I was at a party at a rich person's house. The living room was almost packed with guests. It was an invitation only party and I had been invited because of something I was or something I had done, so I was there. The lights were dim and people were slow dancing on the music playing in the background. I felt isolated in the party because I knew limited number of people, all of whom were busy chit-chatting with others, slow dancing, and eating. I stood at a corner with my drink, looking at others.
Next thing, I saw my high school friend at the party !! I was looking at her after many years but could recognize her because she looked quite the same. In that dress she was wearing, and under the dim bluish lighting and slow music, I found her beautiful. I saw her chatting with a married couple and smiling pleasantly. I had always liked her more than a friend. We met like old buddies meet after years. She was a joyous sense of relief in that boring party. We talked for sometime, then she suddenly left me and went to talk to others. She said she would be back in a bit but she wasn't. I felt isolated again. I went to refill my drink (which was non-alcoholic, btw) when I met the hostess. She asked me for a favor and I agreed to do it. But while doing it I realized my mistake. Doing that favor was more boring than standing alone like a statue in that party. Two ladies whom I had seen standing at a corner, just like me, joined me at what I was doing, as if they were looking for something to do. None of the two would speak, only stare at me, at what I was doing. They looked like twin sisters, only they didn't look alike.
Some idiot in a leather jacket, started chit-chatting with the hostess who was standing beside me and the twin ladies. Before she could ask him for the same favor, he offered his services, probably to have a good impression on her. Either he had a crush on that lady, or his mommy must have told him to do so, because the favor wasn't worth any good impression or riches! Thank you, I said to him and left my work to him.
I saw my friend standing in isolation with her drink at the spot I stood for most of the party, aloof in her thoughts. I went to her and in our casual conversation, told her my feelings about her. She gave me the exact reaction I had expected. She said it was very sweet of me and that she also liked me but some things had changed in past few months that at the moment she wasn't ready for any such commitment. I persisted, because I had fell in love with her all over again in the moment I saw her for the first time after many years.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" she said, that tenderness in her voice that almost convinced me she would agree.
"I am telling you now!" I said with all the sincerity in my heart.
She turned to face me and we kissed gently. As we slow danced, holding each other close, I also fell in love with the slow music and the dim blue lighting.
I saw myself at a check post while leaving for home. There was some commotion because somebody said a terrorist had been caught. I got down from my jeep and went to check when I saw Ragunathan sir talking to other policemen or some other security agency personnel. He was their senior, I learned, and was congratulating them on their success and motivating them to keep up the good work. I saw a person looking at all of them with a disgust on his face. I could guess he was the terrorist. He offered me Rs. 90 if I allowed him to walk away and not tell the police that he was running away. He said he only had that much money with him. I refused. He reduced the offer to Rs. 50 and I asked him, "Do you even know how to count?"
I told him, traffic police in India also doesn't agree at Rs. 90, how could I, that too when risk was so high!
He was taken away. I rode back to home in my gypsy. My mother wasn't feeling well so we had to leave. My sister, mother and some friend was sitting behind in the gypsy. My father was staying at some other place. I saw us driving my the streets of Persia, as shown in the game, 'Prince of Persia'. I thought of my work and that there were some people I didn't like at my department, but due to joining of some new people, that dislike had been lessened, as if the new people act like neutralizers. I started thinking of numerology and also trying to find a relation between first alphabet of names of people I keep away from in my department and the new people in my department. While such thoughts occupied my mind, I saw kids playing on the street as we took a turn to the right. Most of the city was stone floored and each road had either houses or a wall on either side.
I get a phone call from the same terrorist even before we are able to drive out of the city. He threatens me that since I didn't help him escape, he'll make my life miserable. He started telling me what all damage he could possibly do and I start feeling scared. His voice and mannerism of speaking made me laugh but I controlled myself, lest I'd offend him even more. My mother wasn't feeling well, my sister was with me, I had a girlfriend now and we were still away from home, driving on strange roads.
Suddenly I see myself doing push-ups, and then I see another self of mine jogging on the streets of the city, as shown in 'Prince of Persia'. Could that be my alter-ego? Or my own self preparing for the future?
Showing posts with label mystery girl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery girl. Show all posts
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saturday, January 17, 2009
17thJan2009LateMorning
The starting of the dream was quite dramatic. I saw myself against a powerful rival whom I was supposed to stop. We matched equal in strength and wit, but opposite poles as far as morality is concerned. I was the good guy, of course! :D
We got into conflicts, fights, competition and it was our destiny to go against each other. For some reason I started failing and he started winning. At one instance I was lying on the floor, exhausted and drained out of energy. I saw someone wearing a hood in his/her head kissing my cheeks and suddenly I felt a surge of energy through me. I felt as if waking up from a long and undisturbed sleep. The hooded person vanished out of sight. My rival couldn't help but stare at whatever had happened. Next incident was even more interesting. Me and my rival teamed up against a greater enemy. This time, the healer in hood healed my rival. I saw him/her kiss the rival on the forehead. As his/her lips met his forehead, I saw a tiny spark shine as a result of the touch. Within few seconds he was up and kicking. Again, the healer disappeared. I became curious to know who this healer was, who healed by touch of his/her lips. He/She also did some other incredible things like in one instance while I was losing against my rival, the healer came and transferred my rival's energy into me. At another instance, she teleported my rival into some other space coordinates. I couldn't understand why she was helping me.
Next thing I remember was closing a book, as if I had finished reading it. Was it that whatever I saw before was something I was reading in a book? Could be. I started looking at the other books. A couple of books I had were from my college library which I had to read. I saw the due date for return and freaked out. I was 2 weeks late! I thought it wasn't a big deal and started reading some other book when my sister walked in and said, "This is my school's library, you can't stay here whole day. We have to leave now."
"Sure." I said and grabbed some books, and we left the library. As we walked in a corridor towards the exit of the building, I saw some rooms on either side, and it looks like a hostel. A lot of laughter and shouting sound was coming from one room. We went to that room and I saw some people watching something on a projector. Among everything else, I saw Mohit smiling, with a badge hanging from his neck. Someone said, "He got his paper published this year. Isn't that great?" I thought, "Sure it is." and then remembered that Mohit indeed had got a paper published and I was still to get a publication. I felt bit low but since I wasn't in college I didn't want to think of all that. All those people watching the projected things started leaving. Few of them saw me and smiled. I smiled back. An old man among them said something about me, and an old lady standing beside him complimented me about something. I smiled back and felt better. I looked at my sister with a look, do-these-people-teach-you-because-they're-awesome, and my sister gave me a look, unfortunately-they-don't-teach-me-anything. I saw the group of old teachers walk into a room in the other wing in front of this room. It looked as if those old teachers lived in that building. As me and my sister started to leave, I saw a young lady in that room, looking at us. I looked at her and stopped. My sister looked at me in surprise. I looked at her asking, what-is-she-doing-with-older-crowd? She gave me a look, how-would-i-know-but-she-also-teaches-in-my-school. The lady walked out of the room and greeted us.
Apparently she knew my sister and vice versa. The lady and I talked for sometime. I learnt she was a new teacher and had just completed her graduation. My sister and I started walking out when suddenly the lady teacher called us. We turned and walked back. She came to me and kissed me on lips. A deep gentle peck. I felt a tingling sensation. She walked back to the room to all the older teachers, smilingly said bye at the entrace to us, waving her hand and we left. While walking back, I could feel her lips on my lips when I thought of the kiss. I thought that I had kissed in dreams but this one's different, maybe this is how the real kiss is. I was too happy that day! Gosh, I even thought of meeting her again. My sister was also quite surprised and looked excited, as if ready to tell anyone she can find about what happened.
Now, few things are still not clear.
1. Why would a school teacher kiss me, a student's brother in front of the student?
2. What's more important is, why would she kiss me? I don't think I look so awesome that ladies die to kiss me.
Pondering over these questions, I got a simple answer... she is the healer with a kiss. Everything can be explained in this way. She saw me good and alive, so she couldn't contain her emotions and she kissed me. Her kissed felt different which means it had the healing touch, I felt awesome after that and I was healed of all my problems and worries. Also, it was just a peck.
Does this mean, the story of healer and me and my rival wasn't a story but something that actually happened and I had forgotten about it for sometime. The book I closed in the starting of the dream was just any other book.
We got into conflicts, fights, competition and it was our destiny to go against each other. For some reason I started failing and he started winning. At one instance I was lying on the floor, exhausted and drained out of energy. I saw someone wearing a hood in his/her head kissing my cheeks and suddenly I felt a surge of energy through me. I felt as if waking up from a long and undisturbed sleep. The hooded person vanished out of sight. My rival couldn't help but stare at whatever had happened. Next incident was even more interesting. Me and my rival teamed up against a greater enemy. This time, the healer in hood healed my rival. I saw him/her kiss the rival on the forehead. As his/her lips met his forehead, I saw a tiny spark shine as a result of the touch. Within few seconds he was up and kicking. Again, the healer disappeared. I became curious to know who this healer was, who healed by touch of his/her lips. He/She also did some other incredible things like in one instance while I was losing against my rival, the healer came and transferred my rival's energy into me. At another instance, she teleported my rival into some other space coordinates. I couldn't understand why she was helping me.
Next thing I remember was closing a book, as if I had finished reading it. Was it that whatever I saw before was something I was reading in a book? Could be. I started looking at the other books. A couple of books I had were from my college library which I had to read. I saw the due date for return and freaked out. I was 2 weeks late! I thought it wasn't a big deal and started reading some other book when my sister walked in and said, "This is my school's library, you can't stay here whole day. We have to leave now."
