Minc

I was busy shopping for the top at Minc, already had made my husband buy 2 for me – yes, that is how I shop, in spurts, infrequently, but once at the shop, I can be done with swiping a LOT of money in very LITTLE TIME. Be it my card or anyone else’s!
But I did have a conscience – at least it decided to wake up, unannounced and it started telling me, “You pay for the third one, OK, your card, not his!” Damn Jiminy Cricket. And was about to take the credit card when I realized, my handbag was missing.
***
The handbag has 14 cards – of which 3 are credit cards. I haven’t seen so many cards in my life, all in one wallet. Let me see how much money is here in this. Rs.40/-. Damn. These rich plastic guys, all plastic, no real money. But am sure using a card is not going to be such a problem.. some card when put into that fancy machine the ATM will vomit money. Which of these but.. once I figure that out, am all set. But first, let me change from these Security uniforms and become a man. Just another man who has new found plastic. They should ban plastic, all forms of plastic and insist on paper. That way, I’d have cash in here. Hahahah.
***
“Hey, come here, someone’s left a handbag!”
“Great! Happy Thursday! We spilt the cards and the cash, as always”
“Make it quick, the Security is right outside, we need to slip it past him. Snooty bastard he is. Ever drooling for money”
“Oh, come on! You are no better, Mr.”
And then, they both looked up. A lady was staring with laser-like vision into the handbag, so much so that it seemed the contents would pop open and land into her hand.
“Ah, well, Ma’am, we were just thinking of leaving it at the Security – that’s what’s done normally.”
“Yess. Yess. Please check the contents, Ma’am.”
The laser woman checked thoroughly, all was in order. She had hardly any cash to give and so just thanked profusely and left.
***
I should have known, double-checked. How did people not forget? Or maybe something really wrong with me – the part of the memory which remembers the objects one had taken while going out with, probably had been infected. Or better, absent. The only saving grace was my cell phone was with me.. My husband had already started calling up the banks to block the cards. Thank God for men. Who do. And not set off thinking about which part of the brain was missing. But while he was making those calls, whenever he made eye contact, I knew what I was in for and what was being said, ‘How could you? Can someone like this exist?’
***
I walked out of the shop very happy with the two shirts and a trouser that I picked up – anything but blue is the motto. I will learn driving spoon, take my driver’s licence in these new clothes, and start driving the Innoa for some rich fat man and his even fatter wife – if Raghu can do that, why can’t I? Now, all I need is a pair of good sunglasses, just like that hero in the English film I took my son to last weekend. And yes, this shop has it – well, here I swipe, sign, am really good at this! And here walks out the new hero in his glasses!!
***
“Hey, come here, someone’s left a handbag!”
“Great! Happy Thursday! We spilt the cash, as always”
“Make it quick, the Security is right outside, we need to slip it past him. Snooty bastard he is. Ever drooling for money”
“Oh, come on! You are no better, Mr.”
“Hey, hey, let’s just split what’s in it, head out together, anyway our shift’s done, and hit the shops!”
And off they went.
***
Beep!Beep! Message – thankfully my mobile was still in my pocket. Shit! My credit card limit is Rs.36,390/-. I swear it was Rs.83,000 something yesterday! Shit! Shit! Fucked to the core! But I did call them and block the card, I mean, he did, but all the same. Damn plastic.
***
Beep!Beep! Him. God, I don’t know how badly I want to run now. “Am upstairs. The Security wants you to identify the contents of the handbag – one bag’s been found. I raced upstairs – and was quizzed by the Security.
What colour is your handbag?
Easy one, “Black”.
How many cards do you have in there, madam?”
Not so easy. “Let me think.. one debit card, two credit cards, a few other loyalty cards….?”
“There are 14 cards in here madam. It’s been an hour since the show got over.!”
Nothing to say but stand and wait for the bag. And avoid the look of disbelief in his face and the Security’s that someone could actually be like this.

:::: Inspired by key words - Source Code – alternate realities – parallel universe ::::
One of the above happened in the reality I live in. Which one, is the reader’s guess