As he looked at the faded photograph placed on the tea stand in his large living room, tears rolled down his cheeks. Was it my fault? Was it something I said, did that you went away? he asked to himself, not just today but every other day for the past 3 years.
The gong went in the 9th time. He wiped his tears and began to head towards the huge oak door. He grabbed a key from the key bunch. Locked the door and he walked to the silver sedan that was twinkling in the rays of the sun. It was a dream car. He smiled as he got into the driver’s seat. The engine woke up to the dance of the key. Out of the lonely road into the busy streets of Mumbai, the sedan became another prey to the traffic like any other car. He arrived at his office. As he walked from his car to the lift across the basement lit by the sun rays, he managed to slip his hand and take his phone from the inner pocket of his blazer. The elevator gave a beep telling him that his floor arrived. He walked like every other day with a broad smile greeting everyone in his office and adding a smile to everyone of their face overloaded with curiosity about meeting deadlines, anxious about pay hikes and making their presentation work. He opened the clean glass door, the gateway of his cabin. He walked to his cabin, unbuttoning the three of his blazer, put it over his seat and sat down. He pulled up the left hand cuff and stared at the watch the he wore. A watch that he adored so much. Sheer craftsmanship- metal strap, black dial, grey hands and roman numerals in silver. He then looked at his desk. Made out of wood was his name plate. A triangular prismatic one. He slowly took it in his hand and with a faint smile read “MANAGING DIRECTOR” his designation. He then turned it the other way. In golden beautiful cursive writing was a name that defined him “Rithwik Shah”.
Just then, his secretary walked in and read out his schedule. Nothing was new, it was always the same. Meetings, presentation and tenders. As monotonous as every other day, even today ended. He hit the shut down on his laptop, stood up, took his blazer wore it and walked out of his cabin. He was the last person to whom the very weak, old security serving the company gave a salute every evening. He stepped into the elevator alone, and walked alone out of the elevator at basement. Got into his chariot, the engines roared and he was on his way back.
It was almost sunset as he reached one end of the QUEEN’S NECKLACE. Horns and potholes welcomed him. He drove ahead and pulled over. Stepped out of his car, locked it and sat where he used since all the way back till his memory could go back, on the stones...those cylindrical rocks that bordered the entire stretch of the beach. Sat alone, staring at the endless blue Arabian Sea. He reluctantly walked from the stone that was DHRUV RASTOGI’s favourite.
Time flies, especially when someone is lost in the world of admiration....so it did...every other day since he was six years old. For the last 3 years he has been sitting here alone. He then walked up to his car, and drove till Juhu beach. His next favourite destination. Again he pulled over his car and this time he walked to the famous WADA PAV stall. He bought himself his favourite snack. And relishing the maharastrian delicacy he walked on the sands of the beach. How things turn topsy turvy? As he munched into his WADA PAV, he could see two hazy figures walking with the same delicacy in their hands, walking along the beach. His smile, how his eyes closed when he smiled broad. “Where are on earth are you lost DHRUV?” a question RITHWIK asked himself tirelessly. A question that was lost in silence, it was not a random question that had no reply. This place was his date for the past so many years. RITHWIK’s family had moved to Mumbai, then. Opposite to his flat was this young little naughty fellow peeping at his newly moved neighbours. DHRUV’s family welcomed their new neighbours with so much warmth. They became very close to each other in a very short period of time. DHRUV and RITHWIK went to the same school, shared the same interests. Years passed, city changed, people changed but if one thing did not change it was their friendship. They walked with WADA PAV in their hands every evening after college, spoke about everything in this world from girls, country, environment, movies, matches, politics, corruption and you name anything it was there in their discussion.
