++++++
Taking long haul flights atleast thrice in a month was not unusual for him….Having a high profile job where clients felt safe doing business with him in person, he was allowed to fly the best and in style. Normally he preferred taking the late evening flights, it saved his hotel room cost but gave same comfort, pulling the blanket over, he lay down closing his eyes, the air-hostess knows him by name so will wake him up at the right time before landing, he tried to shut his mind out….American economy is yet to recover to the degree his company would like, the board members are not happy with the balance sheet, they want greener pastures now…well Brazil has potential, the meeting went off well, lets hope they would get the result due time if not his neck will be once again in the guillotine…but then over last 20 years how many countless times he has……sleep overtook his senses….
+++++
He saw her once again, standing in her trademark posture, leaning onto the rail and watching the world with awestruck eyes…she was a dreamer while he was a realist…he did not know what is there to be so excited about specially in smallest of small things….she called them miracles…he called them normal evolution happening everyday….suddenly her image started to shake, started to fade away…oh no please don't go …not today…see I am here on time ….
Sir…Sir….please get up….the Airhostess shook him….he opened his eyes….Sir, please quickly sit up and put on your seat belt….a bird has hit on engine….the pilot has shut down that engine
A bird? Now…
Yes sir, please sir, we will do emergency landing….
I thought there was another spare one…he mocked….
Yes sir, but the weather report is not good ahead…the captain does not want to take risk…..
+++++++
The airport was small and the aircraft big, the standard of facilities was not upto to the mark for such an aircraft, hence after much trial and error, after testing the patience of the passengers, the ground staff could finally fix the staircase to the aircraft…being a first class passenger had its privileges, he was one of the first person to get down….but then again it did not mean anything, he had to wait with others to be taken to the hotel the airline company was arranging for night halt, till they repair this or get another aircraft… they had landed in a small town somewhere in southern America ….he cursed…time is money …. …
There was chaos in the hotel….too many people suddenly swarming into the lobby, children crying, people throwing weight..in the middle of the night it looked like a fish market…I am a first class passenger, I should be given priority and I am your regular passenger, gold card holder, it says …..another shouted
The airline people and the hotel reception staff looking flustered and confused tried to explain…Maam, Sir….this is small town, not many hotels and we are the biggest but then please bear with us…please help us to serve you better, let the children and old people be made comfortable first….please sir…please maam….
He sat in one corner of the lobby, opening his laptop and started interacting with his office in India…they were open, he is stuck but that does not stop business….
Sir, your room is ready, here is the key, will you like to have something to eat, the grateful airline staff tried to be extra polite for being well behaved…he realized the lobby had gone quiet, people have gone to their respective room….
I hope there is a tea maker in the room…I will manage….he picked up his hand baggage and jacket, when he heard a very familiar voice ….
Excuse me do you have a room for me…..
He looked up to see her back towards him standing in the reception….the receptionist in her broken English asked from where she is….
Oh maam….your name please, seat no……the airline staff ran towards her with the list…..
The receptionist shook her head, the airline staff asked her to check her position once again….She watched their interaction calmly…it is okay I will be comfortable in the lobby….
Can I …I mean if you don't mind….
She whisked around on hearing his voice…..their eyes met…after so many years…she pressed her lips, just the way she did when she did not know what to say, which was very rare and in between….
Thank you Sir, the airline staff sounded relieved…there is a big sitting room with the bedroom…I am sure you both can manage for sometime…the receptionist quickly summoned the much harassed bellboy to carry their luggage upto the room….
+++++
In the lift they watched their toes, dressed in slim fit trousers and shirt, she was twisting her ankle…he watched them….she was wearing block heel boots…he recollected she always wore osho slippers, which she had in various colours and much to his irritation when she climbed down stairs she used to make the loudest possible 'klick-klack' noise….
After a long time ..he broke the silence…
Hmmm…she was still staring at her toes …..
