Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' Th 1. Reposted all the parts - Page 70

Chapter 9

Arnav settled down on the platform at the front of the terrace that overlooked the foyer below. It was a comfortable place to carry on with his work. As he placed the laptop on his lap while spreading his legs front with his right foot over the left one, he dialed the number with laziness. It had been a while since he had spoken with his mother and wanted to call her just so she would not go all drama queen that would irritate him."Hey Mom," he said into the mobile cheerfully, "how are you?"

"I am surprised you remember me, Suriya." His mother said dramatically and he could almost hear her eyes rolling at him. "It's been four days since you have called and your Appa and I are planning to file a missing complaint."

Arnav looked at the cloud, praying to provide some sense to his parents. "It's Arnav, Amma and I am glad you haven't really filed a complaint. Now, before you start with your typical mother lectures, I was busy lately and haven't gotten time to call you. I am sorry for that but as you can see, I am alive and looking forward for a pleasant conversation. So, just don't annoy me with your family dramas."

"All you can say is such things and hurt me," Anita S Raizada whined as he heard his father from the back. "I don't think I am in a mood to speak with you as you clearly don't appreciate my love for you. Here, speak with your Appa for all I care."

"This is annoying," he said to his father with a suppressed groan. "How can you keep up with her antics, Dad? I wonder what is so special in her that you fought with both the families for over months before gaining their consent."

Arnav was rewarded with a shout from his mother just as his father said, "the speaker's activated by her, be careful son. Leave my love life aside, you won't understand a parent's pain until you have the same pain in your ass. Tell me, how is your work going on?"

He sighed by the number of emails sitting in the inbox as he logged in. Not caring about them, he opened the file he was working on and checked the report. "Work is fine," he said after a long minute, "why am I guessing there is something you wanted to discuss, Appa." He asked gently, ignoring a part of him that was shouting at him not to ask the reasons. "Is that the reason behind Amma's dramatic behavior?"

Avinash Singh Raizada cleared his throat, confirming his doubts and all Arnav was able to do was groan loudly that said that he wasn't interested in the conversation and that he regretted for initiating it. "Okay son, you made it clear that you are regretting for calling and then asking about it, but it's time we have some father and son conversation, as pointed."

"Please, Dad," Arnav whined now, "I have loads of work to do and really in no mood for this. Can we not have this later? May be, tonight or tomorrow?"

"Unfortunately," his father disagreed with a chuckle, "I am left with no other option, Arnav. I was about to call you too. Your Amma had a huge fight with me last night and hadn't had dinner. Have some mercy on your old man."

"Fine!" He hissed, pushing the laptop off his lap and leaned on to the wall as he overlooked the foyer to find Bindu and her mother settled on the floor with wheat spread around them in large plates. "As simple as it sounds, Dad, I am not ready to look for serious relationship."

"As ignorant as I am," his father countered, "there are few photos of your prospective brides attached in the mail. Have a look at them."

Arnav smiled politely at the women when they looked up at him, keeping his face as decent as he could able to. He looked around the place but unable to see the crazy girl anywhere. "The answer is no," he said plainly, "why can't Amma leave this topic, Dad. This is getting on my nerves."

"That's because you are thirty, and as you might know by now, it has everything to do with your cousin's wedding, who is three years younger to you."

He cursed under his breath at the information. "I should have known to avoid you for a while," he said at last, "please Dad, I know I am thirty and that you are really worried about me. However, I can't force myself to meet any girl anytime soon. I will come to you once I am ready to get married."

"Are you still pinning on that girl?"Avinash asked seriously, all know jokes gone. "For heaven's sake, Arnav, you haven't seen her. How can you like someone in that way? How long can you wait for her, who vanished without a word?"

Arnav rubbed his face with tiredness that consumed him out of nowhere. "I agree with you," he said in a low whisper, "believe me Dad, my rational side says the same. However, I am not sure why my heart has hope that someday, I will meet her. I can't name my feelings for her as love, Dad. As much I know her through our cards, I can say this with no doubt that she is not someone who makes pen pals for passing her time. There must be a reason for her vanishing in this way. Let me come in terms with my confused feelings for her before committing myself in the name of marriage."

His father sighed, defeated. "Okay, Arnav. I will wait for you to come around but just remember that you have me, if you need anything."

"Sure Dad, thanks." Arnav smiled, feeling blessed to have understanding parents. "Take care of Amma and please don't stress yourself with work. Love you."

Disconnecting the call, he stand there by leaning on the parapet wall watching the women working with the wheat that he has no idea about. He then heard a commercial add and noticed a set of speakers between the women, just as he remembered his conversation with the crazy girl last day, about some radio program. He rolled his eyes, pushing away his conversation with his father, wanting to cheer himself, clearly deciding to give the program a chance just to avoid his thoughts about his girl and marriage talks.