"Sure." I said and grabbed some books, and we left the library. As we walked in a corridor towards the exit of the building, I saw some rooms on either side, and it looks like a hostel. A lot of laughter and shouting sound was coming from one room. We went to that room and I saw some people watching something on a projector. Among everything else, I saw Mohit smiling, with a badge hanging from his neck. Someone said, "He got his paper published this year. Isn't that great?" I thought, "Sure it is." and then remembered that Mohit indeed had got a paper published and I was still to get a publication. I felt bit low but since I wasn't in college I didn't want to think of all that. All those people watching the projected things started leaving. Few of them saw me and smiled. I smiled back. An old man among them said something about me, and an old lady standing beside him complimented me about something. I smiled back and felt better. I looked at my sister with a look, do-these-people-teach-you-because-they're-awesome, and my sister gave me a look, unfortunately-they-don't-teach-me-anything. I saw the group of old teachers walk into a room in the other wing in front of this room. It looked as if those old teachers lived in that building. As me and my sister started to leave, I saw a young lady in that room, looking at us. I looked at her and stopped. My sister looked at me in surprise. I looked at her asking, what-is-she-doing-with-older-crowd? She gave me a look, how-would-i-know-but-she-also-teaches-in-my-school. The lady walked out of the room and greeted us.
Apparently she knew my sister and vice versa. The lady and I talked for sometime. I learnt she was a new teacher and had just completed her graduation. My sister and I started walking out when suddenly the lady teacher called us. We turned and walked back. She came to me and kissed me on lips. A deep gentle peck. I felt a tingling sensation. She walked back to the room to all the older teachers, smilingly said bye at the entrace to us, waving her hand and we left. While walking back, I could feel her lips on my lips when I thought of the kiss. I thought that I had kissed in dreams but this one's different, maybe this is how the real kiss is. I was too happy that day! Gosh, I even thought of meeting her again. My sister was also quite surprised and looked excited, as if ready to tell anyone she can find about what happened.
Now, few things are still not clear.
1. Why would a school teacher kiss me, a student's brother in front of the student?
2. What's more important is, why would she kiss me? I don't think I look so awesome that ladies die to kiss me.
Pondering over these questions, I got a simple answer... she is the healer with a kiss. Everything can be explained in this way. She saw me good and alive, so she couldn't contain her emotions and she kissed me. Her kissed felt different which means it had the healing touch, I felt awesome after that and I was healed of all my problems and worries. Also, it was just a peck.
Does this mean, the story of healer and me and my rival wasn't a story but something that actually happened and I had forgotten about it for sometime. The book I closed in the starting of the dream was just any other book.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
14thJan2009LateAfternoon
I saw myself sitting in a train. It was late night and weather was cool. I looked ahead on the platform from the window and was surprised to see my parents and sister and some of my relatives and friends waiting for me on that platform. I collected the luggage and without thinking jumped out of the train. Luckily the train had slowed its pace and I landed safely on the platform. I walked to them and said that they were supposed to meet me few stations later. They said some things which I don't remember but I was really happy to see them. Suddenly, one of them from the group shrieked in excitement. I turned just in time to see the train which I just jumped off from, was taking a U-turn on a rail-track which was bent in a U-shape. The train had to suddenly increase its speed manifold, something like an infinite acceleration. I was mesmerized by the spectacle. The train, in a few seconds, zoomed on the U-shape of that rail track, back in the direction from which it had come.
I saw myself in bed with a girl of my age, probably my girlfriend. She was really pretty and we were lying under the bedsheet, probably undressed. Early morning's sun's rays were lighting the room. She got up and got ready for the day. In this scene, I saw myself and her as a third person. She called my name to wake me up. I was reluctant to wake up but looking at her getting ready I remembered that I also had to be some place that morning. She started discussing her plan for the day. I said that I had to be at some carnival with a friend. She said she didn't require her car (which was a big car like Scorpio) and that I could take it to the carnival, and she threw the key at me. I thanked her, got out of the bed and went to get ready.
I was excited about driving her car, probably because she always drove it. I also felt responsible for taking care of the car. But I wasn't very sure if I would be able to drive the car. I stood in the garage beside the car when she came from inside the house, kissed me and left. I watched her go and disappear out of sight, then got into the car and started it. I had driven smaller cars before, this car felt bigger. I started at a slow pace, slowly taking it out of the garage, then I let it slide till the road, which was deserted. I turned the vehicle carefully to the right, and felt sense of relief after taking the turn. I reached the carnival somehow.
Now I see everything as first person. I was sitting at some stall, eating something, samosa probably when my friend turned up and asked me something about something we had to do. I said I had my girlfriend's car and that we could drive in that. We sat in the vehicle and started driving. At one instance I had to take a U-turn, i.e., change the lane and move in the opposite direction. I started moving the car on a wider arc than required. I saw some smaller vehicles approaching, on the other lane. I saw this in slow motion. Next thing I remember was standing in front of a mechanic store, probably because of some damage done to the car by me, during that turn! I don't remember what happened after that! :(
She would have probably freaked out! :D
I saw myself in bed with a girl of my age, probably my girlfriend. She was really pretty and we were lying under the bedsheet, probably undressed. Early morning's sun's rays were lighting the room. She got up and got ready for the day. In this scene, I saw myself and her as a third person. She called my name to wake me up. I was reluctant to wake up but looking at her getting ready I remembered that I also had to be some place that morning. She started discussing her plan for the day. I said that I had to be at some carnival with a friend. She said she didn't require her car (which was a big car like Scorpio) and that I could take it to the carnival, and she threw the key at me. I thanked her, got out of the bed and went to get ready.
I was excited about driving her car, probably because she always drove it. I also felt responsible for taking care of the car. But I wasn't very sure if I would be able to drive the car. I stood in the garage beside the car when she came from inside the house, kissed me and left. I watched her go and disappear out of sight, then got into the car and started it. I had driven smaller cars before, this car felt bigger. I started at a slow pace, slowly taking it out of the garage, then I let it slide till the road, which was deserted. I turned the vehicle carefully to the right, and felt sense of relief after taking the turn. I reached the carnival somehow.
Now I see everything as first person. I was sitting at some stall, eating something, samosa probably when my friend turned up and asked me something about something we had to do. I said I had my girlfriend's car and that we could drive in that. We sat in the vehicle and started driving. At one instance I had to take a U-turn, i.e., change the lane and move in the opposite direction. I started moving the car on a wider arc than required. I saw some smaller vehicles approaching, on the other lane. I saw this in slow motion. Next thing I remember was standing in front of a mechanic store, probably because of some damage done to the car by me, during that turn! I don't remember what happened after that! :(
She would have probably freaked out! :D
Sunday, November 2, 2008
3rdNov2008EarlyMorning
I saw myself inside my house standing in front of my mother, who was folding and keeping washed clothes in the closet, and asking her as to what my father was talking about on his mobile, in the lawn downstairs. It had been half an hour and he looked concerned and intense as he walked on the grass, in the dim light of a distant tubelight at a corner of the lawn.
"Are we having some problems, some health or money problems?" I asked, without thinking.
My mother stopped in the process of folding clothes and looked at me, and said, "It is your aunt. She's having some troubles." I don't clearly remember if this aunt was my father's sister or friend, but anyways, I again saw my father through the window of our house, as he talked and tried to counsel her and convince her for something, maybe.
I was then reminded of my project meeting I had that morning with my mentor. I had to find a partner for that project. I decided to take her as my project partner. Lets name her P. Now I knew that all I had to do was to meet her the next day and ask her to be my project partner. Then suddenly I remembered that the project required coding and she was not a computer science student. I thought, "oh, never mind. I'll do all the computer science part."
I then saw two kids coming in from the front door of the house. It took me some time but I finally recognized them as my cousins. My father came in and said, "Hey kids, how have you been doing?" with a smile. The two kids didn't look cheerful. The boy must be about 10 years old and girl some 7 or 8 years old.
"Your mother has got some work, so you both would be staying here with us for a some days. I'll have your luggage kept inside." he said. Later I learnt that my aunt left town to make some arrangements and sold her house before that and all her stuff was kept in our garage.
My sister a couple of years elder than the boy. She took them to their room and tried to make them comfortable by talking to them and arranging their stuff in her room. I was impressed by her for I knew I couldn't do such a thing. I somehow lacked the compassion which she had.
But it hit me hard. I didn't know the full reason as to why my aunt had to leave suddenly. All I could think of was financial crisis. I wished I could start earning and become a millionaire as quickly as possible so that I could help them out. I held a chocolate bar as I thought of all this and looked at the bar once. A passing thought occurred to me, "How much money would this bar, or for that matter, my entire chocolate box, fetch me?" The next instant I discarded the idea as I knew that the money would be too less. I knew that all I had to do was to get employed.
(All this might make you think that I'm a kid, but i'm a college student in this dream, its just that i'm still unemployed.)
Next day, at my sister's school, where I had to attend some talk/seminar, I waited and searched for P. I knew she'd come because her name was in the list of attendees. I could have called her or gone to her house, but I wanted to surprise her. I looked at all the classrooms. Coincidently all the classrooms for talk/seminar looked like the ones in new building of APS Jalandhar when I used to study there in 11th and 12th class. I reserved our seats and decided to stand outside, in the corridor so that I meet her as soon as she comes, lest she'd sit somewhere else. As I came out of the classroom, to stand outside, I saw her. She looked just the same, except for the red pimples all over her face. Somehow that didn't bother me because she was still the same P. But why was she talking to the other speakers of the seminar.
I felt a bolt of lightening pass through me when I learnt that she was the first speaker in the seminar. I wanted to run away, or at least hide my face somewhere. Strangely I felt like a loser. I decided that I couldn't ask her to be my partner in the project. I decided to ask Atul to be my partner and finish the project quickly, as he was my batchmate in the Computer science department of my college.
"Are we having some problems, some health or money problems?" I asked, without thinking.
My mother stopped in the process of folding clothes and looked at me, and said, "It is your aunt. She's having some troubles." I don't clearly remember if this aunt was my father's sister or friend, but anyways, I again saw my father through the window of our house, as he talked and tried to counsel her and convince her for something, maybe.
