மனமது புகையினை போலே
மறைத்து யாருமே இல்லையே..!!
These words are the inspiration to this blog post!!!
That couldn't have happened, I was
not late like that usually but then that day, I needed extra time to catch up
with my morning routines. Blue is good and I took a quick peep at the mirror to
check whether I’ve made myself for the day, surprisingly, that blue salwar
fitted me the best than ever. Haste can’t always be a waste, I thought. The
sudden state of joy didn’t last long as the huge wall-hanged clock brought back
the worries of being late. I came to kitchen for my breakfast and my mom made
me sure that I’m not up to the bus sooner. She hasn’t even prepared the food and
didn’t bother to notice me in the kitchen which made me mad, so I turned back and
took my bag which was right away in the hall and started with the hope to catch
the bus. May be the hustle I made with the bag caught my mom’s attention that
she came hurriedly with the glass of milk which will barely make up for the
breakfast. Her face carried an expression that pretended to be sorry and ready
enough to give an explanation. But I had no time for that, well, she might have
also had a bad dream the day before.
It was a street’s walk from my
home to the bus stop and in that way resided the Lord in a small temple, where
I used to spend a couple of minutes to burden Him with all my wishes, but not
that day. I relieved Him of his routines for the day and walked ahead. My heart
yelled, “No”. The bus passed by me and I looked at it helplessly as it went
through. I never had any alternatives until I saw him, stalling in his bike,
just opposite to me. He looked at me first, then at the bus which had traveled quite a distance and then back at me again, so he appeared to
have understood that I’ve missed my regular bus to the school. I didn’t know
what to do and the ‘helpless’ reaction that stood in my face lasted until he drove
slowly towards me. He offered me a ride and I sat behind for the very first
time. Arun, though a grown-up who earns for his family, was still a little kid
who used to spend a lot of time with me. Being my neighbor, we shared most of
our childhood and then gradually he started disappearing from me as we grew
older. Ages created distance, like a usual childhood relation, and now the
distance between our door steps extended like a whole sea. Arun knew that the
only bus, in which I was comfortable, had already left and it was the one and
only reason for the ride.
But that unusual ride on an unusual day brought back beautiful memories and the bike steered as I glanced through those moments. We were inches away from the bus, in which I should’ve been, and he turned his neck, probably to ask whether I will take the bus in next stop to continue the rest of my travel to the school. But then the crazy girl inside me peeped and she pretended not to look at him or the bus too. He then drove ahead of the bus and didn’t stop at the next bus stop. The crazy girl was relieved. I questioned her act and Ms. Crazy replied, “I didn’t want this beautiful ride to end all of a sudden because I like being with him.” We reached the school and it was time to break this ride. I got down and stood there to give a heartwarming smile and he acknowledged it back with a smile and drove away. What a day that had turned out to be and with the joys jumping over, I went inside the school where I took classes for the age group of 8-12. I loved my job that I tried to put my best into it and that day I had many plans but an unexpected source kept me stuck to his thoughts all through the day. I seemed to have all the energy of the world, even the sun, though I am aware of the fact that I didn’t have anything other than a glass of milk. Hours passed but thoughts stayed, making it stronger and stronger. Evening, I went back in my usual bus and I felt the happiness in breaking the long-standing trouble, the distance.
I didn’t do anything, didn’t
prepare for tomorrow’s class, didn’t help my mom in kitchen or anything because
I felt like thinking or more precisely, as they mention it in dictionaries,
dreaming. I dreamt about a life where Arun would be always there for me, like
that day and eventually agreed upon the fact that dreaming is the thing which
will bring effortless happiness. I didn’t sleep and just lied in my bed with
eyes wide open to see the world which I wished to have in reality.
Red is good and he liked red
always. I got up quick the next day but didn’t want to leave early. I got ready
10 minutes before my usual time and my mom made breakfast 20 minutes before her
usual time. “It never happens the way we think”, the crazy girl said. Whatever
it was, I had the determination to eat 3 dosas for a prolonged fifteen minutes.
I kept eating in a slow pace and my mom looked puzzled, she was staring at the
clock and then me alternatively and clearly, she didn‘t have any idea about
what I was expecting to happen. I walked down the streets and reached the
temple, I still had 5 minutes which I decided to spend on increasing the burden
of the Lord. Whether I prayed or not, I constantly looked at my watch because I
should lose the bus but not the ride that Arun will offer. The time interval
between those two instances was very small and I have to stand there exactly. With
the hope that the bus would have left by that time, I walked to the stop but
then, shockingly, bus was still there. I scolded myself for that and quickly
turned back to walk down the street. I just wanted to know whether someone has
witnessed my craziest act and took a quick glance at the street. Of all those
people, only one saw me and in an unexpected way it was Arun. I had my tension
raised to the peaks that I could feel my heart beating fast. Ms. Crazy
questioned me and the prime one was, “Has he figured out what we were planning
to do?”
My face seriously had the signs
of confession and then he gave that smile, it had the mixture of enjoying my
craziest acts and his love for me. He just took a moment away from my eyes,
looked straight and nodded his head. Crazy girl, then said these, “He knows it
and he just loves enjoying this moment.” He signaled me to wait where I was and drove to
me in a more passionate way. It just took half a minute to reach me but for me
the wait on the opposite side meant a life time. I sat behind and looked at the
side mirror to see an elegant smile of mine like never before. I made my mind
to tell him and crossed the distance that would help him to listen my whisper.
I opened my mouth and it was until that time I didn’t realize who I was.
I am Aarthi and I am blessed not
to hear or speak anything by birth, I work at the school prescribed for the
disabled children like me and 116c was the bus only bus I am comfortable since
its conductor, known me for a long time, is the only one who knows my
destination. And now, I’m sitting behind a guy who made me forget my disability
and I felt that I would never worry if he is with me all through my life. If at
all I happen to have a chance to speak one word, Arun will be the only word I
will utter. We came near 116c bus again; this time he didn’t look back to ask
me whether I would get down at next stop instead he steered in front and there
began our journey together and forever!
HEART HAS NO DISABILITY
