It is not like just another ordinary day for Samay. He is super excited today. After all he has dreamt of this day from last seven years and today his dream is going to become a reality. He’s going to meet his longtime crush, Richa. By hearing the name only he can feel goose bumps on his whole body,his heartbeat runs faster than usual and he feels sudden restlessness. Is he really going to meet her? This question is disturbing him from last evening. He was unable to sleep well, last night, thinking of the day. What will he wear? How will he look? Though he is an average looking boy he affirms his looks par with Salman Khan. He has left behind the days when it was difficult to recognize his face through the pimples. Now he is no more a boy of 18. But why is he feeling the same excitement that he used to feel when he was18! There were also several other questions popping up in his mind.
These all seemed quite impossible what has happened with him in last few days.He was living a disciplined life from last 2 years since he got the job in Hyderabad. He used to wake up at 9 everyday. Usually he reaches office just before 11 (sometimes after 11 depending on traffic of Hyderabad) and returns home before 9 in the evening.Apart from going toilet and sleeping he spends rest of the time with his laptop chatting with friends and searching one name in Google. He has joined every social networking site that he comes across so that he can find one person. But to his disappointment he could not find the Richa he was looking for. Why there has to be 10000 of girls having same name? Can the parents not think of any other names in India? The second question has changed after one day he found 3 Richas from Canada and 2 from Malaysia. But he did not lose his faith on God. He also started reading the Hanuman Chalisha now-a-days as some of his friends told him that Hanumanji helps people finding their girl friends. He forgets everything when it comes to Richa. So he forgot Hanumanji himself has no girl friend as He is a Bramhachari. He knows someday he’ll find her. But like this! He has never thought of it. May be Hanumanji really help people as He might have known the pain of not having a girlfriend!
One Saturday morning he came to know that the best ideas crop up while in the toilet. He opened his yahoo mail and typed I Love You in the Subject and Body, and put every possible id that can be prepared from two words: Richa Mahapatra. He folded his hands and prayed his Hanumanji and sent the mail. Out of 20 mail ids that he had created with the name, 18 got failed deliveries. But the main part was 2 were sent.On Sunday he got another failure notice from yahoo. But he still hoped the one mail that he sent might be the one he needed. He got so much excited that he started sending mails every day with subject as I Love You and a wave of ‘I Love You’s’ in the body along with some basic information about him like where he was, what job he was doing and also asking the whereabouts of Richa. He never got any reply until 15 days, when he was checking his mails before going for the dinner. There were 3 unread messages out of which 1 was from Richa Mahapatra.
The mail reads,“Hi Samay,I got all your mails.Bye. Richa.”
Samay could not believe his eyes.Was this really the Richa he loved so much?Had she really replied or was someone else playing with him? He read that mail again and again. He forgot his hunger. He forgot everything. He just kept looking at his computer screen. His heart was beating so fast it could have been heard. He felt weak.Then he started replying to the mail asking “was she really the Richa of his college”. He never talked to her during college. But again started writing how deeply he loves her. He read the mail hundred times before sending.He then went to have his dinner but he felt his stomach was full with excitation,happiness and shock. He couldn't sleep that night. On every half-an-hour he checked his mails for any more replies.
But he didn't get any for next 10 days when he got another mail from her which says,“I’m in Hyderabad working in a private insurance company. I’m the same Richa.Bye. Richa.”
He checked the mail came just 10 minutes ago. He instantly replied asking where exactly she was staying in Hyderabad.He gave his address and contact numbers though he knew she would never call. He asked her to come in the messenger so that he can chat with her. But again there were no replies.
After almost 2 months, he got another reply."I’ll come online at 6 PM this Saturday. Bye. Richa.”
The mail came on Thursday. He didn't check his mails for 3 days; and he saw that on Saturday afternoon. He planned to go for a movie that day. But nothing was more important than Richa. He cancelled everything and waited eagerly for 6 PM. He prayed for no interruption in the internet or electric connection. He made himself invisible in the messenger so that none of his friends would disturb him while chatting with her. He has visited his bathroom 3 times since 5 PM. His heart was beating in sync with his watch.But as the Minute hand closing 12, his heart started beating faster and faster. He was very nervous. What would he talk? Should he tell again how he loves her so much or should he only be friendly with her? He didn't see when the time in his watch went past 6:10. Richa didn't come. He checked if everything was okay with his internet. Everything was okay.She might have some work, that’s why she didn't come up; he consoled his heart.After 5 days he got another mail.