It was like every other day, yet today was little different, long walk along the beach and RITHWIK was stunned at the strange question that DHRUV bombarded him with “DO YOU FEEL HAPPY WHEN SPEND TIME WITH ME?” RITHWIK gave a wild stare, DHRUV smiled. He laughed and laughed seeing RITHWIK’s shell shocked expression. His stomach ached really hard. He said “ DUDE... his signature way of addressing when he cracks a joke, he said Am asking a question as if I am your girlfriend and you stare back at me as if I cheated on you. Though it took a few seconds for RITHWIK to understand the logic and the prank, RITHWIK was so embarrassed that he could feel his jaw drop in the shock. DHRUV paused all of a sudden. He stared at RITHWIK and RITHWIK returned the same look. They both burst out laughing altogether. Making sure RITHWIK did not notice DHRUV’s hands went into his back pack, his hand tightly held something with great care, it was perfectly gift wrapped. DHRUV stuffed it into RITHWIK’s hand. He said “this is a day I eagerly await every year, your birthday. Wish you many many more HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DUDE”. RITHWIK was taken aback; it was something different not how DHRUV would do. A gift in advance was not so unacceptable. RITHWIK felt as if he was with a stranger. A person you believe as all the time since you were able recognise things being so different and your prediction going wrong never made sense. But it really never mattered, DHRUV’s gift, was timeless. He quickly unwrapped it, it was a wrap of the time since the day it all began till the last birthday...a photo collage. A memory collection of all the pictures of RITHWIK, starting from his first birthday, first in Mumbai till the picture that RITHWIK posed for last month during their midnight walk. DHRUV put his hand around RITHWIK’s shoulder, RITHWIK felt as if he was on top of the world and had no fear as the person who stood beside him was the one he could trust with eyes closed. DHRUV said “DUDE, am saying all these nice things because you know I am nefarious. I need a treat.” RITHWIK punched him in his stomach, and said you completed enjoying the treat and his eye balls rolled down and sarcastically looked at the empty WADA PAV PLATE. RITHWIK ran, and DHRUV caught up and now the by-standees were witnessing a wrestling match. Finally they two mutually called it off. RITHWIK dropped DHRUV at his place, the large mansion; they bought post DHRUV’s dad’s promotion, about four years back. DHRUV was alone in that huge mansion. DHRUV said a week ago that his parent’s went out of station. RITHWIK insisted a lot asking him to stay back in his place overnight, but DHRUV was stubborn he said he did not mind staying solitary in the huge mansion. RITHWIK woke up next morning, and he saw speckles floating space on the path enlightened by the sun’s rays that landed softly on his cheek. His mom walked into his room and wished him. He got ready in a jiffy... carefully took out the photo collage that DHRUV gave him and placed it on the large tea stand. A chunk of the memories that defined RITHWIK SHAH he said to himself, pride in his thoughts and smile on his lips.
He rushed out of the door and looked at his watch and told to himself that he must make it on time to DHRUV’s place. As his turned at the street corner into the busy road that lead to DHRUV’s home, his eyes searched eagerly and kept staring at the door to see that one person who meant the world to him. He continued searching for that one person, but there were no signs. He walked to the door and the bell screamed at that top of its voice unable to bear the force of the index finger. His ears were trying to be precise to make sure they could hear movement of the person from inside of the house. His eyes looked at something and he never realised what was happening. His eyes stared at the lock, his hands moved towards the lock. His fingers were trembling as he clutched the lock. He was feeling the entire world of his was locked behind the door. He thought DHRUV’s new way of wishing me. So he pulled out his phone from the right pocket of his pant and pressed the speed dial 2. It read dialling DHRUV. There was no response. He called, called and called. Was it a joke? Enough of it DHRUV come back he thought. His legs never let him place his foot on the way back to his home. He did not walk, he was dragged by his parents who frantically called him about 19 times, still not even half way near the number of time the number 2 button lost its life in RITHWIK’s phone. May be DHRUV is busy?? But Busy?? He thought... his inner voice spoke busy so much so as to not attend your calls RITHWIK? There was this war of conflicting thoughts as he waited outside DHRUV’s home. His parents managed to take him home.
The hazy figures were lost in the sands of time. RITHWIK never remembered how he survived the aftermath of this shock. Something’s were there that RITHWIK got in memory of DHRUV. His car was never his favourite, it was DHRUV’s dream car, his watch that ticked every moment of life bringing the uncertain future, and horrific past together was what DHRUV tirelessly admired every day as they walked down the road to the beach on the showroom roadside. More than that, his parents were glad that their son was alive after such a JOLT. He could do nothing else but re live each and every moment he spent that he defined as life by doing everything the same way. He searched for the answers to the same questions that he asked every day after that day every morning and moment in day when he could possibly question himself.
SOME QUESTIONS IN LIFE DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER, SOME MUST BE LEFT UNANSWERED, SOME MUST RATHER NOT BE ASKED, SOME HAVE ANSWERS WITHIN THEMSELVES AND SOME QUESTIONS ARE WORTH ASKING FOR THE ANSWER ATLEAST, BUT THOSE QUESTIONS REMAIN AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY, JUST LIKE THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT RITHWIK HAD.
