Dooms Day - My Day - THE END

Chapter – 9

THANK YOU

December 21. 2021 

Five years passed by since shruthi left this world. The same day hari turned ten. I went to his room that morning to wake him up and wished happy birthday. He also wished me happy birth day. We quickly got in to our new clothes and hurried outside.
We went to the grave yard and wished shruthi also happy birthday by placing white roses, her favorite, on her tomb. Next we went to temple and did some archana in our names.  After that we went to a shopping mall to buy an x-box. I promised hari that I will gift it to him on that birthday. We went to newly released James bond movie called the last eagle. After that we went to a restaurant and had nice lunch and came home.
That night we called for a big party at our place.  After five years I was celebrating my birthday at a large scale. For hari it was the first big celebration. He was so excited about the party. All these years we celebrated, but kept to ourselves. This time he invited his school friends and I invited my friends and colleagues. Holding my hand in his left hand hari introduced me his friends, pointing with his right hand. The same way shruthi used to hold my hand and move at parties. I also introduced hari to my colleagues. We both cut the same cake which was in shape of Mickey Mouse, hari’s favorite. The party went very well and hari was extremely happy. Even I am happy for him. As he waved bye to his last friend who left, hari came running towards me and hugged me. As he hugged his hands came up to my last rib, he pushed his head towards my belly with bliss. He has grown up, able to express his feelings better.
That night we both played with the newly bought x-box till mid night. Before going to sleep we saw the new Tom and Jerry series, which was gift to hari by some school friend. As hari fell asleep watching the cartoon, I carried him to his bed. As I was about to leave the room hari moaned, “daddy…”. That night I slept in his bed, he slept holding my hand the same way shruthi does….

December 21, 2031

Ten more years passed by. Everything went in the same way, the way in which we have been celebrating over years. The things that were changing were the gifts I gave and his friends who attend the party. Only few remained constant. That year my gift was a Yamaha bike. I don’t know the model and all that, but that’s a brand new model with more bhp and cc power than ordinary ones. Hari liked it very much.
Usman this time bought her elder daughter to the party. At that time he doesn’t know that he was taking a step to transform our friendship in to a relationship. She came from Dubai last month. When she was 4, usman’s parents who stayed in Dubai asked to send her to them so that they will bought her up and also they need company of someone at that age. As usman’s wife was pregnant for the second time then Usman sent her daughter. Later usman had a boy. He named him razziq.
As hari got ready in his new suit and hurrying towards the cake, he was stuck by seeing her. Usman saw him and introduced him to her.
“Beti, this is hari, I used to tell you right, son of sanjiv uncle and hari this is my daughter harleem”, said usman making their hands shake. She was very beautiful and everyone in the party was all eyes to her beauty. She dressed in red Gogra choli, with light and simple gold ornaments. She was simply striking in the party. I can clearly see that hari was also lost to her. I held his hand and bought back to the party and we headed up to the cake.
After the cake cutting I, usman, harleem, hari sat on one table. After a while I and usman went to attend other guests leaving hari and harleem together. They started talking about themselves and became friends quickly. Both of them completed their degrees and looking for a college to do their MBA. Needless to say, they got admitted in to the same college.
Hari never hide anything from me, he always shared me everything. Even in case of harleem also. He told the things happened at college and how he teased her and all that stuff. Harleem also liked hari very much. I am waiting for the day to break the ice and talk to usman about them.  I thought it will be a tough task to do that, but it was not.

December 26, 2033

The day came and usman came to my college and asked for me. As I was in a session told him to wait in my room. As I entered the room later, he is very disturbed and wearing a perplexed face.
I asked him what is worrying him.
“You have to forgive me sanju, behalf of my daughter”, he started.
“Why, what happened?” I enquired knowing the answer beforehand.
“She is in love with hari it seems” usman said facing his head to his feat.
“Seems?  What made you think so? What happened? Tell me exactly” I demanded.
“I found this photo of hari and a letter in her book.”  Saying so, he handed me a photo and a letter.
Keeping the letter and photo aside, “Usman if you are not here today, I thought of coming to you tomorrow. I know this already, but don’t know how to discuss this with you. Ok anyways, behalf of Hareesh, as his father I would like you to ask to let him marry your daughter. I want her as my daughter in law. I beg you to accept my proposal. I will do any…….”
Before I complete usman jumped out of the chair and came to hug me.
“Thank you, sanjiv. Thank you very much. Even I wanted to ask the same behalf of harleem. I accept your proposal” he cried.
“Oh idiot, I have to thank you, because I thought, from your side it will be a problem.” I said.
“Yeah problem will be there with my relations and my parents. Don’t worry I will handle them. For now let’s celebrate. Let’s meet for dinner at our place. Come with you boy. I will come with my girl.” saying so usman rushed out.
I called hari and harleem on conference and told them what had happened.
Usman really took so much pain to convince his parents and relations. Some of them were not convinced and angry with him. After all we both wanted our children to be happy. They said that they will marry after the completion of their studies.

December 1, 2034

They completed their studies and got jobs. We are planning for the day to make their love in to a bond forever and transform our friendship to a relationship. Regarding the marriage, first they will marry according to Muslim tradition and then in Hindu tradition. As I enquired with our purohit, he gave me two options for the wedding day. 15th December and 21st December. I don’t want to put it on the later date, as I was in a fear that hari’s case will also end like me. So I fixed 15th December. But hari insisted to get married on the later date and he feels that his mother blessings will also be available that day with him, for his new life. I can’t argue with hari, he is as smart his mother and stubborn too.

December 21, 2034

The wedding day. Only few members from usman side attended the wedding as it was according to our tradition. However it went well and they got married. I stood there seeing them, can’t believe my eyes. Hari got married, to me he was still that small boy I carried him on my back and played all the day in our lawn. As I look beside I saw usman, almost like me. I thought he felt the same about harleem.

December 21, 2036

Harleem was pregnant. As the destiny was unable to find a better date for my family, it again chooses the same date for her delivery. This time I and hari both were waiting in the corridor. Hari, simply reflected myself 24 years back. But now I am going to become grandfather. Its charan my friend who did the delivery this time also. He came out and said that it’s a girl. Hari just acted the way I did earlier. I just got a chance to see myself in him once again. I thought I was so lucky.

Hari thought of naming her shruthi. Harleem added khanum to that. So they named the baby shruthi khanum.

June 16, 2038

Shruthi started speaking small small words like, ma , pa and hari, harleem were so happy to hear those words. On that day evening while I was busy in doing some gardening and shruthi was playing with some toys. Suddenly she started walking towards me and called “shanju…shanju…” in a sweet voice. I was more than shocked to hear that, throwing away the scissors in my hand and rushed towards her. I hugged her and kissed her, asked who taught her that word.
She again called “shanju …shanju” and went away playing with her toys.
“I taught her.”, answered harleem from the back.
No words to describe my happiness. I was just taken back by some 20 years by her.
I was so happy to have shruthi again in my life and I am seeing my son and daughter in law living happily……..


June 27, 2038

Hi this is Hareesh. My father died on June 16, the day he felt happiness for a life time. So he left us on the same night. Normal death during sleep.  Peacefully he left this world. While cleaning his room I found this dairy. For me it’s not just dairy. I just extracted the important parts of his life and put it here. Thanks for reading my father’s dairy.

Hareesh



PS : hi readers, most of you might thinking that what’s so special about that 21 December. I started this story when I was on bench. I was on bench for nearly three months.  Now I am to some project.  Coming to that 21 December, it’s my reporting date, in other words it’s the starting day of my bench days. Somehow I managed to end this story here. This is my first story. So here by, I welcome both comments and complements.

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter – 8

A new beginning

Nearly 5 months passed by, I can’t come out of what had happened. It’s not a night mare to forget or a break up to move on. She was my friend when comes to sharing, my enemy to fight, mother to sooth, well wisher to advice, she was my everything, she was my wife. I can’t wipe off her or her memories. But I can’t be gloomy all the time, because shruthi hates that. Her soul will not be happy if I am not happy. But at the same time I can’t be happy. Only solution I came up was being busy all the time. Mornings getting ready with hari and dropping him at the day care center and running to office and collecting him back after office, playing with him for a while, feeding him by telling stories. Sometimes I took leave and spent some time with hari and friends, we went to some picnic kind day outs. In those days usman got married, last in our batch. Shruthi missed only his wedding, while she attended all others weddings.  Everything was going well, I am happy as I was keeping myself busy with something or the other. I can’t escape the nights. Nights became sleepless again. That’s the only time I can’t avoid myself thinking of shruthi as I was left alone having no company. She used sleep holding my hand tightly all the night. She used to speak about hari, our future and what naughty things hari did that day, about neighbors. Listening to all those things I used to sleep and now I have to accept the truth that I was not happy. I was trying to be happy. I am cheating myself and projecting to others that I was happy.

May 24, 2017

I was struggling in my bed to sleep, to add to my anguish there was a power cut. I thought it was a normal power cut in the hot summer. I went up to the window to get some cool air. There was a heavy wind blowing and stormy sky with black clouds. Wind brushed my hair and slowly it started raining. I felt the fragrance of mud as the first few drops hit the ground….
“Shruthi… shruthi…..” again my mind moaned.
She likes that smell very much. Thinking about her again I tried to sleep. No I can’t. I took my car keys and went up to the bar nearby and bought a bottle of vodka. I quit drinking after our marriage. Shruthi didn’t ask me to quit, but I quitted as she doesn’t like that. “sorry shruthi, please excuse me”, I shouted showing my first peg to her lively photograph hanging right opposite to my bed and started drinking. I don’t know when, where and how I slept.