“Sorry I could not come that day. If you have time we can meet at the Secunderabad Railway Station this Saturday evening. I’m going to Bangalore. My train will leave at 7.05 PM. Please come. Bye. Richa.”
He jumped from his chair in the office after reading that mail. Then he managed himself after realizing all his colleagues were watching him. At last he will meet his love of his life. Only 2 days left. But he was feeling those 2 days as if 20 years. The time was not going fast for him. He was reading the last mail every time he gets any chance. Despite reading that mail several times he never read it beyond the 2nd sentence. Only while reading the mail again on the Saturday morning, his concentration went to other lines which he then thought were more important than the others. She was going to Bangalore!She was leaving Hyderabad! Why did she write ‘Please come’? Did she also want to meet him badly like he wanted to meet her!Whatever! He didn't think much and prepared himself to go to the Secunderabad Railway Station.
It would take only 45 minutes to reach the station from his home. Still he left home at 3 PM riding his bike. He bought a bunch of Red roses from a floral shop. He paid without any bargains. He reached the railway station at 4 PM, parked his bike, took the red roses and headed towards the platform. He inquired which train leaves for Bangalore at 7 and stood near to the main entrance. His eyes were looking for only one face; the face which comes to his dreams every night with a lovely smile. His legs started hurting. It was now 2 hours that he was standing near the entrance looking for his love. He saw a young boy hugging his girl friend and seeing her off.He saw a woman walking along with the running train and waving his husband. He was not the only one there who had come to meet her love. But unlike others he never talked with his love, never saw her eye-to-eye.He got tensed when the time went past 6 PM and he still didn't get a glimpse of Richa. He inquired about the train again and went to Platform number 7 where the Bangalore Express would come. He checked the passengers’ list for the train and found Richa’s seat was in S2 54. He was looking for her at every direction. Then after 5 minutes there she came.
He saw her from a distance. She was coming with a trolley bag in her right hand.She was looking different from far. He hid the red roses behind his back. His heart beat was running faster than the express trains as she was coming closer. He didn't know when he was smiling like a fool. He couldn't see anyone except her. She also saw him and came to him. She was also smiling. He was feeling like he was flying in the air. Then suddenly his smile went away. He could see,she was not smiling the way she used to be.He could see, she was dressed differently she used to be. He could see that she was wearing more ornaments than she used to be. He could see, the red line marked by the Sindoor in her head. He could see she was married.
He never expected he would see her like this. She was still smiling. She told him,she got married just two months ago. When she got his mail, she was already engaged.She wanted to tell him everything but could not Now when she was leaving Hyderabad for ever and going to Bangalore, she thought to meet and make everything clear. She kept talking how good a person he is and he could get many beautiful girls. He could not speak anything and just stared at her. He didn't know what to tell or what to do. He waited for this moment for 7 years and now when he did meet her, nothing was left. Her face seemed blurred as his eyes got filled with tears. She raised her hand to hold his hands but retreated. He cried like a baby and then held himself. He was still holding the Red Roses behind his back. The announcement was done for Bangalore Express and within minutes the train reached the platform. The S2 bogey halted where they were standing.He kept looking at her eyes. She was also looking at him. Then he spoke.
“Have you ever loved me?” he asked.She broke down.
She told him she loved him more than her life. But she could never tell him. When she got his mail, it was too late for her. Though she was not married then but she was too afraid to talk about him at her house. She was too afraid to go against her parents wish. It was 7 PM and the train was about to leave. Richa got into the train and stood at the door. Samay gave her those Red Roses and told her “I LOVE YOU.I’ll always do”. Richa took the roses as the train started running. Samay kept looking at her until she was out of sight leaving him lonely in that busy platform.
Copyrights:
Aama Odisha e-Magazine
5th Edition
http://aamaodisha.org/
P.S.: Thanks to Amit Kumar Pattnaik & Bijaylaxmi Sarangi for the edits
P.S.: Thanks to Amit Kumar Pattnaik & Bijaylaxmi Sarangi for the edits