A warm welcome to all the listeners and I am here, as promised, to take you all to yet another experience... Sandcastle'... one of the memorable things in everyone's life. Be it a kid playing with it, trying to create something of his likes with the help of his father... or be it a couple creating their own world... it symbolizes one's childhood and adulthood. Everyone has it, but when it is swept with the ocean...? Like a lost dream...? Sandcastle' also represents broken memories of loved ones. A kid cries over it, remembering his times with his parents... and a man cries silently, in the thoughts of his lover...

Arnav found himself walking down the stairs, feeling a strong pull at the words. He had believed that RJ's were capable of eating one's peace but never had he thought that one would have a soothing approach. He smiled, remembering the way Khushi had tried to make him accept to give this a chance and Arnav shook his head as he was doing the same. He sat on the last step, nodding at Bindu who smiled at him. "I can't see Khushi anywhere," he asked finally, "I guess she likes this program, right."

He noticed her hesitating for a second before smiling at him in a friendly way. "She has something to attend to," she said gently, "how do you know that she likes this, Arnav?"

Cursing himself for the slip, he fished his mobile, just to avoid looking at the women, who were watching him intently. "She said it when we talked," he said, choosing to be as truthfully as he could, sounding as he meant about their late night talks when the family were in that function or gathering.

And today we are going to experience Vikas's life... his childhood, his dreams and the life changing moment that made him who he is today.Vikas, thank you for giving us a chance to know about you through Sandcastle'.

I need to thank you, Megha, for giving me such an opportunity. I am honored to be a part of this program and I must say, you are doing a great job in introducing people like us to the world and encouraging everyone to help others in way.

I am doing nothing when compared to you... please tell us about you, Vikas.

My childhood was something I can never forget for various reasons. Being elder with two siblings, I was forced to step into my father's shoes as we lost him due to his drinking. Mom worked in few houses and I helped her. I stopped studying at eight years and we tried with all our might to provide a normal education for my siblings and I am happy that our hard work paid off with them being settled in respectable positions.

But what about your studies...? Have you ever thought about having a degree of your own and a job?

Of course, I wanted to become an engineer and work for a multinational company, receive medals by topping university and presenting it to my mother. However, each person has something store for him which has nothing to do with his dreams. I never regretted for not studying, though. Now, given chance, I would surely change and create some time for myself, along with my siblings.

What about your accident...? When did you come up with this kind of service center...?

My accident... it was one fatal day that I would never overcome in this lifetime. But I think about it more like a waking call. After I came to know that I lost my feet and that I will never be able to walk without any physical support, I was so depressed that I nearly killed myself in the process. But the ward in which I was admitted after my suicide attempt, I was frozen to see the sufferings of other people. It was that time I met with a kid. She was ten and was suffering from life threatening disease. Though she knew that she had fewer chances to survive, she tried her best to have a happy life. That was the moment I stopped thinking about killing and started to deal with my fate. I tried to be as independent as I could, not wanting to be a burden for others. I met with other people suffering from accidents in one way or the other and we came up with the thought of lending helping hand for them who are in need. It turned out in this way... now, when I think back about all those months of suffering, I wonder that it was what I had in store, to be useful in my worse condition.

Nearly killed in an accident and trying to commit suicide, then meeting with a kid who was suffering... changing your mind and coming up by joining hands with others... now, your committee is helping out almost seventy people, counseling them not to lose hope on life... and motivating them to bring their inner talents... you find the meaning of your life in the way. Finally, what is it that you want us to know about your experience...

Life is very precious, Megha. For any reasons, one would be depressed in one moment or the other in his life but overcoming it and finding a meaning is the most important thing. There are many people out there who want to lead a normal life but unable to due to their life threatening disease. Help others, and help who are in need. At the end of the day, no one remembers you for your salary or your achievement. You will be remembered by the love of people around you.Don't kill yourself. If one door is closed, there definitely is another door waiting for you to open it. Search for that door and you will lead a satisfied life...

Thank you so much for sharing your life, Vikas...

Arnav shut his eyes, blocking the RJ's voice, as he felt heavy hearted by the man's words. It was something he knew, very hard to experience. Arnav found himself walking back upstairs and rubbed his face. He smiled a little, and all he wanted to do was, talk to the crazy girl and thank her for informing about this and for asking him to give a chance for this. Though he heard just to avoid thinking about his personal life, he was glad he did it."Khushi," he said into the phone, not realizing until he heard her that he had called her, "I must say that was incredible job this Megha is doing. I can't even imagine someone bringing such people to radio stations and letting people know the value of life."

He heard her laughing softly. "I am glad you did, Arnav," she said, her voice a little low, "so, are you going to tune to Sandcastle' every Saturday?"

"Hell no," he said, smiling as he looked up at the cloud, "men can't cry, Khushi. And this is really sentimental and I am not very much inclined to it."

***~***~***~***~***~***