The Dream: Before the confluence of rivers...

The story continues from @ Not just another Dream! (Click) that is, when we decided to meet in the subsequent week.

       We were driving through the picturesque rugged mountain roads, negotiating the seemingly never ending hairpin curves. The mighty Indus river formed a youthful landscape paving its way through the numerous deep gorges and steep valleys along the majestic Zanskar range. It was a bright, sunny summer morning yet, surprisingly there was a slight chill in the air, as is expected when one is traversing one of the highest motor-able roads in the world. Barring the occasional Himalayan Marmot scampering across the road, there was no sight of any living being as far as my eyes could manage to see. 
Probably because, whenever I was in her company my senses were benumbed.

            In those particular moments, all that existed in this world for me was her. I looked into her big expressive eyes, they had a life of their own, she gave me a glance feeling my gaze upon her. She smiled and with her eyes I could sense she was prodding me, about what had been worrying me. Her expression turned concerned, I could sense worry on her face and I could stand anything but, see her in any pain. No matter how insignificantly minuscule that pain was, it hurt me if I had to lie to her about anything, be it for her own good. I decided to let her into it.

"It has been such a long time, this wait is taking a toll on me. I cannot bear this burden anymore... My biggest perturbation is, * not having you beside me for the rest of my life... * Nothing or no one apart from my parents mean more to me, than you."

           The smile suddenly disappeared from her face. I could see the concern in her eyes which betrayed the expression on her face. The pretentious look she always tried to put up, to look unconcerned. A strand of her untied, black silken hair with a copper coloured streak drifted on to her face, she gracefully tugged it back to its place, behind her shoulder. It reminded me of another time, many years ago in the past, when life was less complicated. I used to playfully remove the rubber band/ hair clip holding her hair together all day long and even when she was irritated, she always smiled and gave me a playful punch on my shoulders, asking me not to do it again. I wish I had known back then that, 'she' was the girl... The girl whom, I would end up loving so much in the future. I wish I had put in an effort to woo her, back then. Sometimes, I feel life is unfair, I realized a bit too late and in the dilemma of choosing between friendship or love, I postponed it further and she, by then had moved far away. Despite knowing how much I love her, she mistook what I did for her as something else. I felt she had a prejudice about me, that I had been a friend for so long and always shared with her, that relationship which had subsumed any other feelings that she could develop for me. If only she could, set those prejudices aside for a moment and judge me purely for my love, my feelings for her... Yes, I think ~friend zone~ indeed exists and it's something which even the Great Harry Houdini <-link would find it difficult to escape from.

                        

            She tried to say something but, nothing managed to escape her lips. Finally determined, not to be held back by her emotions she asked me, "Why do you love me so much?" It was an authoritative rude tone. Even I didn't expect it, a smile crept on my face. This was the same question I had been asking myself, so many times for the past almost four years. There was no particular answer to it. So, I gave her what always used to be the conclusion of this debate in my own mind.

           "Initially the reason was your eyes, then I thought no, it ought to be your beautifully sculpted nose which I always tried to tap, playfully whenever we met." I paused for some air, oxygen at this altitude was hard to come by, making you feel breathless every now and then. She gave me a blank expression. Ignoring it I carried on, "But more than how beautiful you are, it is the moments I spend with you, no matter how brief, they are very beautiful. Very memorable... I feel at peace, as if I need nothing else from life. Your presence gives me a will, a strength....  that nothing is impossible in life, a feeling that I can achieve any goal, go through any pain and it is also why I go out of my way to help anyone in need, anonymously. I see you in everyone, I see you everywhere...."

            I took another deep breath taking in as much of the precious oxygen as I could, "It is also because I like you for what you are as a person, after knowing you for quite long. Else wouldn't it have been love at first sight? I cannot really put it in words. It is like I always say, you ought to get into my mind to see yourself the way I see you, from my perspective. That is when you will really understand.. Why I am doing all this, despite your denial."

For a moment I could see tears welling up in her eyes. She turned away and it seemed like she was trying to muster the will to speak, she quickly turned back, to face me. Fumbled for words. She stammered a bit ( she always did that when she had a conflict in her mind and although I always teased her about it, somewhere in their, I loved it when she did that, even that added to her charm.) "It is not going to happen, you should forget me. I never felt the same for you or even if ever we are together, I might never feel so....." But her eyes betrayed her again. It did hurt me a lot when she said that.

            We finally had reached our destination. I stopped the car along the guard rail which are installed on these roads to prevent vehicles from veering off the road into the steep valley floor below. This was a small clearing off the road meant for tourists to pull over and click pictures. The air was still chilly, despite the bright, noon Sun. Apart from a group of adolescent Buddhist monks,clad in maroon robes, playing football in a nearby clearing, I could see no one around. The landscape was mesmerizing, just like it had been when I visited it for the first time almost a decade ago, on a vacation after my school exams with my folks.

