Jay got out of bed extra early the following morning. He couldn’t sleep. He performed his usual routine of washing his face, eating breakfast, brushing his teeth, putting on his shoes, coat, jacket. He checked that his mobile had enough battery and closed the front door behind him.
Today would be different he told himself. He had a purpose, a mission. Jay zapped his car door open, climbed in and drove off towards Kilburn. He was surprised how quickly he managed to get there given it was in the middle of the rush hour. Jay parked his car on the opposite side of the road from Zulekha’s house, slightly downhill so he could get a better vantage point should she take the tube from Kilburn station. It was 07:34 am. Time ticked by slowly, very slowly. Jay was glad that he hadn’t contemplated a career as a private detective; his bladder and nervous disposition were way too weak for that. He speculated as to whether private detectives came prepared for such things on their stakeouts, armed with empty plastic bottles, just in case.
By 08:10 boredom had taken over. Jay had checked all his emails, updated his telephone, read the news, sent a text to his dad and even cleaned the dust off the dashboard in his car. There was sudden activity at the front door of the house. A woman wearing a short business jacket and black trousers flew out of the house in the direction of the tube station, clutching a small handbag. She moved so quickly that it took Jay by surprise. He picked up his phone, opened the car door and swivelled himself out onto the asphalt, narrowly avoiding being hit by a passing motorist in the process. Jay locked his car with a beep and ran onto the pavement. The woman crossed the road and walked very briskly, despite her high heels, down a side road. Jay followed after her, half walking, half running, half out of breath. By the time Jay eventually caught up with her, they were almost on the main Kilburn high road.
“Zoolayka?” Jay shouted. There was no response. He tried again, more loudly. “Zoolayka!”The woman slowed to a standstill and turned swiftly towards her follower, exuding a stern yet worried look.
“Hi.. I’m err..” James tried to catch his breath “..I’m Jay.. James.. I sent you some flowers? ..Sorry if I startled you.. I err..” Jay reached out his hand.
Zulekha’s frown turned into a cautious smile as she shook Jay’s hand. Zulekha caught something familiar about Jay’s eyes; she had seen his face somewhere before “Have we met?”
“Well.. yes.. we have.. in Norway” replied Jay nervously.
“You were at the ski resort in Norway?”
“Yes.. yes I was” Jay reluctantly let Zulekha retract her hand.
“How did you get my address?”
“Oh.. well.. that’s a long story.. I..”
“Never mind..” interrupted Zulekha “..that’ll have to wait.. I’ve got a tube to catch” Zulekha turned and began walking again. Jay dashed after her.
“Zoolayka wait! ..Can I walk with you please?”
Zulekha gazed into his persuasive eyes and decided to give him the benefit of the doubt “Ok. There’s no law to stop you.. “ Zulekha stopped and turned towards Jay ”..and my name is pronounced ‘Zooleekha’.. the ‘kha’ bit needs to come from the back of your throat..” Zulekha started walking again ”Come along.. I don’t want to be late!”
“Err.. please call me Jay” added Jay, hurrying after her.
Kilburn station was as well-populated as any other London Underground station at that time in the morning. Sun shone through intermittent clouds making tube travellers seem less unfriendly than they usually appeared during the argie-bargie of the morning tube run.
Zulekha fed her pass in to the machine. Jay followed suit.
“Are you a student?” asked Jay incredulously.
“Oh.. you’ve seen my student pass..” Zulekha held her student pass up briefly before putting back in her purse “Yes.. I am”
“I thought you worked.. oh.. never mind.. So what are you studying?”
“I believe you have to answer my question first.. about my address? ..Anyway.. I don’t think my husband would be too happy about us talking together”
“What?! Are you married??” Jay’s heart sank.
“No.. but I could have been for all you knew” Zulekha cast a cheeky smile towards Jay.
Jay thought about what he should say next as they climbed the stairs to join their fellow passengers platform.
“So.. how did you find me?”
“I had to.. um.. well.. I had to ask some friends for a favour..” Jay looked around to make sure no-one was listening “..I knew you had something to do with the travel company.. err.. Globus Travel.. so I basically put two and two together”
The tube rails made a loud chirping noise as the tube train approached.
“So you know someone who works there?”
“No.. no.. I know someone who can.. err..” Jay looked around again “..Well.. who can do things with computer systems”
Zulekha looked him straight in the eye “Are you a computer hacker?” Her dark eyes smiled in contrast to her accusations. Her hair reflected a tinge of red ochre whilst her lip gloss shone brightly in the sunlight. Jay was both mesmerized and embarrassed.
Jay held both hands up, wanting to put them over Zulekha’s lips to quieten her. But he daren’t touch her, she seemed too beautiful. Zulekha noticed Jay’s reddening face and pricked her finger on his cheek.
“Tishsh..” said Zulekha as she led the way into a packed carriage. Jay followed Zulekha into the middle where they both clutched a steel pole for balance. Passengers continued to pile in and jostle around them as the doors closed.
“I could’ve got into a lot of trouble trying to find you!” Jay decided to play for the sympathy angle.
“That was up to you.. I haven’t asked you to find me..” Zulekha could see she was being a little harsh “..But thank you for the flowers.. They were lovely”
Zulekha looked at Jay’s face, analysing his bone structure and wondering what kind of person lay within.
“You’re welcome.. Where are we going anyway?”
“Well.. I’m going to Uni.. I don’t know about you”
“And where exactly is Uni?”
“So many questions!.. The Elephant and Castle”
“That’s a bit of a journey!”
Jay wondered if she really was as ambivalent about his pursuit of her as she was trying to make out. Jay looked into her eyes, silently scanning for any essence of interest in him. He could dive into her eyes and swim forever. There was a warmth and a depth he had never seen before. Everything about her was mysterious. Her magical beauty contrasted so starkly to the noise and smell of the train. Her long, dark, wavy hair, the delicate features of her face – her cheekbones, her lips, her nose..
