My thougts...

Note: Based on a true incident I witnessed in a London local train.


      It’s always a delight to watch them compete with each other to overtake; they seem to have their own brain as they knew where to take me making the ground slide under me. Nicely covered with my polished shoes and with the help of ironed blazer they were trying to remind my mind on an energetic setoff for Monday morning. I was hijacked by the coziness of my duvet I suppose as I was feeling hatred towards this job and wished that the weekend had to be longer. The hot water shower, the train journey in the past twenty minutes did have their impact on my body but it couldn't stop my mind from wandering in its own world, pondering over silly but funny thoughts.

      My feet halted, as I waited on the platform of Euston Square station for the train. The count of people on the platform keeps rising every second. As the train stopped for its one minute halt at the station, people started boarding the train - every foot trying to be swift, every eye looking for some room. I got in the train and was raising my hand trying to reach the support rod. Standing journey is not much uncomfortable when we know the journey is only for 15 minutes. As I was about to relax my muscles which have been in action till now, I suddenly noticed a lady getting up from the seat next to the window. Taking no time to wonder why she got up very late to exit at this station, I quickly moved forward to occupy the seat.

     Taking a deep breath, I looked at the people around while I made myself comfortable in the seat. Men and women in formal wears, some reading newspapers, some discussing business, some looking nowhere with their eyes clearly indicating that they were prepared for the challenges they’d face today in their work. I always wondered how people stop living their life as soon as they start for office.

      I leant back and was about close my eyes when I realized what I missed in the panorama. My mind came out of all the thoughts and my eyes opened a bit wider as I suddenly noticed the girl sitting right in front of me. She is not like the other people. She looked lost in some thoughts. I can sense a change in my heart beat. Did my mind identify something in her? Is it because she is unlike others and more like me?

     My eyes quickly turned towards the window as they sensed her eyes turning towards me. Did she know that I was watching her? Why does this mind keep questioning me for every little thought? I kept gazing at the window. But I could see nothing. My heart didn't want my eyes to turn away from her. As my mind gained its consciousness I realized my eyes are again watching her. It happened again. I turned my eyes away from her as she turned her eyes on me. This continued for a while and both our eyes started playing hide and seek.

     I slowly started gaining courage. I was looking at her and she again turned her sight at me. I didn't move away this time. I continued to look at her. Her eyes narrowed a little and her eyebrows slightly furrowed showing a little surprise. Within a few seconds, her eyebrows relaxed and her lips began to widen (smile).

     Now that’s where I thought she encouraged me. I thought for a while. But, before I realized what I was doing, my hands have already reached hers. She didn’t resist my moves neither she looked into my eyes. I held her hands and closed my eyes as I felt some bond between us. It was then that I had a push from my wonderland when I heard “Liverpool St. Station” – it was my destination. We raised our eyes to look at each other and we never knew when our lips met but they met to create that feeling in our hearts. The train reached the station, I looked at her again as I alighted the train. I waited till the train left and looked at her watching me through the glass waving me good-bye.

      For few moments, I was in an altogether wonderful world of flowered fragrance on the railway station watching the train disappear from my eyes into the mist… Even my feet which were supposed to take off immediately to office as earlier days, were not interested to do so. I somehow hoped she would get down at the next station and come back to me. I wanted to wait indefinitely but I was a human being bound by practical values. But my mind was amazed at my behavior; it posed several questions as I walked towards my office.
 
What exactly happened between us?
 
What’s this mischievous wonderful feeling tickling my heart?
 
How would her voice sound?
 
And among all others, the most important question,
 
 
“Who is she?”
 

Whenever I hear the word ‘FRIENDSHIP DAY’, the next thing that comes to my mind is 6th August 2006 (Friendship day of that year). That is the most memorable one for me. Probably that is also an important day in the lives of 4 more people.



4 yrs back...

It was the last day of our engineering. For the last few months, though we were tensed about the exams and project, all our friends were busy in taking countless photos trying to capture as many memories as possible and trying to spend more jolly time with friends to build more and more memories. Finally the last day arrived.21st April 2006. All our classmates sat in the college ground and chit chatted for some time. Then everyone decided to stay back in the same town till the end of the month. As they have already payed the rents till end of the month, they have no issues. So... no classes, no exams. We have all the 24 hours of the day to spend as we wish. Each of the 9 days was a celebration.