May 25, 2017

 As I woke up, I was in bed under covers. I heard some women’s voice ,  I was not able to recognize even it  was a familiar tone because of dizziness.  After a while my mom came in to the room holding hari.
“Mom! You…?” I said in a low voice as I was unable to speak in a loud voice conveying my surprise. She put hari down and asked him to play in the hall handing him a toy. I felt a bit embarrassed as she came up to me. I held my head towards her feet.
“Why are you feeling guilty now?” she probed.
“Sorry ma.” I admitted.
“For what?” she said sitting next to me on the bed.
“For the drink, I shouldn’t have done that.” I appealed.
“Why did u drink?” she asked. I kept quiet.
“To forget shruthi?” she asked. I nodded saying yes.
“Did you forget her now?” she again stabbed me. I nodded saying no.
“Look in to my eyes and answer” she demanded.
“No” I shouted with bit anger.
“Oh then you need some more drink” she said as she poured some drink in to the glass.
“Is this enough or should I get one more bottle?” she asked.
I kept quiet as I was unable to answer her.
“No, right?  You can’t forget her. Then what is the use of drinking?” she snapped.
I got angry, got down the bet and about leave the room.
“Stop, come here, sit I want to talk to you” she commanded me; she was almost in tears when I turned back. I can’t with hold my emotions anymore. I rushed towards her crying and buried my face in her lap.  Tears came down my face, those tears I have been pushing down since months finally found their way out. I felt so much relaxed after that. Wiping off my tears and continued to sleep in her lap.
“Ok sanju, now I will ask some stupid questions, even though both of us know the answers you have to tell them out. Is that ok?” she asked.
“OK”
“Now what made you do all these things, drinking, feeling guilty and crying?”
“shruthi”
“What happened to her?”
“She is dead.”
“Is she out of your mind, your life, and your memories?”
“No”
“Now tell me what death is.”
“I don’t know”
“Ok, I will tell, if something doesn’t exist anymore in any form in any way, we can call it dead. Now tell me, is she really dead.”
“No, she is …. She is just physically missing”
“So you are just caring for her physical presence. Do you really love her?”
“Yes” I said very angrily.
“I know you love her. Every human being has to love someone or something. We can’t live on our own. At the least one has to love himself. I love you, you love shruthi, she loves you both and hari loves toys.  A miser love money. A kid loves his x-box. Parents love their children.Different forms of love with different kinds of targets but the substance is the same. It’s a feeling that makes you capable of doing anything and everything to pursue your love. Love won’t restrict itself between a teenage boy and a teenage girl. It’s everywhere. Everything is love. I know that you know all these things but you are not keeping them in mind. Nothing or no one can make you feel sorrow or grief for anything. It’s only you who is responsible for what you are and what you feel. Life is more of how you take it than how you make it. In this life very few things are actually left to you(i.e., how you make it) and of course they are important things. But there are many small things which don’t depend on your actions(i.e., how you take it). Now coming to shruthi, you just lost her physical trace. Her soul is here itself, do you believe that?”
“Yes”
“Now what you all need is her physical trace right? Come with me”, she held my hand and took me to the terrace.
“See the sky, feel the breeze, hear to the birds. She is here there everywhere. If you can feel you can see her in every person in this world. If you see clearly the world is simply filled with shruthi. Every place you go, whatever you see, eat, feel you will be able to recollect something related to her. Even she can’t leave you all alone, so she remained here, all you need to do is identify her.”
“Ok, let me tell you in your favorite language, Physics. She just transformed her soul from the body you are familiar with to this whole world. Now change your target of love. Now shruthi is the world. Feel like that since it falls in the how you take it category. You have nothing to do with her death. From now the world is your shruthi. See she took many forms to reach you and she loves you more than ever. You should now prove your love by pouring out more and more love to please her. Love this world now, every part of it. It’s not so easy to do that. This world is like a mirror. You love it, it loves you back. You hate it, it does the same. The more you give, the more you get. In that way you got a chance to make more and more love to this world”
“In Sanskrit they say sarvejanah sukhinobhavanthu. God wants everyone to be happy. Now you are going to do the same what god did, love the world (shruthi), wish everyone should be happy and strive for it. Automatically you will find yourself in that everyone. You will be happy, really happy from the heart.”
“But can I do it? How can I act like god? How can I make everyone happy? I can’t do that. I am not god.”
“God helps those who helps themselves. Do you believe that?”
“Yes”
“What does that mean, God is helping people who are selfish. You are striving for others and why do you feel that he won’t help you. He will be with you sanju. You help others, God will help you.”
I was not completely convinced by what she had said.
“Ok, let me take the help of physics again. What is Huygens principle?”
“Now why do you want that ma?”
“At the beginning only I told you, even if both of us know the answer, you need to tell it out.” She reminded.
“Ok, it states that light travels in form of wave fronts. From the source we will get primary wave front. Every point on primary wave front acts as a light source and thus again forming its own primary wave front and so on, thus light is propagated.”
“Exactly, same way I am not asking you to directly go to everyone and asking you to make them happy. Try to fill in happiness in the people around you. They will propagate it to others. It will continue and the world will be happy. May not be completely at least partial. It’s so practical right no one can love anyone completely i.e., hundred percent.”
I was just shocked by her application. Logically I was cornered and I have to agree to what she said.
“I am not saying that become a social worker or saint. You live your own life and try to fill in happiness in people’s lives that you pass by. From now you should act more sensible. Whatever feeling you come across anger, sympathy, love, hatred; hold on that for a while, stay calm think from every corner and then act with a smile. It will be good for you, and for the people around you.”
She hugged me and said “Go get ready, you are running late.” She slammed the door saying breakfast was ready.
I got ready and had a good breakfast after a long time with hari and my mother. Dropping him at the day care center, I continued thinking about what mom said. Yes she was correct. Even though she was logical, after all she wants to see me happy. Yes I will start following her words. Yes, it’s time to move on. Piling up one more gear and pressing the accelerator my car reached 100 kmph speed. Still I don’t know where to start and how to start. Thinking about that I reached the office. It’s in a mess and people are running here and there. I crossed them with a broad smile greeting good morning. As I turned on my system many mails are waiting for me from my manager regarding some bugs and deadlines. It’s a very common e-mail that a Team lead like me receives. My boss came to my cabin and started speaking something and I didn’t listen to what he said but was able to figure out that there was critical bug needs to be fixed by the end of the day. As he left, I started searching for an old document which I typed on the day of my joining. I printed it and gave it to my boss.
“What? Resignation!? ” at this time, he shouted in surprise. I gave him a calm smile and slipped through the door gently pulling off my tie knot I ran to the parking lot and jumped into my car.
I collected hari from the day care and we went to a movie along with my mom, then to a park followed by a restaurant and ended our day with an ice cream in the parlor nearby our house. I went to bed happily that night after hari slept. My mom came in and asked “So what are you going to do from tomorrow?”
“I am going to live happily and make people around me happy and fill light in their lives by pouring knowledge in their lives. And I will help them solve their problems and I will……..”
“Hey what are you going ………..” she snapped my voice.
“Lecturer”, I snapped her voice this time.
She wished good night and closed the door.
Lecturer, yes I am going to be a lecturer from the next day. My favorite job, I have been waiting for so long to take up. I took software engineer job to support my family initially and on the joining day itself I decided to quit it after 35. But it was written that I have to quit it 5 years earlier an I am very happy that day was proponed.

May 26, 2017

Through a friend of ravi, who was already working in an engineering college I managed to face an interview and I got the job. Obviously my profile will get it. As it was May, holiday time, I got some time to brush up the subjects and my teaching skills. Class will be starting from June. Till then I kept my time playing with hari, teaching him alphabets and having a glimpse of text books I need to teach. Hari also needs an admission in to school this June.

June 12, 2017

Normally that day will be the reopening day for every school. I woke up early that day and helped hari getting ready. He looked so great in his new school uniform. For a minute I thought shruthi must have seen him like this. I kissed him and after the breakfast we headed up to the school. I thought hari would cry and don’t listen to my words. But he is absolutely happy about school and more anxious to go to school.
I walked holding his hand in the campus for a while. As we reached a building, he left my hand and said “You go daddy, or you will be late, I will manage to find my class” in a sugar coated voice with a proud smile. I was shocked by his attitude and his spirit. I fell on my knees, hugged him and let him do what he wanted to. He ran through the corridor and asked someone about his class and was able to find it. I just followed him without falling under his eye to see whether he was right or not. Yes he did it. From then, I never stopped him doing what he wanted. I always guided him, told him what is wrong and right and how to do things. He acted so mature all the time and never let me down. He always behaves 2 or 3 years elder than what he really was.
The same day I started my going to college and I convinced the principal that I can teach physics to first year students apart from programming stuff to remaining year students. That week was an official opening for the college and actual college starts from next week.

19 June, 2017

My first class to first year students was physics apart form 3 more classes to the 3rd and 4th years. I entered the class and went up to the board directly, put the heading as SOUND and started delivering lecture, slowly the murmuring sound decreased and there was an absolute silence among the students.
Then I turned to the class and said “My dear benches and walls … is everything ok up to now.”
Everyone was wearing a puzzled look. “Then what should I call you people, you are as silent as benches and walls, not daring to speak in class and interrupt me. You don’t know me right? Then you have to question who am I? And ask me to introduce myself. You just sat with an awful respect. To learn something you should have enthusiasm. When you have that enthusiasm you can’t keep quiet like this. You should be talking; discussing, giggling and poke me with questions and you should make my job difficult. I hate this kind of silent class. Now can I have some noise?”
“Yes “shouted some of the last benchers.
“Can I have a louder yes please.” I asked. This time there was uproar in the class and everyone shouted.
“Good, that’s what I want. My name is sanjiv and I am here to teach you physics. Before I start off again please introduce yourselves.”
After they were done I started again.
“Physics, the king of subjects and it’s a beautiful subject. It’s more beautiful than Aishwarya rai.” They started laughing and murmuring. “Yea what I have said is correct and you will agree with me as we went by. And I always want my class like this only, energetic and enthusiastic.” Everyone smiled and nodded as they agreed for what I asked for. They accepted me as their lecturer and most of my classes were used to be in the same way as of my first class.
Apart from teaching, class rooms and subjects, because of my mingling nature students found me very approachable and share their problems with me regarding class, subjects, their victories or personal life problems. I also not restricted myself as a lecturer; many times I counseled students and was able to bring them out of their inhibitions and fears.
Yes I started living happily and making lives of people happy around me.
Yes I did what my mom wanted me to.
I did it……….. I love you shruthi…………..

