"Please, can you tell his story?" She yelled.
He..., I met him first, some two years back in a train journey.
"Hello, what's with the black? You look like you're goin' to a funeral! " With no introduction this is how he started with me.
I never knew that, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He's the kind of man who's got the sun in his eye when he laughs... The energy he transfers to the people around him is tremendous.
He never looked an Indian to me. Every thing was different in his case. His accent, his mannerisms, his thoughts, nothing resembled me of an Indian.
"What is your nationality?" I asked.
He answered "I'm a drunkard..., that makes me a citizen of the world"
That's the way he talks. Some may say he is the shah of blah blah.., but for me he is a scholar, a philosopher, a terrific teacher and of all the above, a brother.
Of the many fortunes & surprises I had in my lff, this was my greatest pleasure that he lived very close to my flat. We often go for long walks, me listening to his wonderfully crafted words and cheering him to talk more. I love to listen whatever he utters. That special he was to me. He talks a lot - lff, people, religion, country, children, poor, but strange not LOVE!
"Who is the girl in yo' mind?" Once I asked.
I was that sure, that he was/is in love. Don't ask me why!!
"Ask me, When you get there! " He replied back.
Hmmh! Diplomatist! I thought.
That night I couldn't sleep. 'When you get there, ask me!' that's what he said. I feared. Should I tell him?, I am already there, only but standing as a loser!!. Fear and wonder, powerful combination.
I came to this part of world to forget my past. But now I am thinking of reopening the junk files of my lff again!! Finally, I made up my mind. I will!
He was there in usual kick off place the next day. Unusually he was carrying a guitar.
We went to the near by garden. Silence over ruled our conversation, for the first time. We sat in the shadow. He smiled, started playing a song in his guitar.
"You must remember this,
A kiss is still a kiss;
A sigh is just a sigh;
The fundamental things apply as time goes by;
And when two lovers woo,
They still say, "I love you";
On that you can rely;
No matter what the future brings-...."
"You loved her deep, right?" he asked me, in btw.
"Yes!!!"
"You still love her?" He was still playing guitar.
"Yes!!! I didn't find any reason to hate, so I love!"
"You know an old saying -'One shouldn't sought glory as a lover... but cherish the moments that lasts a lifetime...' " he smiled & continued;
" I too had a love. I lost, or rather she died away from my lff. I too stopped living. For a while. That's easy: I'm dead." *pause* "And this is tuff: to live again. I started living again. When she was around, my love was only SHE. But today I started loving - these trees, flowers, skies, birds, and moreover I started loving myself!!" *Sigh!!* "So understand, as P Davis said - lff is just a chance to grow a soul..." He stood up and walked, I followed.
"The amount of positive energy I got in that conversation was immense. Even today I feel it..."
It was the hardest thing in my lff to say good-bye to him and move to another place. It was great pain,but as lff demands, one has to.
And today this is unfortunate and unexpected, as I screamed having a glance at today's newspaper.
"Even in those death columns, you keep your presence known" I wept.
I never knew which part of the world he lived after my departure.
I remember last time when he called me over, VoIP;
I asked "Where were you last night???"
"That's so long ago, I don't remember." I wasn't surprised with that answer.
Then I asked him with a laugh- "Where will you be tonight??"
His answer was even interesting- "I never make plans that lies far ahead!!"
That's how endings should be. No remnants!!
