the constant buzz of the people bothered Mr. Mehta a lot. he always wondered how could people keep chattering like that and how could people find so many nonsense things to talk about. for instance the two not so beautiful ladies who sat across him had been gossiping for more than two hours now and kept on dragging the same topic of how miserable the life of a housewife could be.
for once he wanted to shout "shut up" at the ladies but a part of him insisted that he listen to their talk. maybe Lataa also felt the same way.. but could never speak out loud. its been more than 30years to their marriage and they didn't have any major issues so far except the one when he decided to move away from Mumbai and live in a less populated and less polluted area. lataa had been furious at first but as time went on, she cooled as well.
its been 5years since they moved to a little town near Maharashtra border. but he kept coming to Mumbai in order to visit his son and daughter in law. lataa usually accompanied him but this time she wanted to make a trip to her sister's.
he had the whole night to spend in the train and it was just getting dark outside. the hum of the crowd in the train was getting on his nerves. he confirmed that he had taken his bp medicine in the morning. the melody of the crowd was improvised by an occasional note from the vendors. the only slot of peace was that he had the upper berth in the train. he closed his eyes for the moment.
he woke up with the voice of laughter. he looked at the watch and realized that he had been asleep for nearly an hour. he took a peek to see what was going on. the two chatter boxes were replaced by a woman who seemed to be immersed in a book and the source of laughter : a girl perhaps 23-24 years old.
he was looking at the girl with his eyebrows pulled together making a perfect V on his forehead. he knew he wasnt the most lovable person in the world. a little strict, perhaps little was an understatement, but he was definitely upset with the so called up to date generation. he saw them as spoiled kids with no hint of responsibility or manners and the girl below was no exception.
when it was time for dinner, he came down and sat near the window. the woman was still glued to the book. and the girl was still over phone, still giggling. she was saying 'its just a routine. i repeat every 20 days."
and then again" no am not afraid. its not the first time am doing it. chill i will be fine"
Mr. Mehta looked at her with narrowed eyes. was she hinting at drugs? perhaps. there was mischief in her eyes. he had been a lot irritated lately. he had the feeling that it was getting incorporated in his genes by now. as it is he never got the perfect job for himself. he had been denied all the better things that he deserved but in this phase of life where people have nothing to do but count their grey hair and the increasing number of candles on their birthday cakes, he had very less people to talk to.
lataa had packed him dinner. he smiled when he saw his tiffin. she had made his favorite. he was going to take the first bite when the girl turned and said "uncle do u mind if i sit here?"
he just gave an approving nod and went back to dinner. he was enjoying it when she spoke again "its a lovely night isnt it? i mean u can see the moon if u stand near the door"
Mr. Mehta was strict about maintaining silence during eating. this was bothering him. he didnt comment anything. by the time he was finished with dinner, she was still babbling over phone. he didnt want to sleep. so he went near the door to take a smoke.
the breeze was cool and there was the much needed silence. he was returning when the girl collided with him and lost her balance. Mr. Mehta helped her get up. "thank you uncle." she said and smiled.
he just nodded. when they were back in their seats, she said "i hadnt had the chance to introduce myself. you must be thinking i am impolite. i am sonia"
mr. mehta said mentally " i know you have no sense of respect" and he let his thoughts in his facial expression.
she continued "where are you going?"
mr.mehta replied "mumbai"
"wow. i am also going there." she said it with such a smile as if she found a long lost friend.
she continued " you are going there for vacation?"
"no. my son lives there"
she carried on with her questions and talked a lot about herself as well. mr. mehta spoke as little as possible. she talked about her college, her family, her friends etc etc and also told that the woman tavelling with them was her mother. she was asleep by now. mr . mehta thought it was strange that her mother allowed her such behavior.
mr. mehta was half listening when she said "life is so beautiful. every day is so much beautiful and there are so many things to see and learn"
he replied " kid you know nothing about life yet. life is never fair to anyone and you dont know the challenges in life"
she smiled and said " uncle life is always beautiful. we just do not have enough time to stop and take a look at it"
at that moment he thought it was enough and he cant make a silly girl understand the complications in life. what do they know? they get money from parents and like this girl many do drugs, and other ilegal things and spoil their lives. he said "after 10 years you wont be saying it"
she said " in few years, i will be moving to a far away place" and smiled.
mr. mehta thought she may be referring to running away from home or drinking at some college hostle. he bid her night and went to sleep.
he woke up before his station arrived, packed his things and waited. the girl was also ready with her luggage. when the train reached the station, he got down and called sanjay, his son. the girl and her mother got down after him. she was still giggling over phone.
when sanjay arrived, he greeted mr. mehta. they were about to leave when the girl called her "hi doc!"
sanjay turned to see her and said "sonia! its so nice to see you. i was wondering why you missed your last appointment."
"sorry doc. friend's birth day was there."
"hmm. i will be seeing you at 11am then?" sanjay asked
"yup sure. and dont be late. i got your favorite chocolates" sonia said.
sanjay smiled and said "thanks. i will see you at the hospital then."
"see ya. bye" she sais and left.
after she was out of the hearing radius, mr. mehta asked "sanjay, do you know her?"