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter – 7

I LOVE YOU 

December 21, 2016

I slept on the sofa itself that night. Sun rays find their way through the oval shaped large window as shruthi cleared the curtain with an intension to wake me up. As I rubbed my eyes to see clearly, she was in white color slips, she is gorgeous. Shruthi walked up to me with a good morning smile. I stretched my arms asking for a hug. She climbed the sofa on her knees and hugged me wrapping her hands around my head towards her heart. I too locked her tightly around her hip. “I LOVE YOU”, she said. “LOVE YOU TOO”, I said making my hands more closely and said “happy birthday”. “Same to you” she said kissing me on fore head, brushing my hair.

“Get up, go shave and have a shower quickly or you may be late. Go early come early in the evening. I have planned a lot for the evening”, she said rushing towards hari’s bedroom. I followed her and we both wished him happy birthday. He was still so young and not able to remember his birthday. I thought from next year he will be able to do so and even he would wish both of us also. I had a quick break fast and about to leave. ”speak to the boss about my rejoin. I will mail him from my side”, said shruthi closing the door.
Capping my ear with Bluetooth, I drove my car. As expected many of my friends and relatives called me and wished me. I reached the office and my teammates also wished me. I went to my boss to speak about shruthi. He agreed and passed an order to send her an offer letter. At lunch I had a small party with my colleagues. Shruthi messaged me to leave the office at 4. She was going to the parlor along with hari. We have to go to temple by 6 and followed by a party.
I m almost done with my work by 3.30 itself and took permission to leave. As there was some time left out I took a nap for a while.
“Madhuram, madhuram, madhuram, madhuram “ ,my phone ring tone cut my nap down. It’s from shruthi. “Hey I m done, I will be starting in 15 min” I said as I answered the phone. But it was not shruthi to whom was I speaking to. “Sir this is simhachalam, a private watchman. Your wife met with an accident at 3rd cross. We are taking her to the Apollo hospital near by. Come quickly sir”, he ended.
I was stunned to hear that and my heart nearly skipped a beat. I dropped my mobile, I was tensed up, I started sweating and I was out of my mind for a minute. Wiping off the sweat I got to my feet and rushed towards the hospital. It was the same hospital where hari was born. I hope charan will be there to see after her. Damn bloody traffic jam at 4 o clock. While driving I tried to call to shruthi’s mobile but it was unanswered for a while and later switched off. Many thoughts started filling my mind, unable to drive through the heavy traffic, not capable of changing gears also, my hands were sweating and gone weak. It was almost the same ride I experienced 4 years back on the night of shruthi’s delivery. But this time it was of more pain and tension. Hoping that nothing will happen to her I reached the hospital. I dashed towards the reception and asked for shruthi. They said that no one enrolled with that name yet. One accident case was being treated in 1st floor which haven’t registered.
Having nothing to do I quickly climbed the steps. Again the same hospital aura, smell of medicines and people shouting in agony. I felt some one drenching out my soul out of my body. People were moving around me, I felt everything strange. I stood there with no clue whom to ask. No sign of shruthi. I started running through the corridors and going in to every room desperately searching for her. Finally I lost myself and crumpled on to a chair. Then I saw hari crying and was unattended at the corner. I got to my feet and rushed towards him. I fell on my knees and hugged him, kissed him all over his face and checked whether he was injured. He was perfectly alright. I asked him where was shruthi. He pointed his little index finger towards a long corridor. The sign board on the starting of corridor read
PHARMACY – straight & right.
DORMITORY – straight and left.
X- RAY  - left
BLOOD BANK – straight and second left.
MORTUARY – straight.
I was taken aback by the last direction, leaving hari there itself I started walking in the long corridor, still with a small hope. I can’t take this. My heart weighed over a ton. I can’t even walk then, my legs turned to be heavy and I slowly pondered on the corridor. I was out of my mind and just walking like a robot (can’t listen, can’t feel) toward the mortuary. I went up to the door.
“sanju ,sanju…” shruthi shook back to me the world. She was in front me and shaking both of my shoulders. I can’t believe that. “What happened to you? I have been calling you since you passed the pharmacy wing and you are not listening. Are you ok?”
She was perfectly ok. I just can’t express the feeling I felt that moment. Shruthi was there for me. I got my senses back. I hugged her and tried to feel her all at once and started crying. She rubbed my back with her soft arms and said “it’s ok, calm down, see nothing happened to me. I am perfectly alright. It’s a small accident”.
There was a small band aid like thing on her head. “What is this? is it paining?” I asked. “Relax; I hit a tree in order to avoid dashing a boy, that time my head was pressed a bit hard towards the steering wheel.  I lost my consciousness. That’s it”. “No, we have to check it, we need to get a X-ray of it. Come let’s go”, I said. “Yea it’s already done.  Charan is already here and he was looking in to this. Reports will come by tomorrow morning. He examined me and said nothing to worry. Come let’s go home.” Shruthi told as she took my hand and lead me through the corridor. Hari, mean while got a nurse to play with. Shruthi took his hand and we started to leave the hospital.
But something still bothering me, I was more than happy that both of them were safe. But I was no completely back to my mind. I was so depressed and can’t come out of it completely. One of the reasons might be about the X-ray reports. I hoped it will be normal. Shruthi didn’t leave my hand through out the way to hospital entrance. I was not in a position to drive. Shruthi who knows me well more than me asked for the keys.
“No, I will drive, its ok now.” I said.
“Its ok, relax. I will drive”, she insisted and took the keys. I parked the car on the other side of the road as it was messy at the gate when I arrived. Shruthi left us at the gate and said “stay here, I will bring the car.” I didn’t respond. I gave her a blank look. She came close and hugged me, “I am fine. Don’t worry”.
She started crossing the road and turned to look at me in between and she resumed crossing the road…………….

“NO……” I shouted as hard as I can, seeing the most cruel move made by god.
Shruthi was knocked off by a lorry. As she was looking back at me, she didn’t observe the lorry heading up to her. She was thrown around 10ft away from the place she was standing. I ran towards her and took her in my arms. She was bleeding as her head and chest part was completely busted by the lorry and the road. Her limbs were also curled up indicating a breakage in bones. Carrying her in my arms I ran towards the emergency ward and shouted for help. Immediately few ward boys came with a stretcher and we headed up to the operation theater. She was not moaning in pain, I thought she was not even feeling the pain. She kept looking at me as we ran through the corridors. She held my hand tightly which was soaked in blood. “I LOVE YOU” , she said. Slowly her grip was loosened and we came near the operation theater. No use. She was no more. My shruthi was no more……

“I LOVE YOU” those were the first and last words of her that day. Even I thought that was the last word of my life and wanted to kill myself. I collapsed on the floor and started hitting the floor in vain and shouted in pain. I asked god why only she, why not me? My questions were unanswered.
Next day her body was kept in our lawn. Many of my relatives and friends came to convey their condolences and spoke something to make me feel better. I sat near her in the lawn seeing her body. Not even a single tear fell out of my eyes. I felt like my life was also ended. I just didn’t want to live anymore. I was not able to see, feel or hear anything. Vacuum surrounded me.
“Daddy, Daddy…”said hari, sobbing and chaffing my chin with his little fingers to get my attention.
“Mom is not speaking to me daddy, she is sleeping. Wake her up daddy”, his words pierced the vacuum around me. I felt a small hope to live, hari. I hugged him closely to my heart and tears finally found their way out of me and I started crying like a kid even more than hari.
I felt hari was the only one left out for me. She left both of us with no clue how to pursue our rest of lives. I decided, from then every moment of life was going to be because of hari, for hari and by hari. We went to the burial ground for the last rites. She was there lying on the pile of fire woods happily and going to leave us alone forever.
After few days I with my friends and hari went to the grave yard where her tomb was made up of marble. My 6 years of life was enclosed in 6’ 5” X 2 ‘3” tomb.
I lean on her grave to feel her and lost myself. When I got up I saw hari in Wilson’s hands. He was a bit confused and a bit depressed. I thought he might have a notion but don’t know what exactly happened to his mother. I smiled at him and said “Let’s go home and play cricket.”
He quickly changed his confused face to smiling face and started laughing.
I can’t forget that smile till today, which gave me a cause to live……

Dooms Day - My Day -Chapter -6

MY BOY

December 21, 2012.

