Abhay, was different, a firm believer in fate. He had a dice, which according to him was gifted by his father when he was six. We thought this was a joke as nobody gives his son a dice in place of a teddy bear. But that was not all, he had also told us that he had bought an ugly orange car just because his dice showed him a 4.

He was the lead guitarist and singer of our college band. As we were preparing the sets for the final event, we heard him arguing with his band members. After further inquiry we learned that he has refused to perform and the reason he gave had something to do with a dice. Within hours, college authorities were informed about this and they came running in their night suits to fix this. But Abhay didn’t perform and opening day ceremony was a bust. He was booed by everyone on the campus but he never said anything back.

Today after 4 years I saw him, he was sitting alone on a bench in a park near my workplace. I hesitated for a while but somehow managed the strength to go up to him and ask about his whereabouts all these years. He told me that he teaches in a primary school. I was shocked as he was very good in academics and to imagine him teaching kids was something. I tried to hide my emotions and cracked a joke by asking him whether he had joined as a teacher after throwing his dice. To my surprise he said, yes! It was a 3. I panicked and lost my cool, I said many things to him that I now regret saying.

In reply he said only one thing “have you seen my dice”?