While clearing my old paper bag a few days back, I just accidentally stumbled onto that old file.. and paper slipped out.. I looked at those paper envelop taken from one of my friend and felt amused. The person was very sweet and God bless his soul though I wondered what prompted him to pack that envelope.. that letter.. that diary.. those some pics. And then why didn't he gave them to me... Was he not sure of something? What thoughts exactly would had crossed his mind.. what he would had thought while packing that all.. I suddenly felt like my legs going weak and I need to support my falling structure.. I crashed on my bed.. And suddenly, like some TV serial.. flash back started on screen of my mind..
She hated me the first time she saw me at our colony.. for her shock.. I was also present at all the prominent tutors where she joined accidentally.. I was then staying alone.. Leading a reckless life.. driving like no man’s business... and busy with my studies like mad.. but slowly and gradually she started getting inclined towards me.. I guess it were just my studies that made her think about me.. She by then knew that I was not completely a looser.. and I was quite bright in my studies.. 4 months crossed.. both of us staying nearby, taking same roads to push us on path of our enlightenment.. but still not a single word spoken.. except groans of her was changed into a smile whenever our eyes met..
“Can you please give me that booklet of your’s”??Were the first words I heard directed on
me… while I was rushing to catch my already late schedule of day.. on my way from home..
Umm.. ok.. once I come back.. but why?
I was unable to attend the classes for last 3 days.. don’t you know?? I mean have you also not gone to Mr. Saxena since then?No I did.. but I guess you didn’t noticed.. anyways.. forget it..
Yaa.. why will you notice?Will hand it over once I am back in evening..
And I again pumped my bike.. and suddenly braked after about 30 meters…and turned…
To my surprise.. she was there.. and I came back.
“Why did you miss classes??”
“Because I got slipped and can’t move much… and then driving scooty is not possible”“Ok.. will you be able to get ready in next 5 mins..”
“Why”…“Is that some new way to define agreement or disagreement?”
And she slowly moved away laughing..
And that was our first brief conversation.. yes.. it was brief because it didn’t took her long to confess as how much she hated me.. my sense of clothing.. my sense of talking in puzzles.. my way of driving bike.. and it was further increased as soon as she joined me in my study sessions at home…
Just in two weeks.. she confessed her inclination towards me… and to that.. I followed… life
was all rosy… as a cheek after a hard slap…
Yes.. we were in love… as in love of not those bollywood movies where you dance around the trees.. and giggles on everything and anything… but in a love where we wanted to raise our levels of intellect.. where we wanted to each other the winner in their own segment.. In the meantime a year passed.. and I was slotting myself hard to clear that engineering test.. it was like “THE THING” for me at that time.. and I did done pretty well in that…
Passed more time and now we just started college… again both of us together in same class and same subjects… and then it happened.. my result came. And to my surprise.. I did cleared… I cleared exam with a very good rank.. and after counseling I was assured for a seat at one of the best institutions of this country..
But then she was not happy.. I had to decide between one of two things.. either engineering.. a dream which I lived for past 4 years or she.. for whom I was a dream of her life.. and something inside told me to opt for her dream.. what if I am not an engineer… does life stops there… I can do pretty good with engineering provided she is with me”…
My family came to know about my decision of not doing engineering and tried to convince me.. though they were sure that I will never come to terms on that issue… and when my dad insisted not to believe on my logic of not liking the crowd or college or feeling homesick.. and many more like that.. I had to tell him the truth.. after taking his words not to mention ever the same.. till I am sleeping silently in my grave..
He said
“life is not so straight as you think”… I debated and asked the meaning and he smiled… just a smile which I can never forget now.. though at that time it was one of those, which I was having from everyone.. my friends. My tutors.. my relatives.. whomsoever was becoming aware about my decision of not joining engineering..
Life moved again.. I forgot the incident.. but this did left me with a unusual silence.. I became condensed to myself.. a chatterbox was running low on battery.. In between.. she was also having problems with her studies.. we have crossed first year exams of our graduation and her father wanted her to educate her on business skills to which she in turn came to me.. to meet her father..
“What do you want to do in your life”.. was his first question.. without asking me how am I
doing in my life..
And I was silent… tightlipped.. as if someone has taken away my voice.. my vocal cords left me alone to the pressure.. I kept looking on floor.. why can’t earth take me into her lap.. I tried with all my imagination but no answers..
“How much can you leave to be with her?”And I thought.. isn’t love suppose to join? Why do I need to leave something to be with her.. haven’t I left much already to prove my loyality?? But I was unable to utter even a single word..
