An Anecdote From my Life

Jobs & Careers
148

Please don't read it without Part 2(CLICK HERE), please please please...varna arth ka anarth ho jayega!

This story and all characters are real, coincidence is bound to be there :)

So that was 10th December 2011, we were all sitting in seminar hall and waiting for a Public Sector Bank to come and take interview, my batchmate girl said "Did you hear that? 6lac! OMG"

Me "Yeah but what is the profile"

Her "Abey kya fark padta he, 6 lac...ab tak ka highest"

(Okay whatever you dumb bl*nde, how can people sit for an interview without knowing profile?)

So I was done with Group Discussion, got 'shortlisted' went to interview and my interview lasted for 45 minutes, after an hour list was available, I was selected.

Day 2: 11th December

My uncle "Beta ab toh CA/MBA se kam ke rishte nai dhundh sakte for you"

(Job is your identity but that how is RISHTA connected? I have no idea!))

Reaching college at 9 o' clock

Friend 1 : "Wow yaar sahi he, abse chai samosa bhi free me milega"

Friend 2 : "Sahi he yarr ab toh tu rob se bolegi ki abhi nai milega kal ana"

(No, I would NOT do that, if I can help someone I will, like I have helped you during assignments without expecting anything in return)

Friend 3 : "Good yaar future secure ho gya, hum abhi tak unemployed he"

Friend 4 : "Wow yar lucky"

(No, I was NOT lucky, I have worked hard, simple as that)

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Part 1 is here(CLICK)

Back to home

Another aunt : "Ek baar andar ghus jao fir kaam na bhi karo toh koi kucch nai bolta"

(Why not? I will do my work! I want to learn, I want to be a better person!)

Another Uncle : "11 baje pahucho, 5 baje nikal jao, sab mast he sarkari daftar me"

(It depends on work and not me, if I love my work and it is pending I will complete it)

Cousin : "Arey didi, medical, travelling sab claim karna, perks kitne he pata he apko? Salary side me rakh ke bhi mast life hogi"

(Why should I claim if I am not ill at all?)

That night when I went to sleep I kept wondering if my mom and dad really know what I want from my life? I wonder why my friends were not interested in asking me questions so they can prepare as well! I was wondering why my uncle and aunts want me to be like other sarkari employees and want me to wear jeans, reach late and eat samosa all day? I kept wondering if there was sarcasm in that "Wow yaar lucky"?

If this is how you 'prepare' someone for a sarkari naukri toh ho gya desh ka kalyan, today you are telling your brothers/sisters/children to get a sarkari job so they can relax and enjoy life, so that they can eat samosas and keep claiming reimbursements, tomorrow these kids will take up all sarkari jobs and they have been 'motivated' by you to delay 'your' work and claim false benefits from 'your' money, because pesa toh desh ka hi he, yani 'your' money!

Think about it! Before people forget real meaning of 'job' and 'responsibilities'

150

There are some events that happen in life that have a profound impact and this is one such event. I remember even the minute details from that day. I remember that day much better than even some years in my life. For that was the day I saw what death was.

I had just returned home from school. My grandmother was preparing an evening snack in the kitchen. I and my brother were watching Tom and Jerry on cartoon network. It was one of my favorite cartoon shows as a kid. My dad's eldest sister, my aunt, was also in our house. My grandfather was resting on his cot. He was 91 at that time. Most of my relatives had just left after visiting him. It was a busy day indeed for the 91 year old in his office and he was taking a well-deserved nap.

Suddenly I heard a high shrill voice of my aunt from the next room. Immediately I ran, my grandfather had some trouble breathing. He was able to acknowledge the presence of all of us with his eyes and gave us a smile. Probably he knew his time has come and he was ready to welcome death. Now he was literally fighting to breathe. It took all his energy to breath, my anxious grandmother was standing by his head and I was able to see a tear drop trickling down her cheek.

My aunt rushed to the phone and called my dad. All this time my younger brother was oblivious to what's happening in the next room and continued to watch Tom and Jerry. I ran to the next room and asked him to come with me to be with our grandfather. My grandfather's face became paler every minute. But his eyes still had this reassuring look that said everything is going to be all right. I was holding his hands and was able to feel his pulse rate slowly dropping.

