Touch Me
‘Touch me, touch me
I want to feel your body
Your heartbeat next to mine
This is the night’
crooned Samantha Fox’s raunchy voice from Rex Chacko’s stereo, waking him up, on a lazy Sunday morning. The song was set for an 8 AM alarm.
Room 12 of the bachelor’s accommodation, that had Rex and his three roomies, also doubled up as the unofficial pub on Saturday nights.
Rex surveyed the mess. He had three hours before the visitors arrived, three hours to turn the makeshift bar into a holy room. He got to work. He emptied the ashtrays, bottles, cigarette packets, paper cups, plates and half -empty pouches of the ‘sides’ into the common bin in the hallway. Thankfully, the puke bucket was empty.
Rex woke his reluctant roomies and kept reminding of their promise to help.
The visitors were Rex’s parents, on their way to Velankanni Church. Their hometown Pastor was accompanying them. The pilgrimage party would visit Rex on their way and continue their journey after a prayer session and lunch.
Hence the necessary sprucing.
Stained sheets, smelly socks, sweaty work uniforms all found their way to the dhobi’s pick-up basket. The work tables were covered with fresh newspaper.
Harold Robbins “out”. Ayn Rand “in”
Debonair “out”. The Week “in”
Mamta Kulkarni poster “out”, Kapil Dev “in”
Ash Tray “out” Jasmine Jar candle “in”
After a two-hour battle, the room looked spic and span except for the peeling wall paint. Rex and his roomies were very pleased and they patted each other’s back on a job well done as Rex closed the room door behind him.
“Jeez!”, all screamed in unison, as the life-size poster of Sam fox with a “Touch Me” caption on her ample bosom teased them from the door that Rex had just closed.
Should the poster be torn apart?
No, never. They all agreed. It was expensive and explosive.
The engineers went back to work. Few nails were drilled in and Sam Fox was draped over by a long turkey towel.
“Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only ones less grievous than the others.”, Rex said apologetically to Sam Fox.
Rex parents arrived. After the customary introductions, Rex’s roomies politely excused themselves. It was prayer time for the devote family.
Rex and his Appachan rearranged the cots and rolled out a coir mat on the floor as the pastor prepared for the family prayer.
Ammachi, who came out of the bathroom after freshening up, requested for a towel. As Rex was fishing out one from the shelf, the unsuspecting Ammachi extracted the turkey towel that was hanging from the doornails, thereby exposing a buxom Sam Fox who smiled seductively at the kneeling Pastor and Appachan.
Rex stepped back in shock, his rear accidentally pressing the play button on the stereo, that played, as if on cue
Touch me, touch me
I want to feel your body……
Ammachi- Mother, colloquial Kottayam Malayalam
Appachan– Father, colloquial Kottayam Malayalam
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The above story is an entry into #TheChoice a Five00 entry.
Check out event guidelines here: https://writers.artoonsinn.com/five00-6/
Check out Ranjit’s space here: https://writers.artoonsinn.com/author/ranjith-narayanan/
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Photo by frankie cordoba
