tryingdxtramile

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Vasanth & Meera- Memoirs II

                                                                 The Last Mail

            While, Vasanth was crusing at a speed of  850km/hr in airbus A330, somewhere below 35,000 ft, birds were chirping to welcome dawn and a new day. Despite early hours of dawn, few men and women were excited and moved with alacrity in the massive hall. The stage in the hall, proved to be the centre of attraction of everyone. It's no wonder the wedding stage received such praises, white lilies and roses stole the show. The velvet board behind the stage had white letters embedded on it,

                                                           "Ajay weds Meera"
 
         A young lady clad in a beautiful saree took rapid strides moving past corridors to knock on the door. Meera opened the door, leaving it half open to welcome the lady.

"Didn't you shower?? The beautican will be here anytime, so get your shower done. Aunty asked for the wardrobe keys?"

Meera gave the keys, after fiddling in her purse for a while. "Get the mugurtha sari for me, Archana"

"Aunty has asked the keys to get you the sari and jewels. Today is a big day in your life, isn't Meera??? I still remember my marriage day, which was an year back. It gives me goosebumps even now"

"You are right, Archu!! I can't believe that I'm here, after all the turmoil I've been through in the last few weeks."

"grrrhhh!! Keep those thoughts out of your mind and look for a new beginning" said Archana, giving a pat on Meera's cheek and left her with loneliness.

       The laptop screen was lying in the bed, along with the undone fleece and pillows. Meera came from her shower, with water dripping from her hair. She sat down on the bed and was staring the screen. While there's was a whirlpool in her mind, which was clearly seen from her nervous fingers. After a dilemma, she logged on to her gmail account and typed 'V' in her address book. The sight of Vasanth's email address made her cry with tears rolling down her cheeks.

                                                    vasanthmeera@gmail.com  

Dear Vasanth

           When you are reading this, most things in my life would have changed, just like my surname. I'm not sure if I had done the right thing, but I know there's no turning back. If there was a beautiful period in my life, then it would be the moments I had spent with you. In fact, I lived those moments by smiles and silent cries. You were the one, who painted rainbows and gifted butterflies in my life. Every time when sorrow or grief was engulfing me, you were there to give me a warm hug and whisper in my ears "Don't worry sweetie, I'm here for you"

           My palms are longing to hold your cheek and blissful smile. Eternity was never far away, when you carved a beautiful kiss on the tip of my nose. I'm searching for your words and warmth of your chest in the air. I wasn't given a chance, but only a choice to choose between two journeys. I was torn between the love for you and my parents. For all that you have given me, I returned you with hatred and pain. You rode into hell, leaving heaven for me to explore and cherish. 

               My heaven has no glory without you and your heart beat. Once I walk out of the door, there's new world waiting for me. A world which is ready to maul and trounce me, for the silly acts, which I'm about to perform. Even though they were silly, you termed them as divine. Nothing can abate my love for you; this was our first step in a beautiful relationship, that had a brief hiatus. We are meant to do this forever, getting lost in each other's arms and waiting for the time to tickle on. 

                 No matter what happens, I'll come for you in another life and plead for all my sins. I miss you,Vasanth.

Yours,
Sweetie

               The cursor stood next to the send tab, waiting for Meera to push on it. Her mind was racing through the plethora of events that had happened in the last two weeks and how she was pushed to this marriage. She wanted to take her mind off from this, but she couldn't do that. Finally, she decided it was time to move on and clicked the delete tab. There was a knock on her door,

                    It was Meera's mom, with the muhurtha sari in her hand and a heavy make up to cover up the wrinkles on her face. "Meera !!! Oh!!! you look so pretty ! Ajay is going to be blown off by you. Here's the sari, I'll help you to wear it!"

"Amma ! I can do it by myself"

"I know how you would make a mess out of it, do you remember Shasidaran's daughter marriage? Oh my God!! Most of the function, I was worried, if your sari might fall off!!"

                 Meera wanted some solace, but her mom was stubborn in trying to help her to wear the sari. With her mind wavering, the kanchipuram sari draped her. Finally, when she was done with her make up and costumes, she hugged her mom.

"I know what's in your mind, kanna!! you have done the right thing, Meera!

"I guess so, amma!!"

                   The room was filled with blanketing silence and tears from Meera's eyes rolled on to her mom's neck. She carefully wiped off the tears using a tissue and stepped out of the door for her new world.

Tears of Vasanth

                      The world looked haunted and deserted for Vasanth. Hong Kong airport was massive, with huge glass windows lined up from the floor to ceiling. He caught his image on the window panes and tried to focus on his face midst the huge Boeing flight across the glass. He can't believe that his life has taken rapid turns in the last month. Everything started with the text messages, he has sent to Meera and one fine day, hell broke loose when he got a call from Meera. She was crying over the phone and Vasanth never saw what was coming,

"Vasanth !! Daddy is...  appa is .. !! ... " cried Meera, with words mumbling in panic.