Suddenly this realization struck me: my grandfather is about to die. This realization filled my body with trepidation. The frequency of his every breath slowly decreased. His eyes and mouth wide open, his face appeared pallid. He kicked his leg in a haphazard manner, he was no longer breathing and I was no longer able to feel his pulse.

My only memory of my grandfather was of this fragile old man who did everything in slow motion. I wish I could have spent more quality time with him.

151

It was breezy cold night at Surat Railway station almost a week ago. I was waiting for my train to arrive at 3:30 am at platform no. 3. Platform was still crowded with people covered with Shawls and Sweaters, some gathered as group waiting to board the train, some sleeping on platform and chairs. With continuous announcements and noises banging on my head, I settled down on an empty seat. In front of me, there were two living things sleeping unattended on platform. My mind was full of thoughts. The endless questionnaire about my future plans, marriage plans, MBA plans and a lot. I was feeling life is very complicated for me.

As announcement spread across the platform about expected arrival of train, I realized the place. That two living things started moving and came out of shawl slowly. It was couple, whose cloths looks like unwashed since long time, lady's hair was uncombed and scattered over her head and guy's look was scary. She started folding their shawls slowly and put those into their bags. Now Guy got up and looked around. He bended over his arm in search of something he was looking for. I was watching all. Then I realized that couple is suffering from blindness. He was looking for his wife to hold her and make her stand with his support. He got her so softly and made her stand aside. Then he bended to get carpet, on which couple was sleeping, folded it diligently and pushed it into the bag. At the end of these, guy put on one bag on his shoulder and lady picked up the other and there was simple smile on both faces. They started walking slowly on the platform holding hands together and disappeared.

I was looking at those mighty souls and was wondering, if life is really complicated to me, what is called for those who are less privileged physically and/or mentally? The kind of problems and situations they face in everyday life. How difficult would be for them to live a normal life in society where there is not place for disabled persons? We are completely ignoring their existence at everywhere whether it is public transportation, health system, education, jobs, social gathering and you name it. But still the couple has made his way of life and made no expectations to privileged world. I realized I am blessed.

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“You would lose marks for today's lab if you leave right now”, the teacher said with a firmness in his voice. “It's Ok Sir." I walked out of the lab with 1 ½ hours of the 3 hour lab still remaining. It was 11.30 am. A long day beckoned, and it was imperative for me to take rest for sometime atleast. I had slept at 4.30 am the night before and at 4.00 am the night before that. It had started to take a toll. But today was not the day to lose steam. There was a marketing project presentation at 2.00 pm in the afternoon. And yes, there was the Student General Secretary Election at 6.00 pm.

To be very honest, I had never wanted to be the General Secretary. A General Secretary, after all, has the responsibility of coordinating all student activities in the college - be it alumni relations, public relations, international relations, the student clubs , the induction program of new batch and what not. It demands a proactive person at the helm, and I had doubts about myself initially. After all, the frenetic pace of the B-school life had made me retreat into my shell. However, I had seen room for improvement for the college. The best way to demand change was to be in a position to facilitate change. And the best way to achieve this change was to take the plunge myself. Thus, I had ended up filing my nomination.

I had stayed up on previous nights because I wanted to get my agenda spot on. I had not been the most social person in the batch- not ideal when you are up for an election. Unfortunately, I could not help it in the next 2-3 days. The best I could have done was to come up with a solid agenda for the next year which could make people sit up and take notice. Whether that would eventually convert into votes was an entirely different matter, but I had to try. So I went about brainstorming- thinking, talking to people, taking views. It took a lot of effort to come up with a presentation.

Eventually, it was time. The clock had struck 6.00 pm and the batch of 79 had taken its seat. There were 7 candidates in the fray, that's nearly 10% of the batch! I had appeared sleepy during the marketing presentation in the afternoon. A friend of mine had given me a dressing down – “If this is your energy level going into the pitch this evening, you better forget about people listening to you”. My measured approach to everything makes me a fluent but mundane speaker. I had to find a way to throw in some zeal but I had no idea how to do it.

Read Final Part HERE

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Read Part 1 HERE

I waited outside for my turn (I was 6th in the sequence of candidates). With 7 contestants, including a close friend, in the fray ; a badly split voting was inevitable. I kept thinking about who would vote for me and I had only 3 sure votes to count on. It was hard to stay motivated and sit through that period, waiting for my turn. It eventually came after 1 and ½ hours.