A heavy storm brought me back to the hospital chair. The rain was almost faded leaving the entire scene in silence. Raindrops falling along the window making a splash sound was the only sound that echoed in the corridors. A baby’s cry shattered the silence. I thought that’s my baby. I looked at my watch its 11.55pm.
My friend came outside the operation theater and said “congrats! It’s a boy. A perfectly healthy boy. He was taken over to the incubator wing. Please wait for a while a nurse will come and take you to him.”
I sat back on the chair and started thinking about the day. “It’s Dec 21, my birthday, my wife’s birthday, our wedding anniversary and now my boy’s birthday also.” What a day it was in my life. I don’t know who told its going to be end of universe, its dooms day and all. But for me it’s the beginning of a new era in my life. I had a son. It is no more dooms day for me, it’s my day, truly and completely.
After a while a nurse came to me and said that I can see the boy. I followed her to a room where shruthi was still unconscious and my boy lay next to her in a cradle. I walked up to him slowly. The very sight of him made me ecstatic. He closed his eyes tightly and held his right hand downwards with fingers clutched and left hand faced upwards holding the white cloth in which he was wrapped. His legs were bent and looked very soft.  He held his right leg finger tightly except the thumb finger and his left leg completely relaxed. He was so handsome.  He smiled at me with out opening his eyes. I thought angels might have kissed my boy. I thought of kissing him, but I refrained myself as it may hurt his tender skin and I was also wet and not hygiene as I was wet in rain. I looked at shruthi she was trying to open her eyes. She tried to raise herself and wanted to have a look at the baby. I helped her to sit and showed the baby. ”See how handsome he is, he takes after you”, I said gripping her hand.  She felt the same and tears rolled out of her eyes. I wiped them off and kissed her on her forehead. “You won!  We got a boy. I lost; tell me what do you want me to do?” I enquired. She held my hand tightly this time and sighed that she wanted that happiness forever in her life. I brushed her hair, hugging her i conveyed that I will keep my word and make life more beautiful and happier for her.
Next day morning my mother- in- law arrived at the hospital and I went home to fresh up. I telephoned every one of my relatives and friends and quickly returned to the hospital.Most of my relatives and friends visited the hospital, everyone complemented “you got beautiful child!” Every time people said that I went back to the moment when I first saw him. “Shruthi is doing good and as it was a normal delivery she can be discharged in 3, 4 days ”, said the doctor. Generally I hate hospital aura, the smell of medicines and the long white pale corridors and people suffering from various ailments. Those things always take my mood away. That was the first time I felt nothing wrong with the hospital, no smell of medicines and perfectly happy aura, long pale corridors turned to be the way leading to happiness. Those 3, 4 days passed very quickly and we were back to home with our boy.
Again we started quarrelling, this time regarding name to be kept for our boy. She comes with something and I with something other. Thousands of names went by and finally after 2 weeks struggle we landed on “HAREESH”. We passed the name to our parents for the traditional check basing on the date, time of birth and all those stuff. They said that it was a good choice and it matches with his astrology and the meaning of the name is hanuman. Great everything came into our way. I got promotion in office and got hike in salary and work .
After 3 months shruthi’s Maternity leave was over. She has to get back to the job. I didn’t want her to sit at home idle, but at the same time I need her to take care of our boy. I was in dilemma. But shruthi was not. She resigned the job and kept herself at home to take care of our boy. He is the upshot of our love; we don’t want to leave him alone in baby day cares. I admire her for these kind of decisions. Every time when I was in any dilemma she takes the very right step boldly and confidently.  She always beats me in decision making. I was so happy for that. She started taking care of hari and I continued going to office.
4 years went by. No change in shruthi. She was just the same shruthi when we had our baby. But I changed a lot and even I don’t know that. Over these years I was going higher and higher in the company. Earlier I was very clear in what I am doing and maintained a balanced life at office and home. As my level cultivated up without my knowledge I started working late hours. May be with a greedy thought that I should earn more money to keep my family happy, forgetting the very basic thing that my family need me more than my money to be happy. My frequency of calling her decreased, even if she calls, I spoke very few words and hung up as I was busy most of the time. 4 years back when hari was born, I thought I would do anything and everything for him. But now I was not even playing with him much. Only time I got was on week ends that too if I was not sleeping I was able to take out some time for him.
Slowly I became a machine like thing earning money. I hated myself for that period of my life. Shruthi, clever girl she observed everything, but she never stopped me and allowed me to what I was up to.  She wanted me to realize myself. That day came very soon.

December 20, 2016

I was hurrying at the dining table to quickly finish my breakfast as I have to leave early that day because of some bloody meeting preparation. The earlier night I had a very bad head ache; didn't slept properly and was really in a bad mood. Shruthi had no idea of my condition and tried to remind me about the next day. I didn’t listen to her and she kept talking…. “Sanju? Are you listening to what I am speaking?” she said as she tapped on my head.
I got angry and smashed the dishes away and shouted “how dare you….. You idiot. Never repeat this.” I walked up to my room packed quickly my things, got my feet in to the shoes and jumped outside without even saying a bye to her. She was sitting in a sofa. She was lost and looking some where. Hari was crying and I didn’t even care to check why he was crying. I took my car keys headed towards office. I just recollected what had happened. After a few minutes I stopped my car and I took a U turn to home. I was angry on myself for what I have just done. I felt guilty and I have to apologize her.
I reached home quickly and rushed towards the main door without even locking the car. As I went in she was there cleaning the table and picking the dishes that fell around the table. She looked at me, with a broad smile she said, “See what you have done? Stupid”. I was more than shocked she should be angry with me but how come she talks like that with a cool smile as if nothing had happened. I went up to her and hugged her tightly and said “I am sorry, I shouldn’t have done like that, I am an idiot, I deserve punishment”. I took her hand and slapped myself. She withdrawn her hand and hugged me saying “its ok, calm down, I can understand. I can figure out that you are having a tough time at office. It’s ok”. She started crying, I don’t know whether they are tears of happiness or sorrow my eyes got wet.
She released me and cleaned my face with her duppata and said, “you are running late. Go to office. We will go out for dinner today”. Everything went fine that day and I came home early that day, we went to a restaurant for dinner.
As we entered the bed room, I started the conversation.
“Aren’t you angry with me for what happened this morning?”
“hmm… I was but that just for a moment; I quickly came out of that. I thought you are having some problems at office. Life is short, forgive quickly and be friendly. Your words only”, she said winking at me.
“I will come to office from day after tomorrow. I enquired about play school for hari. I want to spend more time with you like before. I want to help you in the office also. Anyways after 5 months we need to admit him in to a school right?” said shruthi.
I didn’t say anything, just nodded to say its ok.
“How shruthi, you always make right decisions when I am in dilemma?” I enquired.
“No, I can’t tell you ,it’s a secret. But today I am going to tell you the secret. The thing is when you have to decide something you think about well being of me and hari and think about what will be the best to choose. You will be in dilemma if the path you have to choose is 50-50 choice. But when it comes to me, I never care to think about the choice. I just blindly select the second choice. Because, by the time you gave me the choice you will eliminate the bad ones. I just trust you blindly”, she said leveling the pillow covers.
I smiled at her and lay on the bed. She said good night and slept. I was unable to sleep and sat on the sofa thinking about that day. Till today I hate myself for loosing my patience and hurting her badly on that day. Its not just I hurt her, I hurt myself also that day as she was a part of me. But on the other hand I was very happy about the same moment which gave me a chance to realize and see where I was heading up to. I remembered the promise I made when hari was born. "I will keep you happy forever".
I slept with the determination, “yes I will keep her happy”.
The next day was going to be a BIG day in my life. Our birthdays and our wedding anniversary.  I slept thinking about the next day…….

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter - 5

HAPPY DAYS

We both left the office at 5 that day. I informed my friends about my wonderful first day at office on a conference call; obviously I called for a rocking party that night. I came to my room dropping shruthi near her home. I got 2 hrs to get ready and attend the party. I trimmed my beard and had a hot water shower. Fast beats and latest movie love songs found their way to my ipod popping out old tragedy songs. I set the gear and headed up to pickup shruthi.
I was waiting near a departmental store near her house, through the heavy traffic she finally came in to sight. She was dressed just in the exact way when we first met in the restaurant in ooty. Black my favorite color. She was simply striking that night. Now I again got a chance to give her a ride. “This time not on the ghat road my buddy, so speed up”, I told myself and raised the accelerator. I speed up on the busy buzzing Bangalore traffic. She wrapped her arms tightly around me, while I was finding gaps through the heavy traffic just like shewag finding gaps through the fielders, listening to the devishree’s all time hit “Feel my love” .
We arrived at the restaurant where my friends were just arrived and booked a table for us. They ordered champagne first. I and shruthi opened it as the champagne burst out resembling the love in our hearts. Then we had a cake cutting. It’s not only ravindra’s birthday anymore, but also the end of my eternity which lasted for 6 months. After a long I saw my friends laughing whole heartedly and no words to describe my happiness. I felt like king of the world. (Courtesy: SRK from OSO)
The party lasted for 2 hrs and we dropped shruthi near her house, say like one lane before. Wilson followed her so as to ensure she reached safely. I was back to my flat, I have to call my mom and apologize her as I broke a word given to her. “If I ever love a girl, I will first tell you and then I will propose her”, that was my word.
I called her and told the entire story started right from ooty and ended up with that night party. She was in tears by the time I finished and said,” I am never going to say NO to something that keeps you happy. You valued me that was enough. I took that word from you, to prepare you mentally whether the girls accepts you or denies you. But who on earth don’t like you. You are my beautiful child”. As a mother she never let me down and never left my hand when something turns tough for me to handle. She taught me the value of human relations and their value. It was from her I inherited my sensible behavior, helping nature, caring for everyone around me. I owe my life to her. I went to bed thinking of every moment of that day again and again.
June 23,2011 (happy days….. started)
Next day we were back at the office. Since we were new, not much burden on us. We enjoyed being everywhere together. We started talking about ourselves and understanding each other. She came from a nice family. Father working for some nationalized bank as a manger. Mother home maker and tuitions for small kids in evenings to pass some time. A loving brother who knows about us and in fact, because of his idea we were together that day. With his support only shruthi boldly brought our topic to discuss at home and finally got the OK seal for our love.
I started visiting her home; even her family members liked me very much in a short time. We got parents permission & long lasting love for each other and the most happening city to hang around. What not?  We got every thing. The HAPPY DAYS of our lives.
During those happy days, I found the poet in me found the way out my brain and scribbled down my first poem on her……..

 నా తలపులన్నీ   నీ ఊహలతో నింపేస్తావు, నా గుండెల్లో రెగే ప్రతి అలజడికి మూలం అవుతావు.
ఎదురుగానే ఉంటావు, యదను కుదిపేస్తావు....
ఇది ఎక్కడి న్యాయం అని అడిగే నా గుండె చప్పుడును నీ చిరునవ్వుతొ కవ్విస్తావు, తడబడి పోయి తల మునకలు అయ్యేలా చెస్తావు...
కను చూపుమేర లొనే ఉంటావు, కంటికి కునుకు లేకుండ చెస్తావు...
నీ కోసం అనుక్షణం తపన పడె నా గుండె ఊసులకు  నీ   మువ్వల సవ్వడితొ  సమాధానం  చెప్తావు ....
"ఓ  ప్రియా " అనె మాట నీ యెద గొంతు లొనుంచి పలికించాలని   నా మనసు చేసిన చిన్న ప్రయత్నం.  

