Walking down through the phase where I came across thousand shades of single person for whom I could I could give up anything... The best phase to recollect and the worst to stay...
There were innumerable opportunities to stay back with my parents and study in finest colleges of California. My dad could easily arrange for the admission there but my persistence was to study in my own country, India. It wasn't easy to make mom and dad accept my decision, at a point they were correct too after all I was just 17 and another point was we didn't had anyone close residing in India.
After long arguments they agreed on a condition, if I could secure a scholarship in one of the top colleges of India. The word "scholarship" left me almost blank as seeking scholarship in a country where already million of students are striving for admissions wasn't an easy task. But I pulled my socks up for the upcoming challenge to prove myself. Luckily stars were in my favor and I was in merit list of scholars in one the best colleges present in Mumbai affiliated to Mumbai University. My parents were in pride of my achievement and as per the promise they granted me the permission.
I had never been to India. My parents were already settled in California before I was born. This was the reason I was born and brought there and could never visit my country. Now also they couldn't accompany me due to an important conference, I had been alone on trips for numerous times. In a western country people learn to responsible for their own self since teenage, after staying for long in US I had learnt the same. Plane powered downwards, slicing through wispy clouds it landed Mumbai at 10:30pm. I called out a taxi to the apartment arranged by my father. The college couldn't arrange rooms in hostel for all the students so I had to live in an apartment where dad knew some not so close people.
I opened the door of my apartment with tiredness in my body. My stuff was to be delivered tomorrow, right then only one suitcase was with me and a couch placed in the hall. Removing the shoes I lied on the couch due to dizziness I slept without even realizing.
Next morning, when I got up to check my phone it was already 8:30am with 3 missed calls from dad. I called him back, "Good morning Son, How are you?"
"Good morning Dad, I'm fine." I said rubbing my eyes, trying to red rid of the sleepy eyes of mine. "Okay son, your stuff would be there around 10 o clock. I just E-mailed you all the important numbers which could help and places nearby for necessities as you're alone, take extra care yourself." He said and reminded me. "Yup Dad, Bye" I had convinced my parents that I was a grown and could handle everything alone being miles away from them. But the real challenge was that will I really be able to adjust myself and take care of everything alone?
I got down from the couch to freshen up myself and have some breakfast. In breakfast all I had was some food packets of last night instead of some fresh prepared food. The sandwich wasn't in a condition to eat and I didn't have anything to warm it up. That moment I really missed mom and food which she made. It was an indication to "This is just the beginning."
After having breakfast I again took nap waiting for the delivery of my stuff. Some noise of ringing was disturbing my precious sleep. Taking the cushion I covered my ears but the sound still hammered my ears. I took another cushion and threw it in the estimated direction of the sound in sleep, "Shut up." It was my doorbell, opening my eyes slowly I went forward to open the door. "Sir, your stuff" the person on the door said. "Oh yeah, is everything here?"
"Yes sir, all your stuff including furniture, electric appliances, and grocery with daily use necessities. It is being unloaded from the carrier." He said.
I came outside, near the lift to check the boxes and know which stuff lies in which box. Dad called to know has everything reached to me, "Be careful guys with the grocery boxes... Yes dad, stuff is being shifted to the apartment." I said and walked back looking in front. In this opposite walking someone bumped into by back, that someone was a young girl and quite pretty in dark blue churidaar. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?" I said. She adjusted her dupatta and removed the flicks fallen on her face, "Its fine and I'm alright" saying this she left taking the 2nd lift present there.
"Rey... Rey... Rey... beta, are you there?" Dad called out several times. "Huh? Ya... Ya dad I'm there." I replied coming out of the trance. He asked whom I just apologized, "A girl"
"Oh a girrrlll... Mumbai jaate hi hawa lag gayi?" he teased.
"Dad plz... she must be one of the neighbor" I told him about the dark blue churidaar girl and how walking backwards made her bump. "Was she pretty?" he asked. "Stop it dad... okay I gtg go now bye" I said and kept the phone before he could question further.
My stuff had arrived but settling it was a big task. In California I had never done this kind of work neither was much aware of how to do it. Looking at boxes kept in the hall I came to the conclusion of adjusting the basic stuff which was grocery and basic necessities in the cupboard and washroom. The bigger stuff like electric appliances and furniture I would settle later on. Adjusting of only basic the stuff business took whole day still task want complete. Till night I was so tired that taking a glass of buttermilk I dozed off to sleep.
