Storm in a tea-cup

Hope you enjoy this short fiction story.

I first met Kantibhai when I joined as a clerk in a nearby architecture college. Kantibhai’s tea stall was tucked away at the corner of a building in swanky downtown Prabhadevi. It was the location which made his business boom. Two of the biggest banks, United Bank and Royal Bank had its branches across the road.
He had a small place; a platform where he made his tea, and strained it with a cloth which would have been washed centuries ago. Frames of Ganpati and Sai Baba adorned a shelf on the wall. With a bald pate, and a forever question mark on his face, he seemed to know each patron’s taste in tea and cigarettes. I never heard him speak a word.
I soon started bumping into other regulars. Two of them intrigued me as they always seemed to discuss grand plans loudly.
I gathered that they were from the United Bank, and the bank was rumored to shut down. Ashok and Arvind seemed clones of each other, dressed in striped shirts and ties. They walked in always talking loudly, and demanded tea from him by snapping their fingers. When leaving, they would throw the money on his tea counter. Ashok was particularly pompous. I wondered whether he was some big shot in the bank.
On one particularly hot day in May, Ashok looked agitated.
“What if our bank shuts down? The rumours are very strong. We have to do something”
“Look Ashok, I told you, we must try and get a job in Royal Bank. That’s our only bet. I heard that there was one position vacant for a Sales RM.”

They seemed desperate to find out more.
“I know the Branch head of Royal Bank comes here everyday for tea at 5. It’s almost 5. Let’s wait for him.”
Minutes ticked by, and both paced around nervously. Half an hour later, there was no sign of him.
“I have a friend who knows someone in Royal Bank. Let me try calling him.”
Ten calls and many cigarettes later, Ashok was frustrated, and drained with sweat.
Not to be outdone, he punching some keys on his phone. “I am going to surf the Royal Bank website to see if there are openings on it.”
10 minutes later, Ashok was ready to throw his phone. “Nothing at all on the website.”
A pretty girl walked in. She was wearing the uniform of the Royal Bank. Although I hadn’t seen her before, Kantibhai seemed to know her.
Ashok nudged his friend; “Let’s sweet-talk her. I think I have seen her smoke here before.”
From a distance I saw Ashok, his perspiration stain around the armhole widening, walk towards the girl. My ears strained to hear what they were talking. I saw Ashok pull out a cigarette. I had only momentarily turned to Kantibhai for a refill, when I heard a resounding slap followed by the clickety clack of high heels.
Kantibhai was trying very hard to hide his laughter. I was more concerned about Ashok's next move.
Ashok looked around to see who had seen the incident. When he saw that it was only Kantibhai and me, he slumped on the nearby bench with a sullen face.
He snapped his fingers. Kantibhai brought him a tea, and I could see he had still not given up.
As Ashok got up, he threw the money for the tea on the counter, and suddenly stopped.
“Kantibhai, maybe you can tell me about that vacancy in Royal Bank” He burst out laughing.
“What a fool I am to ask you. Stupid chai-wallah.” I couldn’t believe my ears.
Kantibhai looked at him with a broad smile on his face. Did he not understand that Ashok was insulting him?
“Arre Sir, you should have asked me before. The Sales RM position is no longer vacant. It has been given to the Branch manager’s wife’s brother. As for the money for the tea, consider it a treat from my end. You will need to save every penny.”
Two months later, I joined Royal Bank as a junior officer.