The next day all of us went to a beach. After returning we met somewhere else the next day. The meeting spot might change but we all used to meet everyday. One day we had a picnic in the fields in the outskirts of the town, one day we all met in a park, one day all of the friends visited my home in the afternoon and my friend Kiran’s home in the evening ( both of us belong to same town. Others are from different places). Besides these meetings whenever someone is leaving to home, the entire gang used to go the railway station or the bus stop. We were never bothered that it was a public place. Crying before the train or bus starts, hugging each others and bidding farewell was a common scene.

After 9 wonderful days, all of them left except the localites. After spending 2 weeks at home , meeting Kiran now and then, I left to hyderabad to learn JAVA. Staying in my grand ma’s house, I used to..... strictly wake up in the morning every day, get ready, travel in an auto for some distance and on foot for some more, sit in a conjusted place in one of those ameerpet institutes where they teach for 250 people in a single room... and sleep (don’t ask me how much I learnt ;) ) After the class, I used to call my friend Harsha who used to live in a hostel near the institute. We used to roam around the city on his bike till we get bored. And then I reach home and start chit chatting on my mobile. This was my routine. With the help of ‘hutch’ plan of 49 paise per call and 2 paise for SMS, my life was passing so happy and joyful. As I was already recruited to infy, I never bothered to study 

May be because I used to meet atleast one of my friends everyday , or may be as I used talk to many of my friends either on phone or through SMS, I never missed my friends. After few months my friends slowly started joining their jobs or starting abroad for higher studies. Again I started feeling sad. I started worrying that I too am going to get into the so called ‘mechanical life’. At that time I heard that 6th of august is going to be ‘friendship day’. Till that time whenever I heard or read about friendship day, I never gave a thought about it. But this time my thoughts were different. I should do something , atleast on this day, before I join my job! But what to do? I have to send a mail to all of my friends on the day...Naa! That day every one sends an e-greating or an old piece of poetry which has been circulating in mails since ages. Then what to do.. what about calling all of my friends and wishing them personally? Sounds good. But still not satisfactory. Then came a thought on my mind.



I started with Aravind. My opinion about him when I saw him as one of the bright and sincere students in the call in the 1st year, the day when we met for the first time, the things that we spoke for the first time, the way our friendship grew, the important and interesting incidents that happened between us, the places we roamed together, the things we did together, the gossips that we talked endlessly, his habits, the things that come on my mind as soon as I think of thim... I started penning down everthing I could remember about him. My plan was to send all these to him on the friendship day. Once this was ready, I started writing about Harsha. And then Roopa, Bhargavi. At the end of each mail I wrote “I am writing these not just to remind you of all these incidents. But to save all these memories. I will open this mail on every friendship day. I hope you too do the same.” After seeing their replies filled with surprise , excitement and lot of happiness, I have no words to describe how I felt.

The first reply I received was from Aravind.

"i am veryveryveryveryvery much happy to see this mail and this made me to think all our days we had before made my eyes filled with those memorable moments which we had during those engg days.and hope we meet once again.
i am shocked to this surely i will keep this with me for ever and i will see this mail now and then ."

Roopa called me as soon as she read my mail. I could sense a great excitement in her voice. “Praveen I am very happy. I really glad to know that u remember everything since our first conversation. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Bhargavi mailed me once after seeing this mail and again after a few days. “Last time I couldn’t read it with complete attention in the university. Today I could read it completely. How could you remember every little thing? I am stunned to see this”

The best response I received was from Harsha. His mail was the longest. It was almost like his diary written by me. He was in US. He was very sad to leave his family and friends , staying alone. He wrote “Buddy I started reading this and couldn’t resist crying. I really can’t control myself if I read it completely”. He again mailed after few days saying “I read it completely. It made me think the entire 4yrs of college life. Thank you very much!”

Seeing how happy they felt, I felt not only happy but also proud. I had many more close friends. I used to feel like pen down all my memories with them too. But at that time I was busy in journeys and after a couple of weeks I left to Mysore to join Infy on 21st august 2006.

Whenever I question myself saying “What is the best gift you have ever given to anyone”, my heart proudly says “Memories”. Every good incident is a beautiful memory. It is in our hands to preserve them or to leave them to fade with time.

Lastly,

                             BELATED FRIENDSHIP DAY WISHES DEAR FRIENDS :)

One day, when my thoughts were wandering..
I questioned myself.


Among all the creations of god, what do you think are the most wonderful ones?


And my heart answered....


1)Mom
2)Mind  &
3)Music