.. He was a chubby kid, chubbier than me, he climbed up the ladder as I stood below scared to climb it even though I was 2 years older than him. After around half an hour he came down and told me how the first floor of our house looked...
.. I flipped the page, it was 5:30 in the evening I hadn't yet studied many things that I wanted to study. I heard a knock on the door, when I opened the door he was standing outside the room, he had a plate with cheese sandwich/pizza kind of thing,' Why dont u eat this' he said and gave me the sandwich. He was good at concocting delicious snacks...
.. I centered the cycle in the verandah and we started the badminton rally. It was fun to play long rallies. It was one of the forms of excercise I liked. When there were more guys we would make teams and play cricket. Being the only girl and playing cricket with 4-5 guys was not a problem :)...
.. we both pressed the keys hard, the game of tetris was almost like a war. It was the only 2 player game I could play well on the computer...
.. 'I can't wait for you to go away' he told her, 'I am waiting to go too' I snapped back. After I left, I realised how much I missed him and home. 'I go nuts in this house, it is too lonely' he told me. I could survive alone in the house, I loved it there, I had been alone there for many hours...
.. 'nothing bad can happen to us', I once told him, in an attempt to reassure him, I guess I was trying hard to convince myself the same thing.
.. 'so what are the specifications' I asked him. He gave me the specification and I wrote the program in 5 minutes and gave it to him, explaining everything that I had done. '.. u r a genius' he said. I had heard that from others too. I felt great when I could help him. I had helped many people study, do their projects, homeworks and assignments. Helping him and making him happy gave me a high that nothing else did. It was my duty I felt to help him and protect him...
.. I carefully selcted the shirts and t-shirts for him after asking my friend to try them on. I had picked a game of Battleship earlier during the week, we used to play that at our cousin's place and I knew he would love it. My friends teased me, '..tera bhai hai to kya shana hai woh'. I knew that my trip back home was going to be a big distraction for him, with his exams approaching, but he had asked me to extend my stay.' Dont do natak ok' he told me,'just shut up and stay for a week more'. I agreed and extended my ticketing...
.. he drove to the airport to pick me up and missed college that day. 6 weeks later after his exam he drove to the airport to say bye to me. He made it in time, he hadn't eaten the whole day...
There are moments when he had disappointed me and moments when he suprised me. We had stood by each other during the tough moments, celebrated each others happy moments and voiced our fears to each other. I don't want to sound too corny, but I hope he becomes really successful in whatever he does. I want him to have the best in life, because I think he deserves it....
Monday, November 30, 2009
But bubble burst...
A mechanical engineer from an engineering college in India, worked in in different parts of the country, Amhedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Durgapur, Mysore. He decided that Bangalore would be the city to settle down and start his family. Now he was 17 years into his dream.
He had done everything right till now. He had an independent house in the best locality. An apartment which provided a secondary source of income. A business which he ran well. A wife who adored him, and whom he adored too. He had a daughter and a son, both were doing well academically and they had a good sense of what was right and what was wrong. He had good relations with his siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles as well as his wives relatives. A perfect family. He had only one health problem, blood pressure. He kept that under control. He had fulfilled most of his dream. He was a role model for many people. He knew it and he often smiled to himself when he thought about it. He hadn't inherited wealth unlike others he knew. He had many friends and his exposure to various lifestyles had given him a humbleness that many people he knew lacked. His hard work with god's grace had brought him here. Gardening was his passion he sprayed water all over his garden on Sundays. He played plenty of games with kids, it brought the kid out in him too. He wanted to build an old age home. He often told his wife that they would live in an old age home and be independent of their kids, it seemed more practical for them to live in their apartment and rent the bungalow. He didn't think of when to build that , but it was on his agenda. Right now he could do make more money, save some and lead a better lifestyle. He liked to live life king size. His kids studied at the best school, and every week they would go out to eat at least once. When he was a kid, he had been raised by his grandmother initially, she had taken him to watch several movies. He made it a point to watch movies in the theater. Even if it meant spending double the ticket price. He planned at least one family holiday a year, sometimes they would join his siblings and friends.
He had it all planned out. He didn't tell anyone what was on his mind for the future though. He would draw geometric patterns and ponder as to what would happen next. He assumed he would be there for a long time and achieve all his dreams, take care of his wife and kids..... but the bubble burst.
He had done everything right till now. He had an independent house in the best locality. An apartment which provided a secondary source of income. A business which he ran well. A wife who adored him, and whom he adored too. He had a daughter and a son, both were doing well academically and they had a good sense of what was right and what was wrong. He had good relations with his siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles as well as his wives relatives. A perfect family. He had only one health problem, blood pressure. He kept that under control. He had fulfilled most of his dream. He was a role model for many people. He knew it and he often smiled to himself when he thought about it. He hadn't inherited wealth unlike others he knew. He had many friends and his exposure to various lifestyles had given him a humbleness that many people he knew lacked. His hard work with god's grace had brought him here. Gardening was his passion he sprayed water all over his garden on Sundays. He played plenty of games with kids, it brought the kid out in him too. He wanted to build an old age home. He often told his wife that they would live in an old age home and be independent of their kids, it seemed more practical for them to live in their apartment and rent the bungalow. He didn't think of when to build that , but it was on his agenda. Right now he could do make more money, save some and lead a better lifestyle. He liked to live life king size. His kids studied at the best school, and every week they would go out to eat at least once. When he was a kid, he had been raised by his grandmother initially, she had taken him to watch several movies. He made it a point to watch movies in the theater. Even if it meant spending double the ticket price. He planned at least one family holiday a year, sometimes they would join his siblings and friends.