She was totally spellbound, the sight of the brown muddy Zanskar river meeting the crystalline-blue Indus marked by their distinct colours, was indeed captivating.

I turned towards her, "We are like these rivers, very distinct from where we originated and what all we went through before we were here, at this point. We might come together or continue on our own, unique course... The outcome of either cannot be predetermined, only time can tell. I love you, not because I expect anything in return. Even if you choose to not be with me, what I have for you shall always be there. But I cannot stop trying, that is the only thing that keeps me going. I derive my motivation and energy from you."

She had a melange of expressions, of understanding and helplessness together. Her smile so perfectly hid the tears within, just as her laughter shadowed the pain. Yet, I could read her eyes. I continued, "I did all this for you becau...." She cut me midway. "Are you trying to blackmail me? Doing everything that you have done so far...", she asked.

            It was like rubbing salt on my wounds. She didn't even listen to the reason behind those actions. "That coming from you, really hurt. If I had to resort to blackmailing, wouldn't I just have done something more drastic, why would I go through the pain of not even telling you for so many years, going through the dilemma of saving my friendship or my love? It is only when it became unbearable that, I confessed. Why would I wait for a time when you were not with someone else, if I had been so selfish? Why did I just not tell you earlier what all I did for you? I still haven't told u everything..."

I was breathless. I gasped for some air and continued, "I kept all this to myself and just a few very close people, even some of my best friends don't know the name of 'the girl', I keep telling them about. If I really had to blackmail you would I not have asked our common friends to talk you into this? Would I have not poisoned your mind when you as a friend asked me, for my opinion on the guy you just started dating. Even with that pain I had been honest in my opinion that, I cannot judge him as I don't know him well enough to comment, about him.", I paused "Saying all that when I, myself loved you and wanted to be with you. Can you never try to underst...."

I stopped mid sentence. The conversation had turned so serious, despite my best efforts not to lead it into this course.

I finally blurted out "I don't love you because I need you, I need you because I love you. Hope you understand the thin line differentiating those two and what they mean?"

I paused, I had so much to say but this conversation couldn't go on forever. This misunderstanding had to be cleared.

I continued "Whatever I did was NOT with the intention of saying that, 'I did all this for you' so, I think, for that very fact you should be with me."

I paused again gasping for air, ”For me, it is more like I loved you and I couldn't express it properly, hence I did things, to show you that I love you. I do everything I do, because I feel like doing it for you and not for anyone else. If you have to judge me, judge me on the merit of my love, the feelings behind the actions and not the actions themselves. Not all are born with the gift of expressing themselves well.”
Taking another deep breath I concluded, "I am trying to learn to express myself. Given some time I will be better. This effort is only for you."

A small smile crept on her face. But her eyes showed her unconvinced stand. I looked into them, those intoxicating eyes. I wish they could take a peek into my mind. That all this was equally difficult for me.

And as if she just heard my mind and learnt about her betrayers.(her eyes)

She stepped ahead of me looking at the rivers converge, her back towards me, "You know I might be trying out some things in life, leaving the Best for the last. Now, I think I know where I might find it."

Her voice was unwavering and teasing at the same time. I couldn't conclude, if she was giving me hope or was it otherwise?

A voice spoke spontaneously in my mind, ** You might leave the best for the last, but that best might not last till 'your last' arrives, it's strength eroding with each rising Sun. It might not be able to hold fort for long. **

I kept this thought to myself... Lest she again mistook it for something else.

This quandary was tearing me apart, on one hand I couldn't possibly imagine life without her and on the other, it would be painful to have her by my side yet, seeing her unhappy.

"If...", I fumbled, but managed to say it, "If I don't tell you, you won't know what all I have done for you, what I am doing for you. You might term it blackmailing, while my only intention is, I want to convey how much you mean to me yet, if I don't convey that, how would you ever get to know?"

In my mind, I said to myself, **Iss dard mein jeene ka maaza hi kuch aur hai..** or as Manuel de Melo had put it, **Love, a pleasure you suffer, an ailment you enjoy.**

I closed my eyes. Fearing if I open them, this moment will be lost, this dream will come to an end. Now, only time can decide whether it will remain a dream or materialize. I can only pray... To my Omnipresent.

That was the last time I saw her, not knowing whether I'll ever see her again or not...

This was partly a dream and partly a conversation which took place in reality. I added what I wanted to say that day, I couldn't say it all, perhaps it was the chaos in my mind at that point, the way the conversations had ended up. I had gone numb.

One of those dreams which manifested from perhaps 'memories' after a real life event.