We use to take long walks on lonely roads some times through fog and some times through even rain. I love the way we walk hand in hand and the way she clutches my hand tightly when a storm passes by. She loves the way I put my hand across her shoulder. I love to rest my head on her shoulder when stressed out in office. She loves to brush my hair when I am exhausted. I love to tickle her and make her laugh. She loves to hug me and place her ears on my chest and hear my heart beat. I love to ride at great speed when she was at the back. Even she loves to hold me tight when I was speeding through. I love to tease her and make her jealous talking to other beautiful women in the team. Even she loves to pay me back in the same coin, but at times I got more suffocated. I love to……………………. She loves to ………………
The list goes on. (Can’t share every thing here. Sorry L)

I didn’t say that we were the greatest lovers the world had ever seen. Even we have some differences in opinions, but most cases we think alike. One of them I would like to share is about Valentines Day. According to us, if X and Y are in love (truly), then every day should be a valentines day for them. Why only feb 14. We do admire valentine and his great love and also agree feb 14 as a mark of respect for his love. But why people limit themselves to propose only on that day. Why do the exchange greeting cards, flowers, heart shaped chocolates, roses everything on that day as if they all going to become ashes the very next day. That is the only day cupid finds his importance in stores. Do people think his magic of love works only on feb14. Is he an angel or a seasonal magical toy? It’s just the business people’s strategies by decoration malls, giving discounts and offers attractive gifts. They are just creating a sense of love not real love. And the fools (people) fall for that day calling its love.  Just rubbish. (NOM for those who like valentines day).
Apart from that our next match of interest was movies. We both like to watch every movie that releases for the weekend. We saw dhoom-3 and final destionation-7 and the most awaited films at holly, bolly and tolly wood. Bangalore being the most happening city, we always find some or the other place to hang out every weekend, either with my friends or we both. Life is going very smooth….no turns no speed breakers (as smooth as a Mercedes ride on a runway).
After few months our parents got to their feet and met each other to do their part. They fixed the date of wedding. December 21  againJ.
Generally most people say that …
“Love is a dream, marriage is an alarm”
“Love is blind, marriage is the eye opener” and lab lab lab…. But all those sayings didn’t find place in our lives.

December 21, 2011

Our wedding day. As far as my memory can recollect my wedding is the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. Before we start off for the puja and all we had a cake cutting as it was the day we both born. A special cake specially designed by shruthi’s brother(Raghava), in the shape of two just born babies lying next to each other and carrying our names next to them and wishing a happy birthday to both of us on the top. After that I was wrapped up in white silk dhoti and lalchi, had kalyan bindi(kalyana tilakam) between my eyebrows. Shruthi got dressed in red saree(some kanchipattu silk with some gold buta. Sorry I can’t describe properly, assume yourself one grand looking red saree) with coconut in hands, came and sat beside me.
Only few close relatives and all friends were invited. Small stage crowded by dear ones. My love next to me ready to become a part of my life…….. We were married. J
No need to mention, we started our honey moon with ooty visiting the every place we met and spent together and recollecting all those memories we continued to darjeling and shimla. Software engineers can’t get more leaves. So after 10 days, we were back to work. No complaints, no issues we started leading a happy life…………………..
HAPPY DAYS   …………………………………….. (This time not by shekhar khammula.)

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter -4

NEW COMPANY

When I woke up I was in a hospital with some bandage running round my head and belladonna plaster tied to my leg. Not much serious injuries. My friends were there as I tried to  lift my head and see. They were laughing and cracking jokes and ravi came up to me said "No need to worry, we will go to hotel in an hour or so. we can remove the bandage and all in 2, 3 days.  Don’t worry about her. We are trying to track her through the address at the hotel." you will get her don’t worry. I know my friends.

December 28, 2010.

We checked out the hotel, my friends cancelled the train tickets and booked a cab to Bangalore. They thought that it would be better to keep me talking something rather than leaving me idle. It was a beautiful way out from ooty. The only thing that is missing is my heart without which I failed to relish the beauty. We were back to bang by evening. I was dropped at my flat, where I was staying with some of my colleagues. Next day I went to office. I am back and I am doing everything as usual and am perfectly back with one thing missing. My heart.
I kept saying to myself " you are ok nothing happened . You are ok”. But I am not ok. God damn I want to talk to her and tell her that I loved her and ,and........, no words to explain my sorrow.

December 31 2010,

That night I have to meet my friends at the restaurant. They don’t accept the way I was living then. So I went to them with a fake smile and greeted them happy New Year. As we sat and started chit chatting and eating, ravi left the table and walked up to a distance from the table and lighted his cigar. i went up to him and asked "hey what happened yar?" with a smile. "Stop that bloody smile you idiot." ravi said sharply and took two puffs ghastly through the cigar.
"What do you think about us, can’t we understand whether you are laughing from heart or acting. Or you thought a good actor?" said ravi breathing heavily through the cigar. I lost my words; fell on the rail running beside and griping it hard to control myself. Others came near and started to say something, but ravi stopped them. "The world has grown enough practical, now stop being practical, be emotional and let all your emotions out. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to shout, shout at us. What are we here for? To see your fake smile. ? If you keep carrying the words practical and dignity, you are no more living you are just acting in a box that was drawn by the lines of constraints. You are putting on that fake smile for a world which is not at all concerned for you...then no pointing in deceiving it. You are deceiving yourselves..." before he ended I ran to him and hugged him and started crying like a child. My friends gathered around and had their hands on me and trying to sooth me. After a few minutes we were back to the table. ”Do you think we let this happen to you." said Praveen. "We are tracking her daily and got some info already." continued Wilson. "We will definitely get her for you. Believe us" usman continued.

"Hey, forget us also. Yours is true love and that love will make you meet her", said usman, after pause "a dialogue from the movie I saw yesterday night” he ended. Everyone busted in to laughter. After so many days we were laughing happily. We all parted wishing happy New Year.

Nearly 6 months passed by, no clue of shruthi. In March my friends hit a dead end while tracking her info. But they keep telling me that they will get her at any cost. I am used to be alone, sleepless nights were then very common to me. My friends’ suggested me to change the company so that it might help in making the situation better. As I was already working for XXXXXXX Company since 2 years, it doesn’t matter to change the company. I almost got the job in a new company. They fixed the date of joining as June 22nd and a formal name sake interview on the previous day. I attended the interview.

June 22, 2011

It was my friend ravindra’s birthday. We all got to wish him before I join the new company, Wilson got a car from his uncle and we all started a bit early that morning. We reached the salvation church by 8 am. We lit the candles before Jesus and wished him happy birthday. Yes he was with him since 3 yrs. He left us while we are doing our engineering 3rd year. Since then Wilson was riding his bike with no one at the back. We always leave a place for him whatever we do, where ever we go. It’s written that I have to start a new life on his birthday.

I stepped in to my new office and I was allotted a cubicle. I got a mail from my manager to attend a meeting along with my name there is some agarwal_ks next to my mail id. I thought she might be my TL or any lateral entry like me and set off towards my manager cabin. Gosh! I was suddenly stopped by the same fragrance which I experienced on the train; my heart said it was shruthi. I immediately entered the cubicle from where I felt the smell. As I was in my days of bad luck, it’s not shruthi some lady showing her newly bought perfume to her colleague. With the same disappointment that I have been carrying for six months I knocked on my manager’s cabin.  “Can I come in rahul ? ” I asked for permission.
“Hey always feel free to disturb me and never ask for permission to enter”, said rahul(my manager) pointing to an empty chair beside a lady who was already there. I thought it was the other woman who was mentioned in the mail. Being a busy guy, he directly started “yes Mr. sanjiv and Ms. Agarwal ……” he started briefing up the project that we were going to join and the protocols and HRs we need to approach. After he finished saying, “ok that’s it. Any queries”, “I prefer you to call me shruthi ” the lady said. I turned my head in a suspicious manner, I was shocked in to silence, it’s my shruthi, and she was already looking at me with a big smiling face. “You….”  I shouted ignoring place I was present. “Oh you people know each other already then good you can save the time of introduction and getting acquainted. Ok carry on all the best. You can leave”, said rahul, clearly stating that time is more important and we need to work hard. I jumped out of his cabin, shruthi followed me.

This is unbelievable, as we are out of the cabin, she didn’t spoke a word and headed towards the break out lounge and stopped in the middle and it’s clear that she was trying to control herself as she held her fist tight and leaning on the wall beside. I went up to her and grab her hand and pulled her along with me and she willfully followed me. As we entered the break out area, I released her hand and headed up to the wall and tried to swallow my tears.  When I turned back she was almost crying and ran towards me and hugged me tightly and breathing very hard as she started crying. I can’t withstand my tears or emotions anymore and I wrapped her in my arms to feel all of her at once.

“I am sorry, I am really sorry. I am an idiot, stupid”, she started scolding herself as tears running down her cheeks turning them to tenderly red. “Yes, you are, where have you been all this time, ha you know how much I missed you, how much I cried for you.”I said.

No doubt, it’s clear that even she was in the same state of me and faced the pain which I have been facing all these days.