I was then reminded of my project meeting I had that morning with my mentor. I had to find a partner for that project. I decided to take her as my project partner. Lets name her P. Now I knew that all I had to do was to meet her the next day and ask her to be my project partner. Then suddenly I remembered that the project required coding and she was not a computer science student. I thought, "oh, never mind. I'll do all the computer science part."
I then saw two kids coming in from the front door of the house. It took me some time but I finally recognized them as my cousins. My father came in and said, "Hey kids, how have you been doing?" with a smile. The two kids didn't look cheerful. The boy must be about 10 years old and girl some 7 or 8 years old.
"Your mother has got some work, so you both would be staying here with us for a some days. I'll have your luggage kept inside." he said. Later I learnt that my aunt left town to make some arrangements and sold her house before that and all her stuff was kept in our garage.
My sister a couple of years elder than the boy. She took them to their room and tried to make them comfortable by talking to them and arranging their stuff in her room. I was impressed by her for I knew I couldn't do such a thing. I somehow lacked the compassion which she had.
But it hit me hard. I didn't know the full reason as to why my aunt had to leave suddenly. All I could think of was financial crisis. I wished I could start earning and become a millionaire as quickly as possible so that I could help them out. I held a chocolate bar as I thought of all this and looked at the bar once. A passing thought occurred to me, "How much money would this bar, or for that matter, my entire chocolate box, fetch me?" The next instant I discarded the idea as I knew that the money would be too less. I knew that all I had to do was to get employed.
(All this might make you think that I'm a kid, but i'm a college student in this dream, its just that i'm still unemployed.)
Next day, at my sister's school, where I had to attend some talk/seminar, I waited and searched for P. I knew she'd come because her name was in the list of attendees. I could have called her or gone to her house, but I wanted to surprise her. I looked at all the classrooms. Coincidently all the classrooms for talk/seminar looked like the ones in new building of APS Jalandhar when I used to study there in 11th and 12th class. I reserved our seats and decided to stand outside, in the corridor so that I meet her as soon as she comes, lest she'd sit somewhere else. As I came out of the classroom, to stand outside, I saw her. She looked just the same, except for the red pimples all over her face. Somehow that didn't bother me because she was still the same P. But why was she talking to the other speakers of the seminar.
I felt a bolt of lightening pass through me when I learnt that she was the first speaker in the seminar. I wanted to run away, or at least hide my face somewhere. Strangely I felt like a loser. I decided that I couldn't ask her to be my partner in the project. I decided to ask Atul to be my partner and finish the project quickly, as he was my batchmate in the Computer science department of my college.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
16thJuly2008EarlyMorning
I saw myself totally petrified at the idea of taking part in a speech olympiad kind of thing. I saw huge stadium with people from all over the world as audience as well as participants. It was an international event. I was one of the participants purely on the basis of my academic performance, is what I recall.
As I walked across my room, slowly keeping each foot after the other one, with soft sun-rays entering my room (illuminating the dust particles and keeping my room warm), I tried to build the speech in my mind on a random topic. The main point here was to keep on speaking on the topic without any long or lingering pause or pauses. I did that for a few topics in my mind till I couldn't control my anxiety any longer. For all I could recall, I had never spoken in front of any audience anything for a duration of five minutes. And now I was supposed to keep them engaged and interesed in my speech.
I asked my mother about the topic of my speech and she said she had given the slip of paper with the topic on it, to me a couple of hours ago. I started looking for the slip of paper and when I
found it, read the topic on the paper. It gave me cold feet.
My mother then suddenly came to my room and asked me for some medicines. She said they were for my father. I took out the medicine kit from the closet, looked for those medicines and gave them to her. Well, most of the medicines in that kit were for me! It was but evident that I couldn't take part in the speech olympiad because my parents had to leave as my father's
health had gone bad and he also had to get back to work in a couple of days. My mother urged me to take part and return home a couple of days later, but I refused. I felt slightly relieved for not speaking on the podium in front of such eminent people making the audience, but I also knew that it was a big opportunity lost.
I met her yet again, this time when I got back home after not attending speech olympiad. Meeting her made me forget all about the speech olympiad. She told me that she'd moved to this city but was visiting the city for the first time. She wanted me to drop her home. Her presence is something I can never deny.
As a third person, I saw her and me in a cab or an auto-rickshaw. Then as first person, I sat beside her and we talked. I slowly dozed off (What an idiot!). Perhaps a couple of minutes later, I was woken up by a sudden jolt in the movement of the cab. I realized that I had my head on her shoulders. I again closed my eyes. I felt drawn to her and for no reason, I kissed her cheek gently. She shook in a state of surprise. I pretended to be just awakened by my deep sleep and that I didn't know what happened and that whatever happened was while I was asleep. She only smiled. And I smiled too.
After reaching her place, she asked me if I was in contact with any of our common friends. I replied in affirmative and gave her the contact no. and e-mail ids of a few of them I was in touch with. She was really happy about that.
Later that day, when I went back to her apartment to do a favour by getting her something she had asked for, I found the door open. I entered the house. There was a laptop on a small round table in the center of drawing room. Stuffs were thrown on the furnitures. I saw the door of her bedroom ajar. I moved closer to a door and saw a guy lying on the bed with all clothes and shoes on. Who was this guy? I moved closer and saw her head on his belly and eating some ice cream candy, and both were talking. The guy was playing with her hair.
Of course she has a boyfriend... idiot me!
Perhaps the guy saw me, and following his line of sight, so did she. After a brief span of shock, she smiled and introduced me to him. She thanked me for all my help (of course I would have helped, and of course it doesn't make a difference!). Maybe she was too overwhelmed by all my "help" that she showed me a message she'd be sending to one of our common friends. She asked me for suggestions about the message. It had been a long time since she had not communicated with anyone of us. I said it was just the thing she should write, a part as apology, a part about all that had been going on in life, and about present state of life.
As I began to leave, I turned and looked at her again. She was still smiling and her face was still glowing, her eyes still shining. This was what had mesmerized me ten years ago. She had changed a lot, but she was still the person.
Alas, we are just friends, and even though I still feel the love for her, friendship is not love, isn't it!
I was glad to be back in college, in the Old Boy's Hostel among my friends for the final year. I saw Mridul grinning at me, the way he always does, for no reason whatsoever. I saw a heap of books wrapped in plastic. Akshay came from behind, saying something and ends his talk with a broad smile, in the process saving himself from tumbling over the heap of books. I asked him what he was saying and he said, "never mind, I'll explain later. First we must pick this heap of books and take it to my room." I couldn't interpret the words he said. I felt nostalgic about the fact that all my btech batchmates wouldn't be around after one year...
As I walked across my room, slowly keeping each foot after the other one, with soft sun-rays entering my room (illuminating the dust particles and keeping my room warm), I tried to build the speech in my mind on a random topic. The main point here was to keep on speaking on the topic without any long or lingering pause or pauses. I did that for a few topics in my mind till I couldn't control my anxiety any longer. For all I could recall, I had never spoken in front of any audience anything for a duration of five minutes. And now I was supposed to keep them engaged and interesed in my speech.
I asked my mother about the topic of my speech and she said she had given the slip of paper with the topic on it, to me a couple of hours ago. I started looking for the slip of paper and when I
found it, read the topic on the paper. It gave me cold feet.
My mother then suddenly came to my room and asked me for some medicines. She said they were for my father. I took out the medicine kit from the closet, looked for those medicines and gave them to her. Well, most of the medicines in that kit were for me! It was but evident that I couldn't take part in the speech olympiad because my parents had to leave as my father's
health had gone bad and he also had to get back to work in a couple of days. My mother urged me to take part and return home a couple of days later, but I refused. I felt slightly relieved for not speaking on the podium in front of such eminent people making the audience, but I also knew that it was a big opportunity lost.
I met her yet again, this time when I got back home after not attending speech olympiad. Meeting her made me forget all about the speech olympiad. She told me that she'd moved to this city but was visiting the city for the first time. She wanted me to drop her home. Her presence is something I can never deny.
As a third person, I saw her and me in a cab or an auto-rickshaw. Then as first person, I sat beside her and we talked. I slowly dozed off (What an idiot!). Perhaps a couple of minutes later, I was woken up by a sudden jolt in the movement of the cab. I realized that I had my head on her shoulders. I again closed my eyes. I felt drawn to her and for no reason, I kissed her cheek gently. She shook in a state of surprise. I pretended to be just awakened by my deep sleep and that I didn't know what happened and that whatever happened was while I was asleep. She only smiled. And I smiled too.
After reaching her place, she asked me if I was in contact with any of our common friends. I replied in affirmative and gave her the contact no. and e-mail ids of a few of them I was in touch with. She was really happy about that.
Later that day, when I went back to her apartment to do a favour by getting her something she had asked for, I found the door open. I entered the house. There was a laptop on a small round table in the center of drawing room. Stuffs were thrown on the furnitures. I saw the door of her bedroom ajar. I moved closer to a door and saw a guy lying on the bed with all clothes and shoes on. Who was this guy? I moved closer and saw her head on his belly and eating some ice cream candy, and both were talking. The guy was playing with her hair.
Of course she has a boyfriend... idiot me!
Perhaps the guy saw me, and following his line of sight, so did she. After a brief span of shock, she smiled and introduced me to him. She thanked me for all my help (of course I would have helped, and of course it doesn't make a difference!). Maybe she was too overwhelmed by all my "help" that she showed me a message she'd be sending to one of our common friends. She asked me for suggestions about the message. It had been a long time since she had not communicated with anyone of us. I said it was just the thing she should write, a part as apology, a part about all that had been going on in life, and about present state of life.
As I began to leave, I turned and looked at her again. She was still smiling and her face was still glowing, her eyes still shining. This was what had mesmerized me ten years ago. She had changed a lot, but she was still the person.
