Stuck, really?

The wind outside was so strong it could only mean two things. One, there was no way they could leave for their homes now. Two, they were now going to have to wait it out together. That meant they had to talk more. It would only get painful from here on. After all, it was supposed to be just for an hour. Anything more than that, they weren’t prepared for.

So, this looks like it will keep us in for sometime now, eh?
Yes, so it seems. More tea for you?
Yes, a Darjeeling for me.
You seem to choose all kinds.
Yes, don’t I?
So, you are telling me this is it? Its happening for real.
Yes, its happening and we are witnessing it, aren’t we?
Hmmm..
It is totally wrong though, it is not going according to the plans at all, not my plans atleast.
Maybe you wont say it after a few years..
Yes, maybe I wont. But even that will happen because today, this happened.
It feels miserable being this, I hope you know that.
And imagine how miserable it is, to be this.

Your tea.

The rain was now pouring, and the windows were a dark black. The rain was coming down with such ferocity that she couldn’t see more than a blur. The blur had extended its reach though; it had inched its way into her heart and mind.

There was a point after which the games didn’t matter anymore. Where it would be nice to know just where one was headed. But it was not to be the case, ever. She sipped a long wishful sip from her cup.

Do you realize nature wants us to sit here, together?
Nature has wanted that before, with other people too.
Yeah, but never has it literally stopped one from going apart from each other. Like today.
Is this a sign, you think? She smiled warmly at him.
Yes! It is a sign, don’t you see it too?
I have got an umbrella too, so I guess even that is a sign.
Well, alright.
Hey, I was being a little light headed, don’t mind, ok.
No, I am numbing down now, it works after a while, when you cant hear the rain or your thoughts.

The feeling was this thick in the air and yet, it couldn’t be tasted. They had spoken too much and yet, not enough. They needed a lifetime and they had an hour.

And the tea was over.

Birthday Blues!

It was his birthday and I decided to go a little out of my way. Only a little. There are reasons to that. Mainly because its long distance and there is a big chance things might lose their way in between. And secondly, he is a guy, and only these many things appeal to him, my options were less. So I did what I did best. I wrote him a letter. A brilliant hand written one. I told him he is perfect (overdid that part) and how things are totally different from what you expect them to be mostly. Like when I found him. Never had thought a vegetarian Jain boy with a very religious family fit into my scheme of things. And they somehow do, and very happily so. I astonish myself when I catch myself thinking fondly of the trip to his place, with all the love from his family, all the movie watching, greeting relatives, even wearing sarees! Phew! And it just fits. Wow!

I also took out a very old card I had bought from Hallmark, almost a decade back. Those were the days when I was a loner, mostly growing up and getting to know the world on my own. Had seen a card with a wrinkled newspaper with a crossword on its front that said ‘A friend is someone who is with you in your ups, downs and across!’ had absolutely loved the old charm it had and ever since, kept waiting to give it to someone. No one really fit the bill. But then he did and I wrote his name on the card and put it with the letter.

Next I went looking for a gift, in the more conventional way. Shirts, perfumes and I was done. I am trying really hard but I just cant get to like shopping. It bugs me and there are too many expectations! Why is silk in and khadi out? Why are baggy clothes never in? what is wrong with a big dial watch for me? I will never have the wisdom fashionable girls have, I guess.

Anyway, coming back to the gift hunting, I headed to Om book shop like it was my second nature and looked over books. Got my final Twilight book and then rummaged some more. I know he likes biographies, especially of really successful people, he read the speech of the Apple guy like a few fifty times and looked as inspired as a fresh orange does. And at the biography section, I saw a smiling Obama from the book called ‘Dreams of My Father’. Bingo!
Now that was my story.



He got the gift three days late, thanks to the fog and the sleet and ofcourse the distance. And once he opened it, he rejoiced. And umm, that’s all. On the phone he went, ‘Wow! Thanks so much, it was a beautiful thing to do. I promise I will read it. It reached today though…hehehe..really, I had no idea…you are too cute, you know I don’t read much and I think you will make sure I become a reader like you! Thanks!!’

Now, I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. I mean some of it, I wanted to hear, but I am kind of unsure. I thought he will be surprised, and he was. But it was like he was very happy only, like it was a sort of a thing that was obvious to him, almost expected from me. Surprise wasn’t it. Since when did I get so predictable?

I hate waiting another year.