HOPING AGAINST HOPE & GETTING THE GIRL

My board exam was about to start but the biggest thing that was going to impact my exam was my going to another town where there was a wedding. It was what my elder brother thing. I was eager to go to wedding as it was going to be very affluent wedding of the town. I desired to see the rich people and their culture and food items they eat and many more things that as a middle class boy I did not see. 

For this I prepared myself as smartly as I could and I wore my best dress that I had, black trouser and khaki shirt with blue sweater. I convinced my elder brother to go, as going alone my parents would not allow me. I was in tenth standard, there was a belief in my family that you should not enjoy or go to any party or wedding until you completed tenth standard. I was also not allowed to condone this many year’s belief. 

While entering towards welcome carpet, I was very pleased to see lighting and the spectrum that was created with the silky dresses of rich people there. After sitting comfortably, we were served with the delicious sweets and with some hot drinks. I took so many sweets as I liked it very much. But i had to behave in the supervision of my brother I forgot that for a while. I realized it when I saw his staring eyes towards me. We were setting at the lawn, watching guests who were going towards home. Bride’s home was almost nine meter away from us. I was watching excitedly here and there. 

Suddenly my ears stuck on a very soft slow noise of a girl, albeit it was very noisy and crowded place but anyhow I managed to find the route of the voice from where it was coming. A girl with a smiling face along with her family was meeting with their relatives and almost three meter away from us. The girl was very stunning wearing blue jacket, her face was like snow and a small black cap on her head contrasting in such a way even older people could not deny looking at her. Some of her hairs were coming out from her cap and weaving freely that was very mesmerizing to see. It was a night of winter and seeming like full moon was glowing. 

I was very confident to say, that time none of my senses were working. But I tried to see her as much as I could, till she went towards bride’s home. Now my all senses were functioning but only for her not for me. 

I did not hear or watch her again till I was there. Now it was time to have food and back to home. In the same night we returned to our home. My elder brother was more concerned about my study so we did not spend much time there. I was trying hard to sleep but I was still thinking about her. It was a sleepless night but there were many sleepless nights ahead as well. 

I decided to share with my school friends about the girls and know more about her. I told my friend who was a close relative of bride’s family. He firstly listened to me very carefully but later he tried to discourage me. He dismayed me to think about her further. “Dhruv, don’t think about her more.” Harikesh said. “Her name is Manshi Maurya, she is from Mumbai, she belongs from a very rich family and study in English medium.” Harikesh said. 

Sometime friends are the path finder but Harikesh’s words were leaving me in the lurch. I wanted not more but to meet her atleast once and to confess her that how gorgeous she was. Always I was in thinking mode how could; I meet her. I was also dreaming to go to Mumbai but for a middle class boy it was really hoping against hope. I thought the ways to go to Mumbai, one chance to meet her could be to pursue my career there. I made a plan to study in Mumbai. Some of friends told to study in IIT Mumbai, the only college we knew that time. I started to study hard. Passing 10th board exam I changed my school but Harikesh remained in the previous school, changing school also changed my friends, my feelings and my dreams. 

After 12th I prepared myself for engineering entrance exam for one year. Result of it discouraged me not to get IIT Mumbai. But got admission in J.S.S. College based in Noida. It was totally new place for me to study, new friends, new feelings and new dreams to live with. 

Till this time I totally forgot about Ms. Manshi but my friend Harikesh reminded me of her when I meet Harikesh after 3rd year of my engineering. Harikesh also told me that he had set up a dairy farm in the town and earning well. 

“Dhruv, did you have any girlfriend in college?” Harikesh asked. I replied in sad voice, “Not at all, my friend, there is very less scope of having girlfriend when you are living with mechanical engineering.” Harikesh asked again, “Did you forget about Ms. Manshi? The cute girl, you were mad for, in school days.” 

People always expected from me to have girlfriend when i was studying in engineering college but reality behind they did not know that it was totally different. While thinking of this, I was sleepless in the same night, thinking all about Ms. Manshi and Mumbai, planning how could I meet her? I thought not having any girlfriend till; feeling for Ms. Manshi still had a soft corner in my heart. 

I was again feeling disheartened when I a student of mechanical engineering, was placed in a software based company in Delhi. I was happy to get a job but thinking how would I apply my mechanical engineering the very hard study that I did, while I would work for software based company. 

I worked almost one year in Delhi for the same software based company but not enjoying much in my work. It was not what I expected from my professional career. I planned to pursue MBA. I started to study for entrance exam that lead me to get admission in well ranked MBA College while continuing the same job. 

It was very difficult to study while doing a job but it was more shocking for me to get an email of transfer before one month of my entrance exam. I was feeling disrespected in my professional career. The one of the sentences written in the email was, “You are transferred to Mumbai and please manage to move within fifteen days of getting this email.” 

It was 11th November when I was shifted to new rented flat at Andheri west, Mumbai, a city of dreams. I was living alone so sometime feel boredom, the same I told my family. So I started to search for people that belong to my town and living in Mumbai. My elder brother found some of my relatives that live in Mumbai and advised to meet them whenever I feel boredom or feel alone. My elder brother also sent my phone number to the relatives. 

