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Monday, May 4, 2009

Fickle Fate


My heart skipped a beat, the moment he made his appearance out of nowhere. We could only see each other’s face and I was glad for that. He had changed beyond recognition. The French beard was gone plus he looked haggard. What didn’t change was his radiant pair of eyes. Those deep eyes, that had an ocean brimmed with infinite unanswered questions, were fixed on me. I could not help but stare back and implored the moment to freeze. It was so much like the first time we saw each other. Though I have someone else in my life now but all this while he remained and will remain a part of me…


3 years ago

"Just zip your lip Yash and how many times will I tell you to call me Anika?"


‘Masi please take me to the fair naaa’, my nephew beseeched ignoring the tirade.


The fair is so boring Yash and did you just say Masi again? (It may give a nice feeling calling it out but it surely doesn’t sound nice at an age of 21). Now stop reciting the same like a parrot.


‘Okay Masi, I promise I won’t call you Masi again but I really want to see the fair’, he replied ingenuously.


His consecutive pleas made my adamant heart melt. Finally after an hour’s long session inundated with excuses, I gave up.


‘All right, I’ll take you but mind you, I won’t stay a minute longer than half an hour’, I commanded and his face beamed with joy.


So there we were at the so called Fair that appeared more like a Fish market to me. No wonder as they both share the same initial which is ‘F’. While Yash enjoyed checking out the new Formula 1 racing cars that required no fuel (Thank God!) but just two dry batteries for the remote control, I preferred to saunter.


I couldn’t find anything captivating except for one that stood right in front of me but thankfully a good distance away. He was arrestingly handsome with eyes oozing sheer innocence. His constant gaze didn’t make me fluster rather it made me feel special. I couldn’t take my eyes off him and I hated myself for that. I was like a lost ball in high weeds. We stood like statues, oblivious of our surroundings but neither of us could muster the guts to initiate a conversation. It was when Yash shook my hand, I came to my senses.


‘You were right Masi, this fair is uninteresting. Let’s go back’, he requested.


‘Oh no, I was badly mistaken. It’s so lively and colorful. Why don’t you try the swings out there?’ I tried to convince him.


‘I want to go home. Didn’t you say that you won’t stay a minute longer than half an hour? Will you not keep your words?’ he said. He repeated my dialogues verbatim. I doubt if he ever learns his chapters that well.


Any further argument would be imbecile, so we began our journey back home. I felt this incredible urge to go back and speak to him but if destiny permits, I’ll surely see him again. It seemed like he too wanted to talk to me as he made a sudden move when he saw me leaving but I guess something restricted him.


Next day I went to that place again hoping to catch his glimpse but couldn’t spot him anywhere. A watched pot never boils and so was the case with me. After a week and a half, I encountered him again. He looked much better today or it was probably because I was so engrossed that I failed to notice anything. He had meticulously defined features and a smile to die for.


He looked at me and waved his hand. Such a basic gesture sent shivers down my spine. He accosted me and said ‘Hi, I am Abhishek. You can call me Abhi’ (How Filmy! I said to myself)


I wanted to say a hundred things but all I could utter was ‘Hi, my name is Anika’. We chose to chat over a coffee and found a bistro without much of an effort. That is when I came to know that he is from Chandigarh and has come to Delhi to pay a visit to his relatives. The smile on my face vanished the moment he mentioned that he has to go back in next 5 days. What restored the smile was that he wanted to meet me again.


We met the successive day and discussed everything under the sun. I enjoyed every bit of it and it was evident that he liked it too. We had so many things in common and my hunch about his innocence was absolutely right.


Days flew away and finally came the fifth day or should I say the parting day though it was for a brief period. He said I shouldn’t be sad; he will come to meet me after a month.


He kept his promise by making a call everyday without fail. He loved me and kept reminding by iterating this umpteen times a day. We had endless conversations that soon it turned into a necessity. A month seemed way too long to me. Above that his plan got shelved which only helped in aggravating my restlessness.


After long 38 days (to be precise), he came to see me and I was elated. We chatted, giggled, fought, clamored and tried spending as much time together as we could in those two short days. We wandered in hope to find a placating place away from this perplexing world. Luckily near the lake we found a bench that wasn’t in a good shape but who cared.


‘You are the most beautiful person I’ve come across’, he whispered.

‘Uhuh, I can see your nose growing’.

‘Yeah right! Just trying to compete with you’, he sniggered.

‘Very funny’, I said with a tinge of sarcasm.

‘Hey don’t be angry sweets, I was only kidding. Did I mention that I like your smile a lot?’

‘A simple tip: Start brushing your teeth properly; soon you will start liking your smile too’, I chuckled.

‘Annie, you are so unromantic’. He sounded irked.

‘Yeah right! Just trying to compete with you’, I imitated. He smiled and canoodled.

We went on and on….


Soon it became a wont. He started visiting me once a month and I treasured the time we spent together. A year passed by making our love grow stronger.


‘Hi dear, how are you? I wanted to intimate you that tomorrow early morning I am leaving for Mumbai with my family’, I dropped a message as his mobile was out of coverage.


