The Last Date

Part-I

"Meet me at 10", his voice crackled over the phone.
"Same place?", she asked, trying to speak as less as possible.
"Yea. Bye." He cut the call without waiting for her response.

It was 21st May, only a month after they had celebrated their second anniversary of being together, only a week after they had had a bitter fight and cried to sleep, only a day after she told him that she wanted to call it off. Two months ago, neither had dreamed that this day would ever come, that this day would be so near.

It was the day for the break up date.

They had been together for two years. They were the ideal couple, but only for a year. Then, the tensions had begun, the fights had become serious. There were innumerable misunderstandings, lots of failed explanations, anger, tears, grudges and everything bad. The talks had not reduced, but every time they did, they were either yelling at each other or saying the final goodbye. There had been a hundred final goodbyes. The addiction to each other never let them go apart.

Last night was different. The argument had turned ugly. Instead of trying to make up, they had begun to blame each other and talk about old incidents that each had been hurt by because of the other, old stories that they had thought were long forgotten.

"I don't want to talk to you." She had said.
"Yes, run away into hiding when you know its your fault."
"I don't want to be with you any longer. Do you understand that?" she spoke slowly, softly.
"Yea me neither. I am fed up of the daily fights," his ego spoke aloud without a pause.
"Good thing that the feeling is mutual."

The line went dead.

It had taken him 20 minutes to let her words sink in. Then, he had called her back. It had rung only once before she picked up as if she was waiting for his call. He was glad.

"Hello.. hey.." he tried to speak.
"Let's meet one last time. Tomorrow. Anytime after 8am. Let me know the time."
"Last time? Now you're kidding." He hoped aloud.
"I told you. I have had enough. And I am serious this time."
He had heard those words from her earlier. But he could hear the coldness in her tone this time. She was dead serious. He was searching for words when,
"Goodnight." She slipped the word into the silence; and the line went dead again.

It was 8 am, 21st May when he called her to tell her the meeting time. He could've just sent an SMS, but he wanted to hear her chirps as many times as he could. He had only a few more hours left with the person he loved the most in the world.

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INTERMISSION: This is a story I wrote last year, eleven months ago, to be precise. Had posted it elsewhere the very day I wrote it. Now, I'm sharing it here for everyone to see. This was my first attempt at story writing. So far, my last too. Errr.. okay, I confess- this was my second attempt. The first one turned out to be a little too mushy ;)

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Part-II

The meeting place was only a few minutes away from his house, but he left early. He stood at a corner of the busy street trying to concentrate on the noise and traffic around to distract his wailing mind, but every time someone pushed him in the crowd, he'd realize that he had gotten lost in his thoughts, yet again.

"Hi-ii!" The familiar musical chirp made him turn around quickly and gather himself. It was her. She smiled at him. He tried to return a smile, but couldn't get himself to do it. He was busy searching in her eyes for a clue to know what she had in mind, but her eyes gave nothing away. He looked at his watch and fixed his gaze there for several seconds. Then he dropped his hand to his side and then his head. She was bang on time. Every time he had complained that she was always late and made him wait. Today, for the break up date, she was on time. It seemed like she was in a hurry to finish it all off.

They took the table next to the door at the coffee shop, fidgeted with the menu card for a few seconds without looking in it and then ordered. She fixed her gaze on the view that she had from her side of the table. She watched the sea rush to shore and tried her best to keep an uncaring face, because she knew that if she showed the slightest hint of sadness, he'd understand.

Coffee arrived. He sat across the little round table staring into it as if he was searching for life's answers in it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, as if talking to his coffee.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye, at his coffee and back at the waves. She quickly blinked away her tears and was glad that he hadn't noticed.
"Have your coffee", she said and began sipping hers.

He did not budge. He just sat there stealing glimpses of her.
"Why aren't you having your coffee?" she asked him.
He turned to it and looked at it with disgust as if it was a rotting animal. He turned back to her and looked at her questioning eyes as if asking her, 'Will you take me back if I drink this?'

As if reading his mind, she said, "We need to talk. And I don't want to do it here with so many people around. So..."
It took him precisely 20 seconds to finish the contents. The bill was paid and in no time, he was standing, waiting for her to lead the way.

She got up and smiled into his eyes, "Come, let's go and sit on those rocks."

While they walked, he held her little finger. "Don't leave me," he said and tightened his grip.

Her silence made it clear that she had made up her mind when she left from home that day. Silently, they walked ahead till they reached the rocks and settled down on a clean, dry one.

"I did not sleep last night," she said. "Why did you fight with me? Won't you let me sleep in peace ever?"

"I'm sorry. Please don't go away like this. I cannot...", he voice cracked and he looked away.

"This is not easy for me either," she said and reached out to her handbag.

'A goodbye card probably,' he thought and impatiently waited for her hand to come out of the bag. Out came the newspaper. He looked at her, puzzled.

"Is Rahul Gandhi sexy?" She read out aloud and giggled.

"I thought we have something to talk about," he reminded her.

"Oh come on! We have our whole life for that. Let's read the paper together today," she said, and leaned onto his shoulder.

Sleep... and a book

Mom has always said that its very comfortable to sleep next to me because I don't move at all once I've slept. So, there are no kicks, pushes or any kind of violence to the person next to me.

Yesterday, I got a proof of this motionless sleep routine of mine. I was really tired when I went to bed yesterday. I remember transferring some data to my pendrive, that I had to give to the lovely little boy I so badly want to adopt.

After putting away my laptop and all the dozens of stuff on my bed, I was finally ready to sleep only to find that the pendrive was still there. I lied down anyway and kept the drive on my stomach.

umm... yea you read right-- stomach. Tummy. Don't ask me why. There was no other place to keep it I guess.