I wish you can now better understand and see this in a different light, girl. I love you..... Just give my love that "one chance" that's all I ask for.

I can't force someone to be in love with me. It would never last that way. I can only try to make her see what she means to me. I'm trying to woo her and win her heart with everything I can possibly do. Trust me, I am trying every day. Even I don't know from where I get the strength to carry on...
Love probably, explains most of it.

This story isn't over. There is more to it... although that part is yet to happen.
It has been many painful months since I last met her (that is the events of this post.)

I am still trying to convince her. Hoping for a miracle. I could do with some prayers, by you guys!
Thanks. :)

New update: The story continues @  Dream: The Love that is and the Love that never was...(Click)

Not just another Dream!

The story continues from @ Dream, Secrets revealed – II (Click)

Q. What is a dream?

When something is unbelievably beautiful or joyful, you wonder whether it is a dream. Often, what you perceive as reality is not joyful and so when misery is there, you never wonder if it is a dream. You are sure it is real. This is knowing the real as unreal and unreal as real. In fact, all the miseries are unreal. A wise man knows that happiness is real, as it is one's very nature. Unhappiness is unreal as it is inflicted by memory. When you see everything as a dream, then you abide in your true nature.

Q: What about a nightmare?

A nightmare is a dream mistaken as reality. There is no confusion in a dream at all. Keep wondering whether all this is a dream and you'll wake up to the real.

- His Holiness Sri Sri

                

The phone was buzzing incessantly. The vibrations made it sound irritating. I groped around my bed in the darkness, searching for it, unwilling to open my sore eyes. Finally having managed to locate it, I tried to focus my bleary eyes at the name flashing on the screen. But the light emanating from the screen proved to be too bright. Giving up on it, I decided just to answer the call and find out what surprise Santa had in store for me 7 days after Christmas.

I managed a feeble, "Hello".

The person at the other end hesitated for a second or two. Then I heard, " Hello, White Tiger? "

(Not using my real name owing to privacy concerns :P)

Oh it was that voice, I could recognise it anywhere, any time, no matter what state of mind I was in. There was no way I could 'not' recognise it. It had been months (which seemed like decades!) since, my ears had witnessed that beautiful voice. I can't even start describing what it meant to me. Flashes of memories that, I had shared with her came back to me. Her tall and voluptuous frame, long black hair with copper streaks, her big expressive eyes and that stubbornly beautiful nose. I was mesmerised.

I gathered my thoughts, came back to reality, "Hi, yeah. That's me. Is it Hitler?" (Name changed, Privacy reasons + she treats me like a Jew)  :-/

**I know parody hai, Gandhi ko Hitler se pyaar.** (Gandhi in love with Hitler, obviously I'm Gandhi!)

She cut me short before I could say more, "Where have you been? How are you? I have been looking for my missing friend, it's been a while now."

I didn't want to answer all that, what would she think of me if, I told her about the truth. (Though eventually a week later when she met me, she did bring it up again, and being me, I couldn't lie about things in front of her. In an emotional outburst, I blurted out the truth and my fears came true, she termed it as blackmailing, well that's another story for my next post.)

Flashback: 5 months ago

Following her "No", I tried to engage myself in some activity or the other. Keeping my mind occupied, forcing myself not to think about her.
She proved to be an overwhelming factor. So, I was compelled to go into a self imposed exile, away from all near and dear ones. Partly to get away from her and partly to seek the answers to my own goals in life, among other factors. In fact, it was a few months after that,(4 months later to be precise.) I had, by a twist of fate left my phone switched on for one whole night and forgotten to switch it off. Normally, I used to switch it off for the entire day and switch it on only for 5 minutes in the night to see, if there were some messages or missed call alerts. But that night I forgot to switch it off owing to a fever + medication induced slumber.

She had called on my number that night. I didn't realise when the phone had rung. I only happened to find a missed call on the display, later on. I had prayed and hoped all those months, in blind faith before that missed call. That, I wanted to hear from her, some sign, just any sign!

A sign, to cut short my self-imposed exile and come back for her. A sign for a green signal from the unknown, to have another go at it. I didn't want to just give up on someone I loved so much, with just one try and the subsequent "No", from her. I respected her opinion, that is exactly why I had just cut off from her without telling her.

Now, my prayers were answered, but I was hoping, it was just an accidental call because I didn't want this call to grow into another hope which could get doused again. The first time had proved almost lethal. Eventually, my fears turned out to be valid. Thankfully, I had learnt by then, to endure such pain, by channelizing it out of mind through various methods. One of them being, this very blog.
Anyway, I didn't call her back then. Besides how would I answer her flurry of questions? She was bound to ask me many questions, till she was satisfied by my answers.
Back then, I felt, I needed more time to think.

Fast forward: to the Present

I tried to divert the conversation.

