Canteen’s Angels

 

 

Jaya:  Hey, where’s Sushma?  I can’t wait, I’m sooo hungry.. 

 

Hema:  Here she comes.  Who’s with her?

 

Sushma:  Hi girls!  Meet Rekha.  She joined our department today.  Rekha, meet Hema and Jaya. 

 

Rekha:  Hi everyone!

 

Jaya:  Hi Rekha.. welcome!

 

Hema:  Hi Rekha!

 

Jaya: Let’s start eating.

 

Hema:  Rekha, what is that book you’re carrying?

 

Rekha:  A Jeffrey Archer….

 

Hema:  You love reading?

 

Rekha:  Yes, I read everything under the firmament.

 

Hema:  Under the what?

 

Rekha:  Sky..

 

Sushma:  That Smiley pin on your dress is beautiful.

 

Rekha:  Nice, na?  The despatch clerk gave it to me.

 

Sushma:  Meera Madam?

 

Rekha:  Yes.  She’s sweet.  I felt such a positive aura around her…..

 

Hema:  Don’t go by her face – she’s the biggest gossip around!

 

Sushma:  Yeah.  She’s semi-literate – doesn’t work.  Got this job in place of her husband when he lost his life trapping a thief..

 

Rekha:  Ah, quid pro quo..

 

Hema:  What?

 

Rekha:  Well, the same thing..

 

Sushma:  And so carefree and cheerful!  Who would say she’s a widow?

 

Rekha:  So what?  Can’t a widow be happy?

 

Hema:  Her teenaged daughter has psychiatric issues. You call her a woman!  Can’t even bring up her only child properly.. 

 

Rekha:  Ahem..  Hey, hasn’t  another person joined today?

 

Sushma:  Yes.  Mrs. Yadav.

 

Hema:  She’s a divorcee?

 

Sushma:  Yup.  Her story made the news recently.  She’d filed a case against her ex-husband for trying to kill her using some fancy-sounding weapon – mesh something.. 

 

Rekha:  Machete?

 

Sushma:  Right!  Rekhu, you’re such a darling!

 

Hema:  I saw her in the morning.  She looks so dominating!  I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the one trying to kill him!

 

Sushma:  Oh God..

 

Rekha:  I say, Jaya’s so quiet..

 

Hema:  She’s busy gorging….

 

Jaya:  Shut up, Hema!  I’ve to leave early. I’m preparing for the promotion exams.

 

Hema:  Hey, that’s great!  You deserve it.  All the best, dear!

 

Sushma, Rekha:  All the best!

 

Jaya:  Thank you.  Bye girls!

 

Hema:  Jaya and promotion? Hah!! She doesn’t even deserve her present position!

 

Sushma:  Exactly!

 

Hema:  Her ample frame, those tight dresses, the cleavage show..  Guess how she must have come this far!  Once again, the management will just look at her and promote her…Yeeks!!

 

Sushma:  Hey, time up, girls!  Let’s finish up and leave this ladies’ room before the big gang comes in.

 

Rekha:  Who?

 

Sushma:  The remaining ladies of our department will have their lunch now.  

 

Rekha:  Then why do we eat separately?

 

Hema:  Ah, they gossip throughout lunchtime.  Not just routine talk, mind you.  It’s character assassination of the worst sort.  You’ll cringe when you hear them dissect everyone’s personal lives.  C’mon, we’re here to work..  

 

Sushma:  We found it revolting.  That’s why we broke away, you see.. we’re not like them.. 

 

Hema:  We don’t gossip…. Rekha, what happened?  You look pale..

 

Rekha:  Oh, nothing.  Feeling a little wabbit..

 

Sushma:  Whattt?

 

Rekha:  Er, I want to run.. like a rabbit..

 

Sushma:  Why did she run away?

 

Hema:  Let her go!  Pompous nerd….

 

Photo courtesy:  Free Belarus, Shutterstock

 

 

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