"yes. she is my patient. such a young girl. she has blood cancer. comes every 20 days for blood transfusion. her father passed away last year. but she is one of the most cheerful person i ever met. never complains."
mr. mehta was taken back.
sanjay continued " she is very optimistic. people love her. she might appear shallow but she is very mature and caring. she does a part time job so that she doesnt have to ask for pocket money."
mr. mehta was absolutely silent. and then he asked "will she be ok?"
sanjay said " she is at the final stage. hardly has 2 years. she always says that people have life but they spend it in resenting about the things they dont have and someone who wants to live is denied the right to live because of a stupid disease"
sanjay was silent for a moment and then said "anyways dad. how do you know her?"
he replied "she is a stranger who taught me the value of life"
for once he wanted to shout "shut up" at the ladies but a part of him insisted that he listen to their talk. maybe Lataa also felt the same way.. but could never speak out loud. its been more than 30years to their marriage and they didn't have any major issues so far except the one when he decided to move away from Mumbai and live in a less populated and less polluted area. lataa had been furious at first but as time went on, she cooled as well.
its been 5years since they moved to a little town near Maharashtra border. but he kept coming to Mumbai in order to visit his son and daughter in law. lataa usually accompanied him but this time she wanted to make a trip to her sister's.
he had the whole night to spend in the train and it was just getting dark outside. the hum of the crowd in the train was getting on his nerves. he confirmed that he had taken his bp medicine in the morning. the melody of the crowd was improvised by an occasional note from the vendors. the only slot of peace was that he had the upper berth in the train. he closed his eyes for the moment.
he woke up with the voice of laughter. he looked at the watch and realized that he had been asleep for nearly an hour. he took a peek to see what was going on. the two chatter boxes were replaced by a woman who seemed to be immersed in a book and the source of laughter : a girl perhaps 23-24 years old.
he was looking at the girl with his eyebrows pulled together making a perfect V on his forehead. he knew he wasnt the most lovable person in the world. a little strict, perhaps little was an understatement, but he was definitely upset with the so called up to date generation. he saw them as spoiled kids with no hint of responsibility or manners and the girl below was no exception.
when it was time for dinner, he came down and sat near the window. the woman was still glued to the book. and the girl was still over phone, still giggling. she was saying 'its just a routine. i repeat every 20 days."
and then again" no am not afraid. its not the first time am doing it. chill i will be fine"
Mr. Mehta looked at her with narrowed eyes. was she hinting at drugs? perhaps. there was mischief in her eyes. he had been a lot irritated lately. he had the feeling that it was getting incorporated in his genes by now. as it is he never got the perfect job for himself. he had been denied all the better things that he deserved but in this phase of life where people have nothing to do but count their grey hair and the increasing number of candles on their birthday cakes, he had very less people to talk to.
lataa had packed him dinner. he smiled when he saw his tiffin. she had made his favorite. he was going to take the first bite when the girl turned and said "uncle do u mind if i sit here?"
he just gave an approving nod and went back to dinner. he was enjoying it when she spoke again "its a lovely night isnt it? i mean u can see the moon if u stand near the door"
Mr. Mehta was strict about maintaining silence during eating. this was bothering him. he didnt comment anything. by the time he was finished with dinner, she was still babbling over phone. he didnt want to sleep. so he went near the door to take a smoke.
the breeze was cool and there was the much needed silence. he was returning when the girl collided with him and lost her balance. Mr. Mehta helped her get up. "thank you uncle." she said and smiled.
he just nodded. when they were back in their seats, she said "i hadnt had the chance to introduce myself. you must be thinking i am impolite. i am sonia"
mr. mehta said mentally " i know you have no sense of respect" and he let his thoughts in his facial expression.
she continued "where are you going?"
mr.mehta replied "mumbai"
"wow. i am also going there." she said it with such a smile as if she found a long lost friend.
she continued " you are going there for vacation?"
"no. my son lives there"
she carried on with her questions and talked a lot about herself as well. mr. mehta spoke as little as possible. she talked about her college, her family, her friends etc etc and also told that the woman tavelling with them was her mother. she was asleep by now. mr . mehta thought it was strange that her mother allowed her such behavior.
mr. mehta was half listening when she said "life is so beautiful. every day is so much beautiful and there are so many things to see and learn"
he replied " kid you know nothing about life yet. life is never fair to anyone and you dont know the challenges in life"
she smiled and said " uncle life is always beautiful. we just do not have enough time to stop and take a look at it"
at that moment he thought it was enough and he cant make a silly girl understand the complications in life. what do they know? they get money from parents and like this girl many do drugs, and other ilegal things and spoil their lives. he said "after 10 years you wont be saying it"
she said " in few years, i will be moving to a far away place" and smiled.
mr. mehta thought she may be referring to running away from home or drinking at some college hostle. he bid her night and went to sleep.
he woke up before his station arrived, packed his things and waited. the girl was also ready with her luggage. when the train reached the station, he got down and called sanjay, his son. the girl and her mother got down after him. she was still giggling over phone.
when sanjay arrived, he greeted mr. mehta. they were about to leave when the girl called her "hi doc!"
sanjay turned to see her and said "sonia! its so nice to see you. i was wondering why you missed your last appointment."
"sorry doc. friend's birth day was there."
"hmm. i will be seeing you at 11am then?" sanjay asked
"yup sure. and dont be late. i got your favorite chocolates" sonia said.
sanjay smiled and said "thanks. i will see you at the hospital then."
"see ya. bye" she sais and left.
after she was out of the hearing radius, mr. mehta asked "sanjay, do you know her?"
"yes. she is my patient. such a young girl. she has blood cancer. comes every 20 days for blood transfusion. her father passed away last year. but she is one of the most cheerful person i ever met. never complains."
mr. mehta was taken back.
sanjay continued " she is very optimistic. people love her. she might appear shallow but she is very mature and caring. she does a part time job so that she doesnt have to ask for pocket money."
mr. mehta was absolutely silent. and then he asked "will she be ok?"
sanjay said " she is at the final stage. hardly has 2 years. she always says that people have life but they spend it in resenting about the things they dont have and someone who wants to live is denied the right to live because of a stupid disease"
sanjay was silent for a moment and then said "anyways dad. how do you know her?"
he replied "she is a stranger who taught me the value of life"
simple; yet commendable way of presenting the core theme...work more on the contextual part...
ReplyDeletegood job done!