"I am at home, right now. Doing fine. How are you? Where are you right now?"

It worked she took the bait, " Glad to hear that. I am good, too.  Back in the city, came to visit my folks for New Year's, away from my hectic office life for a few days. "

And suddenly I had this feeling, was this another one of my numerous dreams about her? I had, had scores of such dreams which seemed pretty much real, till obviously I woke up to reality, which without her presence was more of a nightmare....

I don't know what got into me, I didn't think twice before saying, "is this a dream? Is this real? Can you pinch me? just to be sure.."
(I think I said, that line quite a few times. Now that I think about it, *Pinch me* sounds kinky! - yes, much to my embarrassment and her amusement, if that didn't creep her!)

She had a light laugh at it, "Hahaha... yes, this is real. I forgot you sleep early, I Just came back from a family dinner at the club. Happy New Year!" She paused, "Well we should catch up, I'm here for 10 more days so, I will let you know when we can meet."

We discussed some mundane topics for a while, though, I can't recall what we spoke about as, I was just listening to her intoxicating voice all that time. It gave my mind a sense of peace after months of turmoil. I couldn't sleep for the next 4 to 5 hours, lost in her thoughts. Still trying to convince myself that this wasn't a dream!
And when I did finally catch up on some sleep, it was a very peaceful one, a sleep I had wished for since almost a year.
I was unable to sleep peacefully, ever since, I first told her about my feelings. Due to my bad timing, she couldn't reply immediately back then and subsequently after a few weeks, over a phone call she had given me the most shattering verdict of my life, till then, her decision.....
"I don't think it can happen."

We met up the next week. I gave it another shot.

PS: In those months of exile, started the new phase of my life, a Renaissance in its own essence, but not very detached from the past or from her...
Yet, very different in terms of perspectives and attitudes, the phase which continues till this date. It's has been a continuous process.

I had realized my goals. I tried to use her as my motivation to work towards achieving them and also to find out my shortcomings and changed my mindset.  I changed every negative aspect I could weed out from within, to become a better person, a better human being.

This strength is conditional:

I could conquer the world with just one hand, as long as she holds the other.

She is my greatest strength as well as, my biggest weakness. I am trying to change it, let's see how that effort turns out..

The story continues @ The Dream: Before the confluence of rivers...(Click)

Dream, Secrets revealed – II

The story continues from @ Dream, Secrets revealed – I (Click)

She had come down, I wasn't ready yet. We talked about what not all... from a random friend who got his hair dyed blue, to she suggesting I get mine dyed blonde (I know, absurd!), her future plans, her sister's and brother's respective career plans.
It just kept on delaying and she kept asking, "Where is your cab? My folks are waiting."
I finally made up mind. We were standing under a short tree, on a dim lit street just outside the gates to her colony. Okay, perfect romantic spot! (sic) I had to do it, now.                            

Me: Listen, I need to tell you something.

She(smiled): Yeah, go ahead?

Me(deep breath): I have been trying to say this since a long while, I think I have feelings for you...
(I felt slapping myself, after being so sure, all that came out was "I think" and "like", when I was "very sure" that, "I Loved Her." To be honest, I was a nervous wreck at that moment.)

She was looking into my eyes. She smiled, I felt relieved. After so many years, I finally had it off my chest.
She looked away in the distance, still smiling. "I think I knew, that was coming.."

She turned her face towards me again.
I was totally perplexed. So many questions cropping up. I wanted to bombard her with questions. Yet, only one of them came out.

Me: You expected it?

And then typical Bollywood style, CLIMAX.
Enter: Heroine's Mommy, at the most important juncture of the movie.


Mommy Ji: "It has been so long since you left to see him off beta... I was looking for you, everyone at home is waiting for dinner." 

Then she turned towards me. I was still perplexed by her reply and lost in my thoughts, to realize that both mother and daughter were staring at me. Her mum-> serious, she-> obviously amused.


I managed to shove out a few words from my mouth, "Oh, I'm sorry aunty. The cab didn't turn up. You guys carry on. I'll catch an Auto-rickshaw. Good night!"

Both waved their hands to say Goodbye.


And I ran for dear life. For the one kilometer that, I jogged, I didn't look for an auto. My thoughts were focused, on trying to digest what had just occurred. Did her mom hear anything? Was that smile and reply that she gave, a positive sign? I still had so much to say, but it was unlikely that she would meet me before leaving the city.
I texted her, to give me a chance to complete what I had to say and then decide. She gave her affirmation, with an "okay."
(I know a very long post, but hold on, now that you have come this far. Just a little left!)
I then went for a night stay to a friend's place, he had a mini booze party on. I felt relieved like I never had, in so many months. Like all the crazy parties from the past, we got fixated on the just out, hit number "Baby Doll" watching Sunny on the TV screen, copying her moves, laughing our hearts out. Playing pranks. It seems one of my friend's friend recorded us dancing on his phone, I'm yet to get my hands on it. That night, I had my last peaceful sleep, something I would be deprived for months.