I released her and we both looked in to each other’s eyes, “I can’t wait any more to say this to you”, she said.
“I LOVE YOU”, we both said at the same time and her hands were shivering as she was crying and we both hugged again and felt each other completely trying to wipe off the pain we experienced all these days. “I love you, I love you” she said repeatedly as she punched me on my back.  I released her from my arms and took her face in my arms and lifted it up and said “I love you too”, kissing on her forehead. I wiped off her tears and directed her towards a chair. I sat opposite to her clutching her hands, which were still shivering. “It’s ok! I am here now. Calm down. Relax.” I said and retired from the table to grab a coffee for her. As I handed the mug, she said “no“, “no you will feel better”, I said putting the mug in her hands.  After sometime she was ok.
We started talking about what had happened, she interrupted me saying that,”I came to know everything. It’s my friend neetu who played the spoil sport. She told me that she just wanted to test you. I slapped her and no more talking to her. I felt sorry for you, but it’s just not a guilty or sorry feeling. It can’t last for this long. The moment that I realized that it was love the pain was even more. I am unable to handle it. Even I liked you very much in our first meetings, but I can’t take that you proposed me very early. I am stupid; it took me so long to realize that I am in love with you. I tried to track you using my other friends, but of no use. For the past 4 months I am living like a lifeless creature. Finally my brother suggested me to change my company so that it would be a new environment here, seems that I got a new life here”, she finished clearing her throat.  There was no need for me to speak a word. She spoke every word from my heart it seemed. I closed my eyes and I buried my face in her palms.
After some time we stood up and smiled at each other’s face, which were disturbed by tears. After a face wash we walked up to our cubicles hand in hand talking about the rest of the days. One useless question popped up in my mind. “On December 21, the day we were on train what color dress did you wear?” I asked.
“Why do you want to know that!” she exclaimed.
“Tell me, please”, I requested.
“White” she said. “No, think again correctly, isn’t it green?” I probed.
“No I am sure”, she snapped.
“How can you be so sure”, I asked.
“Idiot that’s my birthday and my brother gifted me that white dress. And you didn’t wish me that day”, she smiled saying that.
I was shocked. She clutched my hand tightly for a second to convey that things were started matching in our case. She suddenly stopped and asked “what’s the matter behind green”, with an angry grin. Tough question, I have to answer. “Some fragrance attracted me that day on the train and the lady wore a green dress. And I felt the same fragrance when you came to me that night to wish me. So I thought it was you.” She left my hand and walked ahead. I speed up and asked her, “What’s wrong?”
“That day I borrowed neetu’s perfume to the party. So you love her and her perfume not me.” She snapped and walked ahead. For a second I thought I was the biggest idiot on the earth. No time to praise myself and walked in to her cubicle to convince her. “Oh god, listen to me, but from the next time when we met, the fragrance was not there right? But I fell after you right? So I love you right? And I am not after her. Is that ok?” I said. For a moment she looked convinced but, as usual like every other women she don’t want to give up quickly and wanted to be angry for some more time, finally convinced.
I took her hand and looking in to her eyes…. Said “shruthi….”
“mm…yes. Tell me” she said.
“Why can’t you use that perfume now…” I ended sharply.
“You …..Shameless” she said as she was searching for something hard to hit me and the quarrel started again… It went for years………. J
It was the most beautiful day of my life I got my love. My first love.  It was the day I got a new company to work for and a new company to live with……..

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter -3

SHE IS BEAUTIFUL

That night I was unable to sleep, thoughts filled my mind completely. something that crunches my heart when I thought of her and when I remember her eyes, the pain was even more as if something sharp stabbing my heart. Great energy, inexpressible feelings. I thought about the idiot who stopped at cloud nine, it seems even cloud ninety nine doesn’t match my happiness levels. Slowly sleep conquered my happiness; I don’t know when I slept.

December 22, 2010

Next day I woke up at 6.30 a habit that I have developed over years. I thought of calling my mom and dialed her number. As it was a Wednesday I thought she will be free. “bangaram(gold)…” she shouted as she answered the call. She asked me about my bday celebrations and ooty I told her everything’s was fine and put the phone down. I slowly got down the bed and after that i did few basic exercises, I took a hot shower and I was ready by 7.55 by 8.00 I locked up my room and reached the corridor end where the earlier night I stood. I called my friends, for them it was the wakeup call except ravi who was almost ready and told that he will be joining me in few minutes.

I leant over the iron rail and thinking of the last night. As I turned my head, gosh I can’t believe shruthi was sitting lovely in the restaurant wing drinking some coffee/tea. I got to my feet and rush towards the entrance of the restaurant singing the song

“Bale chance le…la la la lucky chance le….”

As I came near the entrance, I slowed down the pace and started walking normally. There come my angel in a black short length chudidar with half sleeves ,black duppata small computer art sticker and not competely loose hair some sort of thin plat at the top and as it went down it became free hair never saw that kind of hair style. Nicely shaped eyebrows, beautiful eyes just fits under her lean eyebrows. Small ear hangings. Below her sticker small line of vibudhi. Tenderly coated gloss on her lips. She didn’t put lipstick, of course I hate lipstick. In one sentence to describe she was beautiful. J . Then I took a gentle stroll by the side of her table, she didn’t notice me. At a step I got disappointed, the very step I got an idea and took two heavy steps to get her attention, she turned and I also turned with an expression of I forgot something, then our eyes met and she smiled first.

“Oh you, I didn’t notice at all”, I said max tightening my teeth and controlling my smile. “Can I sit here,” I asked pointing to the seat next to her and I dragged it before she nodded.

“So you are all alone in ooty?” I thought I asked a wise question for which I know the answer already.

“No, no, I am waiting for my friends to come, how come you expect me to come to this place, at this age alone”, she answered with an expression that was the dumb question she ever faced.

“Its ok, ok…” quickly told myself and without a gap “oh, same with me, o I am waiting for my friends to come”, I said.

“Oh”, she said with a least caring smile and looked at her mobile.

“So what are your plans today?” I asked thinking that it would be a better question.

“Yea, my friend planned the tour and she said some names of places that we will be visiting today, I don’t remember them properly” she told with an expression that she don’t want to continue the conversation.

“Its ok buddy, cool you are new to her and how come you expect a girl to talk to a stranger more than this”, keeping those words to me. “Okay, I am leaving, seems like I am disturbing your loneliness” I said with a little smile and about to get away from that place.

“Hey no, no I m just thinking about something else and even I feel that I didn’t responded properly, you felt bad right?” she enquired.

“No, no it’s ok”, I sat down again keeping a broader smile this time. “Shameless…..idiot” someone said from inside me. Ignoring that voice “so what’s worrying you?” I enquired.

“Today is my friend birthday, last night I recharged my mobile, but I didn’t get the balance yet”, she said.

“Not a big deal, why can you call her using my phone” I said offering my mobile

“No ,no its ok, I will get it, no problem thank you” she said.

“Hey you are my new friend and you wished me last night and this is a small favor in return. Please feel free”, saying that I put my mobile on the table next to her hand and I stood up to vacate the table so as to give her some space. I left the table with a calm smile. Even she took the mobile with a thanking smile and started dialing number. While she was speaking I stood at some distance and started praying god “please make my friends come a bit late.” But angel of bad luck intercepted my prayers first and first she answered me sending my friends in to sight. They were a bit far from me and I started walking towards her to take the phone and to pretend nothing had happen; even she ended her call by the time I reached her.

“Thank you so much, because of you today I heard a good news”, she was almost jumping. “My friend got selected for iim Bangalore. She will be here soon. Sorry I talked for a long time” she said as she handed over the phone to me.

“Really thank you , thank you so much. I owe a lot to you.” She said.

“Ha ,ha not much its just 7 ruped 50 paise.”, I told with a comic smile. I thought it was a bad one, but she started laughing at that and I joined her. I thought I made an enough good impression before it take any turns better to leave the place.

“OK fine then see you again, by the way good morning and have a nice day.” I said turning back to catch my friends before I get caught. “Yea, good morning, and enjoy well” she said with a smile, this time not form lips but from heart I guess..

Any ways i got a clean, clear good impression when I told "new friend" a smile of acceptance... "Everything is well buddy come on" I told my self and rushed towards my friends.

we all sat for breakfast at the same restaurant attached to the hotel, as we were already running late in the schedule, we quickly had our breakfast and called the broker form whom we have to collect bikes. in next 15 minutes we got our bikes. Me and ravi on one bike, ravi taking the lead and I sat back with my camera trying to capture the beauty of small rock to big mountain that came by. Praveen and usman on the other and our arnold(wilson) on the third bike riding single. We were going to Mettupalayam peak. Our Wikipedia (usman) had planned the tour, so we just followed as he instructed. Ravi told that he has seen me with shruthi earlier in the restaurant, that’s why he came along with others; otherwise he would have joined me at the corridor itself.

Finally after a 40 min beautiful ride through the mountains, valleys on a ghat road we came to a halt. We stopped at some check post like thing, usman Wilson went to talk with the security people. They said they will allow us after 30 min. to kill time we started our bikes again and decided to go to a view point nearby. As we didn’t took a group photo till then I put my camera in timer mode on Wilson’s bike and got a good snap of our batch.

by the time we went back to the Mettupalayam peak , I cant believe my eyes, shruthi... along with her friends. it seemed like they were facing some problem with the security guys. I took Wilson and approached their group. as we walked towards them shruthi got sight of me and smiled in relief.

"hi wassup ", i said.

"We keep bumping in to each other, right?" shruthi said as she also knows the answer.

"Yes of course, its a small world but of big problems, what’s on your side", said I looking at others trying to probe for the answer.

"yes , we need to take permission for going up and get a medical checkup for this thing in winter as it is a bit risky these times." said shruthi.

"Not a big deal, let me handle this”, I told and marched towards the security people with Wilson. Wilson’s uncle was an officer in tamilnadu tourism department with whose help we were able to get all the permission things done. Obviously with his help again we managed the situation. I and Wilson returned to the group, “you can go up, absolutely no problem." I informed shruthi with a proud smile. "Oh really!" girls expressed their happiness with jumping and shouting all they know and started thanking us, but my eyes were stuck to her.

"Hey sanjiv , thanks a lot  and these are my friends.." she said and started introducing all of them. I don’t remember their names even.

I called upon my friends and introduced them. They were a group of seven, including shruthi. We started again on our bikes and they followed us on their Scorpio. After some time we reached the top of the hill, from there    the view was damn cool we can get sight of everything around 4 km. no need to say we all became friends in a short time.

She was really in high spirits, shouting & jumping all over, reached the edge and taking a look at the scenery she said “you are beautiful”. Her voice echoed and it seemed like even ooty has fallen to her feet and saying “you are beautiful” to shruthi. She again shouted and the ooty did the same. At that moment I want to say her clam down you both are beautiful, but thought it won’t be such a good one and kept to myself.

She came over to me, “really sanjiv if you were not here today I would have missed this, I never forget this help…..” she said something, where I was busy in looking at her face not trying to catch her words. As she finished I gave her a smile, winked my eyes trying to convey “its nothing dear, it’s my pleasure to help you.” She responded with a smile as she understood the unspoken words behind my smile.