“West ‘amstead!” blazed out of the train’s speakers as the wheels squealed to a halt. A sharp waft of brake dust hit Jay’s nose as several more passengers hoarded in.
“Shall we move over there?” Jay nodded towards the standing area in the centre aisle, between the bench seats. Zulekha nodded back and started pushing her way through. Jay admired her buttocks in her tight black pants as she did so.
“That’s better.. At least we can see each other now” said Jay.
“And breathe” Zulekha fanned air to her mouth as Jay nodded in agreement.
Jay surveyed the other passengers sitting on either side of them. As usual, no-one wished to make eye contact or indeed, to acknowledge anyone else’s existence. Jay smiled. At least his morning wasn’t going to be as miserable as theirs.
“So.. you go to uni every day?”
“Pretty much.. yeah”
“But.. don’t you work at Globus Travel?”
“I do.. I clean there twice a week.. to earn some money”
Jay noticed that several passengers were listening in on their conversation. They all turned quickly away as soon as they were noticed.
“So.. what are you studying?”
“Accountancy.. I want to be a Chartered Accountant.. Does that sound boring?”
“Hmm.. Just wait until I tell
you what I do” Jay smiled sheepishly.
“What do you do?”
“I work in IT security”
“What!? Really?” Jay nodded back at Zulekha “Well.. it actually doesn’t surprise me that much.. I thought you sounded like one of those IT nerds.. and it would also explain how you found me I suppose”
Jay held his index finger up to his mouth, gesturing for Zulekha not to talk too loudly.
Finchley Road station wheeled into view and yet more people piled on board. The carriage had become unbearably hot and stuffy even though all side windows were open. Jay wondered why almost all the men, including himself, wore thick coats, suits and ties on a day like this. He put it down to British conservatism. Everyone hoped that the tube would move off quickly so they could be fanned by the asbestos-smelling air flowing through the carriage. The doors slid shut and the train pulled out.
“What do you mean ‘nerd’? I take umbrage at that!” Jay smiled, just to let Zulekha know that he wasn’t being serious.
Zulekha’s eyes narrowed as she shook her head questioningly “Umbrish? What’s that?”
“It’s.. oh.. never mind.. I’ll tell you some other time.. But I’ll have you know that IT security is a very dynamic and exciting environment to work in!” Zulekha could tell from the twinkle in Jay’s eyes that he was being ironic.
“Who says there’s going to be another time anyway?” Zulekha was enjoying teasing Jay.
“I do! And I always keep my promises!” Jay winked with one eye as an elderly lady rose up from her seat beside him. The train pulled in to Swiss Cottage station. Jay blocked the efforts of a plump, middle-aged man who attempted to annex the seat by placing himself strategically between the man and the seat. He turned his back on the would-be usurper and signalled to Zulekha that she should sit down.
“Thank you.. A gentleman too!” Zulekha sat down whilst Jay moved forwards to stand in front of her. He felt a nudge from the disgruntled man’s umbrella handle as he did so.
“Yes.. There aren’t many of us left apparently” Jay cast a disapproving look at his ungentlemanly combatant as the doors swished to a close once more.
Jay’s act of chivalry bore a price however. He now had to stand in front of Zulekha, hanging desperately on to an extremely mobile penile-shaped spring, whilst trying to keep the conversation going. Jay stooped down to talk to Zulekha.
“Do you go out much?” Jay felt immediate embarrassment from the corniness of his question.
“Yes.. I am out now” Zulekha raised both hands up demonstratively “What do you mean?”
“Yes.. sorry.. I meant.. do you get the chance to go out in the evenings.. or weekends.. what with all your university stuff?”
“Yes.. I go out occasionally.. I managed to go to Norway didn’t I?” Zulekha’s eyes lifted to fix on Jay’s.
Jay had seldom felt so awkward in his life “Yes.. exactly.. I was just wondering if..”
A loud ‘Saint John’s Wood’ boomed out of the train’s speaker system as they pulled into a station.
Passengers pushed Jay in all directions in their frenzy to get out. Jay held his ground valiantly as the train once again hurled itself onwards down the tracks.
“I’ve got to get off at the next stop” said Jay “Can I have your number please.. so I can call you? Maybe we could meet up for a coffee or something?” Jay smiled innocently “No strings attached ..promise!”.
Zulekha was intrigued, not least by Jay’s sparkling green eyes. She pulled her handbag onto her lap and rummaged inside. Having located her mobile telephone, she subjected it to an onslaught of rapid clicks as she typed using her long-nailed thumbs. She handed her phone over to Jay “Why don’t you give me yours first?”
“Ok.. Let’s swap” Jay handed his telephone to Zulekha with one hand as he took hers with the other, still trying to hold balance in rhythm with the asynchronous movements of the train.
Jay immediately noticed that Zulekha had made a new contact for him, naming him ‘The Hacker’. Jay typed in his number, looked up to give Zulekha a feigned look of anger and then followed up with a cheeky grin. He typed in his number and changed the contact name to ‘Jay – the love of my life’. He handed back her telephone. A sign bearing ‘Baker Street’ came into view as she, likewise, typed in her number on Jay’s telephone.
“There.. Happy now madam?”
“Maybe.. we’ll see”
Zulekha looked visibly pleased with herself. She gave a cat-like blink of her eyes as she put her phone back in her bag,
Jay reached out and touched her hand, squeezing gently. “I’ll ring you tonight.. ok?” Zulekha nodded and smiled politely, not wishing to give away any signs of eagerness or approval.
“Have a really nice day won’t you Zulekha?” Jay pushed his way out of the tube and waved goodbye before he ran up the stairs.