Episode-2
It was a long day in office. I took a cab back
home.When I was nearing my street, I lowered the window pane to take a look
out. The Vikram Hospital there was fully decorated with serial bulbs.
“What is special
today?” I asked the driver.
“Don’t you know mam? It
is their 25th anniversary.”
“Oh! 25 years of
service” I exclaimed.
“How long have you been
a driver?”
“36 years”
“Don’t you celebrate
anniversaries?”
After a long day of
hectic work, I was not actually interested in talking too much. But I kept
prolonging my conversation just to divert my mind and as we neared the dead end
of the vikram hospital lane, I suddenly looked out and screamed,
“Anna! Stop near Veekay
Apartments.”
He pressed the clutch
and applied sudden brake, then turned, looked at me and said,
“Anniversary? It’s just
a matter of daily bread.”
The security guard, a
short man with long moustache opened the main gate. The gate was opened too
fast that it gave a clinging sound as it dashed against the compound wall. I
strolled across the car parking area towards the lift. The light beam from the
tube lights were making the night bright enough. When I neared the lift, I
looked at my image reflection in a car window and adjusted my hair.I
was reminded of the tall young man I saw that morning and tried imitating his facial
expressions . I smiled slightly one sided and curled my lips. The
dimple in my cheek grew even deeper .Ha Ha. I giggled a little , believing that
there is none looking at me.
To my surprise , the
car window was lowered. There were two little kids.
”Akka we are playing
hide and seek . Don’t tell anyone. “, the girl whispered.
“No I won’t “I replied
with a gentle nod, turned and thanked God because these little children did not notice what I was doing.
One of the girls called
me again in a whispering note.When I turned to her,
“Akka! I saw what you
did.”, she said.
I
was really embarrassed. I curled my lips, shrunk my forehead, shrugged my
shoulders and whispered, “Don’t tell anyone.” ,with my right index finger taking its place
on my lips.
The girl smiled. I dint stand there anymore.I turned back and walked fast towards the lift, as
if I was in a race.
“Where do these
children hail from? All of them target me.” I murmured in humiliation.
I entered the lift and
pressed 3. When the lift door opened, I turned right in the long corridor. I
was only two steps away from my room, when my phone rang.
Must be Wincy, Who else ,I thought. And Bingo! It was Wincy.
“Reached home?”
“Yes dear. Just now,
you?“ I asked.
"Reached office."
That was it and the
call ended.
Wincy, my best friend ,
my roommate. Everytime I think of Wincy, I get reminded of an interesting
saying, “We lived together for twenty years and then we met.”
We have been staying
together for the past three years and we hardly meet. She works in night
shifts. So, when I get back from work she would have already left for work. But
we do talk. Every time I feel disturbed and every time I think of Arun, I dial her number.
To be continued..