She joined her friends and they all chit chatted and took photos in many filmy postures. I was there with my friends, but looking at her all the time.  I guess her friends can easily calculate about what I am up to as they caught me several times looking at her. Suddenly shruthi parted her friends talking to herself and waving her cell phone and walking around the place. I am back to her rescue. This time even she walked towards me with an intension to share what’s worrying her. As we came close, “I need to call my uncle who is leaving for UK today, he likes me so much and I promise him that I will wish him borne voyage. I forgot to call him this morning. Now there is no signal here. I want to talk to him badly. “She moaned softly with her lips curled. I checked my mobile no coverage for me also. “willy, can you arrange some signal for my mobile”, I shouted. “No problem”, said Wilson who was busy in playing foot ball with a small stone with my friends. He ran towards us, “catch , take the bike go down the hill for 10-15 min you will get the signal”, he said as he throwed the bike keys and winked his both eyes as an acknowledgement for my happiness.

Finally, shruthi going to sit on my bike. I started the bike, as it was full of fog and cool temperatures I raised the accelerator for a while and she sat on the bike with her two legs on one side and her hand on my right shoulder. I m out of my mind, I drove without any word, carefully down the hill to make the ride as comfortable as possible to her. As we got down for a while, “sanjiv , sanjiv”shruthi shouted as she shook my shoulder and I came to the world back.  “I got signal here, stop” she said. She got down the bike and walked a few feet away and started talking. I stood there leaning on the bike and looking at her. She was so happy talking to him. After some time she put the phone down and started walking towards me. I m lost in my dreams as she walked up to me with a beautiful smile. “sanjiv, sanjiv” she again brought me back to the world. “Where are you? ha.. Day dreams?” she asked with a probing smile. “Ha nothing, nothing”, I quickly turned my face to hide my face and started the bike. She came to front and said, “thank you sanjiv, thank you so much. Today my day is happening completely because of you….. ”, she was saying something as I interrupted her “will you please stop thanking me. I think it’s not necessary between friends and no need to call me sanjiv all the time, you can call me sanju.” I regretted for the last sentence, but I hide that with a smile. Shruthi who seemed to understand the background meaning of my words and my intensions, gave me an expression raising her eye brows. I never in my life can forget that expression and the way she looked at me. She immediately ended that expression with a smile of acceptance and she came back, she climbed the bike with her legs on both sides and her both hands on my shoulders. I was shocked. I didn’t understand whether it was an yes or no, was it an act to defend or to come close. I hope the answer was yes.  I literally felt vacuum in place of my heart. If I was on a highway at that time my bike speed will no way less than 120. I got my mind back and realized that it was a ghat road and took a U turn to get back to my friends. The feeling right then I experienced cant be expressed in words. Everyone in life may give a ride to her girl friend, but first ride is always memorable, but its even more memorable for me. At that kind of place, in ooty between mountains on a ghat road with full of mist and her hands on my shoulders….

“My heart is beating adola……telusukova  adi......”

“Will there be any other person on this earth who is as lucky as me. Yes I was the luckiest guy”. Generally my face was full of bad luck up to then, but it seemed like shruthi wiped off my bad luck and gave me a new luck life. I drove the bike very slowly and carefully this time, avoiding pits and rocks, maintaining the contact only at hands and my shoulders. I wished that time should freeze here, like this forever and I will be with her riding the bike forever. My thoughts were unlimited and impossible L .

Such a beautiful ride came to an end after 20 min. as we reached the top our friends were having lunch which was arranged by willy. She got down the bike this time without a thank you. She blinked her eyes with a smile and joined her friends. I thought she started liking me. But at that point of time I didn’t know that it just likes, she took me as a good friend for which I regretted later.

After lunch we got down and went to some other places nearby. After the ride shruthi become more beautiful to my eyes and I can’t take my eyes off her. “That’s enough, don’t let her feel bad. Take off your eyes. Give her some space”, Praveen muttered as he passed by while taking a photograph for the girls. I thought he was correct and decreased the frequency of looking at her. At last we came to another view point like place near to our hotel and lit a camp fire. After spending some time there and taking photographs, we moved to the restaurant and had a nice dinner. As we finished,

“any one sleepy ?” asked Praveen.

There was a big NO from all of us. “Then come along with me”, Praveen directed us to the terrace having a beautiful lounge with a nice sofa set and all. We quickly split up into 2 groups and started playing Dum charades. Obviously I and shruthi were in one team. I sat next to her. As she moved towards me and told every film name in my ears I felt her hair over my shoulder and her hands on my cheek as she tried to tell it to me with a secret gesture. I can’t forget that day in my life. Only thing missing was her fragrance, what happened to that? I was not given much time to think about it. I was also busy in suggesting some names in her ears, looking at her ear tops very close and her spit her behind her ears; I am becoming crazier about her. I didn’t get up to mime as I was not ready to loose the place next to her. Usman on the other side observing all this declared that I was not participating. No way to escape, I went up to them to get the word. Idiot he gave me the word “I LOVE YOU.”

I lost my nerve, how to convey that. I started doing some nonsense gestures looking at shruthi. She was all eyes to me as I started to act the word. And she was guessing the words correctly. I successfully conveyed the words “I” and “you”. How to convey the middle word. For a second I thought to shout “ I love you”, but controlled and told myself its just a game and took a deep breath and said “I give up” and about to sit down.

“I LOVE YOU”, Said shruthi. I was stumbled. “Hey is that I LOVE YOU?” she enquired again. “Yea that’s it” I shouted. We won with one point over them. My love won…. After that we climbed down and parted to our rooms.

“sanjiv are you sleepy ? if not shall we take a walk?” asked shruthi.

My answer obviously, “yea sure”. As we took the road, it’s filled with mist and fog and she started feeling cold. Not giving a second thought I offered her my jerkin. She took it. We took a short walk through the mist. Beautiful lamp posts pouring light on your way. I asked god “please freeze this moment; I want to walk with her forever and ever like this. I won’t ask anything more in my life”. My prayers were unanswered. They can’t come trueL.  After a 20 min walk we returned to the hotel, wishing her good night I marched up to my room. My friends were waiting for me. But his time they were not teasing me, they gathered some info for me.

“Congrats dude, she is single. “Started Praveen

“Every other girls in the group is either committed or engaged. L ” continued usman

“it seems like , even she likes you a lot. I saw her watching you when you are alone.” Ended Wilson.

Ravi didn’t said anything, just gave a smile saying that he was happy for me. We chit chatted for a while and we dispersed to our rooms. Its almost 1 am I went to bed.

Two more beautiful days went fast, very very fast. We didn’t plan to go together, but we keep meeting at almost all the places we went. My fate was completely reversed. I was turned luckier than ever. We were getting close……..

December 25, 2010

Christmas!! We (my friends) met at the restaurant for breakfast. I and usman bought gifts for Wilson, Praveen and ravi. As a habit we had over years we went to church that morning. I thought today I will be with my friends. After the prayer we went to restaurant. My friends asked to call shruthi and her friends.  Its ok yar, for one day. “oh ,oh stop being senti, we were going to give her a party not you ”said willy.

Funny, then I realized that I don’t have her number yet. I was about to tell that to my friends, as I turned towards them, I cant believe my eyes, shruthi  just came in and her friends followed her. We all together had lunch and a long chit chat. Its around 3.30 we left the restaurant. Some of her friends have some shopping work. I and usman accompanied them while wily,praven and ravi were back to hotel as they were bit sleepy and they  need to call their relatives and wish them.

Another beautiful evening with her. We all returned to the hotel and everyone was tired. We took a light dinner and we parted. Finally shruthi and I were walking in our corridor. I felt that it was the right time to propose her and don’t know where to start. I said “hey lets talk for a while... I want to …..”

“We will talk tomorrow, I m sleepy right now”, she interrupted me with a sweet voice.  I can’t force her, so I obeyed her. Without a word I nodded and went to my room.

December 26, 2010.

Next morning when I opened the door I saw a bouquet with a letter. Love letter! From shruthi reads as follows.

Hi sanjiv,

            I can’t tell this to you directly. I don’t know whether I am correct or not, its just 4 days acquaintance, but I felt more than friendship.

I LOVE YOU SANJIV. I LOVE YOU.

If you feel the same, meet me in the restaurant at 9.00. If not I think its my bad luck.

                                                                                                                        Bye, with love

                                                                                                                        Shruthi.

Its perfect love letter, every word was in my mind last night when thought of proposing her. I thought she felt the same as me. Only the word sanjiv was a bit odd. She should call me sanju. But I ignored it. Next few minutes my friends were in my room.

“Now what are you thinking of? idiot”, enquired usman. I said nothing. Everyone nodded saying to go and meet her. Wilson paused for a moment and said, “I m feeling something wrong, anyways be careful and handle it well. All the best”

I ran to the restaurant, shruthi was already there that cleared off all our doubts. She was facing the valley side as I approached her and said,”shruthi”. She turned towards me. Her eyes were full of tears, damn she was crying. “What is this?”, she said showing a letter. “I didn’t expect this from you at all sanju. I thought very high about you, how come you do this, just 4 days acquaintance, and you thought it was enough for proposing a girl. You completely disappointed me”. Saying so, she tore the paper and threw the pieces at my face and started walking away from me.

I was shocked and angry too, and about to ask her about the letter I received. As she was walking away, I tried to catch her hand, my bad luck was back. I missed her hand and got grip of her duppata. As she was walking speed it came off from her dress. She turned in anger and walked up to me, as I was trying to explain her what had happened she slapped me …!

Silence ruled the scene for a few seconds we look at each others eyes in anger and they were almost wet. She took her duppata back and said, “How dare you to do this”; she said angrily and continued walking. This time I got her hand correctly and forced her towards me and I slapped her very hard. She started weeping even more and covered her face In her arms and started running towards the hotel.

I fainted on the floor on my knees, without knowing what to do. No one in my life slapped me. My father my mom never.  Only once my drill master beat me with a cane for some mischievous thing. I can’t control my anger. After sometime I returned to my room. My friends called me, I didn’t answer the call.