After two weeks and some measured prodding, it was not working out. We couldn't fix a common time to speak.
Finally I thought, I had to do something. I recorded what I had felt, how this all had come to happen and asked her to give me a chance. Turned out I had recorded 8 minutes worth of an audio clip. Oh well, I sent it to her.
After listening to it, she called me that night and started off with , "the picture you just sent, of the dish that you cooked for dinner, looks sumptuous."

(I can't put everything she said here. So, keeping it short.)

She: " that was one long clip you had sent to me. I've known you for so long. You have been one of my closest friends since a long time... I never thought... You know.. You know, I've been thinking about this for two weeks now. About what you said and how to respond to it.... " (She paused) " So, I spoke to the guy I am seeing right now. And I think it can't happen. It will never happen. I don't want you to be on the hook. So, are we still friends?"

So, sometime in between Mini-me was out of the scene and some Champak was the newest entrant in the movie. (all names mentioned are fictional !) And in my mind, I was like this picture right here.. "Nooooooooooo..." But, nobody could hear my mind.
It was a blow I had never expected. How many villains do I have to face in one Love story? Even Bollywood heroes don't have to deal with so many. A few weeks back, I had asked a common friend (same one who gave me the pep talk before I had confessed, two weeks back) to find out from her, if she was seeing someone, currently. So that, I don't end up in an awkward situation. She had denied any relationship to this friend. This either meant that she had lied to that friend or she was lying to me.
It kept ringing in my mind, ** Why did she have to lie? I would have avoided this.** Everything seemed to have come to a crashing halt.
I felt no anger, no sadness, no feelings at all. I was in a state of shock. Numb would be the word. ** How could life do this to me? **
It was between me and her.. Why did she drag Champak into it?  But, I had to hold on to myself. At least, till I was on a call with her.. I didn't want her to be hurt by my reaction.

Me: " Of course we are good friends. That relation predates this love for you and it will always stay. I guess, I missed the ever elusive Ted's * Window * again, when you were single. My bad. "
I feigned a chuckle.
" You know, right now I have mixed feelings.. It's something like, watching your Mother-inlaw drive off the cliff........ On your brand new FERRARI !!! "

She started laughing.. I cracked some more wise-arsed jokes, to make her feel better.
While I was myself, burning to ashes from within.
I told her about how I had made plans to come and surprise her on her birthday and how I wanted to propose to her there, but now I had to cancel the tickets. She was surprised when I revealed my elaborate plans and I still wonder what would've happened if, I had really executed the plan without this 'asking out business'.
She told me, her sister knew about my feelings and used to tease her about it, frequently. However, what she didn't know was, I had given many such deliberate, obvious clues not just to her sister, but to her too, since many months. Did it never occur to her? Did she deliberately play along? But, as ever I took her word for it. She could never do any wrong, is what my heart said.
And as if to rub some fresh salt on my wounds, she said, " We shouldn't speak anymore. At least for a while, you know....."

Me: "Will that fix things? Can you promise me that things will be back to what they were? That even if in the future, I unintentionally say or joke about something, you will not misunderstand that?"

She: "I can't say. It might never be the same"

Me: "Good bye, till I don't know when. Good Night... "

She: "Good Night.."

I disconnected the call.
I wanted to cry. But tears, they never came out. There was just pain. After that night I couldn't sleep peacefully for a very long time. She kept coming in my thoughts every morning and in my dreams every night. The most painful part was accepting all of this.
I had come to this city, taken up this job, the job which I had always loathed so that, I could earn enough to be with her. A software engineer... For this day?
I had to quit this job, I could do it no longer, because I took it up for her. I had to go for something else, something that I would love to do. For a greater cause. For myself...
I quit my job, shortly and left all social interaction in pursuance of what I wanted to achieve.

But destiny had something else in mind. She called, one fine night after months of Zero contact. I usually kept my phone off all day to avoid speaking to anyone. Only switched it on for 5 minutes each night, to see if someone left a text or if there was a missed call alert.
One such evening, I was down with fever and in the drowsiness caused by the medication, I left the phone on and fell fast asleep. In that sedated sleep I thought, I heard my phone buzz. But, I was too tired to get up and check.
There was a missed call notification when I checked it the subsequent morning. I tapped the screen and there it was, her name. Although I had stopped myself from trying to woo her, I had all this while remembered her each day, praying for a miracle. A sign that, could be interpreted as, it might work. If I got that, all I needed to do was put in my best effort to explain to her my perspective, albeit in a very benign, measured way.
I had got the sign, now.