I walked in to a tired and rather disinterested audience. I had to involve them somehow. So, I started to put my agenda via interaction. I slowly started gaining steam and became completely involved in the pitch, so much so that I had to be reminded that I was exceeding time. The measured approach which I usually take ensures that I do things in a very calculated way and adhering to time is one of those, but not that day. I had become so involved in questions from the audience that I did not realize I had walked off from the podium amidst the audience. I had to be called back. There were vague questions, there were demanding questions and I enjoyed answering them all with full enthusiasm. It was as if I had chosen it to be my moment. I had a vision, I had ways to implement that vision and I wanted people to understand it. That evening, a sleepy and mundane I had come to life. At times, I have repented for not expressing myself properly. That evening, for a change, I wanted to express myself.

Was there a fairytale ending for me in store? No. I lost. Life is not a fairytale. It gives you your share of happiness and it also gives you reality checks. The surprise was that I managed 13 votes and ended up 3rd in the race, 8 votes behind the top ranked candidate. The reality check was the realization of the importance of staying connected to people. As an MBA student, one ought to be social to a certain degree atleast. It's all right to have a vision and show passion, but people matter in the end. My passion had probably raised my tally from a prospective 3 votes to 13 that evening but that's the maximum it could have stretched.

So what did I get eventually? Was there a need for all this when I knew I would lose? I would say, YES. That evening eventually helped me break out of my shell. I came across as a person willing to lead. I caught the attention of many people who had not known me properly yet. Moreover, there was a satisfaction of having competed. There was a satisfaction of having lost, gracefully.

After all was done and dusted, a batch-mate walked up to me and said –”You might have lost today, but you definitely have one more fan from today”. It seemed, after all, that I had done something right that day.

154

We all like wearing sunglasses and we all have different preferences for the shape, size, shade and the brand. We all feel that wearing sunglasses enhances our looks, we feel more confident and appear to be dudes/dudettes and now instead of following the old fashioned, hand shaking with our friends, we tend to clench our fist and punch it in the air and instead of saying "Hi! How are you?", we now say "Hey dude ! Whatsup?”

So by just putting a plastic frame and a dark glass in front of the eyes our entire attitude changes, think about the kind of mental blockages we create when we tend to look the world through the shades of false impression, shades of judgmental understandings and with the shades of preconceived notions? Our society is full of preconceived notions. If a woman is raped or faces a sexual harassment, then instead of helping her in the recuperation process by saying she is a rape survivor, she is termed as a rape victim. Such rigid notions of righteousness and fallaciousness make the victim weak and the recuperation process lengthier.

A perfect example is the recent order by the Hon. Supreme Court upholding the Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code, according to which same gender sex, is to be punishable by law. According to the SC, gay sex in unnatural but scientific research shows otherwise. A person is homosexual not by choice but by birth. The genetic coding of the DNA decides the sexual orientation of a person. So in other words a person is homosexual in the womb of its mother and even before it is born. Now that means even the conception of a homosexual child is also unnatural. These thoughts now force the Hon. SC to define what is natural according to them?

According to an estimate around 7-13% of our population are homosexuals. Even if we consider only the adult population of our country, i.e. 760 million, then the number of homosexuals is anything in between 52 million to 100 million. Now just imagine if these 100 million people get together and start their protest for freedom. For them it is like the first war of independence of 1857, because in any case even in a free democratic India they are been treated like criminals, as they are not allowed to assuage the most basic urge of any living organism, that is, sex.

Homosexuals and their families face a lot of social stigma and for them finding even the basic amenities like job, renting a house etc becomes an uphill task. The Hon. SC by scrapping Article 377 could have given a new lease of life to these people but unfortunately, homosexuals will have to wait for some more time to attain 100% liberty. Section 377 was enacted by the British 153 years ago and we are still following it. Why? Because we are not able to remove the shades!

155

Baby, do you understand me now?

Oh, baby - don't you know I'm human

I have thoughts like any other one

When things go wrong I feel real bad.

I'm just a soul whose intentions are good.

I have never stumbled so much before scripting ever in my life, but this time I could see my hands shivering. I am going through a mixed feeling right now. I have never desired to write an article like this in my past. In fact nobody does.

