(Dedicated to Pri (Majumdar).....I love reading whatever she writes.......this is to you my dear and to your Garfield with an attitude........no matter what you say, Munna belongs with Munni only 😆)
"If only we could have two lives: the first in which to make one's mistakes, which seem as if they have to be made; and the second in which to profit by them."
A young girl in love named Bani Dixit asked her boyfriend Jai Walia, "Tell me. Who do you love most in this world?
"You, of course!" Jai replied confidently.
"In your heart, what am I to you?" Bani questioned further.
Jai thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said, "You are my rib. It was said that God saw that Adam was lonely. So one day whild Adam was sleeping God took one of Adam's rib and created Eve. Every man has been searching for his missing rib, only when you find the woman of your life, you'll no longer feel the lingering ache in your heart."
Two months later they were married.
After their wedding, Jai and Bani Walia had a sweet and happy life for a while. However, the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedule of life and the never-ending worries of daily problems..........soon their life became mundane.
All the challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to gnaw away their dreams and love for each other. Jai and Bani began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became more heated.
One day, after the quarrel, Bani ran out of the house. From the opposite side of the road, she shouted, "You don't love me!"
Jai hated her childishness and out of impulse, retorted, "Maybe, it was a mistake for us to be together! You were never my missing rib!"
Suddenly, Bani turned quiet and stood there for a long while. Jai regretted what he said but words spoken are like thrown away water, you can never take it back. With tears, she went back home to pack her things and was determined in breaking-up the relationship. Not that Jai bothered to talk her out of it.
Before Bani left the house she told Jai, "If I'm really not your missing rib, please let me go. It is less painful this way. It's best we go our separate ways and search for our own partners."
Five years went by...
Jai never remarried but he had ample one night stands with a lot of women, be it the Pia's, or Sonalis, or Roshni's or Meera's.
Inspite of insisting to family and friends that he didn't care about Bani, he had discreetly tried to find out about her life. She had left the country and had married a foreigner and divorced him eventually. Jai felt anguished that she never waited for him.
In the dark and lonely night, he lit his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he was missing Bani. His battered and bruised male ego left no scope for that.
One day, Jai and Bani finally met at the airport, a place where many reunions and good byes took place. Jai was on his way back from a business trip and Bani was leaving for one.
As Jai headed towards immigration, he saw Bani. She was standing alone with a coat in her hand and a strolley lying next to her foot. As simple and gorgeous as ever. She noticed him too. They were so close, yet so far.......just the security door separating them.
Time stood still for a while. Finally Bani smiled at him shyly.
Jai: How are you?
Bani: I'm fine. How about you?
Jai simply shrugged in reply.
Bani: Have you found your missing rib?
Jai: No. (They look at each other longingly.) What are you doing here?
Bani: I am taking the flight to New York. What about you?
Jai: I just got back from a trip. Why don't you give me a call when you return. You know my number. Nothing has changed.
With a smile, Bani turned around and waved good bye.
Good bye...........
From the airport Jai headed straight home. The thought of seeing Bani again did wonders to him. How he wished he could take her into his arms and bring her back home. Maybe he could have asked her for coffee, told her he missed her, wanted to get back. But that was not the place nor the time. Well, he could wait for her to get back from her trip and then perhaps put their life together again.
Jai saw the message button flashing on his house phone but he was too pre-occupied with Bani to even bother checking his messages. After a quick shower and change of clothes he headed back to work........the only way to keep his mind off her, he thought. Deep inside he was already looking forward to her return and he prayed that time would fly by soon.
The next day he returned home towards the evening only to hear that Bani had passed away. She had perished in New York, in the event that shocked the world. She was in one of the flights that had hit the World Trade Centre.
Midnight, once again, Jai lit his cigarette and sipped his drink. He was still in a daze ever since he had got the news of Bani's death. He refused to believe it, but the more he watched the news, CNN, BBC........the more his hopes dampened.
His house phone rang........it was the same song that Bani had recorded when they were together........he never bothered changing it, he loved listening to her voice everytime he missed her......
Hum Bane, Tum Bane, Ek Duje Ke Liye.......We are Made for Each Other Samjhe.
As the phone kept ringing and the song kept going on, Jai felt the lingering ache in his heart once again. Noticing the message button flashing, he pressed it and what he heard next shook him up completely.
"Hi Jai, it's Bani........that's our song, isn't it........you still have it. I guess you were right at the airport when you said nothing's changed. The same goes for me too, except that I got married, but only technically, needed a green card and was told that was the easiest way to get one. He was my best friend's brother, so luckily no complications when we had to say goodbye.
Anyways, I'm still at the airport, I thought you would have reached home by now........but........I got another hour and a half for my flight and was wondering.......just wondering okay, if maybe I could miss this flight and catch up with you instead. I can always leave tomorrow. What do you think? Give me a call. My number is ******** It's okay if you don't want to call, I'll understand. Take care. Bani."
Jai broke down and cried. He finally knew and acknowledged that Bani was the missing rib that he had carelessly broken all those years ago.
If only he hadn't said those rude things her. If only he had stopped her from leaving. If only he had told her he loved her. If only he had listened to this message yesterday and stopped her from leaving once again.........
If only......those must be the two saddest words in the world.
Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury. Most often than not, the outcome could be disastrous and detrimental. We vent our frustrations 99% at our loved ones. And even though we know that we ought to "think twice and act wisely", it's often easier said than done.
Things happen each day, many of which are beyond our control. Let us treasure every moment and everyone in our lives.
Tomorrow may never come. Give and accept what you have today.
Disclaimer: This story has been adapted and altered to suit Kasam Se. It is only fiction, not an attack against Jai or Bani 😉......the message behind the story is what really counts.
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