Today morning when I woke up, (without an alarm!!) I found that my pendrive was exactly where I had kept it. I hadn't even moved enough for it to slip off me!

P.S.: I'm reading 'P.S. I Love You' and I'm loving it! I can bet the author did not intend to make it a self help book for the love lost and depressed folks, but it sure feels like that. Its like a tutorial, disguised as an inspiring story, on how to bounce back and live and be happy too!

Bless Procrastination!

How much more positive can one get that I am beginning to be now?

If I have gone to the lengths to prove that procrastination can be a good thing too, then I believe I'm doing well at this new optimism in my life now. 'Now', being the keyword. That part will be explained later.

For now, let's see how procrastination can be a good thing after all. We've been every mother's dream child if we haven't given a chance to our elders to scold at us for putting away things for later all the time. But, I have noticed that procrastinating an extreme reaction proves to be a good thing after all. Let me explain with an example. Its something that happened today.

My ex-roomie happened to spend last night at my room. I handed the keys over to her at college itself because I had to go home. We met today so she could give me my keys and she said amidst peals of laughter that she loved what she read in our other ex-roomie's slam book that I had filled. I had been really ruthless in there actually.

It struck me only later that my file that contained my *very private* papers of my Emotional Intelligence workshop was kept in a file that was lying on my table too. I had my head fuming when I assumed that she read what I had written in there. I sure didn't want anyone to read what I had written in it. Not because it was too private or anything, but just because it isn't supposed to be shown to anyone. I typed out several SMS's to send to her but kept deleting them because of the way it could sound to the person reading it. Fortunately for me, before sending the SMS, I got too busy and so decided to send it later. Thank you, God, for making me me. 'Later' came and I contemplated on sending the message again. My fumes had extinguished by then and I thought-- big deal if she read it. She's someone who knows me inside out. So what if she read it? :)

There would have been so much tension between us if I had sent one of those several messages to her. I'm so glad that my habit of procrastination worked in my favour this time!

Ecstasy

If anyone could die due to abundance of joy, I'd be dead now.

I have found my Guru.

Sacred Tree

However great and experienced you are, you can't go by your instinct all the time. At times, you need to think and then speak out.

It often happens that first and hastily spoken words have to be regretted sooner or later.

It is not that there is no opportunity to correct what has been said already. But those words may have already been analysed and etched somewhere at the back of the listener's head. Usually, what you say first is what you mean the most. But there are occasions where you'd want to change your words. Then why not be careful and make it a point to always think before speaking however sure you are? Haste indeed makes waste... haste harms, haste hurts.

Delayed Picnic Update

I didn't mean to ignore this place. Have wanted to write so much over here but there's sooo much happening that everytime I want to write, something more has happened and what I came to write is old.

Excuses :| I inherit that from my students.

Now I just want to post!!!

I told you I'll be giving picnic updates. There is not much to update, I tell you! What could happen in a picnic?

We decided to meet at 6:30am in college. And we met at the said time. 8 of us. Of which 2 were husbands of 2 staff members. Our usually punctual Dr. Awesome was not on time! Hmmph! He seems to know the rest of the staff members better than we do, even though he has known them for only 3 months. He came by 7:00 and then the rest kept coming. AFTER 7am. There was a tiny 1-minute puja where the college bus driver brutally injured a coconut till its fluids oozed out (:P Ok I was just entertaining myself hehe ;) ). Then there was a lot of photography. I strayed away from the group to click pics of the sun but then I realised that my camera battery had gone poof! Had to make do with my 3.2 Mp faithful SE k790i Cybershot for the rest of the day. The bus finally rolled out of the campus at 7:50 am with 32 staff members. (So much statistics! My quirk.)

From Murud, we took a boat (rowing boat with a sail, not motor boat) to Janjira fort. One of our staff members seemed well informed and made a good guide himself. He explained the significance and history of the place, which I conveniently chose to forget the moment he finished! Murud beach is too tiny and dirty to have any fun. So, we went to Kashid beach. The picture in the previous post was taken at Kashid. After lunch, we had musical sessions :)

Here's the surprise picture I promised to post.

That's Dr. Awesome playing his flute for us. It was a thoughful, beautiful, warm treat! I have uploaded a video of him playing 'Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din' on facebook. A few other staff members also sang for us. But Chelpa Sir was the biggest surprise pack of the day. So cool to have a principal who's a musician flutist, tablist... whoa!!

After spending quick, thoughtful, fun 3 hours at Kahid, we left at 7pm. Reached college campus back at 10pm.

Okay enough of picnic updates! My college festival, Arête, got over on 20th March and I'm still suffering withdrawal symptoms!! That's how good it was :) Got to see a the different shades of some people during festive season.

More about that in my next post! I'm going to have to censor my next post very carefully!

Murud Janjira, Kashid Beach picnic

You know how lovely horse rides feel? Do you know? What do I tell you? I can't even explan!! Because I haven't ever riden one. Hmmphh! Even though there were horses all around me.

I have reasons:

1. I'm terrified of broken bones.

2. I'm a pessimist when momma is not with me.

But then, if mom was with me, even the faint chance I had would vanish coz she's more terrified of my broken bones than she is of hers :P

Oh by the way, the horses I'm talking about were at the beach. Dr. Awesome (my principal, Dr. Chelpa Lingam, for beginners) arranged for a staff picnic, something we haven't had for years in my college. So, he and 32 other staff members of the college went to Murud-Janjira fort. I'll give tiny, little details about the picnic (and a surprise pic of someone) in the next post. For now, here is a picture I took there.

It was shocking when my camera battery refused to cooperate. But I'm glad my virus infected Sony Ericsson still continues to be very faithful :)

Tata people! Have a Happy Holi and a great weekend!