Dear readers, please review and let me know whether you want me to continue writing this story or not. I will go with the majority.
"Hey, look there!" Chad nudged Sonny, pointing to a stout caramel-skinned middle-aged man in a white uniform who was holding a placard bearing their names in big bold letters. "Welcome to India, Sir!" the man politely greeted the two smiling white men clad in knee-length shorts, t-shirt, and warm jacket carrying a backpack, and he introduced himself as Solomon, the driver. It was 6 in the morning and quite dark outside. The air, in this southern part of India, was cold enough for one to shiver, considering it was January, whereas it would be snowing in some parts of the world. As soon as they hopped into the wide black SUV, Sonny and Chad dozed off.
After what seemed be 2 hours, Sonny was woken up by the jerk of the vehicle, but Chad was unaffectedly snoring. "Sir, city limit is over. From here sometimes road is not proper. Sorry for the trouble" Solomon said in his own Indian English, grinning at the reflected image of Sonny on the mirror. "Oh thank you for the information, Solomon! And, please call me Sonny, not 'sir', ok?" Sonny waved his hand. Solomon gave a thumbs-up. Sonny looked through the closed window. Now the sun was shining brightly. "So, 2 more hours to go?" Sonny showed the V sign. "Yes. Priya madam told to take rest at Venus Hotel. It is just half an hour" Solomon said. "Oh good! I badly need some caffeine" "What, Mr Sonny?" "I meant coffee" Sonny corrected.
Going by the hoardings and name boards on the sideways, Sonny understood that chemical and hardware industries constituted most of the business in those areas. That specific path was so rugged that the jeep was having a bumpy ride. "What the fuck!" Chad was annoyed that his sleep was disturbed. Sonny hit Chad's leg to warn him not to use bad words. He informed him that it's going to be one roller-coaster ride to their destination. Chad sighed but he managed to smile broadly at Solomon, who was keenly observing his body language through the mirror.
The jeep came to a halt in front of a small motel called Venus Inn, the only one on the highway. There were a few people inside, mostly men. A lean young boy with well-oiled hair walked to their table. He smiled at Solomon and greeted him in the local language. Probably the two knew each other Sonny thought. "I will have plain black coffee" Sonny said looking at the boy. The boy quickly nodded his head affirmatively. "One cappuccino, please" Chad said. The boy gave a confused look at him and murmured something to Solomon. "Mr Chad, sorry. It is not available here. Only tea, coffee, and fruit juice" Solomon grinned sheepishly. "Oh ok. Black coffee will do." "Where is the restroom?" Chad asked. The boy pointed to a door that read 'Wash Room.' "Jesus! I swear I wouldn't have gone in had I known that one has to squat and not sit!" Chad sighed as he came out. "Oh it's the typical Indian toilet. Don't you know?" Sonny chuckled as he adjusted his hair looking at the rectangular mirror mounted on the wall. "You are ok?" Solomon became concerned looking at Chad's flushed face. "I'm good, Solomon" Chad winked. The boy returned with a big tray containing a small kettle, a cup of sugar, empty cups, saucers, and spoons all made of bone china, and some biscuits and sponge cakes.
"Now, what is that!?" Chad exclaimed. He was pointing at small two-wooden-wheeled vehicles pulled by a pair of oxen, moving in a straight line; the vehicles carried giant heaps of hay, and men in traditional clothing and turban were controlling the animals. "Oh these are bullock carts, the oldest mode of transport for Indian people. Of course, they are eco-friendly." Sonny sounded like a tourist guide. Sonny smiled as he looked at the morning scenery of the countryside: men working in the vast patches of green and yellow paddy fields; white herons and other water birds walking and flying in groups; women and young girls in ethnic wear carrying on their hips and head, mud pots filled with water fetched from the nearby river; children in blue-and-white school uniforms riding bicycles. There were a few small temples of worship and a mosque. The jeep jolted as it crossed several potholes on muddy roads. "Oh man, Sonny! It's one hell of a ride. Why drag us all the way from Yorkshire?" Chad's upper body danced to and fro. "Well, can't help it. It's Priya's ailing grandmother's wish to have the wedding at their ancestral home. Anyway, I find it adventurous!" Sonny shrugged. "Oh Bear Grylls Junior! How did I forget your recent wild African safari?" Chad rolled his eyes.
When the jeep neared the village entrance, Chad and Sonny saw a white man, a Christian priest, standing beside a car and chatting with a few Indian men in formal western attire holding some official papers and folder. Solomon immediately got down and greeted the priest. Sonny and Chad alighted and walked toward them. "Hello, I'm Father Eric Brady!" the priest smiled and shook hands with the two young men, who introduced themselves. "Nice to see some of my fellow Americans in this part of the world! My nephew will be glad to meet you guys." The priest waved them goodbye and got into the car. "Buddy, did Father Hottie just mention about his nephew here?" Sonny said as he got into the jeep. "Yeah. Probably a 10-year-old. He will be of great company. What you say?" Chad grinned. "What can I say…our country kids are something!" Sonny laughed.
"Is that an effing Lamborghini? Man, they could have airlifted us!" Chad's eyes widened at the sight of the expensive car displayed in front of the palatial ancestral house of their friend and the bride, Priya Sharma. The women of the Sharma family in colorful sarees welcomed Sonny and Chad by placing garlands made of marigold flowers around their neck. Priya was excited to see her college mates and took them to the well-furnished cozy guest rooms. Once they got freshened up, they were taken to the dining area. Chad was quite relieved to see his favorite food, burgers and fries, even though there were a wide range of Intercontinental dishes. With their stomach full, Sonny and Chad retired to their respective rooms for a good sleep. Sonny couldn't believe himself that he slept for more than 7 hours. He pushed the window screen aside and opened the doors. It was actually dark and cold, but there was enough light coming from strings of flashy bulbs decorating the entire sprawling house. Since his room was situated on the third floor, he could get a decent view of the surrounding area. There he spotted something like a vast greenish canopy. "So… this must be the giant banyan tree that Priya once raved about. Got to go there first thing in the morning" Sonny murmured curiously.