"Meera!! hey! what happened ?? Is uncle alright? 

"No!! he isn't! he is admitted in a hospital ! They say he had a heart attack!! " sobbed Meera.

"Shit!! he was okay, even a week before!"

" I guess, he saw the text messages. He never spoke to me for two days!"

"Hang on! Don't panic! Everything is gonna be alright, I'll be there in few minutes."

"No! No Vasanth!! it's not !! I'm afraid, I might lose him."

"Cha!! stop that!! I've started, I'm coming , it will be okay, sweetie"

"Vasanth, it's all because of your text messages !! shouted Meera, with her voice becoming cacophonous with cries.

"what does this have to do with me?? you were stupid enough to keep it in your mobile, without deleting it!! Don't throw the blame on me, Meera."

"Perfect!! I'm stupid to trust you ! I'm stupid to think, that I can find solace in you. What else??  I'm stupid enough to stick myself with a loser like you!!!"

        Vasanth remembered how the call and her meetings with Meera came to an abrupt end. he thought about the blunder he made on that day, by arguing with her at the wrong time. He tried to reach her, but she never wanted to. He cursed under his breath and wore a grim look with fever of desperation clouding him, when he thought about her. Without the slightest hint of calmness, he fiddled in his pocket and flipped his phone. He browsed through the messages and finally laid his eyes on Meera's text. He was staring at her message and felt her voice spilling the words around him,


"We need to talk Vasanth. Meet me at our usual spot by 2.30 p.m." 

With the previous episode and the heated argument still fresh in his memory, he reached there on time. He didn't want to piss her by making her wait. Meera was already sitting there, relaxed and calm smile . He wondered, how could girls make mess in someone's life and still appear like a Zen Master.


"I'm really sorry, Meera! I shouldn't have spoken to you like that on the phone."

"Can't you come little early, Vasanth?"

"What?? I wasn't late, you asked me to come by 2.30 and I was here on time."

"It doesn't mean that you have to be here by 2.30 p.m. You could have come earlier!"

"Look, Meera!  I don't want to argue with you. How's uncle?"

"He is okay and they have discharged him from hospital"

   Vasanth leaved a sigh of relief, " That's good news, I'm relieved now"

"Vasanth, I'm getting engaged next month." said Meera with a straight face.

  The words felt like a blow on his face, to make him immobile. He felt difficult to swallow with a lump of distress in his throat. He wasn't sure if he had heard the right words or if he was hallucinating. 

"Meera! are you serious?? How can you do this ? I .. i can't .." mumbled Vasanth and choked for words. He knew he was going to cry, but felt ashamed to do that in front of a girl. He managed to control his anger and grief by clenching his sweat palms into a fist.

"I'm not kidding. He is an IIM graduate, working in America"

"Fuck... fuckkk!!! bull shitt!!" shouted Vasanth

"Stop swearing at me!! I'm torn between the love for you and my appa. I can't stand the sight of him suffering".

" Meera! I know how it is, I'll talk to uncle, we can sort things, please. Don't take decisions in a haste, I can't believe a world without you"

"Nothing is gonna change, appa trusts me so much and I can't break his heart again. I can't lose him for you"

"I'm not asking you to desert your dad.. please Meera!! I want you in my life, there can't be anything beautiful than you".

" You are worried only about you, but I want my folks to be happy. Do you know how it feels to watch your dad crumbling? I've seen it. It's all over, Vasanth"

"No, it's not over Meera!" before Vasanth could speak, Meera stood up,

"I'm sorry, Vasanth. You deserve a better girl than me. I'll miss you"

             The speakers came alive, with the airlines announcing the boarding gate information for Melbourne flight. Before he could recover from that memory, a gentle hand gripped his shoulder, followed by a familiar voice, "If you are going to stand like this and cry, you are most likely to miss your flight".

Welcome to Australia

                    Vasanth turned to find the old man from his earlier flight standing next to him. Embarrassment and anger grew within him; he shoved the old man's hands, to walk towards the gate 61. The old man gave a half smile and slowly walked towards the gate to join Vasanth. After an agonizing wait in the queue, he entered the flight and occupied a seat in the aisle located in the middle. To his horror, the old man sat in his adjacent aisle, close to him, but not as bad as sitting next to him.
                     
"I saw you were crying and I know what's eating you, my boy. Do you want to know, what mistake you are doing? "said the man, turning towards Vasanth.

