Archive for the ‘Nostalgia’ Category
That Summer!
Posted May 11, 2009
on:- In: Fiction | Friendship | Life | Love | Nostalgia | Relationship | romance
- 52 Comments
This was her second trip to Tarkarli. As she was walking on the shore, she looked back on her footprints and wished the other pair was there too. The pair which was with hers that summer!
She had come to this coastal place, for the first time, a couple of years ago for a conference. And she had instantly fallen in love with the unexplored beauty and meditative sea waves of this “not-heard-of” place.
*****
After a long session on “New trends in antibio therapy” Koyal went and sat on a boat parked in the sand just outside her cottage. There was nobody around and the waves had soothing effect on her nerves. She was startled when she heard somebody call out her name, her pen name!
“Cuckoo!”
She was surprised as to who might know her pen-name here!
A handsome young man was coming towards her and was waving frantically. She waved back, more out of courtesy than recognition.
“Hey Cuckoo!”
He had a broad grin on his childlike face, as if he had discovered some treasure.
“Guess, who am I?” asked the young man with a twinkle in his eyes. She was at a loss but her sharp brain was already at work.
“Sameer?”
“How did you do that? How did you recognize me?” There was utter disbelief on Sameer’s face since neither had ever met nor seen each other’s pictures.
“Nobody except you in blogsphere knew where I was!” She smiled, as always. After all she was known as “Dr. Smiley” in blogsphere, wasn’t she!
“What are you doing here? She still couldn’t believe that Sameer was standing in front of her.
“I came to meet you. Aren’t you happy?” Koyal didn’t know how to respond. Of course she was happy… but wasn’t able to fathom why Sameer would come such a long way to meet her. They had become best of friends, online! Offline… they had their own lives, and neither had tried to trespass into that territory for so many years. It was an untold rule. So why now? She smiled again to his question. And saw the reciprocation on Sameer’s face.
It was awkward initially for both of them to talk face to face. The chat lingo no longer worked. But they WERE friends, so after the initial hiccup, they just went on … chatting away to glory. The hand-in-hand seashore walks gave heady feeling to Koyal. It was long since she felt this way for anybody. Neither of them realized where those four days went. The conference was already gone for a toss.
It was their last evening together. The mood was pensive. They sat on the white, sun-kissed sand sipping fenny looking at the setting sun on the horizon. Somehow the words failed the two chatterboxes. Fenny, sunset, waves and solitude was proving to be a dangerous cocktail. Sameer was scared to offend his friend. He kissed lightly, tentatively on Koyal’s lips and looked in her eyes. He could see the burning desire in those charcoal black eyes. The resultant fire would have been unstoppable had Sameer’s mobile not rang. The spell was broken. *****
*****
She pondered over the evening even now and she knew she wanted Sameer at that very point. Wanted with all her heart and body but thank God for the mobile. It saved her from doing something which she would have regretted later. Or probably Sameer would have! She was married and she was at least a decade senior to him. She couldn’t do that to him…just couldn’t.
Yet, she missed him besides her…
What say!
Posted February 13, 2009
on:- In: Fiction | Friendship | Life | Love | Marriage | Nostalgia | Relationship
- 31 Comments
How many years have passed!! 10? No, it was exactly 12 years since she last saw this sea. She used to love coming here. When Maanushi was a toddler, her parents used to bring her here and she would giggle and laugh and loved riding on her father’s back. As she grew older, parents’ place was taken by a bunch of friends and they used to hang out here. Sometimes till wee hours debating on anything and everything! How many times had they saved this world from economic crisis, from terror attacks and even UFOs!!!
It felt like home coming. She inhaled deeply as if to keep the essence of the sea within her. She was elated and way too nostalgic!!
It was getting darker and she decided to head to their “once favourite” café. Maanushi felt as if nothing had changed in these years and yet, so much had changed.
That applied specifically for her friends, Ketki and Manan.
Maanushi was to stay with them till she got her accommodation from office. She tried to convince them to stay in a hotel, but they would not hear of it. In a couple of days she could make out that Ketki and Manan were not whom she remembered from her past. They had grown to be different people.
Ketki was not as bubbly and Manan has become considerably quieter. In all those years they talked on phone or kept contact on chat, she never felt anything amiss! She attributed this soberness to the hectic work schedule they followed.
Though Ketki was happy to have her, she seemed aloof; not only with her but with Manan too. Something was seriously wrong. Both were tight lipped and she too didn’t want to prod.