Alas, we are just friends, and even though I still feel the love for her, friendship is not love, isn't it!
I was glad to be back in college, in the Old Boy's Hostel among my friends for the final year. I saw Mridul grinning at me, the way he always does, for no reason whatsoever. I saw a heap of books wrapped in plastic. Akshay came from behind, saying something and ends his talk with a broad smile, in the process saving himself from tumbling over the heap of books. I asked him what he was saying and he said, "never mind, I'll explain later. First we must pick this heap of books and take it to my room." I couldn't interpret the words he said. I felt nostalgic about the fact that all my btech batchmates wouldn't be around after one year...
Saturday, April 5, 2008
5th April '08 Late Morning
The Puppet-Master
The first thing that I remember was confessing my love to one of my friends after I met her after a few years. She and I used to study together in the same school and knew each other very well. She also liked me but yeah, didn't love me! She just smiled after she heard what I said and said that she, kind of, had that feeling that I might be in love with her.
Next thing I saw myself walking with her in the corridor of some place which was either a school or some other place. Surprisingly enough she was holding my hand while walking. She entered some place which was in fact a dressing room. I said that I'd wait outside, but after sometime I went inside and saw her a bit undressed from the top, standing in one of the sections. I felt like hugging her and kissing her. Her face showed strange anxiety and fear, which I couldn't help notice.
We were standing together in some well lighted, well furnished railway station, which more looked liked an airport than a typical Indian railway station. She spotted her mother, and we went to her. I greeted her mother, and tried to show extra respect by bending a little. Her mother had a baby, which was supposedly hers. Only baby's nose was showing, rest was covered. I requested if I could see his face to see if he looks more like her mother or her father. Aunty obliged, and when I saw his face, it looked like both of his parent's face, a perfect blend. We then realized that the train in which we were to go, was leaving the platform. We quickly bid goodbye to her mother and started running. I asked her to hold my hand, which she did and then we finally caught up with the last bogie. We didn't have any heavy luggage, just a backpack each. I got onto the stairs of the entrance of the bogie, then got inside, then helped her inside. I saw that it was a luggage compartment without any direct path to other bogies. The train also had stopped temporarily for a few seconds, and had then again started moving. I asked her to get down, got down myself, then went into the compartment before the last one. I got into the compartment, then helped her in. She realized something as she got into the compartment, and exclaimed, "I dropped my Encarta DVD while getting inside!" in a tone of agony more than sadness or pain. I pressed her hand which I was holding, to assure her that everything is going to be all right, that we are safe now, although I had never seen her as perturbed as this before. Something was going on that I was unaware of.
There also I found no path connecting to the other bogies, but we had to stay put as the train had gained good speed now. So we sat there. Surprisingly there were a few beds, with mattresses and bedsheets on them. I found that strange, and thought that some persons had laid them for themselves. But there was no crease or wrinkle on those bedsheets, as if were meant for some visitors. I wanted to stretch myself on one of those and sleep for a long time, but then I saw a pot belly, dirty shirt guy who was standing outside, on the extension part of that bogie, moving inside the bogie. I hadn't noticed him earlier, and was both surprised and disturbed at his presence. He was puffing his cigarette and looked at both of us for more than a few seconds, as if expecting us, and he walked back into the extension part of the bogie and started doing something, calling someone perhaps!
I signaled her to stay with me, sit beside me, but I guess she wanted some time with herself. There was no time for that, so I got up and sat beside her. I had a feeling that this was some plan, that we were being set-up. My fears couldn't be more true when I saw the pot bellied guy again, this time with few of his friends walking into the compartment and standing in front of us. What surprised was that the train hadn't stopped, that it was still moving, then how did these guys get onto this bogie?
"Ah I see, your friends are better dressed than you are!" I commented at pot bellied guy. I felt as if I knew those people, dressed in strange costume kind of dresses. They were four of them, and the pot bellied guy. The guy who looked like the leader spoke, "I had been looking for you for such a long time. Finally I have found you!" but he wasn't speaking to me, he was speaking to her! At this, she caught my arm and pulled me closer to herself.
I got scared and angry at the same time. I looked at her and realized that she knew him as if I could read her mind by looking at her face. Those expressions were so clear and distinct.
"And as for you, my friend, I know you too. We had met lately. You're a nice guy, I like you. You possess great powers, but alas you're unaware of them!" and then he laughed wickedly, "Now if only you would move aside and let the girl walk to me."
When I refused to let go and held her close to myself, wrapping my arms around her, he said, "then I am left with only one thing to ..." before he could finish his sentence, I suddenly realized that 'he had the power of optical illusion, which felt real as he attacked the person's mind. And that he'd be using some kind of flying snakes as an attack on me and that I can and should resist the snakes, and keep them at a distance and not allow them to hurt me, as one hit would also weaken my mind power.' I heard all that as if someone was whispering in my ears.
The scene around us changed. I saw huge flames, and lava, and flying snakes coming out of them. I heard the sinister laugh of him and others. I resisted the snakes and didn't allow them to come near me. It took some time, but after that I realized that I was walking without my luggage, on some railway platform which looked similar like the previous one. I felt that I was still holding her and that she was walking beside me. I met a few of my friends who had come to receive me at the station. They grinned at me and asked me that why was I keeping my left hand, half stretched out, in a weird shape while walking, as if holding some invisible person?
I looked at my left and realized that I'd lost her. "O damn!" and started running in the opposite direction. I covered a few blocks of the platform running when I saw someone carrying her and walking towards me. He was one of our good old friend from high school. But what was he doing here? I hadn't met him in years! And how did he find her in such a condition and how did I lose her? All these thoughts made me think, "How did I suddenly end up walking at this platform, i.e., at the right destination?" "Where were the snakes and those men?" and a few more perplexing questions!
"Hey man! Thanks! Thanks for saving her. Is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, unconscious though."
I saw her, and it looked like the flames of that illusion had affected her a lot. Her dress, her hair, her face bore the signs. I felt miserable that I couldn't even take good care of her.
"So, we haven't met in years, how have you been?!" he asked me, as we walked together, with me
carrying her this time. We went back to my friends, and I introduced him to my friends and vice-versa. I explained my friends everything that had happened. We all hurried to our college campus, which was the best thing to do at that time, as suggested by my friends because they were suspecting some curfew or fight to break out somewhere in the city.
By the time we reached the campus, it was late evening. She was still unconscious, which disturbed me a lot. One of my friends looked at me, realized what I was thinking, and said, "I know what you're thinking, but we can't take her to the hospital."
As we got down from the cab, we heard disturbing voices and movements from inside the campus building. We ducked behind a cover in front of our campus. "I never expected our college campus to be the epicenter for this fight." One of my friends said.
"Listen, you must help me. We must find a safe place for her to rest. Is the whole campus filled with these fights? There has to be some place inside, which would be safe!"
"Are you kidding me?" he said, "No place is secure right now."
We heard a sudden blast from inside the campus, with flames and smoke flying upwards.
"See! The place where we are right now is most secure place, got it?" he said in an attempt to close the discussion.
A few more blasts and we saw about 15-20 people running out of the building. These blasts woke her up. She was surprised to see where she was and also among the people she was. I decided to go inside and help them. "I have some special powers, that I have recently realized", I said, "and I am going to use that." Before they could stop me, I left.
I cautiously entered the building, by walking behind the wall of the campus, to avoid being spotted. As I reached inside, a group of people caught me, then somehow recognized me and said, "Abhishek, please help us!" It was more of a plea than an order. Those were my batch mates.
We all assembled in one of the classrooms and everyone was told that I was also there to join the battle. I was called, Beachhead, I wondered why! We were all GI Joe fans, but this fight looked more than real! As we moved out of the room to face the enemies, I saw many people lying on the floor, some of whom I could recognize. I felt miserable again. I fought with my mind-power, and converted some people from the mobster's gang into our team. I controlled and ordered them and prevented few others from attacking anyone. Everything was going fine, when suddenly I felt that she might be in danger. I immediately left the building, freezing minds of my players.
I saw my friends and her hiding behind the rock, at a distance when suddenly I saw those 4 people in costumes and the pot belly guy walking towards them from behind. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and shouted, "NNNNNNOOOOOO". They looked at me, and the optical illusion guy gave a sinister smile, and while other four handled my friends, he went towards her, and as he was about to hold her, something inside me shouted, all my rage came out as I stretched my right arm, palm facing towards him. He got a shock inside, then he attacked me with his illusion thing, but I had tasted it before, so I simply got rid of it in no time. I froze their minds.
I didn't meet them, but went back inside the campus, to finish what I had left. I activated my players, who were attacking their team, and surprising them. I was rather having fun now, but also felt tired and relieved after what I had done. She was safe now, I thought. Suddenly something caught my ear.
I heard my group leader say, "Zander, come on man! You're injured doesn't mean you can't fight. GI Joe's always fight!" and then I saw this "Zander" guy, sitting with his girlfriends, moaning. "Alright!" he said, and got up. I asked my group leader, "How can you name him 'Zander'! 'Zander is a cobra's name, not a GIJoe's name!"
I might have said this a bit louder, but surprisingly after I had completed my sentence, I felt silence all around. I turned around and saw that everyone was staring at me! I couldn't get much time to wonder as to what had happened, because everyone suddenly started shouting and laughing... someone played music in the background and everyone around me started dancing!
I was REALLY perplexed this time! Now what happened? I thought. I saw the people lying on the floor rising and dancing! It scared me for a fraction of a second. If that was not all, I saw her and my friends who were hiding outside, rush inside, smiling and laughing! She didn't have any burn marks and looked as beautiful as ever. But what was happening?!
"It was a game" someone shouted from the basement floor, "in case you're wondering what's happening! " and started dancing again!
"You were at home when we had planned all this." my group leader told me, "But I didn't know you were so good. You played the role of 'Puppet Master' beautifully! You were great!"