After one month I came to my home town on a leave. I met my friend Harikesh. “You are very popular in the town, you know” He said. “Ohh really, I guessed my elder brother told to you all.” I said. “Yes your elder brother, he also told that you are living alone and feel boredom sometimes.” Harikesh said. “Yes, though Mumbai is such a crowded city, no one could even breathe freely.” I said. “Did you know that Ms. Manshi’s family also live in Andheri west ?” Harikesh said. I denied. Harikesh assured me by saying, “I will do something for you.” I reacted surprisingly towards him. 

And the time came when my leave about to end and I was preparing my bag to go back. Harikesh came to meet me in the morning and excitedly said I got it. Again I reacted surprisingly towards him and said, “What are you talking about?” He shared social media id of Kajal, Ms. Manshi’s elder sister and told me that she was married. “Ohh, Harikesh you are acting like you have done something big for me but it is just a social media id not of her’s but of her elder sister’s.” I teased him by saying this. 

While getting comfortable inside train I thought to send message to Kajal. I wrote not Hello or Hii like most people start a conversation with but I typed full introduction of myself. I hate to ask silly questions. She replied after two hour. 

Kajal: “Hello” 

Dhruv: “How are you Kajal. Hoping you read all about me in above message.” 

Kajal: “Yea! So where are you living in Mumbai?” 

Dhruv : “In Andheri west.” 

Kajal: “Good, my house is also there.” 

Dhruv: “Ohh, really.” 

With this we get more interest in our conventional talk. 

Kajal: “Proud on you, coming from a very small village and doing job in city like Mumbai is very inspiring.” 

Dhruv: “Are you praising me or insulting me? I am not from a very small village it is a town.” 

Kajal: “Ok, Mr. Town.” 

Dhruv: “I like writing stories. Do you like to read?” 

Kajal: “Yes, sometimes.” 

Dhruv: “If you like reading then I can be your best friend.” 

Our conversation last almost two hours. It seemed like she was a great looking chick. But I wanted more to chat so that I could get more information about my princess family and not to feel boredom during my journey. We were a kind of relatives, I told her and talk about some common people that we both knew. I got in touch with her. I eulogized her and regularly messaged her to her happy and absorbed in me. One day she messaged me. 

Kajal: “Hello Mr. Town.” 

Dhruv: “Good evening. Yes?” 

Kajal: “I told about you to my parents and they insisted me to invite you. Will you be free on 3rd January? it was my birthday. I will be happy if you come.” 

Dhruv: “Definitely, I will come.” 

Kajal; “I will send you the location.” 

Dhruv: “Ok, Can you help me something?” 

Kajal: “Yes, tell me I will try.” 

Dhruv: “I am writing a story. it is ready to post. But I did not know much about actress. Actress is missing in my story.” 

Kajal: “So how can I help you in this.” 

Dhruv: “You know the actress over all you are the elder sister of her.” 

Kajal: “I did not get you. What are you talking about?” 

Dhruv: “I will tell, when I would come for your birthday.” 

Kajal: “As your wish.” 

It was 3rd January, evening, I was wearing my best dress and left for Kajal’s house. I was welcomed in more respected way. The celebration was going to held in Kajal’s laws house. Ms. Manshi’s family was already there. It was very amazing to see Ms. Manshi in real after more than ate years. The charm and the smiling face still radiating attractive rays. She was helping Kajal inside kitchen. 

I along with senior citizens were sitting on sofa. Ms. Manshi served us sweets and some hot drinks. My dry heart like a barren land was going to be wet by the tea made by the soft hand of Ms. Manshi. While her parents taking my interview. With some worlds very serious questions that I hate, where you work? how much you earn?, where you live here?, etc. I did not get the logic behind asking such questions. Her husband went to market he was not there. Kitchen was diagonally apposite to sofa where I was sitting and trying to maintain eye contact with Ms. Manshi. My interview ended when Kajal’s husband entered the house. 

The celebration started, cake was ready to cut on the table made of wood. I was thinking would I get a chance to talk to Ms. Manshi for which I came there. Would I be able to confess her what I thought while I saw her first time. Would my feeling go in fatal. Sometime later we were served with the cake and some snacks. Till now I was sure that Ms. Manshi was also trying to stalk me. 

I had to leave so I took dinner very soon, but how could I leave without talking to Ms. Manshi. I insisted Kajal to let’s go to terrace, while watching towards Ms. Manshi, leave senior citizens here they would enjoy with their own. We talked about my town and the memories we had with the town. 

I talked to Ms. Manshi also and started with a question on her study. She replied “I am pursuing MBA.” I also told how I was not able to qualify for MBA entrance exam. And how I was transferred Mumbai. Kajal left us saying she had some work so advised us to continue. Now I got a chance to say the lines that I kept remember from my childhood. I told Ms. Manshi, “How beautiful she is, and it is a night of winter her face is glowing like a full moon.” I told her all what I wanted to tell her also about watching her for the first time and the feelings of that night. 

I asked for her social media id and her phone number. We exchanged all this. I was glad to talk to her. For this I waited almost ate years. She also impressed with me. My one sided affair going to emerge in two sided. Before leaving I met all the persons very emotionally and they assured me to get in touch and keep visiting us during holidays. While traveling towards my flat i was feeling my cursed life tending towards silver lining.

Sitting beside Ms. Manshi in Kaneri Caves I was thinking, I must stop thinking forward about MBA but I must start thinking forward about Ms. Manshi….