It was three years back I saw someone walking into my class to make some announcement, no one in the class felt her interesting , I too was not an exception .It was an year later when our classes got shuffled I saw the same uninteresting girl in my class. It took almost 3 months for us to get a chance to talk and finally we spoke, that's where it started, an uninteresting girl turned to be the most interesting person of my life and as times rolled on she became the only interesting thing I could think of in my life. And one fine day I decided to tell her that she is the only person who can make my life interesting and I told her the same. Guess that was the biggest fiasco of my life which made me realize that love is always mutual and it always fails when it is not reciprocated. And after that incident she stopped talking ,she even stopped looking at me and after a lot of apologies I finally convinced her that we can carry on as good friends forever so that I'll at least get a chance to talk with her(with a daydream that someday I can convince her) .

Times rolled, an year passed but my plans failed, today all of a sudden she said she's leaving and this time it is forever. Yes, today I said bye to her unwillingly and I smiled at her, a farewell smile when my heart wanted to beg her not to leave. I knew that we are not to going meet again ever, I knew I can never see that ravishing smile , I can never see that elegant adorable female walking towards me, that exquisite little character finally came to an end in my life and she started walking where I was standing inarticulately waiting for her to turn and give a last look in my life but she kept walking and she finally vanished out of my sight and out my life too .

Everything has to end but this wasn't the way I expected it to end. There are a few people who come into your life and make a painful mark which is very difficult erase as it remains intense forever. Wish I could go back and correct my past.

She has made an impression in my life,

the one which I failed to do in her life,

the one which I am willing to treasure.

156

I visited Vrindavan when I was 16. The plight of the old-age haven and their residents was beyond words. No matter how resentful I may have been with my parents, I could never imagine abandoning them, and my rose-tinted view of life assumed that seldom do people abandon their parents in some old-age home and even if they do, they would take good care (No, "Lage raho Munna Bhai" hadn't released yet).

But, shattering all my delusions, this incident managed to hit the core of my soul. I saw a mother (looked 80, but could be younger) weeping in despair sitting beside another, who I thought was asleep. I asked her the reason of her sorrow empathically, she did not get me and rather gestured me assertively to leave with blazing rage in her eyes, holding her 'asleep' friend even more tightly. A person beside me told me this was routine here, that the lady I thought asleep had indeed assumed slumber for all eternity, and that the weeping lady cried because the garbage men would come and take her friend's body, cut it into pieces, and feed them to the animals. While he was saying all this to me, succumbing to it's habit, my mind began to form vivid images of the gore body parts. Those generic images along with the strike of reality were enough to tremble me. I couldn't believe my ears, I gathered myself somehow and asked the person about the children of such deserted mothers, and all he could say was that I need not worry, these mothers have achieved salvation by dying at this holy place, and he left. I did not share this experience with my parents or anybody. During the rest of the trip I remained largely silent, my mom bugged me a few times about my silence, and like always, my dour instincts took over me and I shouted to "leave me alone." The next moment was one of the most important moments of my life. Throughout my silence I was wondering about the awfulness of those people who abandon their parents like that, but then it hit me, maybe they too wanted their parents to "leave them alone," like me. It occurred to me that I was no different, maybe this resent grows into something that awful, my guilt conscious arose and shame was all that was on my face. Since I am quite an introvert, I did not share this shame too with my parents, didn't even say 'sorry.' But, deep down, this teen had learnt a lesson today.

Later that night, looking at the beaming face of my sleeping mom, I realized that her womb will always be my first home, I felt sorry for all my misdemeanors with her, and resolved that I won't express my resentment ever even over her most lame anxieties.

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"Which class are you in, beta?" My aunt asked me at a wedding reception. There was silence for two minutes. Then my mother answered," He is in 4th" So afraid was i that words didn't come out from my mouth. A fear of Public Speaking. There used to be a time when phone kept ringing but i would't pick up. Once my cousin wanted to talk to me over the phone. I picked up hesitantly, with my parents around me, she asked when i would come to see her, i said(not knowing what to say), "I don't have time" Hearing this my father put his arm around his face in embarrassment and my mother sighed. I felt so bad. This is when i realized something needs to change. I started pondering over what to do. Then, i started participating in class activities and opening up with my classmates without thinking too much. Once, i went up on the stage to give speech. I closed my eyes and started speaking. Later, my friend told me that few people were laughing, but i couldn't care less. Few days later i again got a chance to go up on the stage. This time around i spoke with full confidence and with eyes open! In the end my teacher appreciated me and i got a round of applause. In a more recent incident, i delivered a speech in my college auditorium! After that speech our head of department said in front of the whole class that i was most powerful speaker of the class!! At that time i realized, i don't fear Public Speaking any more!