                

To be continued**

The Recap part, was before the events of " A Dream within a dream, Inception? " and the rest of it was after that.

PS: She got the card after 2 months when she checked her mail box and even guessed that it was me(Okay, it was obvious that it was me.) She texted me to confirm her suspicion, "Did you send a card, choosing to stay Anonymous?"
I just joked, "Today is mother's day, why would I send you a card for that?"

She found that to be hilarious and replied, "Hahaha... LOL. No, I got a V-day card. Anonymous. It was you right?" I accepted the charges leveled by her.
We spoke for sometime and our conversations loitered to Victoria's Secret Lingerie (Okay, nothing Kinky!) and Shoplifting.
Yeah, I know, it's not just me who is crazy :P    I have company !
Just that, she only sees the many differences we have, not what we share in common...


I know one day you will realize, but I hope it's not too late for me.

The story continues @ Not just another Dream! (Click)

Dream, Secrets revealed – I

The story continues from @ A Dream within a dream, Inception? (Click)

It was the 7th of February, one week left for Valentine's day. I was posting a Valentine's Day card to a girl, for the first time in my life. I chose to be an anonymous admirer, who would be meeting her soon. I never believed in such things, never saw a point in doing this for a girl before... but exceptions are made for exceptional situations.
This was the first time, I confessed, about my love for her.

Recap :  Little over a year before the above event.

It had been more than two years since I had this feeling, but I didn't reveal it to her earlier. I was in a dilemma.
** Whether it had been, mere attraction to an old friend or was it something more? **

I couldn't have jeopardized our friendship if, I wasn't so serious so, I had to be sure. That's what made me keep it to myself, till then. My best friends knew I loved someone, but none knew her identity for a very long time. Moreover, she was with someone else back then, I didn't want to put her in an awkward situation. I was content with meeting her, getting some time to spend with her. Soon, she got her call letter for a job and moved out to another city. Till then I hadn't realized that, when you love someone or have something very important in life.
**you should never wait for the right time and the right situation. There is no right time or situation, it is always now.**

I guess, I learnt it the hard way...
Now, I was sure that, it was not mere friendship there was more to it. I needed to tell her before it was late.
A few weeks after she moved to her new city, I got my itinerary take a detour to her city while on my way back from a vacation with my folks, much to my parent's surprise and annoyance. I found out her office address from her and surprised her, in the middle of the street when she came out of her office...
She couldn't recognize me for a moment, partly because of my long hair and obviously she never expected me to be there in person, although I always joked I would be there to meet her one day.
Anyway, it took her mind a few moments to process everything, her eyes sparkled. I saw that familiar big smile on her face, but I had never seen her so happy before. She just leaped at me and hugged me tight. Holding her arms around my shoulders, she lifted her feet off the ground into the air, all her weight was on my neck.
As for me, I had never expected this reaction. I held on to her, lifted her and as if, it was a reflex, I turned around to complete a circle, like they do in the Bollywood movies. (Yeah lame, but that's how it was, I guess) Though, unlike the movies, there were no violins playing in the background. :P Only an invisible Mariachi band !

In those moments, I had forgotten where I was, who all were around us. It was just her and me and this feeling, that, ** everything I ever wanted in my life was there with me in my arms. ** I couldn't have asked for anything more from life, at that moment. Time seemed to have stopped, until I realized my neck couldn't bear her weight any longer and I had to put her down.
It was well past lunch time, so, on her insistence we walked around a mile over a flyover on the busy road to some small cafe(It was more of a Tea Place!) and ordered a glass of fresh lime soda. I still remember it like it was, just yesterday. She was pointing out at all the I-pills and condoms strewn on the road. (I have no clue, why!) And all I had cared about was cherishing each precious moment I had got spend with her.
In our myriad of conversations that day, she mentioned she had broken up with the guy in the previous city.
**Haan mann main ladoo phoota!** 
The waiter unlike the norm, handed the cheque to the lady. Even she insisted on footing the bill, since according to her she was earning now. So, it was her treat and I wouldn't want to contradict her wishes. :P
Too tired to carry on we decided to meet up the following day, which happened to be a holiday and to hangout together for a little longer.

For the next day, I had planned to give her another surprise, to confess about my feelings for her. It seemed to be the right time. I thought of taking her to a fine dining restaurant to make it special. Everything planned right to the last second.
Well, the next day, apart from being three hours late, she gave me a bigger  **surprise.** Turned out with Mr. Mini-me. (click on the link to refer to it) I decided to drop it for the moment. She never mentioned, she was seeing him and even me, being the ever optimistic fool, thought he just came along. (She did admit a week later!) I missed out on the "The Window" (if you didn't get it click on it)
So, asking her out was postponed, indefinitely, again. The day didn't have anything of much significance after that. But I had to wait for the events of "A Dream within a dream, Inception?", since she moved further away to another city.