Next day was important for me as it was my first day in college. I took my clothes from the cupboard they had turned a bit messy in the journey. Ironing them also was my work now so I had to complete it. Taking a bath I rushed out for college grabbing a packet of biscuits which was my breakfast.
Inside the moving vehicle I munched the packet of biscuits which were filled with chocolate cream. With growing excitement, I gazed at the craggy roads on Mumbai waiting for the cab to reach my college. Passing through the narrow markets hugging the sides of the road cab lurched to my destination. Nervously I got out at walked further. My first day went quite well, college was fun. Professors were quite good at teaching, infrastructure was good and I made few friends too there.
Somewhere around 2:30pm I reached back home and came using the lift. Five seconds later the doors of the life opened on my floor. I saw her, churidaar girl but this time in dark pink one. She was rotating the key in the door right in front on my door, so my guess was right she was my neighbor. I proceeded to my door stealing glances at her without her knowledge trying to see those greenish orbs of her eyes beneath those lowered lashes. With a gap of 2-3 seconds we went inside our apartments. Passing through the hall where the unopened boxes with my stuff were lying I went inside my room. Throwing the bag aside I jumped on my bed, those boxes seemed like a nightmare and thought of adjusting them even worst.
At night I thought of giving a break to myself from cooking and go out to have something in dinner. The two thought which haunted me were one of getting lost of not being aware of Mumbai roads and second was of being at a wrong place for food. Then I remembered of the E-mail send by dad for important places, from there I got to know about a local restaurant at walking distance.
Climbing down the stairs I went there in my pajamas. It was in the next lane and wasn't so lavished like they are in US but hope was of good food. I opened the door and saw that churidaar girl again sitting on a table towards right, was it a co-incidence or I'm seeing her everywhere? While my feet went few steps forward for an empty table she called me, "Excuse me?" I turned back, her face didn't give any particular expression maybe she was thinking I was following her. These Mumbai chicks huh! Their brain has only one thought that every person is behind them.
I went to her to clear the misunderstanding, "Listen girl I'm not following you neither I'm interested in doing so, if you think so then give your thoughts a break. It's just a co-incidence." I let out on her face. She turned her face down on my shoes for few seconds then towards my face, "Your laces are open" she said.
"Oh" I looked down at my shoes laughing at my own stupidity.
"Tie them or else you'll fall." She smiled. I moved closer to the chair in front of her to sit and tie them up before I actually fall. But asking her before sitting would be better, "May I Sit?"
"Of course, pull out a chair." She spoke politely. I tied them up sitting in front of her and apologized for my words. Should I talk further to her? This was all I thought that moment when she forwarded her hand, "I'm Kria" I shook my hand with hers. "I'm Reyaansh"
The conversation began, I told her about myself and how I landed here in Mumbai for doing BBA. She was in Mumbai from last two years and was currently doing graduation in Indian classical dance forms but originally was from Dehradun. Her and mine story was quite similar yet different, we both were 17 and alone were away from home, dance was her carrier choice and I too wanted open my dance academy after my studies, our colleges were affiliated to same university and were at walking distance and the list would go on.
"What would you like to have?" she asked.
"Anything" I replied but the truth was that I didn't have much knowledge of food people ate in Mumbai and neither I would get my continental food here. "Excuse me" She called the waiter.
I let the food to deliver on our table of her choice, "Ek pau bhaji, ek kandha poha aur... Rey, are you vegetarian?" she asked. "No"
"Aur ek mutton seekh kabab." She completed. The food was kept on out table after fifteen minutes. I took my fork and knife in my hands to have the meal, she weirdly gazed upon me. "What?" I asked. "Mr. Angrez, try eating with your hands."
"But I never ate with hands" I remarked. "There's always a first time"
I tried and ate with my hands, it wasn't so difficult to have food with hands in fact it was better than eating with cutlery. "So how do you find Mumbai?" she asked, with her question image of my unsettled apartment came in front of my eyes filled with those brown boxes. "Tough" I said.
"What?" She was confused. I shared my problem of adjusted of stuff with her. "It seems you never did this kind of work." She had guessed it right. "Never ever"
"Okay... Well I can help you, tomorrow morning I'll come to your place." she said. "Thank you... thank you so much" Damn she's too sweet.