"You mean, the people I controlled, converted, attacked were acting? They weren't even looking at me when I was doing my stuff!"
"O come on! I agree you were great, but don't take it too seriously, it was a game."
"What about the people we met in the train?" I asked her. To this, the group leader showed that he was surprised, and I could see that without looking at him!
"What about them? I didn't have knowledge of everything! I just knew my role, that's it! And I am sure he must have planned all the weird things that happened with us during the journey, with optical illusion or other hi-fi gadgets he uses.", she said looking at the group leader. I had no idea how the two knew each other! She was not a student of my college.
"What? NOOO. Wasn't the game supposed to be just within the campus premises, as the last celebration during the holidays before the new semester started?! Hey you know what, relax guys, its celebration time! Weird things happen. They are just coincidences." he said cheerfully!
I looked at her and she looked at me. We knew those were not coincidences. I finally figured out what the illusion guy meant by, "we have met lately" and the reason only the nose of the baby was showing when we had gone to meet her mother. He became the baby as a disguise, so that he could keep track of us. He knew I might recognize him and the perfect blend of mother and father's looks was what took my attention and he saved his cover.
She didn't get burned or bruised, or unconscious. Those flames were meant to attack me only and I could prevent those flames from hurting someone else, which I now realize. I was fighting that guy's illusion, in the process of which, I teleported directly to my destination, the reason I am still unaware of. She was left alone in the bogie, since those bad guys couldn't attack her because I had defeated them and so they left her alone, and decided to take her when I was not around. She found herself alone in the bogie and got down at the right station, coincidentally meeting our good old friend. She made a plan to trouble me and make me feel guilty that I had left her. She didn't see me teleporting because she had closed her eyes when I was holding her close, and when I teleported, that feeling of me being around remained for sometime, then vanished.
Everything around me felt uncertain now. She was afraid, in fact and that she wasn't telling me the whole truth. My friends might have told her that all the things happening along was a game, which did give her some relief, but in reality also, she was expecting something of this sort to happen.
I loved her, but she didn't trust me enough.
My thoughts were interrupted by her voice. She had turned a little away, and said, "I'd better get going to my aunt's house. She would be waiting for me and getting worried." She smiled, but not as cheerfully as she usually does.
"I'll accompany you!" I said.
"No need. You celebrate along with your friends. I can go myself!" she said, then walked up to me, held my hand, pressed it a little and whispered, "thank you for everything." and finally she smiled with that shine and beauty. I was assured that she would be fine.
The guys who were after her had been suitably rewarded. From now on, they can't use their brains, they live like zombies. They'd stay and decay where they are lying right now. I am sure there are other guys looking for her, for some reason wanting something from her. And I'll be there to ensure that they don't succeed.
Then it struck me as obviously and as strangely as ever... "the Encarta DVD".
The first thing that I remember was confessing my love to one of my friends after I met her after a few years. She and I used to study together in the same school and knew each other very well. She also liked me but yeah, didn't love me! She just smiled after she heard what I said and said that she, kind of, had that feeling that I might be in love with her.
Next thing I saw myself walking with her in the corridor of some place which was either a school or some other place. Surprisingly enough she was holding my hand while walking. She entered some place which was in fact a dressing room. I said that I'd wait outside, but after sometime I went inside and saw her a bit undressed from the top, standing in one of the sections. I felt like hugging her and kissing her. Her face showed strange anxiety and fear, which I couldn't help notice.
We were standing together in some well lighted, well furnished railway station, which more looked liked an airport than a typical Indian railway station. She spotted her mother, and we went to her. I greeted her mother, and tried to show extra respect by bending a little. Her mother had a baby, which was supposedly hers. Only baby's nose was showing, rest was covered. I requested if I could see his face to see if he looks more like her mother or her father. Aunty obliged, and when I saw his face, it looked like both of his parent's face, a perfect blend. We then realized that the train in which we were to go, was leaving the platform. We quickly bid goodbye to her mother and started running. I asked her to hold my hand, which she did and then we finally caught up with the last bogie. We didn't have any heavy luggage, just a backpack each. I got onto the stairs of the entrance of the bogie, then got inside, then helped her inside. I saw that it was a luggage compartment without any direct path to other bogies. The train also had stopped temporarily for a few seconds, and had then again started moving. I asked her to get down, got down myself, then went into the compartment before the last one. I got into the compartment, then helped her in. She realized something as she got into the compartment, and exclaimed, "I dropped my Encarta DVD while getting inside!" in a tone of agony more than sadness or pain. I pressed her hand which I was holding, to assure her that everything is going to be all right, that we are safe now, although I had never seen her as perturbed as this before. Something was going on that I was unaware of.
There also I found no path connecting to the other bogies, but we had to stay put as the train had gained good speed now. So we sat there. Surprisingly there were a few beds, with mattresses and bedsheets on them. I found that strange, and thought that some persons had laid them for themselves. But there was no crease or wrinkle on those bedsheets, as if were meant for some visitors. I wanted to stretch myself on one of those and sleep for a long time, but then I saw a pot belly, dirty shirt guy who was standing outside, on the extension part of that bogie, moving inside the bogie. I hadn't noticed him earlier, and was both surprised and disturbed at his presence. He was puffing his cigarette and looked at both of us for more than a few seconds, as if expecting us, and he walked back into the extension part of the bogie and started doing something, calling someone perhaps!
I signaled her to stay with me, sit beside me, but I guess she wanted some time with herself. There was no time for that, so I got up and sat beside her. I had a feeling that this was some plan, that we were being set-up. My fears couldn't be more true when I saw the pot bellied guy again, this time with few of his friends walking into the compartment and standing in front of us. What surprised was that the train hadn't stopped, that it was still moving, then how did these guys get onto this bogie?
"Ah I see, your friends are better dressed than you are!" I commented at pot bellied guy. I felt as if I knew those people, dressed in strange costume kind of dresses. They were four of them, and the pot bellied guy. The guy who looked like the leader spoke, "I had been looking for you for such a long time. Finally I have found you!" but he wasn't speaking to me, he was speaking to her! At this, she caught my arm and pulled me closer to herself.
I got scared and angry at the same time. I looked at her and realized that she knew him as if I could read her mind by looking at her face. Those expressions were so clear and distinct.
"And as for you, my friend, I know you too. We had met lately. You're a nice guy, I like you. You possess great powers, but alas you're unaware of them!" and then he laughed wickedly, "Now if only you would move aside and let the girl walk to me."
When I refused to let go and held her close to myself, wrapping my arms around her, he said, "then I am left with only one thing to ..." before he could finish his sentence, I suddenly realized that 'he had the power of optical illusion, which felt real as he attacked the person's mind. And that he'd be using some kind of flying snakes as an attack on me and that I can and should resist the snakes, and keep them at a distance and not allow them to hurt me, as one hit would also weaken my mind power.' I heard all that as if someone was whispering in my ears.
The scene around us changed. I saw huge flames, and lava, and flying snakes coming out of them. I heard the sinister laugh of him and others. I resisted the snakes and didn't allow them to come near me. It took some time, but after that I realized that I was walking without my luggage, on some railway platform which looked similar like the previous one. I felt that I was still holding her and that she was walking beside me. I met a few of my friends who had come to receive me at the station. They grinned at me and asked me that why was I keeping my left hand, half stretched out, in a weird shape while walking, as if holding some invisible person?
I looked at my left and realized that I'd lost her. "O damn!" and started running in the opposite direction. I covered a few blocks of the platform running when I saw someone carrying her and walking towards me. He was one of our good old friend from high school. But what was he doing here? I hadn't met him in years! And how did he find her in such a condition and how did I lose her? All these thoughts made me think, "How did I suddenly end up walking at this platform, i.e., at the right destination?" "Where were the snakes and those men?" and a few more perplexing questions!
"Hey man! Thanks! Thanks for saving her. Is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, unconscious though."
I saw her, and it looked like the flames of that illusion had affected her a lot. Her dress, her hair, her face bore the signs. I felt miserable that I couldn't even take good care of her.
"So, we haven't met in years, how have you been?!" he asked me, as we walked together, with me
carrying her this time. We went back to my friends, and I introduced him to my friends and vice-versa. I explained my friends everything that had happened. We all hurried to our college campus, which was the best thing to do at that time, as suggested by my friends because they were suspecting some curfew or fight to break out somewhere in the city.
By the time we reached the campus, it was late evening. She was still unconscious, which disturbed me a lot. One of my friends looked at me, realized what I was thinking, and said, "I know what you're thinking, but we can't take her to the hospital."
As we got down from the cab, we heard disturbing voices and movements from inside the campus building. We ducked behind a cover in front of our campus. "I never expected our college campus to be the epicenter for this fight." One of my friends said.
"Listen, you must help me. We must find a safe place for her to rest. Is the whole campus filled with these fights? There has to be some place inside, which would be safe!"
"Are you kidding me?" he said, "No place is secure right now."
We heard a sudden blast from inside the campus, with flames and smoke flying upwards.
"See! The place where we are right now is most secure place, got it?" he said in an attempt to close the discussion.
A few more blasts and we saw about 15-20 people running out of the building. These blasts woke her up. She was surprised to see where she was and also among the people she was. I decided to go inside and help them. "I have some special powers, that I have recently realized", I said, "and I am going to use that." Before they could stop me, I left.
I cautiously entered the building, by walking behind the wall of the campus, to avoid being spotted. As I reached inside, a group of people caught me, then somehow recognized me and said, "Abhishek, please help us!" It was more of a plea than an order. Those were my batch mates.
We all assembled in one of the classrooms and everyone was told that I was also there to join the battle. I was called, Beachhead, I wondered why! We were all GI Joe fans, but this fight looked more than real! As we moved out of the room to face the enemies, I saw many people lying on the floor, some of whom I could recognize. I felt miserable again. I fought with my mind-power, and converted some people from the mobster's gang into our team. I controlled and ordered them and prevented few others from attacking anyone. Everything was going fine, when suddenly I felt that she might be in danger. I immediately left the building, freezing minds of my players.
