To Swathi, this day was no exception. She was hurrying up. It’s already
She thought of yesterday. “Hey Swathi, what are you going to do?” Her friends had giggled. “No water!!” And she had said with the familiar mock “No water, no bath. And that is why I bought this perfume”. And that was it. She changed her clothes and sprayed perfume seeing that she hasn’t applied too much to spin everybody’s head and headed for the bus stop. Yesternight the water lorry came by 10. “Who is going to bath by this time?” Swathi thought and put her bathing off to the next day.
But today… it was the same. Not bathing again was a horrible thing to happen. Who will sit besides her? ‘I was told I had water dosh. But never knew that water can have Swathi dosh’. She dragged herself from the bed hoping that the dream will continue tonight. She ran off to the reception desk to complain and was told that she will get water in another 10 minutes. No idea what to do next, not in the mood to read newspapers, she headed to her room and continued the pirated copy of ‘The Lost Symbol’. She was seeking with Robert Langdon a Masonic treasure when Janu, her roommate called out, “Swathi! Your turn” Oh!! Another break!
Swathi took her brush, clothes and rushed to bathroom. She warned Janu “I may be late, so better you people go”. Janu who is Swathi’s friend for more than 5 years knew that Swathi was lazy as well as energetic (huh! Quite a contradiction) She will join with them in the bus stop soon. Janu and one more friend Eshwari were leaving for the stop, when Swathi had her breakfast. She knew that they will wait for her or let the bus wait for her. How lucky to have such nice friends! She thanked her fortune.
She got ready, locked her room and hurried off. On the way, she took out her watch from the handbag and tied to her wrist, then came the company’s ID card and she wore it around her neck. She checked her chappals and smiled, “Phew! Correct this time!” and made to the crowded bus stop.
Human psychology always has been her favourite topic and a never ending puzzle too. Whenever the company’s bus stops, people throng around the door and do ‘push-push’ game and alight into the bus. Some of them like her remain at the back. Then she would let others move and with no hurry, alight the bus last. She would walk majestically and occupy one of the pairs of seats left for her.
Usually, a seat remains vacant. But yesterday it was filled and she saw a new face sitting adjacent to her. Today, in a hurry she forgot to take her earphones and the 40-minute ride to the office is going to be damned boring! She was trying to busy herself when the bus made another halt. She saw the same man boarding the bus and after locating a set adjacent to her, he sat and smiled. Swathi returned the same.
The man adjacent to her seemed to be calm, intelligent and polite. ‘It’s not going to be boring anymore’ Swathi thought and smiled. But she didn’t know what to start and how to… or should she start ever?
She didn’t even realize that she had been looking at him, her hands resting on the window pane. The man turned and came ‘Hi’ It was then Swathi realized, how stupid she would have looked!
‘Hi’.
‘I am Shyam’.
‘I am Swathi’.
‘ In which domain do you work? I haven’t seen you’.
‘Am in mainframe. I also haven’t seen you. In which stream do you work?”
“Mainframe. Good!”I just shifted here before 2 weeks. Am in testing”.
“Great”
And this was the beginning.
They talked about their roles in the team, the coming ‘cultural fest’, Swine flu and… the bus came to another halt. They’ve reached the company. Oh! So soon!! ‘Hm. So, this is how theory of relativity works’.
Shyam, “You told something?”
“Na. You saved my day from getting bored. Thank you.”
“Welcome. Anytime.”
As swathi got down from the bus, Shyam hurried down to another block, giving a smile. Swathi smiled back and could feel two pair of eyes staring at her…with a guilty-sweet smile,she turned to Janu and Eashwari,who were indeed fusions without having any part in the conversation.
Swathi, recollected herself ”hey! what? There’s nothing! No need to stare like this. come on! We are already getting late”. Swathi’s day as usual busy. Running here and there.her team leader gave an extra work and enforced her to finish it by that day itself. She finished off her work soon and with the hope that she could chit-chat again with Shyam,she hurried off. But to her disappointment,a girl from near-by PG gave her company. Swathi talked to her little,the usual ‘hi, hello, how are you (s), hows days going on (s)’. And she slept. Then somebody shook her. She jolted. That was Eashwari. ”Hey! Reached. Get up.” Swathi stepped down sleepily and then these three chatted, laughed all the way to hostel.
While to bed, Swathi as usual thanked her God for the beautiful day and hoped the next day will go as fine as every other day. Hoping that she will see her unfinished dream, she slept.
The next day, she was the last one to wake up. ‘Thank God, no water problem today.’ Shegot ready and as usual started her way to the stop. Tying her watch, putting the ID card, checking her chappals, she reached the stop. Then made her way to one of the last pair of seats. The bus made another stop in 5 minutes and Shyam entered with his face lit and a sweet smile – “Good morning!”
“Good morning” Hope I am not looking stupid today!
“So how am I going to save your day today?” He mocked.
“Its already lovely. I might be helpful to you today.”
“Hmm..Lets see. I have nothing great in my list except an important meeting.”
“Meeting… Sorry no idea about it. Then I may be of help someother day.”
And this went on and on….
Swathi was happy with the new acquaintance and friendship she had made. Days went by. She used to book a seat for him in the morning and he used to book for her in the evening. They exchanged their numbers. If time permits, they’ve lunch together. Often Janu and Eshwari join them. Once they also got a chance to work in the same project.
Swathi later on realized that she felt a different kind of feeling for this relationship. Could she be in love? Is she? Ya, she can be. Yes, she is in. But she had no idea about the feel in the other side.
One day, they were having lunch together. Janu was on leave and Eshwari was busy with her work.
Shyam, “I am feeling tensed today”.
“Need help? Remember my offer??”
Ya. You can make it an exciting day”.
