The final call
I stood there, dumbstruck, mystified, wondering why? , how?
I never had answers to my question. And then I wondered “what!” “what on earth I am thinking.”
Which brought me back to earth and I found myself shamelessly staring at her. Well it wouldn’t be shameless if she hadn’t noticed that, but the fact that she saw me, made the whole innocent act, shameless. The bus had arrived. Time to say goodbye now.
She said “Guess they wont be coming to look for me.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I stood here for 4 hours and no one came until now, so I don’t really expect my family or friends to come after me.”
She made me wonder how women could draw conclusion merely on basis of chain of events, well maybe I was dumb enough not to think in same direction. Whatever it was, the more she spoke, the more I liked her and not wanting her to go.
But as in every bollywood movie, there is villain, here I had plenty. No 1 being the sun how came out, No2 the bus conductor who was already through his fifth final warning that the bus will be leaving in 2 mins.
What I was going to do in next five minutes would change my life for ever, for I had to choose, either I travel with her and reach home directly and in one bus, more importantly fall in love with her, which was a sure case if I did travel with her or else I wait here for another bus taking pains of traveling and not being with her which would help me not falling in love with her.
Choices were simple, a yes or a no, but my options were hell. Before I realized that my answer, 5 mins were over, it was time for action.
Her luggage was already up there. And she took the first step towards the bus and I thought this moment will go in slow motion, but this was real life, things happened in real time and she boarded it. While on door she turned back. That was the saddest moment till today, but a beautiful one. The gush of wind blew her hair from face, and the sun sparkled her eyes, there was something about her that made me keep looking at her, while I looked like retard.
“You were going to Delhi? “
“I’m going with you, Yes” said my heart.
“Yes” only my I could mouth with all courage.
“Well…..You could….I mean…Take care.”
I guessed and still believe that she said “well you could come along with me, I mean atleast till Agra.”
But then I thought, this must be put an end to and extended my hand.
“Sure I will, you too….and you too take care, there’s a long journey ahead.”
Damn her eyes. Those beautiful eyes, I didn’t dare look at them and said slowly. “this is goodbye then, but what is your name?
The whole night started to flash before my eyes, my loneliness, the bus stop, the stranger who had rough night and probably life, before I heard her name.
“my name is ……”
I wanted to kill that idiot bus driver who in the whole world had to honk at same time when such important thing was about to be told. Still want to
I don’t believe in destiny, but things happen, things where you get stuck, places where you are alone and something happens which makes your heart cry. And maybe it was destiny after all that for the first time in 26 yrs I felt what a woman is like, and at what rate a heart can beat like stupid rap song beats. It weird yet beautiful, it’s the unknown yet the familiar…the feeling which cannot be gained by everyone.
And I stood there wondering what was her name. I named her ‘The Stranger’