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“What should I do first, World War I or II?” were my words when the mystery began.

10th grade board exams were going on and I was preparing for the Marathi paper (2nd Language paper). I was feeling blissful that I have completed the syllabus. It was 7.45 am when mom called me for a cup of tea and the telephone rang. My best friend was there on the other side of the phone and we started talking casually.

She was worried that she is not able to remember answers for World War II related questions. I was like what are you studying? And she was like what are you studding idiot? In my confidence, I started blaming her foolishness for studying the wrong subject. My poor friend checked the schedule again and in a melodious voice said it is History.

I was shocked, my mom was asking me what happened and I was silent, deep in thoughts. Gathering strength, I asked mom to leave me alone for 2 hours. I locked myself in my room and revised as much history possible. Thanks to the coaching class preliminary exams, I had studied that subject earlier. I arrived at the examination center with an adrenaline rush and gave the mystery history in full gusto. My parents and friends were worried about the results but the results were a pleasant surprise.

This incidence was the most happening and has taught me a big lesson. Being pragmatic helped me a thousand tons. I rather felt it was my mom's test because she was waiting outside my exam center for the whole exam time. When I came outside the exam center with a smile, she had no words and she just hugged me tight.

Such incidences, even if small, are a mix of practical and emotional ingredients and leave memorable footprints behind. I will always cherish this mystery history day and so thought to share with you all. And the fun part, I didn't prepare for Marathi paper as I was already prepared.

160

Hola amigos :)

This is something about a dreamer and you can call it

oneirological report :-P

I meet many people daily and I have noticed, everybody has different point of view towards living life.

Some say life is all about successes and failures while some say enjoy the moment you are in, some tell not to care about world and do what you want to and some advise to practise diplomacy.

Well, everybody has his own views, own agenda. For me life is all about dreaming and believing.

I am so desperately in love with my dreams. One of my friends says, buddy stop dreaming impossible things and you should not dare to dream what you can never have in real :-|

But I can't help it, I'm used to my dreams and I believe, one should not apply conditions to one's dreams.

If you believe in your dreams and in yourself and if you really want them to come true, they surely will come true one day. I've seen some of my dreams come true. And what if they don't, life doesn't end there.

Maybe your time is yet to come. I've stopped getting disappointed with failures and I've decided to rise through them. Somebody has rightly said, failure is the stepping stone to success :)

And I guess it would be glorious to rise through pain.

No matter somebody thinks I'm disgusting to dream heaven a lot of stuff. I love my dreams and I won't ever stop dreaming. I have never put conditions on them. And I love optimism, I've always tried to find out positive point through negative ones. Read somewhere, Stressed is desserts spelt backwards :) If you try writing weak in dictionary mode, it will give you zeal. So you can find positivity everywhere if you want to.

And believe me, dreaming is not a crime or fiasco unless you put merry efforts to bring your dreams into reality :)

LA VIDA ES SUENO , VIVA LA VIDA !!! :) :) \m/

161

” I was chasing my dreams, but tripped over the reality and busted my head on the truth”

But that doesn't stop me and I have got the DREAMERS disease..I know dreams are fake..But not the one which our heart and mind would chase together..after all do you ever tell a child that dreams are fake..just imagine the lugubrious life you are giving the child..

But yeah, I am sick of following my dreams..but sometimes on the way of chasing my dreams I could get lost and have a better one right? To live my life, I have one thing that my heart never fails to follow.. ” Darkness makes somethings clearer, the moon, the stars & sometimes your deepest dreams..”

So what if my dream scares me on the way that its just a dream and not my life..Come on, I knew it already before I dreamt..It is scary but that's how it should be and it shows its time to work a little harder. But being a Don Quixote is scary for anyone and that fear is natural..and when our dreams scare us, it is the best..because it shows that we're growing.

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This story I wrote to participate in a contest by Ravinder Singh (Author of "I too had a love story."). The chosen stories by Ravin were published in the novel "Love story that touched my heart," edited by Ravinder Singh. My story didn't touch his heart but I hope it will touch the heart of my virtual friends on PG.