I saw my friends and her hiding behind the rock, at a distance when suddenly I saw those 4 people in costumes and the pot belly guy walking towards them from behind. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and shouted, "NNNNNNOOOOOO". They looked at me, and the optical illusion guy gave a sinister smile, and while other four handled my friends, he went towards her, and as he was about to hold her, something inside me shouted, all my rage came out as I stretched my right arm, palm facing towards him. He got a shock inside, then he attacked me with his illusion thing, but I had tasted it before, so I simply got rid of it in no time. I froze their minds.
I didn't meet them, but went back inside the campus, to finish what I had left. I activated my players, who were attacking their team, and surprising them. I was rather having fun now, but also felt tired and relieved after what I had done. She was safe now, I thought. Suddenly something caught my ear.
I heard my group leader say, "Zander, come on man! You're injured doesn't mean you can't fight. GI Joe's always fight!" and then I saw this "Zander" guy, sitting with his girlfriends, moaning. "Alright!" he said, and got up. I asked my group leader, "How can you name him 'Zander'! 'Zander is a cobra's name, not a GIJoe's name!"
I might have said this a bit louder, but surprisingly after I had completed my sentence, I felt silence all around. I turned around and saw that everyone was staring at me! I couldn't get much time to wonder as to what had happened, because everyone suddenly started shouting and laughing... someone played music in the background and everyone around me started dancing!
I was REALLY perplexed this time! Now what happened? I thought. I saw the people lying on the floor rising and dancing! It scared me for a fraction of a second. If that was not all, I saw her and my friends who were hiding outside, rush inside, smiling and laughing! She didn't have any burn marks and looked as beautiful as ever. But what was happening?!
"It was a game" someone shouted from the basement floor, "in case you're wondering what's happening! " and started dancing again!
"You were at home when we had planned all this." my group leader told me, "But I didn't know you were so good. You played the role of 'Puppet Master' beautifully! You were great!"
"You mean, the people I controlled, converted, attacked were acting? They weren't even looking at me when I was doing my stuff!"
"O come on! I agree you were great, but don't take it too seriously, it was a game."
"What about the people we met in the train?" I asked her. To this, the group leader showed that he was surprised, and I could see that without looking at him!
"What about them? I didn't have knowledge of everything! I just knew my role, that's it! And I am sure he must have planned all the weird things that happened with us during the journey, with optical illusion or other hi-fi gadgets he uses.", she said looking at the group leader. I had no idea how the two knew each other! She was not a student of my college.
"What? NOOO. Wasn't the game supposed to be just within the campus premises, as the last celebration during the holidays before the new semester started?! Hey you know what, relax guys, its celebration time! Weird things happen. They are just coincidences." he said cheerfully!
I looked at her and she looked at me. We knew those were not coincidences. I finally figured out what the illusion guy meant by, "we have met lately" and the reason only the nose of the baby was showing when we had gone to meet her mother. He became the baby as a disguise, so that he could keep track of us. He knew I might recognize him and the perfect blend of mother and father's looks was what took my attention and he saved his cover.
She didn't get burned or bruised, or unconscious. Those flames were meant to attack me only and I could prevent those flames from hurting someone else, which I now realize. I was fighting that guy's illusion, in the process of which, I teleported directly to my destination, the reason I am still unaware of. She was left alone in the bogie, since those bad guys couldn't attack her because I had defeated them and so they left her alone, and decided to take her when I was not around. She found herself alone in the bogie and got down at the right station, coincidentally meeting our good old friend. She made a plan to trouble me and make me feel guilty that I had left her. She didn't see me teleporting because she had closed her eyes when I was holding her close, and when I teleported, that feeling of me being around remained for sometime, then vanished.
Everything around me felt uncertain now. She was afraid, in fact and that she wasn't telling me the whole truth. My friends might have told her that all the things happening along was a game, which did give her some relief, but in reality also, she was expecting something of this sort to happen.
I loved her, but she didn't trust me enough.
My thoughts were interrupted by her voice. She had turned a little away, and said, "I'd better get going to my aunt's house. She would be waiting for me and getting worried." She smiled, but not as cheerfully as she usually does.
"I'll accompany you!" I said.
"No need. You celebrate along with your friends. I can go myself!" she said, then walked up to me, held my hand, pressed it a little and whispered, "thank you for everything." and finally she smiled with that shine and beauty. I was assured that she would be fine.
The guys who were after her had been suitably rewarded. From now on, they can't use their brains, they live like zombies. They'd stay and decay where they are lying right now. I am sure there are other guys looking for her, for some reason wanting something from her. And I'll be there to ensure that they don't succeed.
Then it struck me as obviously and as strangely as ever... "the Encarta DVD".
Friday, March 7, 2008
8th March Early Morning
The first thing I remember was that I was in a big room on a ship or in some hotel room and there was this pretty young lady with me. It had been a rainy day and black clouds covered the sky. We had met somewhere in the city and somehow got this liking for each other. I saw her standing on a bridge and me standing in front of her and we were talking and laughing...
Next thing I remember is that we were having sex... I could feel the warmth and the touch, the smell, it was gentle and smooth... I was totally into it... looks like I am telling myself subconsciously that I want something (even though I don't really think about it while I'm awake) and also I am training myself for the same subconsciously using the information gained from external world and the coded information in my genes... oh it's too complicated, let's stop at that!
I hardly ever get angry enough to shout, but something happened that changed it all. I received the news of death of one of my best friends of high school and I think it was Himanshu. I had not met him since last 4 years and it was a straight shock. So, that evening itself, when someone was
cracking a joke on me (like sometimes people do and I play along) while we were standing on a
training ground (beside the rope climbing area) which looked like a military exercise ground, but
this time something inside me, which seemed wanting to come out, came out and with rage I abused him and abused all the others. They were shocked and realized something was wrong. I hadn't noticed that earlier but that pretty young lady was also standing there. I said, "Time changes a person. I was deeply upset after receiving the news of my friend's death and I guess that came out as rage from within me and you all had to see it. I'm sorry." I rather felt light hearted and better and from then spoke such words occasionally whenever I felt like.
This time my house (group) was supposed to play host. We had to prepare the meal, decorate the place and invite other houses (groups). I had expected this as the last thing on the earth to happen to me but it happened and I was made the head of all this, especially the food preparation part! I, as always, ended up delaying the things and on the last day had a lot of things to be prepared! I was really freaked out and was also frustrating the others in my group. The long list of unfinished items that I looked at made me realize that nothing can be done now... it's over. Still I tried and divided the work and as I was about to leave for my long list of work, when I thought, why not call someone from the other group to help me, some friend of mine and guess what, I called Rahul. Of all the people I called Rahul! Anyways, he came, and a few of his other friends. I asked him to do something and though initially he was hesitant, he agreed. Interestingly enough I had written To Do things on some eatables (as a reward for those who finish that To Do thing) and he picked the corresponding one, while I was about to write it down on some paper. He said, "Thanks, I'll do it and then have this", grinned and left. I felt a bit apprehensive but also better after realizing that I'd reduced some work for myself.
As I was about to leave to do the work I'd assigned myself, someone called me.
It was that pretty young lady again and this time she was calling me "sir". Perhaps she must be my junior or maybe since I'm in charge, she was using that word! I followed her into an adjacent room and what I saw both embarrassed me and also made me respect her. She said, "Sir, I've prepared, or rather got these thing prepared as I saw them in your list of To Do things." She sounded hesitant as she might be thinking that she looked into the To Do list and it was wrong. Well of course it is wrong to look at other's things without permission but I guess it was the right thing to do. I mean I looked at the prepared dishes, and a few which she had served on a plate and it looked perfect. I felt like hugging her and saying "Thank You". I just said, "That's good." and before I was over with saying that, a few people got a few things by carrying them on their back. She directed them to keep it at some destined places. Those things were packed so I couldn't see what it was.
I then realized that she saw me with those guys and she also knew that they were from some other house (group). I felt guilty of not being able to do things after I was made in-charge of the whole event. I then saw that those packed in the room were meant for decoration. She was bending towards one of them to open it and then she turned and looked at me, and smiled. I felt she was smiling sarcastically and wanted to say, "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it and this time also I had to take care of everything."
Finally everyone came and we had a good time. I also eventually prepared a few dishes and did a bit of decoration work. The last thing I remember was talking to Asrar, Gaurav and others about the awards kind of things that India wins. Someone said, "India ko US mein koi award nahi milte hai but UK mein mil jaate hain har baar." Others agreed and I saw Asrar grinning broadly at that fact, but I couldn't understand what it was, even though I agreed fully to the fact.
Next thing I remember is that we were having sex... I could feel the warmth and the touch, the smell, it was gentle and smooth... I was totally into it... looks like I am telling myself subconsciously that I want something (even though I don't really think about it while I'm awake) and also I am training myself for the same subconsciously using the information gained from external world and the coded information in my genes... oh it's too complicated, let's stop at that!
I hardly ever get angry enough to shout, but something happened that changed it all. I received the news of death of one of my best friends of high school and I think it was Himanshu. I had not met him since last 4 years and it was a straight shock. So, that evening itself, when someone was
cracking a joke on me (like sometimes people do and I play along) while we were standing on a
training ground (beside the rope climbing area) which looked like a military exercise ground, but
this time something inside me, which seemed wanting to come out, came out and with rage I abused him and abused all the others. They were shocked and realized something was wrong. I hadn't noticed that earlier but that pretty young lady was also standing there. I said, "Time changes a person. I was deeply upset after receiving the news of my friend's death and I guess that came out as rage from within me and you all had to see it. I'm sorry." I rather felt light hearted and better and from then spoke such words occasionally whenever I felt like.
