Sunday, February 21, 2010

Title-less!

He called me one day and said, " I am in town. Meet me at the same place. Please. I need to talk. I need to talk to you." I was shocked. We hadn't spoken in ages and in the 7 years that I had known him, I had never heard him like that. I immediately left my office. There was something in his voice that made me leave work immediately.

When I reached the cafe, I was shocked to him there. That handsome face, that tidy hair, that crooked smile. Nothing. Just an empty stare.

It was like he was waiting. Waiting for something to occur, something to happen. I saw him at the cafe. Disheveled hair, clothes ragged. His eyes held an empty look.

I went and sat next to him. He looked up. Still no smile, no spark in the eyes, no him.

"What happened? Are you ok?" I asked.

"She is dead," came his reply.

"What? Who?"

"Her. Yesterday. There," he spoke slowly, breathing heavily like each word weight heavily on his heart.

"What happened?"

He took a deep breath and then looked at me, with tears in his eyes. I couldn't believe it.

"Why did they? How could they? Why her?"

I tried to put things together in my head.

"She called me a month back. She said she wanted to get back together. It was tough. She was there and me here. We spoke about it. A lot. You know how I can be. I never took her seriously but I was happy." He gulped.

He continued, " Yesterday, I called her. She didn't pick up. She almost never picked up when I called. She didn't call back that entire day. I saw the news. Pune blasts. She was in Pune. Something within me shifted. I don't know why. I called and kept calling her."

I was dreading the worst. I knew what was to come but I hoped that wasn't it. I was hoping that there was some other end to this story. I just didn't want rationality to win.

"That blast in Pune killed her. I am just coming back from Pune. I had to see her one last time. "

What do I tell him? How do i console him? What do I say to make it better when nothing can make it better?

(Based very loosely on true events)

7 comments:

Nabila said...

You left me with goosebumps.
I am just speechless because i don't know how to say!
Sometimes some happenings may you see it and seriously become reactionless and that's what just happened!
Great write!

Arjit Srivastava said...

Sad, but, true. Wonder when will such events actually stop taking place! Ah, by the way, I'd written an article on the same - though, it cannot be compared to your 'title-less' work in any form; you may want to read it! :)

http://bit.ly/lustforblood

PS: A very powerful post indeed!

shweta said...

yes i dnt knw what to say this...knwing wat dis is based on..it gives me goosebumps...and i cant even tell u hw to console him...somehow, there arent words everytime...

Ananya said...

it was consoling enough 2 know that she wanted him back and she loved him and wanted 2 b with him again!

we are so expectant about the future that we forget about simple things in the present...never keep anything in your heart let it out..if u love someone let them know that very moment!

psychedchick said...

You try to find joy in little things but what matters is that person is gone!

Akash said...

Good, you are actually right. Very similar writing, but mine's better.
Post it and you'll know.

Unknown said...

Nicely written, clear. Conveys the helplessness and pain, sadness and anger.

There is also an undeniable similarity in the way both you and Akash write ...