Walking down through the phase where I came across thousand shades of single person for whom I could I could give up anything... The best phase to recollect and the worst to stay...
There were innumerable opportunities to stay back with my parents and study in finest colleges of California. My dad could easily arrange for the admission there but my persistence was to study in my own country, India. It wasn't easy to make mom and dad accept my decision, at a point they were correct too after all I was just 17 and another point was we didn't had anyone close residing in India.
After long arguments they agreed on a condition, if I could secure a scholarship in one of the top colleges of India. The word "scholarship" left me almost blank as seeking scholarship in a country where already million of students are striving for admissions wasn't an easy task. But I pulled my socks up for the upcoming challenge to prove myself. Luckily stars were in my favor and I was in merit list of scholars in one the best colleges present in Mumbai affiliated to Mumbai University. My parents were in pride of my achievement and as per the promise they granted me the permission.
I had never been to India. My parents were already settled in California before I was born. This was the reason I was born and brought there and could never visit my country. Now also they couldn't accompany me due to an important conference, I had been alone on trips for numerous times. In a western country people learn to responsible for their own self since teenage, after staying for long in US I had learnt the same. Plane powered downwards, slicing through wispy clouds it landed Mumbai at 10:30pm. I called out a taxi to the apartment arranged by my father. The college couldn't arrange rooms in hostel for all the students so I had to live in an apartment where dad knew some not so close people.
I opened the door of my apartment with tiredness in my body. My stuff was to be delivered tomorrow, right then only one suitcase was with me and a couch placed in the hall. Removing the shoes I lied on the couch due to dizziness I slept without even realizing.
Next morning, when I got up to check my phone it was already 8:30am with 3 missed calls from dad. I called him back, "Good morning Son, How are you?"
"Good morning Dad, I'm fine." I said rubbing my eyes, trying to red rid of the sleepy eyes of mine. "Okay son, your stuff would be there around 10 o clock. I just E-mailed you all the important numbers which could help and places nearby for necessities as you're alone, take extra care yourself." He said and reminded me. "Yup Dad, Bye" I had convinced my parents that I was a grown and could handle everything alone being miles away from them. But the real challenge was that will I really be able to adjust myself and take care of everything alone?
I got down from the couch to freshen up myself and have some breakfast. In breakfast all I had was some food packets of last night instead of some fresh prepared food. The sandwich wasn't in a condition to eat and I didn't have anything to warm it up. That moment I really missed mom and food which she made. It was an indication to "This is just the beginning."
After having breakfast I again took nap waiting for the delivery of my stuff. Some noise of ringing was disturbing my precious sleep. Taking the cushion I covered my ears but the sound still hammered my ears. I took another cushion and threw it in the estimated direction of the sound in sleep, "Shut up." It was my doorbell, opening my eyes slowly I went forward to open the door. "Sir, your stuff" the person on the door said. "Oh yeah, is everything here?"
"Yes sir, all your stuff including furniture, electric appliances, and grocery with daily use necessities. It is being unloaded from the carrier." He said.
I came outside, near the lift to check the boxes and know which stuff lies in which box. Dad called to know has everything reached to me, "Be careful guys with the grocery boxes... Yes dad, stuff is being shifted to the apartment." I said and walked back looking in front. In this opposite walking someone bumped into by back, that someone was a young girl and quite pretty in dark blue churidaar. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?" I said. She adjusted her dupatta and removed the flicks fallen on her face, "Its fine and I'm alright" saying this she left taking the 2nd lift present there.
"Swayam... Swayam... Swayam... beta, are you there?" Dad called out several times. "Huh? Ya... Ya dad I'm there." I replied coming out of the trance. He asked whom I just apologized, "A girl"
"Oh a girrrlll... Mumbai jaate hi hawa lag gayi?" he teased.
"Dad plz... she must be one of the neighbor" I told him about the dark blue churidaar girl and how walking backwards made her bump. "Was she pretty?" he asked. "Stop it dad... okay I gtg go now bye" I said and kept the phone before he could question further.
My stuff had arrived but settling it was a big task. In California I had never done this kind of work neither was much aware of how to do it. Looking at boxes kept in the hall I came to the conclusion of adjusting the basic stuff which was grocery and basic necessities in the cupboard and washroom. The bigger stuff like electric appliances and furniture I would settle later on. Adjusting of only basic the stuff business took whole day still task want complete. Till night I was so tired that taking a glass of buttermilk I dozed off to sleep.