Disclaimer: It's complete fiction.

Here it goes:

“Do you need anything else sir?” the air hostess asked.

“No. Thanks,” I replied as she went serving another passenger.

We were returning from Bangalore after completing the fifteen days training programme at Biocon Limited which is India's first & biggest biotechnological company.

“I need a Sandwich,” Abhishek Kumar, who was just sitting next to my seat, kind of screamed as the hostess was a bit far. She served a sandwich to him.

Abhishek Kumar, my namesake, was also working at the same Marketing Executive profile at Biocon. Apart from our names and company, Abhishek & I had many common things. He was born in Surat, so was I. His father is a businessperson of sarees, so is my father. We studied MBA together in the same college of IP University.

However, even in those common things, there was a huge difference between us: His father owned a company 'Shri Ji Sarees' and earned in millions. Whereas my father was a wholesaler of Gujtrati sarees and earned in thousands.

After a few moments, the Captain turned off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. I undid my seat belt, took my bag and became ready to get off the flight.

“Chal see you in the next month meeting!” I said to Abhishek while checking out.

“Okay. Bye,” we shook hands.

I checked out of the Airport.

I entered Metro Station and boarded the train to Dwarka Sector 14. On the next station, two girls boarded the train. One of them was in a red t-shirt who was looking too attractive while the other girl was in yellow suit. They sat opposite me.

In a few minutes, she (the girl in red) suddenly lost her consciousness as she fell from her seat. I removed my earphone and quickly reached near her. People had started circling her.

“Oh My God!” her friend said worried.

“Splash some water on her,” a person suggested.

“This won't work. She is a diabetic patient. Someone please call the doctor,” her friend begged for help.

I understood that she got either hyperglycaemia (Sudden Increase in Blood Sugar Level) or hypoglycaemia (Sudden decrease in Blood Sugar Level) that meant she needed either an insulin shot or Glucose for the treatment of hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia respectively.

Luckily, I had insulin samples that the training manager handed us when I left Bangalore four hour back. They were kept safely in the special cool-box already fitted in our (Biocon's) bag.

Click here for Part -2

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“Does she need an insulin shot?” I asked her friend, assuming she might get it because of hyperglycaemia.

“Yes, she's got hyperglycaemia,” she confirmed it.

“I may help her then,” I said taking out a vile of rapid-insulin of my bag. I filled the syringe with 12 IU (International Unit). Before injecting, I assured her friend that I was from Biocon, a company that trained us how to deal with these critical situations. When she felt assured, I injected the insulin in the abdomen. In a few seconds, she gained her consciousness. Her friend thanked me while she was yet to understand who brought her consciousness.

“The next station is Dwarka,” the system announced. This was my station. I quickly managed my bag and stood to exit.

“Hello,” the girl I gave insulin spoke to me while she was still on the floor.

“Yes.”

“Give me your card. I will thank you on call,” she said while slowly getting up to sit.

Wow! She would call me.

“Sure,” I handed my card to her and left the train.

####

Next day after finishing my job, I entered my flat. After a few hours when I came out to have the dinner, I got a call.

“Hello,” I picked the call.

“Is that Abhishek?” a female voice said. I assumed she would be the same girl whom I met in Metro.

“Yes.”

“Hi Abhishek! This is Meenal Jain. You gave me insulin shot yesterday,” she said.

“Hi ! I remember. How are you now?”

“I am fine now. Actually I wanted to thank you for what you did for me in an emergency.”

“Well, it was just a coincident that I had insulin available at that time, so I did what I should have. You don't need to thank,” I said.

“No No. I do have to thank you. Moreover, I've to pay you as well for the insulin,” she said, “so can we meet now, if you are free?”

Can a boy ever get busy for this purpose?

“Yes, we can surly meet but only if you are not paying me for the insulin,” I said.

“Ohh….then I want you to accompany me on dinner,” she said

“My pleasure!” I said, “so where do we meet now?”

“Can you come at Ambience Mall? I am just reaching there.”

“Fine. I see you in thirty minutes."

Click here for Part-3

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“Hmm…see you,” she hung up the call.

I started riding my bike at the speed of 110 km/hr to reach there.

In the way, I thought of how meeting her could become possible too easily. I remembered the time when I first saw her. Could I ever assume I was going to have dinner with her in next 48 hours?