He had it all planned out. He didn't tell anyone what was on his mind for the future though. He would draw geometric patterns and ponder as to what would happen next. He assumed he would be there for a long time and achieve all his dreams, take care of his wife and kids..... but the bubble burst.
The girl's picture
The hall was filled with people in different colors, shapes and sizes. The ladies were wearing their silks, and the gentleman wore formals. The hosts smiled, they had hoped the function would turn out well. It wasn't an occasion that had to be celebrated in such a grand manner but they decided to do so nonetheless. Some people were meeting each other after several years. Everyone had something to say to the people they met. In a corner she was sitting with her cousin and discussing the events that were planned for the rest of the day. She had been assigned the task of making several people feel comfortable, something like a public relations manager. She enjoyed doing this. So far everything had been perfect, better than she thought it would be.
Someone tapped her on her shoulder and she spun around to see who it was. He stood there with a grin on his face, she was very surprised she hadn't expected him to come at all. He was a very busy person, she blushed and smiled at him. She was meeting him after 2 years. Earlier they had been close to best friends, and every time they met they would amuse everyone with their arguments and discussions. Slowly each of them had drifted into their own worlds and they hadn't managed to communicate as much. She had attended many events and functions in the last 2 years, but he hadn't attended them.
They both started exchanging their stories 2 years had been a long time. They had kept touch about each other through common friends, but they continued to listen to the stories all over again. She heard her name being called there was some work to do. They had been talking for nearly an hour, she excused herself and resumed her duties.
He had to tell her something very important yet and he waited patiently for her to come back. She was his good friend and his confidante. She had stood by him and encouraged him all the time, while he was played any sport she cheered for him, when they went to the movies they would pass comments about everything, she would see silly movies all over again with him if he hadn't seen them, she had studied with him while he prepared for his entrance exams, helped him shop for his friends, and took good care of him. She reasoned everything out with him, she was an amazing person. He had stood by her and supported her during all her tough moments, he could say the word 'tough', because unlike him, she had worked hard always, she was from a middle class family in India. Her folks had brought her up with good values. She carried her own bags, and did as she pleased, she didn't attract attention but a conversation with her left a person thinking or amused. She was independent and strong. She was the heart of her family. He was the same to his family. They both wanted to be rich and successful and it was easier for him than her.
They had discussed everything, including expectations from a life partner, they both had agreed that arranged marriages were ideal and that mostly they would have arranged marriages.
He heard her click her fingers and she pulled him out of his thoughts. They both went to eat and they updated each other through the meal. After the meal they decided to sit outside for a while. She told him that he had changed in the last 2 years, he agreed with her and told her that he had found the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She didn't pry further and told him that she was happy for him. He described the girl. She finally asked him if his parents knew about this, he said no, he wanted to tell her first as he needed a friend to help him at such a point. She said it wouldn't be right for her to break such news to his parents or anyone else for that matter, and that he must do so on his own. She wished him the best of luck and promised to keep in touch. He asked her if she wanted to see the girl's picture, and she said she would like that a lot. He showed her his wallet with the picture in it. She smiled after seeing the picture and her eyes were moist with tears.
Someone tapped her on her shoulder and she spun around to see who it was. He stood there with a grin on his face, she was very surprised she hadn't expected him to come at all. He was a very busy person, she blushed and smiled at him. She was meeting him after 2 years. Earlier they had been close to best friends, and every time they met they would amuse everyone with their arguments and discussions. Slowly each of them had drifted into their own worlds and they hadn't managed to communicate as much. She had attended many events and functions in the last 2 years, but he hadn't attended them.
They both started exchanging their stories 2 years had been a long time. They had kept touch about each other through common friends, but they continued to listen to the stories all over again. She heard her name being called there was some work to do. They had been talking for nearly an hour, she excused herself and resumed her duties.
He had to tell her something very important yet and he waited patiently for her to come back. She was his good friend and his confidante. She had stood by him and encouraged him all the time, while he was played any sport she cheered for him, when they went to the movies they would pass comments about everything, she would see silly movies all over again with him if he hadn't seen them, she had studied with him while he prepared for his entrance exams, helped him shop for his friends, and took good care of him. She reasoned everything out with him, she was an amazing person. He had stood by her and supported her during all her tough moments, he could say the word 'tough', because unlike him, she had worked hard always, she was from a middle class family in India. Her folks had brought her up with good values. She carried her own bags, and did as she pleased, she didn't attract attention but a conversation with her left a person thinking or amused. She was independent and strong. She was the heart of her family. He was the same to his family. They both wanted to be rich and successful and it was easier for him than her.
They had discussed everything, including expectations from a life partner, they both had agreed that arranged marriages were ideal and that mostly they would have arranged marriages.
He heard her click her fingers and she pulled him out of his thoughts. They both went to eat and they updated each other through the meal. After the meal they decided to sit outside for a while. She told him that he had changed in the last 2 years, he agreed with her and told her that he had found the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She didn't pry further and told him that she was happy for him. He described the girl. She finally asked him if his parents knew about this, he said no, he wanted to tell her first as he needed a friend to help him at such a point. She said it wouldn't be right for her to break such news to his parents or anyone else for that matter, and that he must do so on his own. She wished him the best of luck and promised to keep in touch. He asked her if she wanted to see the girl's picture, and she said she would like that a lot. He showed her his wallet with the picture in it. She smiled after seeing the picture and her eyes were moist with tears.
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