Vasanth didn't know what to make out of this guy, but he felt he had done enough to piss him. After all he has done to the old man, he still wanted to offer him something. In all these days, every schmuck on this planet were giving him advice and offering condolences for his loss. Perhaps, he thought there's nothing he could lose by hearing to what he says,

"Do you reckon so?? Please enlighten me by your teachings"

"hahaha.. I know you don't like me, but still I'll tell you something. You can't get your girlfriend and the dumping incident out of your mind, isn't?"

"Yes!! Do you think I didn't know that?? Tell me something else"

"The problem is you are trying to forget her, put her thoughts out of your mind. The biggest hurdle for you is her and if you can't leap that hurdle, better by pass that. Do you get what I' saying?"

"Go on... I'm listening"

"You want your mind to be devoid of her thoughts and your memories. Trust me, it's not gonna happen. If you have loved someone so much, you can't just wipe them out in an overnight and say I'm done. Then it's going to be just lust"

So far, this guy appeared like a schmuck with some trivial thoughts. Now, he saw something valuable in him and shifted himself to listen keenly.

"I have trouble talking to you like this, twisting myself at an awkward angle, shall I move next to you?" smiled the old man.

"Yup! Promise me, you won't ask me any questions after sitting with me!"

"Deal, young man!!" the old man held his thumb up in recognition and settled next to Vasanth making a loud noise.

"Where was I?

"By passing the hurdle...  the lust thing..."

"ya.. You passed the litmus test by overcoming the situation, now you have to live with her memories.

"For how long ?? You don't understand what I'm going through?"

"I appreciate that. Perhaps her memories will be with you until you die, but you need to find something that keeps your mind away from that. It could be your hobbies, career or anything. Now that you have research, put your thoughts in that and do some constructive work"

"It's easier said, than done"

"I know.. The world is only for the guys who strive towards their dream and you are exactly in the right path towards it. Hey.. let me ask you something, if you don't mind"

"Sure! go on"

"What did your girlfriend get up to?? marriage??"

"yup.. She's getting married to guy in America, MBA degree.. H1B Visa, Times square.. flashy isn't??"

"Nahh!! These guys sell diapers and tissue rolls. I guess who are doing a lot better"

                 Vasanth laughed after a very long time at the old man's dark humor. He saw a twinkle in the old man's eyes and this talk meant a lot to him. This might not heal his wounds; at least it would alleviate his pain.

"What's your name Sir?"

"Some people call me 'God'

"What?? are you serious?"

"Jokes apart, my name is Devan, which literally means 'God'. So I'm God"

"Thank you, God"

       Devan brushed Vasanth's hair, as a sign of acceptance and went back to his seat. The storm that was battering Vasanth's heart was abating now; he saw signs of recovery and his eyes closed slowly to embrace the much needed sleep. The flight cruised in the silent hours of the morning towards Melbourne.

              The skyscrapers seem to grow in size as the flight landed with a thud, before coming to halt. Excitement grew within Vasanth, when he saw the mighty city sprawled across the flight windows. The sunshine gave him a quick boost to his drooping eyelids. Hefty guys in black scanned his backpack and checked the Visa papers. With all the formalities completed, he moved across the sliding doors with his baggage.

                   Vasanth was expecting someone from his university to pick him from airport. He was looking for his name board in the small group of people and managed to spot his surname. To his surprise, he found a smiling Indian lady, holding the name board and a small girl with a bunch of flowers.

"Hi, I'm Vasanth, from India"

"Hey! I'm Anuradha. How was your flight ?"

"It was good and exhausting. By the way, is she your daughter? how old is she?"

"Oh!! Yup, she is 7 years old! I forgot about the flowers" smiled Anuradha. "Pinky, give the flowers to Vasanth uncle"

             Vasanth felt a bit weird, when he was addressed as 'uncle'. The little girl resembled a Barbie doll  with a pink outfit, holding white lilies. The little index finger was safely inside her mouth and she gave the flowers to him.

"That was so sweet. What's your name dear?"

             She eyed her mom and with a hint of shyness, "Meera! Welcome to Australia, uncle"

The pleasant shock rattled Vasanth and gave a half smile. "You made my day Meera" and he kissed the little girl.



Author's Note:

               I thank all my friends and few loyal readers for travelling with me in this journey. The whole month of July had been eventful with Vasanth & Meera. When I published my first part, I was thrilled to read the comments. Most people saw themselves in my characters and I think my success lies in it. To all those who have contributed towards this, I owe my sincere gratitude. Of course, the major share of this story's credit goes to her. Thank you, Sweetie!








            












6 comments:

  1. Couldn't ask for a better sequel to the story.... :-) Precise yet effective... Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. its look lke something happened in india before u left.... :P good work anna.. but next time while using my name get my permission

    ReplyDelete