Next day was important for me as it was my first day in college. I took my clothes from the cupboard they had turned a bit messy in the journey. Ironing them also was my work now so I had to complete it. Taking a bath I rushed out for college grabbing a packet of biscuits which was my breakfast.
Inside the moving vehicle I munched the packet of biscuits which were filled with chocolate cream. With growing excitement, I gazed at the craggy roads on Mumbai waiting for the cab to reach my college. Passing through the narrow markets hugging the sides of the road cab lurched to my destination. Nervously I got out at walked further. My first day went quite well, college was fun. Professors were quite good at teaching, infrastructure was good and I made few friends too there.
Somewhere around 2:30pm I reached back home and came using the lift. Five seconds later the doors of the life opened on my floor. I saw her, churidaar girl but this time in dark pink one. She was rotating the key in the door right in front on my door, so my guess was right she was my neighbor. I proceeded to my door stealing glances at her without her knowledge trying to see those greenish orbs of her eyes beneath those lowered lashes. With a gap of 2-3 seconds we went inside our apartments. Passing through the hall where the unopened boxes with my stuff were lying I went inside my room. Throwing the bag aside I jumped on my bed, those boxes seemed like a nightmare and thought of adjusting them even worst.
At night I thought of giving a break to myself from cooking and go out to have something in dinner. The two thought which haunted me were one of getting lost of not being aware of Mumbai roads and second was of being at a wrong place for food. Then I remembered of the E-mail send by dad for important places, from there I got to know about a local restaurant at walking distance.
Climbing down the stairs I went there in my pajamas. It was in the next lane and wasn't so lavished like they are in US but hope was of good food. I opened the door and saw that churidaar girl again sitting on a table towards right, was it a co-incidence or I'm seeing her everywhere? While my feet went few steps forward for an empty table she called me, "Excuse me?" I turned back, her face didn't give any particular expression maybe she was thinking I was following her. These Mumbai chicks huh! Their brain has only one thought that every person is behind them.
I went to her to clear the misunderstanding, "Listen girl I'm not following you neither I'm interested in doing so, if you think so then give your thoughts a break. It's just a co-incidence." I let out on her face. She turned her face down on my shoes for few seconds then towards my face, "Your laces are open" she said.
"Oh" I looked down at my shoes laughing at my own stupidity.
"Tie them or else you'll fall." She smiled. I moved closer to the chair in front of her to sit and tie them up before I actually fall. But asking her before sitting would be better, "May I Sit?"
"Of course, pull out a chair." She spoke politely. I tied them up sitting in front of her and apologized for my words. Should I talk further to her? This was all I thought that moment when she forwarded her hand, "I'm Sharon" I shook my hand with hers. "I'm Swayam"
The conversation began, I told her about myself and how I landed here in Mumbai for doing BBA. She was in Mumbai from last two years and was currently doing graduation in Indian classical dance forms but originally was from Dehradun. Her and mine story was quite similar yet different, we both were 17 and alone were away from home, dance was her carrier choice and I too wanted open my dance academy after my studies, our colleges were affiliated to same university and were at walking distance and the list would go on.
"What would you like to have?" she asked.
"Anything" I replied but the truth was that I didn't have much knowledge of food people ate in Mumbai and neither I would get my continental food here. "Excuse me" She called the waiter.
I let the food to deliver on our table of her choice, "Ek pau bhaji, ek kandha poha aur... Swayam, are you vegetarian?" she asked. "No"
"Aur ek mutton seekh kabab." She completed. The food was kept on out table after fifteen minutes. I took my fork and knife in my hands to have the meal, she weirdly gazed upon me. "What?" I asked. "Mr. Angrez, try eating with your hands."
"But I never ate with hands" I remarked. "There's always a first time"
I tried and ate with my hands, it wasn't so difficult to have food with hands I fact it was better than eating with cutlery. "So how do you find Mumbai?" she asked, with her question image of my unsettled apartment came in front of my eyes filled with those brown boxes. "Tough" I said.
"What?" She was confused. I shared my problem of adjusted of stuff with her. "It seems you never did this kind of work." She had guessed it right. "Never ever"
"Okay... Well I can help you, tomorrow morning I'll come to your place." she said. "Thank you... thank you so much" Damn she's too sweet.
So here ends the chapter
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