This time my house (group) was supposed to play host. We had to prepare the meal, decorate the place and invite other houses (groups). I had expected this as the last thing on the earth to happen to me but it happened and I was made the head of all this, especially the food preparation part! I, as always, ended up delaying the things and on the last day had a lot of things to be prepared! I was really freaked out and was also frustrating the others in my group. The long list of unfinished items that I looked at made me realize that nothing can be done now... it's over. Still I tried and divided the work and as I was about to leave for my long list of work, when I thought, why not call someone from the other group to help me, some friend of mine and guess what, I called Rahul. Of all the people I called Rahul! Anyways, he came, and a few of his other friends. I asked him to do something and though initially he was hesitant, he agreed. Interestingly enough I had written To Do things on some eatables (as a reward for those who finish that To Do thing) and he picked the corresponding one, while I was about to write it down on some paper. He said, "Thanks, I'll do it and then have this", grinned and left. I felt a bit apprehensive but also better after realizing that I'd reduced some work for myself.
As I was about to leave to do the work I'd assigned myself, someone called me.
It was that pretty young lady again and this time she was calling me "sir". Perhaps she must be my junior or maybe since I'm in charge, she was using that word! I followed her into an adjacent room and what I saw both embarrassed me and also made me respect her. She said, "Sir, I've prepared, or rather got these thing prepared as I saw them in your list of To Do things." She sounded hesitant as she might be thinking that she looked into the To Do list and it was wrong. Well of course it is wrong to look at other's things without permission but I guess it was the right thing to do. I mean I looked at the prepared dishes, and a few which she had served on a plate and it looked perfect. I felt like hugging her and saying "Thank You". I just said, "That's good." and before I was over with saying that, a few people got a few things by carrying them on their back. She directed them to keep it at some destined places. Those things were packed so I couldn't see what it was.
I then realized that she saw me with those guys and she also knew that they were from some other house (group). I felt guilty of not being able to do things after I was made in-charge of the whole event. I then saw that those packed in the room were meant for decoration. She was bending towards one of them to open it and then she turned and looked at me, and smiled. I felt she was smiling sarcastically and wanted to say, "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it and this time also I had to take care of everything."
Finally everyone came and we had a good time. I also eventually prepared a few dishes and did a bit of decoration work. The last thing I remember was talking to Asrar, Gaurav and others about the awards kind of things that India wins. Someone said, "India ko US mein koi award nahi milte hai but UK mein mil jaate hain har baar." Others agreed and I saw Asrar grinning broadly at that fact, but I couldn't understand what it was, even though I agreed fully to the fact.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
11th Sept. 2007, Early Morning.
Of my first dream, the last thing I remember is telling someone that the lady whom I'd be for the rest of my life need not be pretty, but should be beautiful. Someone who'd be honest with me and vice versa, there'd be trust and affection and blah blah... and I saw her face, and she wasn't pretty but indeed looked beautiful. Can't recall how she looked. I felt her presence and walked towards her, when I was woken up by a knock at my door! :(
Within a minute, I lied down on my bed and tried to sleep again, in an effort to recall what I'd seen, but had a different experience this time.
I saw myself lying on my stomach (sleeping) on some carpet, in front of the throne of the emperor, on which the queen was sitting. I suddenly woke up, raised my head a little, looked around and saw a few members of parliament, dressed in nice shiny robs all staring at me. I felt like sleeping again, when suddenly I caught sight of the paintings/pictures on the walls just behind the members of the parliament. I saw myself in some of the pictures, and it wasn't me, of course! That surprised me to an extent that I decided to sacrifice my sleep and I woke up. I realized that I was sleeping on the foot of the throne of the queen.
I got up a little and moved backwards, looked around, still trying to figure out the situation and then looked at the paintings/pictures again... I saw standing with the queen and a few others in the pictures.
Next thing I saw, I was travelling with queen and her daughter. I was sitting beside her (the daughter). Something got over me and moved forward and we kissed each other on lips. It was an awesome feeling. Then again I kissed her and she obliged. The third time, I had to move back since she got bored and irritated by it! :D Then I hugged her and dozed off (seriously I have no idea what was going on! I'm typing whatever I can recall.) Yeah, her mom was watching all the time. The daughter was of my age! :p I found myself falling for her, she was so adorable!
Next I'm standing in some kind of hospital and I visit this hospital because my sister has some work, either she has to be admitted or she wants to go there to help, I don't know! The hospital is inside a big building (and the princess is standing beside me during all this) and my sister says good bye to me and enters a huge blue colored tent, which looked like the ICU. Some old women accompanied her, I don't know if it was the queen or someone else!
It almost looked like the situation of 'Don'. I become the prince and save the empire while the queen helps my sister by either getting her treated or helping in fulfiling her dream of treating others, being a doctor and blah blah...
Next I find myself again in that hospital building in front of the blue tent. I stand just outside the tent and find my sister severely sick with blood coming out of her lips, red eyes etc.! (shouldn't have watched Dr. House episodes!) Next second I find my father sitting beside her and I try to stop him from doing anything. He says, "Trust me, I can treat her. you have to trust me this time!" and I allow him to do the necessary. He draws all the blood out of her body, cleanses it and again repumps the blood back into her body. She recovers! :D
Of the third dream that I saw, I remember nothing except that, I survived death and was a nice changed person and look at things in a more positive and happy way. In general my life is happy and I shed my shyness and without worrying about what people think, do things which I think is right. I inspired many people in this way, but I don't remember anything specific about this dream.
The last two paragraphs are the result of me watching two episodes of Dr. House yesterday!
Within a minute, I lied down on my bed and tried to sleep again, in an effort to recall what I'd seen, but had a different experience this time.
I saw myself lying on my stomach (sleeping) on some carpet, in front of the throne of the emperor, on which the queen was sitting. I suddenly woke up, raised my head a little, looked around and saw a few members of parliament, dressed in nice shiny robs all staring at me. I felt like sleeping again, when suddenly I caught sight of the paintings/pictures on the walls just behind the members of the parliament. I saw myself in some of the pictures, and it wasn't me, of course! That surprised me to an extent that I decided to sacrifice my sleep and I woke up. I realized that I was sleeping on the foot of the throne of the queen.
I got up a little and moved backwards, looked around, still trying to figure out the situation and then looked at the paintings/pictures again... I saw standing with the queen and a few others in the pictures.
Next thing I saw, I was travelling with queen and her daughter. I was sitting beside her (the daughter). Something got over me and moved forward and we kissed each other on lips. It was an awesome feeling. Then again I kissed her and she obliged. The third time, I had to move back since she got bored and irritated by it! :D Then I hugged her and dozed off (seriously I have no idea what was going on! I'm typing whatever I can recall.) Yeah, her mom was watching all the time. The daughter was of my age! :p I found myself falling for her, she was so adorable!
Next I'm standing in some kind of hospital and I visit this hospital because my sister has some work, either she has to be admitted or she wants to go there to help, I don't know! The hospital is inside a big building (and the princess is standing beside me during all this) and my sister says good bye to me and enters a huge blue colored tent, which looked like the ICU. Some old women accompanied her, I don't know if it was the queen or someone else!
It almost looked like the situation of 'Don'. I become the prince and save the empire while the queen helps my sister by either getting her treated or helping in fulfiling her dream of treating others, being a doctor and blah blah...
Next I find myself again in that hospital building in front of the blue tent. I stand just outside the tent and find my sister severely sick with blood coming out of her lips, red eyes etc.! (shouldn't have watched Dr. House episodes!) Next second I find my father sitting beside her and I try to stop him from doing anything. He says, "Trust me, I can treat her. you have to trust me this time!" and I allow him to do the necessary. He draws all the blood out of her body, cleanses it and again repumps the blood back into her body. She recovers! :D
Of the third dream that I saw, I remember nothing except that, I survived death and was a nice changed person and look at things in a more positive and happy way. In general my life is happy and I shed my shyness and without worrying about what people think, do things which I think is right. I inspired many people in this way, but I don't remember anything specific about this dream.
The last two paragraphs are the result of me watching two episodes of Dr. House yesterday!
Friday, May 11, 2007
8th May 2007, Night.
Final board exams were 3 days away. We were going to school and I was sitting next to her in the bus. I felt great in her presence. We were good friends and as always, we laughed and chatted. I felt sad that after a couple of weeks, maybe i'll never be able to see her. I looked at her as she laughed and giggled. I would really be missing something in life.
After the school, while I was sitting in the bus, on my favourite seat, the second row seat near the window, I saw her getting her practical workbook signed by the teacher. I was reminded of the fact that I also needed to get my practical workbook checked and signed and so I should complete my work in it.
'Maybe i'll have to come to school early tomorrow, finish my work in the lab and get it signed. That would mean reading a lot tonight. Maybe i'd be sleeping at 2 tonight.' My thoughts were interrupted as she came into the bus and sat beside me.
"Hey what happened? You look dull and sad!" she asked.
"Nothing, it's just that you reminded me of something important that I must do, about this practical workbook" and I poked her bag with my finger.
"Oh! Yeah." and she smiled, with dimples spread on either side of her lips. I really loved her smile!
As the bus started moving, I suddenly got this empty feeling again that maybe after a couple of weeks we may never meet. Somehow I thought I couldn't do without her!
***
We were watching an exhibition of paintings, handicrafts and more importantly, electronics and computer stuffs. I had hard time, hiding my face from my batchmates, seniors, professors, just to be with her and not do some stupid moving around, helping the visitors, answering their queries... My college was organising this exhibition and she had insisted on coming here. I was happy that people were liking the new idea. I had also worked till late last night for this. In short, I was supposed to be a volunteer!
I took her to the basement exhibition rooms, thinking that none of my batchmates would be there (handicrafts exhibition!), but as we moved down the stairs, I saw 'Harsh' coming up the stairs and he saw me!