As I reached there, she was standing at the entrance.

“Thank you so much Abhishek. You saved me yesterday,” she said.

“You already thanked me on phone. Don't do it again.”

“No No. You helped me in an emergency. I've to thank you again and again,” she said.

“Then do one thing,” I said taking out my mobile, “I am switching on the voice recorder. You say thanks once, I'll listen it daily on your behalf. ”

“Wow! That's a great idea,” she said smiling.

We started walking in the mall.

“Coffee?” she offered as we reached near Costa Cafe on the third floor.

“Sure,” I said as we entered.

We occupied a place, sitting opposite each other. While drinking coffee, I thought of how to behave with her. I mean should I have been too gentle to her as we met for the first time or should I have been too friendly to her so that there could remain a scope of us meeting again. She had definitely charmed me in this short while. Moreover, to be practical, she could have become my prospect lover.

“Haan ji,” she frowned as I was thinking all this.

“Nothing,” I said drinking a sip of coffee.

“So Abhishek, I suppose we have become friends, right?”

“I too suppose,” I said smiling.

“Good. Otherwise I didn't have any plan to officially propose you,” she grinned. I too joined her.

“But I don't know anything about my new friend. Tell me something about you,” I said.

She told me that she belonged to Punjab. Her father was into the construction business, he sold apartments. She had been living in Delhi for four years. After pursuing MBA from MDI, Gurgaon, she had been working with ICICI Bank as Investment Banker. She also told me that she was type-1 diabetic patient (diabetic by birth) and therefore she had to take insulin on daily basis.

“Wow! You are from MDI,” I said as she finished telling about herself.

“Not a big deal. You too tell me about yourself,” she demanded.

I told her that I belonged to Surat, Gujrat. Completing my education until 12th, I came to Delhi for pursuing B.Com from The Hindu College. Then I did MBA from IP University and as she knew, I was working with Biocon Ltd as Marketing Executive. I also told her that my father was a businessperson of Sarees.

Click Here for Part-4

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“Oh wow! So I hope I don't need to buy sarees anymore,” she said.

“In the same way, I don't need to buy any apartment now,” I said as we both laughed together.

In a short while, we came out of Costa, moving to food court. She chose Indijoe for dinner. Soon the waiter came, serving us the glasses of water and handing the Menu to her.

She ordered the food

Finally, after when we finished the food, I called the waiter to pay him the bill. She held my hand in order to stop me from paying. I insisted on paying but she didn't let me pay. Soon we came out of Indijoe and were ready to exit the mall.

“Oh My God! It's 11:25. I have missed the last metro,” she said as she saw the time.

Even I didn't realize we had spent more than two hours together.

“Don't worry. We see some auto rickshaw,” I said.

As we came out, we saw it had rained. And surprisingly there was not a single auto rickshaw there. Somebody told us that it was auto and taxi strike today.

“Now what to do?” she seemed worried.

“Don't worry. I have my bike to solve the problem.”

“Good.”

I was supposed to drop her at Uttam Nagar. It would have been difficult for me to drop her at her place and then come back to Dwarka. Given, it could rain heavily anytime.

After some twenty minutes, the rain started again. Soon it turned into heavy fall. Riding the bike against the rain became difficult. I tried to continue riding by slowing the speed but then the water was hitting my eyes and I was not able to ride. I stopped the bike under a tree, waited for rain to stop. In this span of time, the rain didn't stop. It became heavier instead.

“What to do now? It's not safe to keep standing here either,” she said.

“We have no option,” I said. Even though we had one option: to stay at my flat for tonight. We had already entered Dwarika and my flat was just 100 meters away But it was our first meeting and I didn't know how she would take it.

After waiting for a few more minutes, when I assumed there was no chance for rain to stop; I finally asked, “If you don't mind, we can stay at my flat tonight.”

She stayed quiet after what I asked. I thought I should not have asked this.

“You can trust me,” I said, more so I wanted to see her reaction after this whether she was taking it normally and not finding my wrong.

“Of course I trust you. There is really no other option to take,” she said, “And don't worry I didn't take it otherwise.”

“Hmm,” I said.

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167

I started riding the bike slowly and reached my flat in five minutes.

“I bring a towel for you,” I said as we entered the flat.