“I will try. Go ahead”.
“Swathi, am bad at this yaar. But in a simple way let me say this. Will you marry me? I have been too frightened to tell you. But then thought that I am too stupid not to tell you. Am not forcing you. Its your wish. I wont disturb you. And let me tell you that I will always be the Shyam as you have seen”.
Swathi was too happy to express in words. Can life be so beautiful? Can things really happen as you want them to be? But at the same time her thoughts were struck. Her parents! They wont allow or will they? She never knew what they’d expected from her and she never thought of asking about this to them.
“Ofcourse yes!! But there is a small hitch”. And she told him.
Deepavali holidays were nearing. And she has got enough time to tell her parents about this. And as for Shyam’s parents, they were ready to accept her. So Shyam has asked his parents already. Good in a way!!
A year later
Now Swathi shifted to a home. She was hurrying. Her husband was helping her out with packing and she was getting ready. Her husband waved her off and left. Swathi took her things, locked the door, hurried down, tied her watch, put her id card and alighted the awaiting bus, apologizing the driver. As usual Shyam reserved a seat for her. Its been a long time but they were never put in a project together because the company’s rule doesn’t allow a couple working in the same project.
P.S: Hey friends, lemme know, how u liked the story.. This was a different attempt from my side! :)
Day by day, her anger started to strengthen its root. She started shouting on maids, servants, sometimes on her mom and at her dad too! She herself was surprised with such development of hatred inside her. “Where am I getting into?? To their whirlpool?? Oh no! But I don’t know what to do”.
She had friends but none too faithful that she can discuss or share her problems with. Her mind begins to divert in few minutes. Her progress card started showing regression.
But nothing stopped them.
“It is your fault. You didn’t teach her anything”.
“Ya ya.. you have to blame me only. It’s your fault. Only if you would have given sometime for your family”.
Arrghhh!!! Ria wanted to explode. She wanted to silence them. But…. she knew the result. Then she went to her room and ended with the same lines in her diary.
Next day, she saw that her parents were passing some signals to one another. She knew it was about her. Atleast they combined in this. “What are you people going to tell me??” Her dad cleared his throat and started “ Seeing your marks and behaviour, we’ve decided to send you to boarding school, so that…” That was all. She rushed to her room hugging her doll and screaming silently with enjoyment. She never thought of this. Atleast there she will live in peace.
In the school,
Principal, “Ria, you are joining in the mid of the year. I’ve seen your reports, they aren’t that good. But I hope that you will be able to pass this year. Best wishes.” That was all she needed. She was to report to her warden and look for her bed. Her mom and dad had given some pity expressions. But she remained calm.
Days passed and she doesn’t even remember clearly how she adjusted to the new environment, how she made wonderful friends (who always appreciate her for her nice behaviour!!), how her ranks soared up. Hopes were pinned on her for the forthcoming board exams. And to her Principal’s amazement, she topped.
To felicitate the top-marked students, she was called and given invitation card to invite her parents also that day. She took that card with her to the room and then started tearing them into pieces, all her anger vanishing with each tear.
She got a call from them – her parents. She didn’t attend, excusing herself with a valid reason. But her conscience was making her feel guilty. After all, they are her parents! She scribbled her feelings. And with this she changed those two lines “Thank God, for making things good’.Tthen she shuddered at the thought and exclaimed herself “Ya, I am selfish. I know, I am”. And with this conviction, she started leading her life.
Ria opened her diary. The pages were blank in yesterday’s and day before yesterday’s column.
Today’s entry:
Dad is back from the conference. And the moment he entered, I saw Mom’s face. Both looked like the fighters who are ready for the gong.
Oh God! Not again today!! See I haven’t complained to you for the past two days. I’ve been a very good girl. I even came now without having my ‘hugging gift’ from dad. Didn’t dine also. I know mom would be pretty upset if I go now. But please God, stop the noise that is going on outside the door. How many times am I supposed to hear the same accusation, some argument out of nothing again and again ?
“You are the one who cheated me..”
“Hey, you are the one who started.” The voices penetrated the room.
Ria had heard them again and again. She knew them by heart, their words. She can see how they will react. To overcome these unpleasant things, she was trying to smile like the lovely doll, which was resting on the other side of the table.
And she finished her diary with these “Hope everything will be fine soon. Good night God”.
For Ria, diary was this – the one that strengthens her, gives her chance to unburden herself and transfer them into the pages (but they hardly go from her). One can see that in every page of her diary, the last two lines were always the same.
Ria to the doll, the only member in the family who listened her.
“Hey Pinky, I heard that people in married life love each other. Is it so?”
The doll with its smile seemed to reply ‘yes’.
“Then why is it not so with Mom and Dad? Won’t I get any of their affection? Wont I see the lovely world outside? Wont they leave me from their clutches and stay claiming me as theirs? Wont they ever find out that what I need is love and support not their ego and money”.
With all these questions coming out, even the smiling doll lost its charm.
“There is no one to talk to me politely or lovingly? Am I a burden?”
She felt sudden sense of anger rolling out of her mind. Was she a burden?? Is it her mistake that she is born? Are these parents - the word sounded ridiculous to her - going to stop their non-sense?
She rushed towards her parents and stared from one to the other. They stopped on seeing her as if unaware of the fact that she could hear them inside her room too. Ria, tried to even out her voice. But it didn’t work much. “Mamma, Pappa, please! For God’s sake stop your non-sense.” She wanted to faint, so that they can see how much they are affecting her. Atleast then they will realize and come together. But..NO… her Mom and Dad are beyond any explanation or any treaty.
Racked my brain, but couldnt find any suitable tiltle... Suggestions please...
The next part is coming soon :) :) :)