Sir…Maam…the bell boy was bowing to them as the lift stopped they stepped out and followed the man, he opened the door, they entered…..the room was charming, maybe the best room given the size of the hotel..well it does pay to be patient…..the bellboy waited for them to decide where to put whose luggage….
He looked at her ….she hesitated then said…its okay…keep it at the corner we will help ourselves…he took out his purse and tipped the man, he saluted closing the door behind him….
An awkward silence descended in the room…he went to the corner, picking up his laptop bag he put down on the centre table as if marking his territory….
You can have the bedroom she said…..
Errr no…I will be fine here he replied to see her watching the flower arrangement at the corner table with great interest….it was some local flower, he has seen it before, quite common in this part of the world, she was lost observing it…..
He watched her through the corner of his eyes…remembering during their courtship days in college when both lived on tight budgets unlike the youngsters of today and did not have money to go to coffee shops, invariably ended sitting in some municipal parks, in middle of their coochicooing she would get lost in observing a butterfly or flower….see how beautiful…look at the mixture of colour…the unusual shade etc etc…..
Ummm he cleared his throat…she looked up ….I am making some tea, come sit…he said…
You sit..I will make…. she remembered he did not know how to boil water even, Mama's boy….
With electric kettle things are very simple, he replied as if reading her thoughts pouring water into the kettle...
She sat down…he has changed she noticed not impatient like before…she was watching him for a long time now…after she walked into the lobby she was looking for a corner to sit down knowing well it will be quite a while before she got a room when her eyes fell on him, yes he has achieved all he wanted, looking at his expensive dress, his single mindedness towards his goal….
Tea….he said as he held the cup before her, looking up she smiled….accepting the cup murmuring her thanks…the smile was same but thanks? No she used to get so upset if he thanked her…you don't say thanks to your near ones…no thanks no sorry…….
She sipped the tea…he watched her face…
Hmm you make nice tea….she appreciated….
Hardly, he replied a wee bit self consciously..you cannot get it wrong with tea bags and sugar cubes…..
But you remember how much sugar I take….isn't it a magic..she exclaimed softly……
His heart skipped a beat…he remembered every single thing about her…he used to be invariably late for their appointments…always busy striving towards his goal, he wanted to achieve so much and as quickly as possible, she was always waiting for him, he did not feel guilty in make her wait too but she would invariably watch some magic around her, she found magic in simplest of things even between two bikers zooming past competing with each other or some roadside quarrel….
Oh you have come, she would say as he dodged some cars and crossed the road trying to be somewhat guilty to making her wait…..
Yes for 5 minutes I was trying to draw your attention from the otherside of the road, I have got a reference of a shop who is looking for a part time sales person, I thought of going to meet the owner but as you were waiting I was trying to call you over….
Yes I was watching magic…a teenage boy, Oh you should have seen his riding his bike….it was just like a pro……
Pro? Are you crazy in these crowded roads, he will soon kill himself if he does not be careful….
Hey why are you pulling me on towards the other side, won't we sit in the park? She tried to break herself free….
Didn't you hear me….I am going to meet the shop owner…..
But why? You don't need a job
No I don't need a job for money but yes I want to learn things hands on so when I begin my career I should know what is what…come on….
You go I will wait here….it is much more interesting in meeting the owner of some boring shop….
She didn't mind waiting so he didn't mind keeping her waiting…he knew she will wait for him no matter how late he is…..as long as he turns up, she will be happy….
You are a lucky man his friends used to be jealous…the girls are so fussy if they have to wait whereas they have no qualms in making us wait….
This is your first visit to Brazil, he asked trying to break the deadlock and start a conversation…..
Yes…she replied….
What brings you here…he asked despite his heart beating fast, he did not want to hear the obvious….
Dance…she replied much to his relief….
Dance?
Yes ….I teach dancing…so came to learn various forms of latin dancing….
Dancing? But I thought…….
What did you think? She asked her eyes were twinkling….
Never mind what I thought….I mean I did not know you danced…..
Well I picked it up quite late actually suddenly I discovered dance is very magical…..