Recap over: Coming back , to where we had left.
I had come back to the city chasing her. But before I was there, she got a project in some other city, like I mentioned before. So, I decided to take up a job to work my arse off,to earn and save every penny I could, to be able to give her another such surprise in her new city on her B'day and along with that, ask her out irrespective of what situation existed at that time. I had booked my air tickets, but the only two friends who knew her identity and the backdrop, then, advised me to meet her before that B'day surprise.
They said "it was too big a surprise and God forbid if it didn't go well, you would be in a different city, far off, without the knowledge of your family. No one you know, would be around. You should tell her when she is visiting her parent's and then carry on with the plan later. If her reaction is positive, she will be thriller bybtge surprise, when you decide to execute it."

I didn't want to listen to them, but I knew what they were saying had a lot of common sense.
So, here I was back in the city, which we both called home. After almost having resigned (okay, I just threatened my manager that, he wouldn't get many- no fuss overtime working morons like me) because my manager wouldn't approve my leave. He finally did get blackmailed, at the last moment. I had to rush to the airport the next morning caught in the city's (in)famous traffic snarl. I missed my flight, paid a fortune, got another flight ticket, because she would have left after her leaves were over, if I hadn't made it on time I would again be left without having confessed my feelings. It was difficult now, I had to tell her this time.
Now when I did reach home, much to the my parents' dismay, I just had a light snack and a bath and left home to meet her, immediately. I reached her place only to know that she was at the parlour and her mom called me over for tea. I went in, had a glass of water, gracefully declined the tea. A sudden feeling of guilt overcame me, I was about to ask this woman's offspring out, in a few minutes, wow!
I said goodbye, to her, to make a move towards the parlour. More guilt. Her brother turns up just as I was stepping out of the gate, wow, I'll be asking this chap's sister out in a few minutes.
I just made a wish in my mind,
** Dear lord, now please don't send her bapu(dad) too! **

That was, the only wish the Lord answered that day.(use wishes judiciously!)
I had to run to the parlour, it was late evening, we had little time before her mother's imposed curfew hours started. She was done with her hair cut and copper streaks. As soon as we stepped out on the street, her face lit up, she smiled and gave me a rather tight hug.
We went for coffee, followed by rolls, but I couldn't muster the courage to tell her. All my nervousness showed up in the photos we took that day and the obvious, worried expression I had carried all through the day. If it were any other random girl, I would have done it without flinching my eyes, the fact that she meant so much to me made it very difficult.

Her Mom called me,as her phone's battery had died. Curfew time was about to start. PANIC! We crossed the road and as always she was scared to do that and held my hand like she always used to, while crossing roads. We took an autorickshaw to her place. I couldn't have said all that in the brief autorickshaw ride, with Mr. Auto Maama staring at us from his mirror.
I was tense, ** Had I missed another opportunity? Did I just postpone it again? **

I was too nervous yet, I had to say it. It had been buried within me for too long. I had to let it out. It was either now or never.

Suddenly an idea occurred to me. I asked her to go up, keep her bags at home and come down to see me off, till the Cab (non-existent) that I had (never) booked came to pick me up. In the meanwhile, I called the first of the only three people who knew of her identity, to motivate me to say everything. My friend had just this to say, "No matter how it comes out, do it. Don't try to sound perfect. Just say whatever comes to your mind. Don't bombard her with I love you, the very first time. Best of luck!"

The story continues @ Dream, Secrets revealed – II (Click)

Red: A DREAM ride on the Metro

The story continues from @ The girl with the Yellow Bag (click)

It was one of those typically hot and humid monsoon evenings. Decked in formals, I felt suffocated and tired after a long day at work. Wondering when will I ever get that chauffeur driven Sarkari (Government) Ambassador (Indian car, symbolic of power in post-independence India) with a Red beacon.
For most, Audis, BMWs, Jaguars, Range Rovers were the benchmark and the list doesn’t end there. As for me, it was not all about money or material desires. It was about the power, the prestige and to some extent the self derived pride of using these to help those in need. For, it gives you a sense of satisfaction which can never be substituted by anything else. After all, there is no limit to keeping yourself happy by chasing money. The more you get, the more you desire. Although, I agree, money is important yet, it is not everything in life.


