly locals. A curious collection of male teenagers who seemed absolutely fascinated by us. The questions came thick and fast:

“Which country?’’

‘‘How many girlfriends?’’

‘‘How much money you making?’’

‘‘Who killed Princess Diana?’’

“You liking Indian woman?”

‘‘Do you know Beck Ham?’’

After all lines of small talk had been exhausted, an awkward silence fell over us that screamed out for a “soooo…”. Right on cue. the group’s leader stepped forward. He was a handsome, moustachioed boy called Romeo who reeked of aftershave and carried an acute nervousness.

Allan and I exchanged glances, sensing an important moment had arrived. “Sir… tell me” ventured Romeo, right hand raised imploringly. ‘‘What do you think of love?” I allowed myself the most discreet of smirks as, awaiting my response, Romeo placed his hand on his chin thoughtfully. A few of his posse even leaned in closer, as if I were about to give them the key to the secret garden.

What Do You Think of Love? A short story from India.

You could have heard a pin drop as Allan turned to me with a raised eyebrow. Clearly doing his best to prevent his own smile from breaking out into something more disrespectful. ‘‘I’m gonna let you answer this one’’ he said. “Um… I think… love… is… good” I offered, desperate to avoid further eye contact with my Scottish travel mate.

Thankfully, I seemed to have provided a pleasing answer, as they signalled their agreement with solemn nods, low mutters and one enlightened ‘‘Aaaaaah’’. “Love is good… indeed…” agreed Romeo, stroking his moustache. “But also a little strange. Yes, love is strange”.

‘‘God bless you sir!” cried Romeo, giving me a hearty slap on the back. He then shook my hand passionately, his companions following suit in what rapidly bloomed into a festival of self congratulatory hand shaking, hugging and back-slapping. Finally, a museum guard came over and told us to take it outside.

‘‘Oh dear’’ laughed Romeo with a goofy grin. ‘‘I think we make this man grumpy. The Red Fort is not a place for glee’’.

By this point Allan and I were getting peckish. So we exited and broke for lunch at a nearby restaurant. With the rest of his gang having dispersed, Romeo was keen to join us for more chat. As we ate, he gave us a few city tips and plenty of insight into the challenges of life in New Delhi as a working class local. “Enjoy my India!” he said at the restaurant door, before turning away and disappearing into the buzzing crowds outside.

I saw countless amazing sights and met many colourful people throughout my time travelling around India. And right up there with the best of them was Romeo and our brief but memorable male bonding session in Delhi’s Red Fort.

‘What Do You Think of Love?’ is the third installment of my short story series Incidents In India.

I’ve been living, working and traveling all over the world since 2001. So why not check out my huge library of travel reports from over 30 countries.