L A V I T A N O V A

 He stood up and pressed down on the pedal, as there were only 7 minutes left. His legs were exhausted from yesterday's travel. He stopped his bicycle on an unknown street, not for rest. The song that was playing a second before was not. He took his phone from his pocket and tried to open maps, but unfortunately, there was no signal. He was exasperated by the time. He unplugged his headphones and looked around, searching for help, but there was no one. He was standing with his bicycle in the middle of the road. The trees were shedding their leaves, revealing their beauty. His gaze was drawn to an auto driver sipping tea in a tea shop. He pedaled towards the driver and slammed on the brakes in front of the shop. While sitting on his bicycle, he asked the auto driver in english,

"Sir, do you know this address?" With a face drenched in sweat, while handing over his phone, which has a screenshot of the address.

The auto driver stopped sipping his tea and asked "Are you Tamil?" With an amazed face.

"Yes, but there is no time for that sir," he replied, with a tensed smile.

"Ohh.. sorry pa, give me the address," he kept aside his tea and received the phone from Shay's hand.

 "The Black Butterfly,

 Fuchsia Line,

 Akai - 190086" 

 "Black Butterfly, why are you going there?" the driver asked him with an astonished face.

"Interview na," he answered.

"Anna, can you please tell me the route," he pleaded, while his leg was tapping the ground rapidly.

"Ahh, yes, based on your expressions…" he thought and suddenly said "Park your bicycle and come with me; I will drop you there," in a jovial tone.

"Na, why do you want unwanted trouble? I will manage na," he replied in a sad yet grateful voice.

"There is no trouble for me," he smiled.

"Now get on the auto," he said contentedly.

Shay looked at the clock hanging in the tea shop. It was 9:25, without further thinking, he parked his bicycle in front of the shop and locked it. He stepped inside the auto.

"Selvam," he shouted, "going to fuchsia line, keep his bicycle and my tea safe," he pointed to his half- drank tea, which he kept on the sitting table. "Okay, okay", he got a mumbled reply.

 He pulled the lever up and released it. Clank!, the lever struck the metal body of the auto. It startled Shay, who was sitting anxiously in the back. "Vetri." "Uhh," Shay responded. "My name is Vetri, yours?" He asked. "Shay. Anna can you go faster?" He questioned him. "uh sure," he said as he accelerated the auto. An awkward silence remained between them. The auto took a right turn into the fuchsia line. Shay noticed the street board and asked Vetri the time, it was 9:27. He was relieved a bit and asked Vetri, "How far do we still have to go?" Vetri smiled and stated "The shop is on the end of the street." Shay's mind started to get coherent. His anxiety faded, and confidence took over his body. He was covered in sweat, that was his only concern. The auto stopped, it was exactly 9:29. He stepped out of the auto, it was a short trip. He thanked Vetri and reached into his pocket to give him thirty rupees. Vetri rejected it with a smile and said, "I helped an innocent soul today, that's my reward, and go inside Liam is a man who expects promptness."

"You know him?" Shay was astounded.

 Vetri tapped on his watch and said "go inside."

 Shay rushed into the store after seeing the time, it was 9:30. He heard an inaudible good luck from outside.

 After entering the shop, he saw a man dancing, wearing an apron, and holding a broom in his hand.

Suddenly the man looked at him, paused the song, and asked him, "Are you Shay?" "Y-y-yes," he stuttered. The man looked at his watch, which he wore on his left hand. It was exactly 9. He looked at him and said, "Welcome to Black Butterfly, my name is Liam, you can call me anything you like, and about your interview…. let's start". Shay felt both excited and afraid. He inhaled deeply and whispered "ok" to himself.

 "Do you know anything about music or musical instruments?" he questioned Shay while leaning on the cashier's desk. Shay, with a poised look on his face, replied, "No." Liam was taken aback.

"But I want to learn," Shay further added. Liam smiled. Everyone who attends the interview will bluff in order to get the job, but Shay was truthful. "Do you have a resume?" Liam asked.

"Yes," Shay answered. He opened his sling bag, took out his resume document from the file, and gave it to Liam. "I checked the testing instruments na," Gayathri said while walking out of the room. "Ah, Shay, meet Gayathri, your colleague," Liam said. Shay waved at her with a soft "hello." Gayathri responded with a hi. "Can you show him the store, Gayathri?" Liam asked. "Sure na," Gayathri responded with a smile. "Come," she asked Shay as she was walking to the storage room. Shay followed her while his eyes devoured the graceful design of the store. Liam started to go through his resume.

 Name: Shay

 Age : 22

 Date of Birth: July 8, 1996

 Place of Birth: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

 Civil Status: Single

 Religion: Christian

 Height: 5 feet 11 inches

 Weight: 70 kg

 Father's name: Thomas

 Mother's name: Lily Thomas

 EDUCATIONAL STATUS

Primary to Government school of

Secondary Chennai

Tertiary Government College of Arts and Science

 (finished 2 years in BA English)

 Liam was surprised to know that Shay was born in Chennai.