He called after an hour. ‘Just got your message. What happened? Is everything all right? Why such sudden plan? How long are you going to be there?’, he started impatiently with a gust of questions.


‘Take a breath. You have asked me four questions, so tell me which one do you want me to answer first?’ I asked cutely.


‘I was just worried baby, Okay now without any further delay, will you please tell me why are you going there?’, he still sounded impatient.


‘Relax! It’s that my cousins have come down from London and want us to come to Mumbai. I am going to stay there for a week’, I answered.


‘Oh wow, that’s a big news. I’ll be having a whole week to relax. I hope you wouldn’t be available on phone?’, he giggled.


‘I am so sorry to disappoint you but yes my number will be in use.’


‘Hey I’ll miss you. Take good care of yourself and don’t forget that I love you a lot’, he said in a quivering voice.


He was close to tears. This was something novel and intimidating too. I couldn’t understand the reason behind that.


‘I love you too’, I muttered.


This was the last time we spoke to each other.


I with my family shifted to Mumbai and my number being the only source of contact had changed. So neither he had my contact number nor was he aware of my whereabouts.


It all happened in a jiffy that I didn’t even get time to absorb the reality. I loved him so much to let anyone else take his place.


I was wrong…..

.......................................................................................................................


Back to present

I was so lost in the past thoughts that I failed to notice him approaching and I don’t know how long he stood there silent, looking at me.


‘Why did you do this? I kept rummaging but couldn’t find you anywhere’, he said helplessly.


I wanted to retrogress but wasn’t agile enough as I felt weaker under his spell. I never wanted to encounter him again because I knew it will be more than hard for me to answer his persistent questions. He was firm and patiently stood there waiting for me to reply.


‘It’s all water under the bridge now. We should better not discuss about it.’, I inveighed.


‘I just want an answer and I promise you wont see me for dust’. He meant it.


‘I have someone else in my life who is going to be there forever. It’s good if you can get it through your head’, I tried to sound rude and strong. It worked.


It was apparent that he wasn’t convinced and wondered why am I lying. A tear rolled down his cheek. Without a second question, he turned his back towards me and started moving in an opposite direction. I know he wasn’t hurt, he was totally shattered.


Streams of water left my eyes and I prayed that he doesn’t look back. I did not intend to do this but probably we were not destined to be together. I wanted to hold him and explain the whole hapless episode but that wasn’t the option I had. I never felt that helpless before. Within a few minutes he was out of my sight. I stood there cursing my fate that separated us and imposed someone else on me. Someone who has become my support for lifetime after meeting with the hazardous accident in Mumbai. The two wooden extensions for my crippled legs…

9 comments:

Shine Kapoor said...

Welcome to the world of blogging!

Its addictive and u will relish it through-out your life.. Nurture it with your creativity and thoughts, I know that you will come up with more of such creative accounts.

Waiting for more of interesting posts by you.

All the best and keep blogging!

Cheers~~
Shine

Budding Blogger said...

Hi Nishtha,
Reading through most part of the story my brain and heart were sparring at each other. Sometimes they contradicted with each other, and aligned themselves at other times. This looked like you writing a story abt yourself (from whatever little I know abt ur life).....but then I kicked myself and said that this is exactly what it is titled..." A Fable"...The only time I was sure was after I read the last three words....
A moving story which moistened my eyes...
Continue the good work...Happy blogging...
And I also have the honour of being ur first follower.. :)
luv
Samit

Richa D.Trivedi said...

hi nishtha
I liked ur story a lot.It was touching n also appeared real as it portrays d web of hard fate over true love.Thru out my reding of ur story i drew many conclusions in my mind but unluckily could'nt catch urs.Gr8 job...congrats..
I'll be waiting 4 a new one n ofcourse much improved
biiiiii
luv u n take care
Richa

Unknown said...

Very good and touching storey....the ending was far beyond my expectations.....

Write more...

Gud Luck..

Jose

Blog Shlog Leavo said...

Namaskar,

I have never expected that u could rite so well. Y dnt u and ur inspiration rite a book on fiction. And i promise to u that once u publish it, i will do free PR for u.

Happy writing!!

Ritesh said...

This is the story which most people can read but only few can feel it. Three people can never forget the jeremiad I would say..the writer, the lover and the hapless novice looser. Love can't be bound into shackles, it is meant to be the winner. When the feelings are from the heart no one else on this earth can deny the fate of this
divine power, I am sure the end is not as tregic as it was written. You will continue with the same story I know...

well I like the story..

superb keep it up!

Ritesh

Himanshu Tandon said...

I sent you a detailed mail on what I felt on the story. Get back to me and we shall talk more about it. Take care.

Budding Blogger said...

Went thru ur story again after the additional inputs U gave me. Looks like I was the only person who assumed differently...everyone else seems to have caught on....
Anyway I am ready for my critics comments now...so if U want I can add those or reserve them for ur next story....
cheers
Samit

Ashish said...

I'll say wot I told u... Good imagination, Ok storyline, excellent presentation and use of words.

And yes one more thing. You cant write about emotions so effectively if u havent felt it in any manner. Is that so?

Keep bloggin n keep commenting on my blogs.... Dare u not.... :)