But in reality, here I was stuck in the so called  ‘software job’, swanky office, many young people of around my age, everyone getting paid decently for the enormous work we do yet, everyone frustrated with the work while the company rakes in millions if not billions at our expense.We are all software drones, much like the drones of a bee hive. Work our arse off all week long and at the end of the week enjoy a bit of honey (booze for most of us) and again back to life on Monday.
I am sorry, got carried away!
Anyway, back to the story. So this day, too tired to drive back on my scooty (yeah, you got it right not a bike, gears are painful in the city traffic) I hit the metro.
Yet again, more crowd, more people, more drones…. All of them getting back to their hives (one thing about India, there is no dearth of people at any place. You can literally find a small crowd overflowing, everywhere.)
Somehow, I made it inside the crowded metro with a herculean effort. One good thing about metros is, well, unlike the buses you have some pretty, beautiful and young section of the population, travelling along in the first compartment with their fragrance drifting on to the second one, where you can just relax, close your eyes and take a deep breath without worrying about sweaty smelly uncles. It at least lifts your spirits.

 After a few stations the crowd started to wane.I found the ever elusive seat! Any young, physically able guy getting a seat on the metro at the peak hours, is a rare divine blessing of sorts! I lost no time in conquering it. Now, I was rejoicing on my throne, like a newly crowned monarch. Now seated, I looked around.
Bang opposite me, was seated a girl with her long, beautiful, black tresses covering her face, they had copper streaks in between the dense black. Her head bent forward to peer into her phone, as she typed something frantically on the screen. For a moment, I thought it was her, that beautiful manifestation of my most memorable dreams. But, I knew my eyes were playing with me. This must be like those mirages I read about in school. As “she” was thousands of miles from here, I concluded my mind was playing tricks on me again. I noticed her red dress, ah my favourite colour. And since no other girl actually interested me, I didn't see a point in further checking this one out. So, I looked around for a while, observing everyone else as I normally do.


The problem was everyone was in their own world frantically if not fanatically, texting or listening or watching something on their mobile phones. Whatever happened to the real world? I really miss the 1990s, the pre-mobile invasion years.
Most people thought I had a relic of a phone because I was a baniya (Indian term for an Ebenezer Scrooge  kind of guy, no disrespect intended for the community !)  Well the reason was, I didn't want a phone to be my wife. Smart people have dumb phones. Dumb people have smart phones. (That is my perspective!)
I moved my gaze back to the girl in front of me, I could see her face now. A shiver went down my spine, I was stunned for a moment, it was her!
Those long black tresses, those expressive dark eyes and that exquisitely sculpted nose (perhaps a masterpiece by the great Pygmalion of yore, himself)
My heart skipped a beat. But, how??
She noticed my gaze upon her (somehow all girls have this sixth sense when someone is looking at them from any corner of their Line of Sight) she smiled faintly and got back to her mobile. For a moment I thought it was someone else judging by her reaction and what had come to pass, but I couldn’t be wrong in recognizing her. I kept looking at her trying to make eye contact. She again lifted her gaze, but didn't show any signs of recognizing me. 
I wondered why. I tried to be sure again, this girl had the same physique looked to be around the same height, although she had heels on. The short red dress with some frilly design made her stand out from the rest of the crowd(remember Schindler’s list? The girl in the red coat?) Not that I noticed anyone or anything else since my eyes met her. I had the same feeling of my senses getting numbed, as it always happens in her presence.

For what seemed like hours (but turned out actually a few minutes, going by my watch) we kept looking into each other’s eyes. Then a big smile emerged on her face and she got up and walked towards me. Almost as a reflex, I followed protocol and got up. She came close and hugged me. I didn't expect it ( boy this felt better than having a free blue label with unlimited snacks and some Cuban handmade cigars on a beach at the white sand beaches of a coral atoll)
“Stupid, didn't you recognize me? She said in a mocking tone.
To which I could just say, “Can I never, not recognize you? Why didn't you speak earlier?”
In her usual playful tone she responded "aise he mera mann kara" (Just like that, felt so.)
Suddenly she turned around to check the window "Oh ho, my station is here I need to go! Will see you later"
I happened to receive a brief hug (okay, this felt great, could we not just keep doing this all day long?) Disoriented by all these sudden turn of events I barely managed to blurt out, "When will that be? I mean, when are we meeting then?"                                             
                                         
She stepped out of the door, smiled " soon, very soon" the doors, then started sliding close to obstruct my view of her, yet, I could still see her through the glass panel on the door. And as the train made a move, she faded away from my vision till all around me was just darkness. The dream had come to an end.

Hey! It was not an ordinary dream. It came true, a few weeks later. She happened to visit me. She was in red and I didn’t want it to end the way the dream did, so, managed to get a bouquet of red roses and a car (which was slightly expensive. Yeah, I am a born baniya, not by caste!). I had the best weekend of my working career till date. Although, it was just a couple of hours and a brief dinner.
Oh, and got that good bye “Hug”. ;)

The story continues @ A Dream within a dream, Inception? (Click)