 Shay walked down the storage room, looking at the different types of instruments. "We do our own production and also deal with other brands," Gayathri gave information to Shay. "Where are you from?" Gayathri asked respectfully. "Chennai," Shay answered. "Oh, super, I was also from Chennai," she replied with an excited face. "Nice, why did you come to Kashmir?" Shay asked her and she replied," My family moved here when I was 13 because of my father's job, so we settled here, and I have no plan of leaving." "Oh, nice", Shay replied. "These are the materials we use to craft instruments," she said while walking inside the store from the back, as the storage room is on the backside of the store." In this room, we have the string instruments, and over that room, we have percussion instruments, vinyl records, and cassettes, which many people buy nowadays, over there near the cashier's desk we have the restroom and over here we have our secret hidden snacks to eat while working, you can take any snacks you want, Shay, Shay, Shay….. Sh-Y-y" (distorted noise) "Ah" Shay responded with a blank face. "What happened?" Gayathri asked, Nothing, I was just thinking about the interview," Shay gave an answer. "Why?" she questioned, you are already selected, that's why Liam asked me to give you a tour," she smiled. "Really, whoa man, that's a relief," Shay said to her with a relieved face. "That's all, this is our store, you heard all the things I said, right?" "Yeah" Shay responded quickly. "Come let's go, Liam will be waiting for us" she asked. "Sure", Shay replied, as he was staring at the Black Butterfly logo on the crate, thinking of something... something he would only know.

 "Why did you come to Kashmir if you were born and raised in Chennai" Liam questioned him.

Shay smiled and answered "Due to family issues and a promise, Liam". Sigh "Ok, you passed your interview, you can start working here from today," Liam said with a calm smile, while pointing at a broom that was leaning against the wall. Gayathri looked at Shay, gave him a wink, and a thumbs up. Liam understood Shay.

 Liam began to explain the daily routine: "The timing of the store is from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m, some days it will be extended or reduced. You should come here at 7:30 and start cleaning the shop for that day. Customers are rare, but there will be at least 3 for a day… ah, not including the old customers. I will be working in the workshop most of the time, which is on the backside of the house, and I will be teaching you about music and musical instruments."

"Ohh… wait a sec, 7:30, I should be here by 7:30?" He appalled.

"Yes, and one more thing. If you are having trouble travelling all the way, you can stay with me; there's no need to pay any rent or maintenance fee," he said in a calm tone.

"I heard from Anbu that you are staying here alone, if you don't have any trouble, you can stay in my house."

 Shay was out of words from hearing the daily routine, but he was thought about the offer, he just received. A salary of ₹10,000 and a rent free place.

"Based on your deep thinking, I think you don't want th--"

"Should I shift now or later?" Liam was interrupted by Shay, who was smiling and had just joined the Black Butterfly as a manager. Liam with a smile welcomed Shay into his family.

 Shay was sweeping the floor, wearing an apron, and thinking about the things Anbu told him about this job. He was showing his wrath on Anbu by gripping the broom so hard that it was about to snap. Liam was in the workshop, crafting a guitar.

 Shay leaned the broom against the desk, which was in the middle of the store. He started to wander around the store, looking at the cassettes and instruments. Shay was admiring the enticing craftsmanship of the guitar. The shop was surrounded mostly by stringed instruments. Shay was bewildered at how the store was built and managed. He heard a faint voice shouting the name "Liam" outside. He opened the door; it was Vetri.

"Hi na, what are you doing here?" Shay asked.

"Oh, you got selected, good to know," he replied sarcastically.

 Shay laughed and said, "yes na, but you scared me a lot." Vetri laughed and asked "Where is Liam?"

"He is back in the workshop na," Shay answered.

"Oh… ok, I will come later, and you are new to the city, right?" he asked Shay.

"Yes na," Shay gave a reply.

"Good, tomorrow is the yearly neighbourhood festival, so it's a holiday. Liam will come there, come with him, it will be a nice way to know about the neighbourhood, and also tell Liam I was here," he said to Shay in a cheerful way.

"Thanks na and sure," Shay bobbed his head, waved bye to him, and went inside.

 Shay was cleaning the display glass of the shop and noticed a crack on it, but he didn't care when suddenly a deciduous leaf that was travelling with the blustery wind grabbed his attention. He glanced at it and the neighbourhood with a blissful feeling. The autumn trees, the children who were playing, the houses, and the people made him happy. This is the first time he has experienced pure happiness. He got out of the shop, looked at the magnificent fuchsia neighbourhood, and was ready for his, New Life.

 Liam was carving a piece of wood in his workshop, whistling a song. Suddenly he stopped, smiled, and whispered, "He is a woodwind!" And continued to chisel away the wood.