“Can you leave your family for her??”And with this.. something happened… and next moment I found my legs carrying my rest of body weight and pushing it out of her place… I wanted to stop but was unable to do so.. suddenly I lost control on myself.. unable to say anything.. unable to see.. unable to speak.. unable to breath.. nose dripping with blood.. eyes complete red.. and I left her place…
I kept waiting for her on my hospital bed where I was admitted.. I had almost broken my left leg in a collision with a bike.. while I was running senselessly after coming out from her home to reach mine.. also I had some stitches on my forehead.. as a effect of my head’s meeting with ground with all the load of thoughts running everywhere in my mind..
Anyways.. she did came once I reached home.. but I could not find the same soul in her.. it was as if Osama was dressed in a dhoti and lathi to show as Gandhi.. to preach about ahinsa.. and I was told that her dad disapproves me… they want someone with ambitions.. someone who has a business mind.. someone who knows how to interpret figures.. Someone who can do presentations.. Someone who can influence.. though I know all the figures and mathematical operations.. but I was no good once it comes to interpret them..
So I was no good for her and her’s business.. I could had just ruined it all.. she would had to be just a wife of another service guy.. which her businessman father disapproves to..
I laughed my soul out.. but why… wasn’t I suppose to cry.. no. never. I will never.. guys don’t cry.. don’t we all know that.. men feels no pain.. “What do you think of this all?”
“I have just came to tell you that, and please forget me. And if possible please shift yourself so that we don’t see each other.. why had you not spoken anything.. ““Because I didn’t had answers to all those questions”
“Yeah.. my dad puts up right word for it… you are a LOOSER, you left in between because of that…”“but I didn’t spoken because of you.. I left because if I would had said something… it would had hurt you and your father.. listen.. stop..”I kept taking to myself.. telling myself that she did listened to all I said.. but she already left with a single word “LOOSER”
I did shifted my residence.. I replaced everything.. did everything she hated me for.. smoked my longs out.. boozed bottles out.. drove till roads ended.. but still I remember to those words.. with every passing breath.. I am a looser..
I shifted from my own city where every third face was known, to wander around in a city where I even can’t identify myself after a day.. and here I am today.. a accredited software engineer from Microsoft.. a MBA from one of premier institute of country.. working with one of biggest brand of country.. managing business.. making presentations.. interpreting data.. influencing decisions.. communicating to all known and unknown.. seen and unseen.. a voice which instills confidence to many.. puts a smile on faces..
Sometimes my friends asked why did I left software where I was been paid twice as much as I am now.. why did I choose something which was completely alien to me. And jumped into business management.. into Marketing…
She went away from my life, my vision, my word but for some strange reason, I had the notion that if I made it into business, she would come back to me someday. I worked hard day and
night. Without eating, without meeting anyone. just secluding myself into a room with books.. and I did make it.
Though now, I realized, we were not meant to be together.. I did thought that it would be tough or rather unimaginable to live without her.. she was blood for my veins.. but now that has been flown out on roads.. in hospitals long back… the shine of my eyes is long back burnt in all those nights I didn’t slept thinking about her.. thinking to make her dream true.. it was just to make sure that she will someday be able to go to her dad and tell him that she was right in choosing me.. he failed in identifying.. his guts and skills of identification for once were proven wrong.. I want to show him that I am still surviving… and surviving without her daughter… I might not be alive today.. still I am walking.. she has won over her dad..
And here came the always smiling face of Tyagi in my mind.. not as in who leave everything.. but my friend “Nirdesh Tyagi”.. who was with me silently all the way while I was fighting for my survival.. who always made sure that my wishes come true from whatever he can do..
and I was given that envelope of her photographs of her marriage by Tyagi’s wife after he met in an accident and left for another world.. leaving me alone again..
That envelope was kept by him as a hidden item in his bag, with a letter addressed to me saying that I never lost anything.. it was all bound to happen.. it was she who lost me.. and also in his diary the day we separated was marked in red.. as a blood shedding day.. and most of the things we use to do together..
I brought that envelope with me without thinking anything and dumped it with other personnel stationary items.. and never opened it.. it kept traveling all the places with me.. and now I was just left with some last papers of one of my closest friend.. and memories of my love.. lost love..
I was sure after we separated that she will get married to someone one day.. and I thought I will not be able to survive knowing that.. but today I am surviving.. managing.. communicating.. interpreting… presenting.. without even knowing if she even is aware of my existence and if she will ever come to know??
I guess some moments have a power to change everything.. and some questions doesn;t have answers..