After a while they came to my room saying that the girls were leaving. I explained what happened at the restaurant. “You stupid, cant you understand someone was fooling you both. And now you sat here crying. Go catch her tell what her happened”, snapped Wilson. “She will definitely listen to you, even she likes you but not love in such a short time, they are girls”, continued Wilson gripping my hair between his fingers. I wept on his shoulder. I took my bike and hurried up to the station. The train just started, I started running and as my bad luck was back I flipped over hitting something that came in the way. I landed 2 ft away hitting floor with my head and blood started running down my face. I started limping along the train and shruthi was in sight. “Shruthi” I shouted, looking at me she closed the door. I can’t cope up with the speed of the train, the train left.

I fell on to my knees and shouted in ever ending agony………  I lost her……….

I lost her……………..

Neeti mulllai nannu gilli vellipoke…malle vaana…(can’t stop myself mentioning the situational song.)

Dooms Day - My Day - Chapter - 2

OOTY

         After every one finished beating me, we settled down and started enjoying our journey. I opened my bag and distributed dairy milk chocolates to my friends, something that I have been doing since many years. Usually my friends will be planning a cake cutting, but this time there is no sign of such activities. I thought its ok we were on journey it might not possible for them. I took a glimpse of my friends usman,ravi,wilson,praveen and told myself how lucky I was to have such friends..

“sanju , hey sanju”, usman bought me tack to the train. I gave him a satisfactory smile and turned towards window to hide my feelings. After a while we thought of playing Dum sharrads, as we fall short of a member I enquired my co passenger.
“Hay, I am sanjiv, these are my friends, and we are playing dumsharrads why can’t you join us?”
“Yea sure”, he said as he closed the window and changing his blank face to an agreeable smile. I, Wilson, Praveen on one side. Co passenger, usman and ravi on the other side. We played for a while and train stopped at some station. Ravi, praveen got down to get something to eat. I started talking to the co passenger.
“So what is your name, where are you heading up to?” I enquired.
“I am Devaraj Iyer, working for Indian Army. I am on my way to my home at kallar. One more hour from here. My wife gave birth to a baby 2 months back. Now I got leave and rushing home to see my sweet daughter. Its almost 2.5 days journey from Srinagar.”
He is not much aged, hardly 3 or 4 years elder than us. We all exchanged looks with an awful respect for the brave soldier. We continued our game again as the train started. As we were around 10km near kallar we stopped the game and Iyer started to gather his luggage and we helped him. He showed the toys he bought for his little daughter and shared us about how he missed his family all these days and about the life they spend at the border, the odds they face while doing their duty during winter rains and early morning fog, temperatures and so many things. He is almost in tears by the time he finished. We are almost there at the station, our train got the clearance and the driver slowly started off again. We all hugged him and got our luggage(very small compared to iyer’s) also as we have to get down here and catch the train to ooty.
We shared our phone no’s and mail ids with him and as we accompanied up to the station entrance one last hug with Iyer, which told how much he enjoyed our company and how much he need a person share his pain and feelings. We all said bye to him.

The train we have to take is 3 platforms away. We all indulged in that senti scene and an announcement saying that our ooty train is about to leave got back us to the station. This time we all ran to catch the train. J
From kollar to ooty we have to travel by a diesel engine train on a meter gauge track, as it would be difficult to run those broad gauge and electric trains through that hilly areas.
 “From kallar journey to ooty is a very great experience. All the way can see vegetation, valleys, small water falls, and beautiful mountains. One has to experience this journey and it’s a life time experience”, I said with Pepsi bottle in my hand taking it as a mike.
“What are your views usman?” saying that I handed over the mike (pepsi bottle) to him.
“Ah well sanju, to face these type of questions from you I came prepared and this is how the answer goes”, he said as he rolled out a paper from his pocket. Idiot he got a print out from Wikipedia about ooty and he read it aloud for all of us.
“Ooty or Udagamandalam (the Tamil version of the original name) rightly described as "Queen of Hill Stations" by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, now sprawls over an area of 36 sq km with a number of tall buildings cluttering its hill slopes. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Ooty still woos people from all over India as well as foreign countries right through summer, and sometimes in the winter months too. An added attraction for the tourists to Udagamandalam is the mountain train journey on a ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves and fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.

The scenery, as it unfolds during the trip, is breathtaking, awe-inspiring and fantastic. One can notice a marvellous change in vegetation, as one goes from Kallar to Coonoor. At Kallar it is tropical and at Burliar-the next bus-stop as one proceeds from Mettupalayam-it is sub-tropical. Near Coonoor, it is humid with pines, blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) and cypress trees. As we go from Ooty to Gudalur…………."
“Hey, hey stop it…yar”, snapped Wilson. By sheer coincidence as usman stopped the train also stopped on a long bridge. It’s a very nice place and the view from the window is damn good. The train will stop here for a while to get the clearance told the coffee Walla serving us. All of a sudden, something happened, my friends started behaving weirdly and some sighs, I cannot understand. Before I questioned them Ravi and Wilson went out first. After a moment usman got a miss cal, and then Praveen and usman took me out.
“Where are we going?” I asked with a confused voice.
“Oh you don’t know we are kidnapping you…idiot just shut your mouth and follows..”, Praveen answered sarcastically. Having nothing to do, I followed them.
We got down from the train on to the bridge and started climbing the bogie using the iron rails provided on each bogie. As we were on the top, a birth day cake is waiting for me.
I was more than thrilled. On the top of a train, that to on a bridge surrounded by mountains, tiny waterfalls, cool breezes, cloudy sky, and partly visible sun. At such a scenic place I am going to cut my birthday cake.
There comes my friends started singing happy birthday song lighting the 24th candle on the cake. I was unable to utter a word and put off the candles on the cake. It was the wonderful birth day I ever had. After having face full of cake we slowly climbed down the bogie and got in to the train. It took around 15 minutes to wash our faces and we all sat down in our places….. Train started moving again.

“Hey did you see the girls next compartment?” asked usman.
“Yea… I am about to ask you about that , we went first na to arrange the cake, then itself I saw them and thought of talking to them, but this idiot stopped me  telling that it would be late and the train may move” said ravi pointing Wilson.
“Take light yar….”ended Wilson.
Praveen who didn’t see them was anxious and to have a look at them and asked me, “Sanju lets go...Have a look”. I said ok and we stood up.

“Cut my life into pieces ,this is my last resort,suffocation,suffocation”
My phone rang and it’s from an unknown number, thought it would be a call to wish me and sighed Praveen to carry on and I sat down to answer the call. After a while Praveen came back and started discussing about those girls. After finishing the call, not much interested in joining their discussion I took a nap.
After some time, engine siren woke me up and we are entering the tunnels now. I felt a bit giddy and took a walk to wash my face. As I was sleepy I didn’t observe the surroundings much, I started washing my face.
“Excuse me….” Some women’s sweet voice , as I bend forward to wash my face. As I applied soap I can’t see who was that but as she passed by I felt a beautiful fragrance. Definitely a jasmine perfume but much much different one and I ever felt that fragrance. Something is happening, my heart started to beat differently... I quickly wiped off my face with water and take a step to have a look at her. But I am late. She just reached her place and sat down. I didn’t see her clearly.
“OK, what is big issue, go now and have a look at her”, I told myself. As I took few steps I realised that she is one of the girls batch about which my friends are discussing. I came to a halt.”Now what? Move ahead or turn back. Will it be cheap if I go down there?” asked my self.
Some where from my old films one voice told me that “BELIEVE IN DESTINY.”
“YES, BELIEVE IN DESTINY, if she was my destiny she will definitely come to ooty.” I told my self proudly and turned back…. L
Gosh…!! My friends are behind me and saw the whole scene… I was caught bold enough. As usual one can expect that scene; first they popped me with so many questions…

“Noting yar...Nothing”, I can’t cover up. L . We all went back to our seats and they didn’t stopped teasing me. “Don’t you have guts to go and see her?””you timid…” etc.. I want to shout at them “I believe in destiny” and all that stuff. Thought it would make the scene more worse and I kept to myself with out uttering a word.
A beautiful journey came to an end when we got down the train at the station and we took a cab to the hotel, where we have our rooms booked. Due to journey tiding we all went to our rooms for getting fresh. We have to meet at the restaurant at 8.00 sharp I told my friends. Generally I am punctual but that day attending some phone calls made me late. At 8.10 I reached the table where my friends were waiting for me. As it was my birthday obviously it’s a treat. The food was very nice and we are all hungry, we ate a lot. After that we parted saying good night and told my friends “tomorrow sharp 8.00”. Every one nodded. I know that they were not going to keep it except ravi.
Right then, I m not sleepy, so I walked down the corridor of my room and leaned on to a steel rail having a gaze at the beautiful scene. Heavy fog almost as the size of a cloud passing at a height of ten feet’s, I began to fell cold and took a cigar to feel some warmth and had a one deeep puff.
“Happy birthday.” Some one said from my back.
I turned and shock to see a teenage girl. I dropped the cigar without her notice.
“Hi, I am shruthi, today is your birth day right? I over heard you and your friends at the restaurant”, she said as she put forward her hand to wish me.
“Oh thank you so much…” I said shaking hands with her.
“Ok then, bye good night”, she ended and marched towards here room. As she moved away, I felt the same fragrance again, the same fragrance which felt in the train and my heart not listening to me this time. It is jumping over and I can’t control it. I felt an A.R. Rehmans orchestra right now surrounding me with song…
“oh cheliya na priya sakhiya chejarenu na manase……e chota adi ……………..”
I got back to my mind and asked myself “should I ask her or not, is she the one I saw on the train.” I was in a dilemma, by the time I took the stand to ask her, she reached her room and shut the door.
Once again I heard that filmy voice telling me…. “Believe in destiny.”
I told my self, “no worry buddy... you have time to work out….!”
I am going crazy... I m out of my mind. I climbed over two iron rods over the rail and shouted…
“I LOVE YOU….OOTY……………………….”
“I LOVE YOU….OOTY”
“I LOVE YOU….OOTY”
“I LOVE YOU….OOTY” my voice echoed………