Well, I don’t know why such a thing happened, how it happened, but it just simply happened! Alright, I am Aditi Mukherjee, working in a leading MNC based in Banglore. I am a Software Engineer and an MBA in finance. My job takes me to various places, not only abroad, but also in India. I am in Pune for about a week now, the place where I was born and brought up. Yeah, I am twenty-eight years old, if at all that’s important to you.
Yesterday, was a hectic day, I finished my work by 8 in the evening, and was dead tired. Shilpa, rung me up and fixed up a meeting at Koreongaon Park, KP as it is popularly known. Well, I’ve been to KP a million times with her. It was my favorite haunt, ever since I entered my teens and the years that followed, till I left Pune. The place is not the same as it used to be. It has become congested, ‘Happening’ according to the youngsters.
After a lot of discussion over the eatery, we decided to meet at Mocha. We met almost after four years. Though she had put on a little weight, she looked glamorous. We studied engineering together. After that I went for an MBA and she got married.
I had heard a lot about Mocha, though never been there previously. I tried hookah, Shilpa said it was really popular among the teenagers, an intermediate between the ‘soft drink days’ and the ‘hard drink days’. Anyway the food was good, nothing less nothing more. We spoke about the olden, certainly the ‘golden’ days of our lives, our hangouts, the irritating lecturers, classmates and ofcourse the marvelous durga pujas that we spent together. It felt good, nostalgic but good. After sitting there for two hours, we decided to leave. Arguing a lot on who’s to pay, we had a toss. Luck was on my favor, I won and went to the cash counter.
There was a small queue at the counter. A tall and broad man standing in front of me took his own sweet time. It was annoying to stand there like that. Finally he was done.
As he turned to leave, I realized it was a familiar face. I froze as I recognized the person.
It was him! Why after so many years? I had no answer. On the very sight of him all the memories flashed in front of me.
Our first meeting in school, the first time we went out together, our first date, our first movie and the abundance of movies that followed. Each Valentine Day spent in each other’s company. The beautiful bond, both of friendship and love that we shared. All those days were fresh in my mind again. Unfortunately its not only the good memories that dwell in your mind, my thoughts took a bitter turn. I remembered that incident, the incident that changed my destiny. That turned my love into loath. I visualized the day when he walked away with another girl, my feelings were molested, my sentiments humiliated and my heart crushed. I was shattered, I was alive externally, dead internally. The person whom I least expected betrayed me. I possibly didn’t have a choice but to hate him, to detest him with all my heart and soul.
The person who gave me nightmares ever since I was nineteen, stood right in front of me.
“Your bill Ma’am.” The cashier handed over the bill to me. But everything was blank I couldn’t read a word. I just removed a thousand rupees note and handed it over. I kept the change inside my purse without uttering a word. I had lost my power of speech. I didn’t realize that he was staring at me like how I was at him.
Looking at him carefully, I noticed that he wasn’t the same anymore. There was no spark in his eyes, his shoulders had drooped down, and his hair had started graying. He couldn’t confront me. His face gave voice to his hidden emotions. He was happy, yet embarrassed and guilty.
“I am Sorry, Aditi.” He said with a lot of effort. His lips trembled, he wanted to speak more, but something stopped him. He lowered his eyes.
I nodded and smiled weakly, I wasn’t completely over the shock. He silently walked away. I wanted to stop him but I didn’t. He wanted to be stopped and called back, but that didn’t happen. I saw him walk away. I stared at his back till it was no more to be seen.
I later learnt that he tried contacting me many times after I left Pune. He had called up all my friends and even went to my house. But no one ever informed me. No one trusted him this time. They were afraid of the emotional setback, I would undergo all over again. He wanted to get back to me.
Shilpa told me everything last night.
Sometimes it takes a moment to forget a person and sometimes a lifetime is insufficient likewise I won’t forget him, but as of now, nothing can be done. I’ve already been married for two years.
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--Ekata Banerjee