"Where have you been? Sir is calling you, come fast." he said, gave me a who-is-she kind of look and left in a hurry.
"What is he saying, I don't understand? Is he your friend? Why is he in such a hurry?" she asked me so many questions.
"Yeah he is my friend and I didn't tell you one thing." I said as we entered one of the rooms in the basement section.
"What?" she said it in such a way that I felt like saying, "I think i've fallen in love with you!"
"That my college is organizing this whole exhibition and I should be helping till the event is not over."
"Then you should go and help. I will be fine looking around things, alone." she said and I realised that she was not happy that I had not told her this.
Suddenly, Bhanukiran came from nowhere and said to me, "What are you doing here? You should be..."
"Yeah I know that! I am helping." I said and gestured towards her, "Sorry ma'am I was unable to get your query. Too much interruptions." I said indicating Bhanukiran. I took her outside the room. I thought she would play along, but she pushed me aside, introduced herself and asked for his name.
"He's my batchmate." I said and she was not listening.
"I can't believe it." Suddenly Bhanukiran exclaimed, "I am a big fan of yours! I really like your work." I couldn't understand what was happening.
"I'm glad to hear that." she said and looked at me with disgust.
"What are you people talking about?" I asked in bewilderment, "Bhanu, what's the matter?"
"Don't you know?"
"No." I replied simply.
"She is an artist, an excellent painter." he said, "Her name was on the list of people whose paintings would be displayed."
"Her name was on the list, not her photo." He said and asked her, "Do you know him?"
"We are friends! We have... " I said.
"We were together in school." she interrupted me.
"Hey that's great." And then looking at her, he said, "Ma'am I am a great admirer of yours. Can I talk to you for sometime, just say 5 minutes. I am really excited about this!"
"Hey hey, are you both talking?" I looked at her and got no response. She wore a dirty look on her face for me.
"All right, I'm leaving. Are you guys talking? If yes, then i'm leaving. Are you talking?" I heard a feeble 'No' and she repeated it a few times. I climbed the stairs, crossed the entrance hall and was about to leave the building, when I saw someone in front of me call someone behind me. I turned back and saw her walking towards me. Her friend had come to this exhibition(i donno from where and why?!).
"I've come to pick you up. So, how was the general response? I'm sure you'd be a sensation. People have been talking about you and appreciating your work lately." her friend said.
"It was fine. Seems like some people just don't know what's happening around them." she said and turned to look at me.
I was frustrated at this and turned away. I heard her friend ask, "Do you know him? Is he a friend?"
Something got into me and I ran towards them. Panting, I said, "Yes, I am a friend and I promise I'd bring her back."
Her friend was puzzled and looked at her with inquiring eyes, with a look of what-do-you-want-to-do.
I said, "Please don't go away so early. We are meeting after 2 years and... I'm sorry if I have done something wrong. Please stay with me!"
Her friend had to drive back, alone.
"You never told me you were an artist. I thought you were always into science and more science." I exclaimed and rather excited about it.
"You should have known. I have been exhibiting a lot of my paintings lately and its' also in the news." she said coldly.
"I am new to this place! Today is my second day... and this building you see," I pointed towards the college building where the exhibition was going on. We were standing outside the gate.
"that building is not my college building. I have traveled 300 kms just to meet you, after I came to know that you were here. My college is organizing it, not hosting it. So don't think I never wanted to meet you in the last two years. I always wanted to meet you... and yeah, I hate reading newspapers!"
She wanted to say something but she didn't. Maybe she was feeling guilty for all the misunderstanding. I looked at her and as she turned to look at me, I looked at the trees (what an ass I was) !!
Finally a bus came and I asked him if he could accommodate us.
"Sorry, there's no space!"
"But I travel everyday in this bus?"
"Timings changed! No vacancy."
And so we didn't get any mode of transportation. Meanwhile we started talking about our lives and about past two years. It was great to be with her again.
After an hour, she said, "Would you mind walking?"
"Not at all," I said. It was getting dark and we walked on the pavement. I was surprised to find no vehicle on the road, except for those who had come to see the exhibition. But moving a little away, we did find a few auto-rickshaws and buses, but I guess she just wanted to walk and talk. I've always wanted this, always wanted to meet her again and spend maximum time with her. So we walked and walked and disappeared into the darkness.
After the school, while I was sitting in the bus, on my favourite seat, the second row seat near the window, I saw her getting her practical workbook signed by the teacher. I was reminded of the fact that I also needed to get my practical workbook checked and signed and so I should complete my work in it.
'Maybe i'll have to come to school early tomorrow, finish my work in the lab and get it signed. That would mean reading a lot tonight. Maybe i'd be sleeping at 2 tonight.' My thoughts were interrupted as she came into the bus and sat beside me.
"Hey what happened? You look dull and sad!" she asked.
"Nothing, it's just that you reminded me of something important that I must do, about this practical workbook" and I poked her bag with my finger.
"Oh! Yeah." and she smiled, with dimples spread on either side of her lips. I really loved her smile!
As the bus started moving, I suddenly got this empty feeling again that maybe after a couple of weeks we may never meet. Somehow I thought I couldn't do without her!
***
We were watching an exhibition of paintings, handicrafts and more importantly, electronics and computer stuffs. I had hard time, hiding my face from my batchmates, seniors, professors, just to be with her and not do some stupid moving around, helping the visitors, answering their queries... My college was organising this exhibition and she had insisted on coming here. I was happy that people were liking the new idea. I had also worked till late last night for this. In short, I was supposed to be a volunteer!
I took her to the basement exhibition rooms, thinking that none of my batchmates would be there (handicrafts exhibition!), but as we moved down the stairs, I saw 'Harsh' coming up the stairs and he saw me!
"Where have you been? Sir is calling you, come fast." he said, gave me a who-is-she kind of look and left in a hurry.
"What is he saying, I don't understand? Is he your friend? Why is he in such a hurry?" she asked me so many questions.
"Yeah he is my friend and I didn't tell you one thing." I said as we entered one of the rooms in the basement section.
"What?" she said it in such a way that I felt like saying, "I think i've fallen in love with you!"
"That my college is organizing this whole exhibition and I should be helping till the event is not over."
"Then you should go and help. I will be fine looking around things, alone." she said and I realised that she was not happy that I had not told her this.
Suddenly, Bhanukiran came from nowhere and said to me, "What are you doing here? You should be..."
"Yeah I know that! I am helping." I said and gestured towards her, "Sorry ma'am I was unable to get your query. Too much interruptions." I said indicating Bhanukiran. I took her outside the room. I thought she would play along, but she pushed me aside, introduced herself and asked for his name.
"He's my batchmate." I said and she was not listening.
"I can't believe it." Suddenly Bhanukiran exclaimed, "I am a big fan of yours! I really like your work." I couldn't understand what was happening.
"I'm glad to hear that." she said and looked at me with disgust.
"What are you people talking about?" I asked in bewilderment, "Bhanu, what's the matter?"
"Don't you know?"
"No." I replied simply.
"She is an artist, an excellent painter." he said, "Her name was on the list of people whose paintings would be displayed."
"Her name was on the list, not her photo." He said and asked her, "Do you know him?"
"We are friends! We have... " I said.
"We were together in school." she interrupted me.
"Hey that's great." And then looking at her, he said, "Ma'am I am a great admirer of yours. Can I talk to you for sometime, just say 5 minutes. I am really excited about this!"
"Hey hey, are you both talking?" I looked at her and got no response. She wore a dirty look on her face for me.
"All right, I'm leaving. Are you guys talking? If yes, then i'm leaving. Are you talking?" I heard a feeble 'No' and she repeated it a few times. I climbed the stairs, crossed the entrance hall and was about to leave the building, when I saw someone in front of me call someone behind me. I turned back and saw her walking towards me. Her friend had come to this exhibition(i donno from where and why?!).
"I've come to pick you up. So, how was the general response? I'm sure you'd be a sensation. People have been talking about you and appreciating your work lately." her friend said.
"It was fine. Seems like some people just don't know what's happening around them." she said and turned to look at me.
I was frustrated at this and turned away. I heard her friend ask, "Do you know him? Is he a friend?"
Something got into me and I ran towards them. Panting, I said, "Yes, I am a friend and I promise I'd bring her back."
Her friend was puzzled and looked at her with inquiring eyes, with a look of what-do-you-want-to-do.
I said, "Please don't go away so early. We are meeting after 2 years and... I'm sorry if I have done something wrong. Please stay with me!"
Her friend had to drive back, alone.
"You never told me you were an artist. I thought you were always into science and more science." I exclaimed and rather excited about it.
"You should have known. I have been exhibiting a lot of my paintings lately and its' also in the news." she said coldly.
"I am new to this place! Today is my second day... and this building you see," I pointed towards the college building where the exhibition was going on. We were standing outside the gate.
"that building is not my college building. I have traveled 300 kms just to meet you, after I came to know that you were here. My college is organizing it, not hosting it. So don't think I never wanted to meet you in the last two years. I always wanted to meet you... and yeah, I hate reading newspapers!"
She wanted to say something but she didn't. Maybe she was feeling guilty for all the misunderstanding. I looked at her and as she turned to look at me, I looked at the trees (what an ass I was) !!
Finally a bus came and I asked him if he could accommodate us.
"Sorry, there's no space!"
"But I travel everyday in this bus?"
"Timings changed! No vacancy."
And so we didn't get any mode of transportation. Meanwhile we started talking about our lives and about past two years. It was great to be with her again.
After an hour, she said, "Would you mind walking?"
"Not at all," I said. It was getting dark and we walked on the pavement. I was surprised to find no vehicle on the road, except for those who had come to see the exhibition. But moving a little away, we did find a few auto-rickshaws and buses, but I guess she just wanted to walk and talk. I've always wanted this, always wanted to meet her again and spend maximum time with her. So we walked and walked and disappeared into the darkness.
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