“Okay,” she said as I gave her a towel, my t-shirt and bottom wear.

She returned changing into my clothes. They were too loose for her; hence, she looked too cute in them.

After talking for a few more minutes, we went to sleep in separate rooms.

Next morning at 7 O'clock, she knocked at my door.

“Good morning!” she said as I opened the door.

“Morning!”

“You wanna have tea or coffee?” she asked.

“I want neither. You make something for you”

“Okay. As you say,” she went into the kitchen.

Actually, I was avoiding her. Last night when I went in my room to sleep, I thought about it. I had started liking this girl. She was charming me and I was falling for her. Knowing that she belonged to a high-class family, I really had no match with her. If I got to be in touch with her, I might get too attached to her. So to be on a safer side of not hurting myself at the end, I decided to avoid her.

After a while, she returned with two cups of coffee.

“I said you I wouldn't take anything,” I spoke.

“So who's brought it for you? I'll have an extra coffee,” contradicting with her words, she placed a cup by my side and started drinking from hers. I just loved the way she handled this.

I drank the coffee.

“Oh.. ..How dare you drink my coffee?” she said laughing.

Avoiding her was not too easy for me.

Three months later :

In those three months, many things were changed. I had developed a love life. Yes. Meenal and I were in a relationship. Last month I proposed her for love and she accepted it. She told me that she too started loving me. In a month, our parents were to meet to take the next step – Marriage.

“Your parents will like me, no?” she would ask this every day.

“Yes dear. They will like you,” used to be my reaction.

#####

It was Thursday today. I had a monthly meeting in Ghaziabad. At 7 O'clock I caught a Metro to reach Ghazibad before 9 O'clock. In those two hours, I tried calling Meenal many times and her phone was switched off every time. When I entered the meeting, I put my mobile on silent mode.

In lunch, I saw my mobile hoping she would have called me back but there was none. I dialled her no. but the phone remained switch off. I felt worried as to what happened with her.

Soon our meeting resumed.

I kept thinking why she didn't call me just at once today. Otherwise, she called me after every fifteen minutes.

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168

At 6 O'clock, our meeting finished. I dialled her no. but it remained switched off. I also dialled her office no. but it wasn't picked. I left for the metro station and reached her home at Uttam Nagar in an hour. But what I found: the home was locked. I enquired about her from the neighbours but they didn't have any idea either.

I couldn't get what was happening. Finding no other option, I went my home back. That night I couldn't sleep properly. After every half an hour I dialled her no. and it was always switched off. Somehow the night passed.

In the morning, I informed my manager that I'd be on leave today. I reached her branch office.

“Is Meenal here?” I asked the receptionist.

“Ms. Meenal Jain?” she confirmed.

“Yes.”

“She is in her cabin,” she finally gave me the good news.

“I want to meet her.”

“Please wait sir. I just confirm with her,” she said while dialling Meenel's intercom.

I was waiting for her response.

“Sir, you may go in,” she said as I quickly moved towards the cabin. A serious of questions was coming in my mind that I'd ask her. I entered the cabin whose door had Meenal's nameplate.

“Yes,” the girl sitting in the cabin said.

“Actually I want to meet Meenal Jain.”

“I am Meenal Jain.”

“No, I want to meet the other Meenal Jain,” I said.

“Sir, there is no other Meenal Jain in our bank,” she said.

How could this be the case? I had dropped Meenal many times here. Maybe she is mistaken.

I took out my mobile and showed Meenal's pictures to her.

“Do you know her? She works in the same bank,” I asked.

“Sir, I think you have some confusion here. I've never seen this girl before,” she said.

“Are you sure?” I said showing her another pictures of hers.

“Yes,” she said as I had to leave her cabin.

Coming out, I showed the pictures to the receptionist. But then she said the same thing – she'd not seen her before here.

###

A week later

During this week, I reached her home everyday but it was always locked. I enquired the nearby people and shops about her every day by showing her picture in my mobile but didn't get any clue. But today someone from her neighbourhood informed me that he saw Meenal at Divya-shakti Meditation & Yoga centre in Janakpuri.

Next day at sharp 5:30 am, I entered Divya-shakti and waited for her to come. She came at 6 O'clock.

“Abhi you,” she was shocked as she saw me.

“What is this Meenal?”

“Please forgive me Abhi. I have gone out of your life. Forget me,” she said.

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