ek bheegi shaam

 

HISTORY repeats itself… there's hardly any reason to believe otherwise. I had given up hope of finding a someone, I would grow to love, who would say 'please stay - a few more minutes" and mean it. But - I did. Out of nowhere he walked into my life. He was this endearing, happy, peaceful human being, the likes of master Shifu. We met at a guest house, in sylvan surroundings. It rained the proverbial rain and we spoke into the night. I sang, he listened, we spoke about books and poets and snow and sun… oh yes and lost track of time. Suddenly, "Oh, time for you to leave I suppose? Let me walk you to your bike, better still, I'll come with you on the bike and get off some place, that way I will get a few more minutes with you." My mind voice "WHaaat? Really? Did I hear you right?". Why was this so important to me? I didn’t know. I guess I was just used to people saying please leave, your choice to stay or leave… a little too often and here was someone who wanted ten more minutes with me. I felt 17 again. That’s just a number.

 

I left … he said we'll meet again. I believed. I smiled. In all my joy, I called him - silence, messages - silence. he didn’t respond - I was disappointed - end of story everything else written above doesn’t matter. History repeats itself… there's hardly any reason to believe otherwise.

 

But then history may also add a few pages to its past while repeating itself right. Make do for the errors, right a few wrongs. Despite all my ego and heartache – I called him one last time. No response. He called back. "we're very simple people, we lead a very simple life, nothing can go wrong. Good you called. Was just held up with something new and haven’t had time to breathe. Been wanting to call you" He said. Nothing else mattered and I… well! We'll meet again he said and this time we did.

 

I was riding back from work across the lake and suddenly the phone rang, "ennamma kuzhandai eppadi irukkae?" awwwwww… that endearing voice, that child like abandon, that disarming smile all at once. "Hey… what a surprise!" I said and hid my excitement. "So where exactly are you now?" He asked, "Right next to the place I dropped you off last time." (Poetic Justice) I replied. "Oh good! Just take a left turn and meet me at the west gate, I'm here" "You're here? Really when did you land? How long are you here?" I enquired. "Areh… How does it matter, I am here, I want to see you even if it means we're spending only half an hour together." I smiled, I cried, I felt warm. I went, he was there waiting and then… well! The rest as they say is … HISTORY.