As the days passed, her friends’ drift was the last thing on her mind, as something else was eating at her heart and mind. In the last few weeks she realized that Manan was popping in her head way too many times than needed. His thoughts kept Maanushi occupied even at night. Just a thought of Manan sleeping in the adjoining room gave her a warm feeling. She kept going back to their conversations, replayed them in her thoughts and kept staring at her laptop screen during work hours.
She knew, Manan was not to be blamed for the state of her heart. He had never, ever given any hint in that direction. She tried reasoning to herself saying that this is just a physical attraction since it’s been a long time since she had a male company.
But that did not change the fact that she had fallen head over heels for her best friend… and best friend’s husband!!!!
She wanted to be held by Manan, not like his usual hugs. Not a friendly hug but a hug of a lover. She wanted to be close to him, close enough to hear his heartbeats. She wanted to be the part of his being.
She had dated a couple of men earlier but she had never felt this way for any of them.
She was confused with her own feelings. She did not feel guilty. And, yet, she knew these feelings were not acceptable to the society and probably will not be acceptable to Manan too!
But who is going to tell him, anyways!!!
No, she will not run away from him. She can’t even think of doing that. But she can’t tell him and risk the rebuke. Also she needed to understand her own feelings, whether it was temporary attraction or pity or what???
No, she won’t run away. Instead, she would test the waters. Who knows what is in store for her! 😉
Oh, you are so beautiful!
Posted October 7, 2008
on:- In: Anger | Anguish | Fiction | Food for thought | Friendship | Life | Love | Marriage | Nostalgia | Relationship
- 72 Comments
Ritu opened the drawer fifth time since morning and sighed again. A long, big sigh!! She remembered her neighbour’s comments and she backed off. Her eyes glistened. She knew she was over reacting but she couldn’t help but feel down.
She was the most beautiful girl of her batch when she was in college. And her beauty was even more endearing for she was totally oblivious to the fact that she stole a lot many hearts on the campus when she smiled and jerked her head back to keep her hair in place. Not surprisingly, she was the most sought after girl!
When she got “attached” to Kartik a lot of alcohol flowed in the boy’s hostel…
After 5 years of marriage to Kartik and a baby later now when she looked at in the mirror she couldn’t recognize herself. Well, almost!! She has put on at least 15 Kgs post delivery! She still looked charming and beautiful with that sweet smile and cherubic face. It was just that she had filled up a bit on her curves.
She had become a woman!
But every now and then somebody would comment on how she used to look in her college days and how she has changed now. Most of the time she would just smile but sometimes she felt bad, sometimes she felt enraged and sometimes she went into depression.
Kartik was always on her side. If he was around he would shoot his favourite dialogue,
“If you want a wife, your children’s mother, a best friend, a professional, a girl-friend, a cook; all wrapped into one and still expect her to be toothpick thin then probably you are asking for too much from a human being!”
But it was not always possible to make others understand how one feels when they talk without thinking.
Today was one such day. Ritu loved chocolates and she was gifted one by her best friend today. As she was about to open it, her nosy neighbour came and commented on how much weight she has put on and how it is not good for her to have chocolates and other high calorie food! She pushed the chocolate in the drawer but couldn’t push the thoughts which were rummaging through her mind!
“Was it her fault that she was genetically prone to put on weight?
Was it her fault that she was suffering from Hypothyroidism?
Was it her fault that even after taking regular treatment she was unable to shed weight?
Was it her fault that she hardly got time to exercise on a regular basis from her multiple duties of being a wife, a mother and a working professional?
Was it her fault that she could not diet as she needed those calories to keep her going?
Was it her fault that Indian females were made to be a bit voluptuous compared to their western and eastern counterparts?
Was it her fault that media was wrongly portraying toothpick thin models and showing that was the way Indian ladies are suppose to look?”
As she stood in front of her drawer, looking at her bar of chocolate longingly, warmth enveloped her from behind. Kartik had come home early with a gift for her – a beautiful skirt and a T-shirt from the “All size” store… He knew she would look beautiful, as always, in those floral clothes!
Two Cartoons!!
Posted September 5, 2008
on:- In: About Me | Humour | Life | Nostalgia | Separation
- 48 Comments
I was busy with work when my mobile rang. A big smile came over my face when I saw who was calling. It was my hubby! :) But how come he was calling now? We had parted just an hour back!
“Helllllllllooooooo…., how come I have a privilege to talk to you?” I asked smiling.
“Where are you?” He asked. I was surprised. He only dropped me to my office in the morning!
“Office! Where else?”
“And where is the car?”
“Car?”
“Yes, car!”
“It is with you, I suppose!” What was he talking about? He dropped me to the office and took the car and now he was asking me where the car was? He has surely flipped!!