Oh she still finds magic….he observed…his heart beat increasing…so she has not changed……
After final exams for a couple of days they roamed about their whole town hand in hand, he promised to marry her as soon as he finds a job, she beamed….
What do you want to do in life he asked her a couple of times….
Be your wife for sure, she would reply…..
baDe achchhe lagte hain ye dharti ye nadiyaa ye rainaaaur?aur tum) -2 (ham tum kitne paas hain kitne door hain chaand sitaaresach puchho to man ko jhuThe lagte hain ye saare) -2magar sachche lagate hain, ye dharti, ye nadiyaa, ye rainaa,aur tumbaDe achchhe... She would hum her favourite song…..snuggling upto him, he would hold her close …He would laugh….other than that…nowadays no girl sits at home…..
Well I may not be so practical like you but don't worry I will do something…in whatever I will find magic…..
So you are a dance teacher…he asked….
Yes for last 4-5 years I am teaching various forms of dance to a varied group of students…she replied….
And before that? He asked……
She smiled……he smiled back, so she was busy doing whatever she found magical at that point of time….
Within a couple of months he got a job, she was still doing various things on and off, he coaxed her…since we are now working should we move in together…..
My father has selected an engineer and wants me to meet him…she replied instead….
Ok lets get married…..
When she asked…..
Tomorrow……
But family…….
They will get to know once we get married…new job I don't have time for the hullabaloo ….
What if they are upset….
No problem will get married once again in their way but when we have time…many couples do that nowadays…
So next day she went to the registry office, since both were adults it was not a problem, only had to bribe the clerk a bit while filling up the form in back date in lieu of the waiting period…..
But Madam where is your man…the clerk said….while copying his signature…..
His coming, attending a meeting in office and will come soon…..
After the meeting his boss wanted to see him specially…he texted to her….
She replied no problem go ahead, I have managed the clerk…
The boss was talking to his head office and he had to wait quite a bit…..he again sent her a text to get a fresh slot for them…she replied don't worry there are quite a few couple before us…..
It was an offer of a lifetime, he could not believe his luck that he was chosen over so many others, he had to send his particulars to the head office immediately, he needed to fill out some forms…has been chosen to undergo special training, after making a few more phone calls and completing various formalities as he was nominated at the last moment filling in a slot vacated due to resignation of a person who had been chosen for that training, he finally made it to the registry office she would wait anyway he knew but she was not there much to his surprise…..
She waited but then she told me it seems you are badly tied up…the clerk grumbled….I had to fill the form…if you come tomorrow I can use this up but later than that I need to fill fresh set…..
We will come tomorrow, he promised the clerk, he went to her hostel, she was not there, he learnt she had left it a little while ago saying she received a call from home…he tried her mobile no…it was switched off….he scanned his text box….there was no message…he knew the town she belonged from but did not know her address….he waited for his call…his friends told him it is good you did not get married to her…she was too whimsical, maybe she got bored with you already…..
He left for his training, before leaving he sent a long message but then no reply came…he wanted to believe his friends but then somewhere he knew ….he knew what he knew…..
That day you did not wait for me….he finally blurted out…..
She looked up, he looked into her eyes…they were same yet ……..
Why did you….before he could complete his sentence the phone rang, both of them started looking for their respective mobiles but then realized it was the intercom….
Yes he picked up….
Sir happy to tell you that the flight is ready, we have managed to repair the damage caused by the bird…can you come down please we will start immediately once everybody boards, the bus is ready to take you to the airport…..
He put down the phone and stood up…the flight is ready….
She got up, lets go then why delay…picking up her hand bag….
The bellboy came promptly they followed him out….the airline staff showed him the bus for first class passengers…he hesitated….
Sir please, once we get you all to board, we need the bus for the other passengers….she was the other passenger….she suddenly came upto him...as your girlfriend I never minded waiting but not as a bride...saying so she walked away briskly where economy class passengers were assemblying...
tum in sabko chhodke kaise kal subah jaaogi mere saath inhen bhi to tum yaad bahut aaogi) -2
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Vasudha
