The office announced a team outing.
By evening, almost forty people had replied.
Suggestions flowed in.
Hill stations.
Resorts.
Nandi Hills.
A Skandagiri night trek.
Someone suggested Mysore because his uncle owned a lodge.
The discussion continued for three days.
Nothing was decided.
At tea break, Sanvi sat with her usual group.
She was telling them about a movie she had watched over the weekend.
Sudharma joined them for a few minutes.
“You disappeared yesterday,” she said.
“I had work.”
“You always have work.”
“That is why they pay me.”
One of the others laughed.
“You both have been having the same conversation for one year.”
Sanvi smiled.
“We have reduced it to the important parts.”
Her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
“I’ll be back.”
She walked towards the gate.
The conversation continued without her.
When she returned, somebody else had taken her chair.
She did not ask for it back.
She pulled another plastic stool and sat with the rest.
A few days later, the outing plan changed.
The larger group had lost interest.
People had family functions.
Some had exams.
Some had already spent their salary.
The list became shorter.
Nobody seemed disappointed.
Typical office outing plans.
The outing list was pinned near the transport desk.
Names had been scratched out.
New names had been added.
Sanvi stood reading it.
“You are going?” Sudharma asked.
“Probably.”
“You said you might not.”
She smiled.
“Plans changed.”
He looked at the list.
“Who all are coming?”
“There is someone I want you to meet.”
He turned.
A young man from another process was walking towards them.
Sudharma had seen him before.
The fellow who was planning to do his MBA.
The one who listened.
“This is Arvind,” Sanvi said.
They shook hands.
“I know him,” Arvind said. “Quality training.”
Sudharma nodded.
For a few seconds, nobody had anything to say.
Someone from transport shouted that a cab was ready.
Arvind looked at Sanvi.
“I’ll wait near the gate.”
He walked away.
Sanvi watched him go.
Then she looked at Sudharma.
“You could have asked.”
“What?”
“What all this was.”
He smiled.
“I thought we had time.”
“I know.”
She adjusted the strap of her bag.
“I got tired of waiting.”
He looked at the outing list again.
One more name had been crossed out.
“I hope that’s all right,” she said.
“It is.”
“I still want us to talk when we meet.”
“We will.”
She seemed relieved.
A cab stopped near the entrance.
Arvind was already inside.
He moved to the other side to make space for her.
Sanvi looked at Sudharma.
“If you go on the trip, send me the photographs.”
“I will.”
“And don’t forget.”
“I won’t.”
She got into the cab.
The driver closed the door.
The vehicle rolled out through the gate.
Sudharma stood there for a moment.
The transport coordinator walked over.
“Route sheet signed?”
He shook his head.
“Go. Your cab is waiting.”
He signed and walked out.
Outside, two company cabs pulled out of the gate one after the other.
He watched them for a moment and walked towards his own.
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