Shocked? I don't think so. I am getting way too predictable...anyways was I? Oh ya, happy birthday Shreya my crazy VD lover...see we VD lovers have this thing. Ek baar jo humne commitment kardi uski baad hum apne aap ki bhi sunte. Oh god I have to stop bhatking from the topic. One day a long, long time ago (shivi's birthday) I wrote a tannu OS which was quite special as I included shivi in it and shreya had jokingly said that on her birthday she wants to meet Vrinda but she doesn't know my paagalpan. So as promised I present a special OS, on this very special day.
I am in one of the most beautiful cities in the world and here I am working my butt off. As I look out of my trailer and into the beautiful sunset all I can think of is what I am losing out on which is quite abnormal for me. I mean I am Vrinda Dawda. I am a ball of positivity and cute unicorns or something like that. Okay so maybe my bad mood is not only because of me having to work, you can't blame, I got a billion things running through my mind and I don't know where to start, who to talk to or even what I should be doing now that shooting is finally over. So I do what I always do when I am confused. I wait for the universe to help me out.
As I start walking down the street I am kinda just following that gigantic bright star in the sky. Isn't that what they used to do when there were no maps and they were lost? Well I am like them now, lost and without directions. See now I must be sounding like a confused soul who delves into some deep thinking for no reason. Well you guys are right. I got a call from a casting director who wants me in his movie. Mind blown right? Don't be...I have absolutely no idea what to do. If this was before haunted nights I would be all over it. Now I've got people to look out for, fans to please...so yes i am confused. Just when i think it can't get any worse I feel my heel breaking and me tumbling to the ground like a bunch of bricks. Weird metaphor. Never mind, I get up quickly to save myself the embarrassment and thank god, I spot a shoe shop nearby. No more heels for me please.
I walk in the shop. It seems kind of desolate. I look around to see if anyone recognized me. well i might as well be looking at nothing at nothing. All I see is a woman who is much too old to have watched d3 and much too faint-hearted to watch haunted nights. As I proceed ahead I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned around quickly ready to fend myself any demon or bhoot though i knew it was highly unlikely.
"i didn't mean to startle you...by any chance are you vrinda dawda?"
I nodded carefully while examining her. Looks to be in her mid-twenties. She has a weird lazy eye.
"my name is Aarti and I am manager of happy feet... i see your heel is broken...let me escort you to our changing room where i will show you some of our best shoes."
She spoke like a robot, like she was trying to suppress some kind of excitement. I was used to fan freak outs but this was just weird. I smiled back at her trying my best to control the urge to make a run for it, mostly because I couldn't even if I tried.
Like she said, she escorted me to the changing room carefully as I tried to maintain a distance between as best I could. To put it as nicely as possible, she gave me the creeps. She closed the door behind me when I strange thought popped into my head. Why would I need to be in a changing room if I am buying shoes? She let out a cartoonish devious smile. Oh crap.
I turned the handle as fast as possible but it was locked from the outside. Great vrinda, you are the bomb aren't you? I mentally slapped myself as I heard her dialling someone to say that I was in her shop.
"Hey ...what's going on? Why can't I open this door?"
Oh no.
"Are you locked in too?"
I was afraid to hear the answer.
"No, I just love hanging around in changing rooms."
I don't why I found that amusing considering this situation we are in but I still laughed and to my surprise she giggled too. Now there is a girl who knows how to enjoy life.
"So what does she have against you?"
"Huh?"
I am not sure why but I didn't expect her to initiate a conversation.
"Aarti...she is a real loon. She does this all the time. Locks people in here. The only reason she is still working here is because her parents own this place and she won't get a job anywhere else."
This was actually quite fun. The girl next to me seems nice and best part is she doesn't know me.
"How do you know so much about her?"
I heard her snort in laughter I presumed.
"I am the unfortunate soul who works for her."
Wow suddenly my life doesn't seem so bad.
"You poor thing. "
There was a series of giggling which followed. Just then, I had a crazy thought. What if I can get an opinion from her? I mean she doesn't know who I am so she won't judge me. That's the best part of being a stranger. Of course I have to phrase it so that she doesn't know who I am.
"Hey can I ask your opinion on a problem of mine."
There was a silence.
"Eh...what the hell, shoot."
I took the signal and started.
"I have this...urm...boyfriend. We are quite serious and I have many fans...I mean family members who love us but I fell in love with another guy. So what should I do? Disappoint him and my family or follow my heart."
Wow...I have never lied so well before.
"I have no idea why you are asking a fifteen year old this..."
She's fifteen?
"Yes I am ...I just turned fifteen today."
I must have been talking aloud.
"Oh ...happy birthday."
"Thank you and follow your heart."
"What?"
"Follow your heart. If you marry this guy you are in a commitment with out of obligation then you will curse everyday of your marriage and say what if...but if you marry the guy you love even if you mess up you would know that at least you tried."
"And what about my family?"
"What is family for? They support you through thick and thin. They love you for you nor for who you are with."
Her words resonated and hit my heart in all the right places. She was right. My fans do shower me with unconditional love. They supported me after d3 and they will support me through anything.
"Are you sure you are fifteen. Do you write or something?"
I could literally feel her smiling.
"Yes I am sure and yes I do write."
"So what's your name?"
"Shreya. And yours?"
"Vrinda Dawda."
Before I realized what I said, I heard a thud sound.
"Shreya...Shreya..,"
No answer. Oh god you are in trouble Vrinda. You made an innocent girl faint on her birthday. Suddenly I knew that I wasn't gonna be so much of a stranger to Shreya anymore. This is gonna be one hell of a night.
So that's it Shreya. Hope you enjoyed it. You are an amazing friend and I wish you all the happiness today. Guys please do wish her after reading. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHREYA!
Book Talk
Anupamaa
Vasudha