Suddenly he started laughing!
****************
In the morning when he dropped me to the office, I came to the office thinking that he is taking the car. He got down, took his bag and left the keys in the car thinking that I was taking the car.
Apparently, none of us looked back and we both went on our own ways, in opposite directions.
And the car? It sat there, with ignition “on”, in the middle of the road, in between two auto rickshaws.
But after walking a few yards, hubby looked back casually and found the car still in the same spot. He got worried and came back to check why I hadn’t taken the car yet!!!
To his horror, there was nobody in the car and the autowalas were eyeing him suspiciously.
(P.S. Thank God, police didn’t come and caught hold of us as in recent Ahmedabad and Surat bomb blasts, Black Wagon R with a doctor symbol were used to put bombs!)
What should she do?
Posted August 30, 2008
on:- In: Anger | Anguish | Food for thought | Life | Love | Marriage | Nostalgia | Relationship | Separation
- 42 Comments
Suddenly Prithvi came jumping and her frown was transformed in a smile of a mother! In her daughter’s constant chattering she forgot all about them.
But can she really forget them? They were always there… in front of her, day in and day out! And she hated them from the core of her heart. She felt bad for these feelings; she had grown up with all the values perfectly in place and yet, she loathed them!
And recently these feelings were taking toll on her. She seemed to be cranky all the time whenever she was at home. She lost her temper unnecessarily on her daughter and felt like crying without reason or on a small provocation.
*****
She came from hospital and found her wardrobe to be open and her things were at display for the neighbours and relatives.
‘What the hell! ‘, she thought. But didn’t want to create a scene on the 3rd day of her marriage!
*****
When she repeatedly got hurt by their constant lies, she asked one day why did they lie so much, it hurts her.
“What can we do if you are hurt”, pat, came the reply!
*****
She and her husband were in midst of a crisis. They wanted emotional support from the family… They got it. From her family! She could not contemplate how parents could not feel anything for their own child now that he was married!
*****
Her child was just a couple of months old. And even though both of them were doctors, they were not paediatricians. They got scared when their daughter kept on crying the whole night without any reason. Nobody came from the adjacent room to even ask why their daughter was crying!!!
“What could we have done!” was the answer when asked why they didn’t come and help.
*****
One morning she opened the door and saw his mamaji and mamiji. She was pleasantly surprised to see them. Later that day she came to know that her parents-in-law had called them as they wanted to get separated from them and without her noticing they had packed all their belongings and divided the food and vessels into two so that they can take their share along with them.
“Where was I when all these were going on?” She thought bewildered.
They had even packed her husband’s childhood games and story books since they had bought it; never thinking about the child in this house!
Ultimately, as an anti-climax, they never shifted out. Apparently, they just were checking her integrity!!!
*************
These and so many other incidences over a period of eight years have changed her from an ever smiling, bubbly, sweet girl to a frowning, irritable and some what distant individual when she is around them.
When she thinks deeply, she agrees that now the fault is not entirely theirs. She also lashes out when she can not control herself. Now, after so many years, they have started looking after her daughter better than before. Outwardly things seem to be falling into place. She knows she should forget the past and accept them the way they are. But, somehow, she is unable do so! The very sight of them irritates her to the core. And, yet, she stays with them. Though she never feels that this is her home… never!
P.S. Her husband is always with her, but asks her to be more patient! It is his love and support that has anchored her to this house.
Child Birth!
Posted August 27, 2008
on:- In: Humour | Life | Life as a medico | Nostalgia
- 35 Comments
I was sweating heavily with my heart thumping madly! I was literally scared of the prof. taking gynaec viva. She was a terror! :(
And the person who was going to be next for the bombardment of the questions was a chronic (he was appearing for the exams for so long that he had forgotten the count!!). Such calmness I have seen only on Lord Buddha’s face!
My viva was suppose to be just after him, so I was very keen to know the questions, just to get lead and feel of examiner’s mood!
Prof: So, you are back again, hun!
chronic: *gives silly smile*
Prof: How many times have I seen you here?
Chronic: *gives silly smile*
Prof: Ok, Ok tell me the stages of labour.
Chronic: *blank look*
Prof: Stages of labour?
she hands over a dummy pelvis and a doll for him to show the stages of labour.
Chronic: *mumbles something under his breath and shows the passage of the doll through the pelvic cage!*
Prof. probably couldn’t hear anything and the passage was so fast that she had to ask him to do it again.
Prof: Can you please repeat that?
Chronic (With the straigthest face ever made in the history!): Once the baby comes out, never goes in!
Happy Friendship Day!
