There she was. My goddess. Looking as sophisticated as ever, in that dark, cluttered art shop. It was plain as day that she didn’t belong there. No way. One could tell from her regal bearing; that proud mouth, those pink cheeks that radiated good breeding…and of course those deep violet eyes. It was those magnetic eyes that did me in. Never before in my life had I seen eyes as mysterious, as compelling, and as hypnotic as those that belonged to her. My goddess. I didn’t even know her name, but I was smitten like never before. 

My routine these days had become pretty predictable, I suspect, to those around me. Every morning, I parked my old second-hand Honda Accord in the parking lot close to the UpTown Art Shop. From there, I walked directly up to the shop, peered in to have a good look at my violet-eyed girl, before walking down to the Bombay Cuisine Indian Restaurant two blocks down, where I worked as manager. I would have loved to continue the peering routine in the evenings too, but the art shop usually closes at 6 pm, and I rarely could get out by then. 

Today, the Chinese girl at the counter smiled and winked at me as I peered in from the sidewalk. Good lord, the others at the store had begun to recognize me! They must think I’m a crazed idiot. I could feel the sweat beads forming on my forehead even in the morning breeze. I hoped they didn’t suspect that I was planning a grand robbery or something. No they wouldn’t. This short, balding, harmless looking creature- a manager at a nearby Indian restaurant couldn’t possibly think of something like that! No, the Chinese girl at the counter was merely amused. She just found it hilarious that this mousy looking character was besotted with an up town girl! I had to stop this nonsensical routine of mine. It was becoming too obvious to everybody. What if my colleagues at the restaurant found out? They would tease me to death.

Sometimes, I wish my pate hadn’t let go of all its hair. I did have thick, lustrous curls at one time, I swear. That was until I got married 5 years ago. I don’t know if I should blame my wife’s constant nagging, or heredity, but these days the shine on the top of my head is getting brighter and more expansive. That Chinese girl wouldn’t have winked if I had hair, I can bet on that. One of these days, I must do some research on hair transplant. 

Well, anyway, as I scurried to my restaurant, all flushed and embarrassed, I swore to myself that I would stop this silly routine. What was I thinking, in the first place? There was nothing I could do besides look at my Goddess from the sidewalk. I was a poor man, I couldn’t think of taking her home, could I? Suddenly I had a horrific vision of my wife squeezing my throat. “You good for nothing wastrel!” she yelled inside my head, until I cringed behind my counter. This silly infatuation would do me no good. I had to stop.

I don’t know if I’m strong willed or not. My wife tells me I have no will power to speak of. But that is only when it comes to resisting Bengali sweets. Or when I go into a supermarket or mall. I think I did much better with sticking to my ‘big decision’, even if it made me miserable. It was hard not to begin my morning with a fulfilling peep at the goddess. Those magical violet eyes. Would I be able to ever forget them?

One whole week went by, and then another. Boy, was I miserable. Both miserable and ashamed. I was a 35-year old married man. I also had the responsibility of my parents and an unmarried sister back in India. What was I doing, falling in love with a blonde with violet eyes? Was I even sane? Was it some jealous aunt’s jaadu tona working on me?

Then something happened, that broke my resolve. My wife left on a three-month trip to her maaika in India. And suddenly, my whole perspective to life changed. I was a free man! The jaadu tona factor began to fade away, as a bold plan began to play in my head. I would bring her home. Yes, I would bring her to my first floor apartment. Strangely, I no longer felt mousy. I was the lion. After all, it is a strange world that we live in. Not everything goes by set rules. I would try my luck. I owed it to myself.

Two days after my wife’s departure, I walked into the UpTown Art shop. The Chinese girl at the counter didn’t wink at me this time. She just stared as I looked around for my goddess. But she was nowhere. 

“Where is the girl with violet eyes?” I asked the Chinese girl. She knew at once whom I was referring to. Much to my shock, she shook her head sadly.
“She left with an art gallery owner from Buckhead yesterday,” she said.
Why?? I mean…this couldn’t be happening to me. 
“Why did you wait for so long,” I could barely hear the Chinese girl.
What could I tell her? Except that I was a loser!
“How much was she taken for?” I asked her instead. She shrugged. “The initial price was $5000, but the frame was old and disintegrating, so we sold the portrait for less.”
“Where did she come from?”
“An original from Austria. Her previous owner died, and her heirs didn’t want to keep her. That’s how she landed here.”

Well, she was gone. I probably would never see her again. She would never adorn my living room wall. I wouldn’t even be able to peer at her from the open door of the UpTown Art Shop. On a positive note, my wife wouldn’t call me a wretched spendthrift. 

But the heart doesn’t listen to reason. Those violet eyes haunt me everyday... to this day.