Posted August 2, 2008
on:- In: Anguish | Fiction | Food for thought | Friendship | Life | Love | Marriage | Nostalgia | Relationship | Separation
- 36 Comments
KK looked again where he thought he saw Bets! He thought he might have been mistaken… so he looked again, but there was nobody there. Somebody honked from behind and he realized that he was in middle of the road.
Since he saw her (or thought that he saw her!) in the morning Bets had occupied his thoughts completely.
Bets… actually she was Bharati but when did she became ‘Bets’ nobody remembered!
All of them had nick names in their group. Sandeep was “San”, Ayushi was “kitty” (because she looked like a cute little kitten, always with a smile!) and Sameer was “Sam”!
He got his name “KK” for “Kishore Kumar”, as he sung well! A smile came on KK’s lips as he remembered his friends. And his thoughts again went back to Bets… the most beautiful girl of their college and his best friend!
How many years had passed since he met any of his friends? 12? No, 15. 15 long years! And not only had he not met them, he didn’t keep in touch with any of them. Actually he had run away from them, from Bets!
He looked around himself and measured his success. He had been very successful! Why, last year only he received “the best young entrepreneur of the year” award! But somehow, these days, his success seemed empty! And today, seeing Bets made him feel worse.
He went back to the last day of the college…
Everybody was happy to have finished the college and at the same time all of them were a little sad since they will not be meeting each other the same way again. But they promised to keep in touch.
Bets was behaving very oddly that day. She came to him and told him that she wanted to talk to him about something and it’s very urgent. KK didn’t understand. What could it be? She wanted to talk to him alone.
“Where will we meet now on?” she asked.
“Arey, you can come down to my place whenever you feel like and then we have each others’ numbers. We can always call to catch up!”
“No, but it will not be the same, will it?” she had tears in her eyes.
KK wanted to give her a bear hug but he refrained from it.
“Don’t worry, Bets, we will definitely meet! And you know what, you will not even have much time after a few months when your parents will find a great guy for you!’” he tried to make her smile.
But now, her tears were flowing freely.
“But I love YOU, KK!” she exclaimed.
It was like a bomb hitting him in the face. He had never considered her to be anything other that a friend. Yes, they were best friends! Chatting, joking, monkeying around, gossiping and doing everything best friends do! But love? Now, where did that come from?
KK didn’t answer her. He didn’t want to upset her but at the same time he was not ready for this relationship, any relationship for that matter!
That was the last day that they met. Bets tried to contact him many times but he just disappeared. And he severed the ties with all his friends. He went to Mumbai to set up his business and the rest is history. Today, he was the most sought after bachelor and a great businessman.
Bachelor? Why?
He was unable to answer this but the truth was that he didn’t like anybody enough to make her his wife. At times he missed Bets and wondered about her!
Way to his home back, at the same junction he looked around hoping to find her! He parked his car and went to the beach to take a stroll, in-case she is there! And there he saw her again… yes, it WAS Bets! No doubt about it!
He was in a dilemma whether to go and talk, but suddenly she looked in his direction and their eyes met! Surprise, shock and hundred different emotions flickered on Bets face. She stood rooted there!
KK went to her and both of them didn’t know what to say. Then a small smile came on their faces and the ice was broken.
Bets had come to Mumbai for a couple of days to a conference. She still looked beautiful. She had put on a bit of weight, but it suited her perfectly. The years had been kind on her body. Nobody would tell that she had completed 38 years! She looked downright sexy in her tight jeans and T-shirt!
Beautiful, sexy… What was he thinking! He had never felt this way about anybody before!
He invited her to his place for dinner and she agreed! He saw the same softness for him in her eyes. He felt as if he has found the right woman! It felt like home-coming!
They caught up with the lost time and KK was jubilant to know that Bets had not married!
After dinner as they sat down with a cup of coffee, he held out his hand to her… he wanted to make up for the lost time! He wanted her in his life! Back!
As his wife, his best friend!
She looked at his out stretched hand and then into his eyes….
“It is too late now! I think I should be going. It was nice meeting you and hey, thanks for the dinner. Catch you sometime
She gave a peck on his cheek, took her purse and left… without looking back!
To My Busy Friends….
Posted July 23, 2008
on:- In: About Me | Friendship | Life | Love | Nostalgia | Relationship
- 33 Comments
Though these days you keep busy
And its not that I don’t know about it
But my dear friend
Always remember
That
There’s somebody who
Still cares for you
Waits for you
Misses you
So, dear, keep in touch!
These days I am missing my friends a bit too much! They all seem to be busy with life, family and career. This is my amateur way of letting them know I miss them.
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