All for friendship's sake

I have many friends who work in the software industry.
One such friend is Girija.


I went to meet her in her office .We usually meet up.
But, that day was different.


She wanted to share something 'cause she was in a confusion.

Scene 1:
Girija's office:
I went to her office and she was already waiting for me.She was in an exceptionally tensed mood.It is very rare for Girija to be tensed.She was not the 'cool cat' that day ,that she usually was.

I was worried,but I had to wait.
We went to the canteen and as we sat there sipping our piping hot coffees, when she started to talk.

"As you know ,Ravi and me loved each other in college and we got married."she reminded me.

"I know that."I said.

"It is one year since both of us are working."

"Yes."I was conscious not to sound my hurry.

"I am pregnant now"she said.

What a relief.

"Hey,Congratulations!


But,is this how you tell me this?


I don't see any happiness.Why?

Is this any new trick you are playing on me?"

"No yaar!I am very happy that I am pregnant.But, the situation at home scares me."

"Why ,are your in-laws troubling you?"

"No. They are very good to me."

"Then is it Ravi?"(Not possible, my mind said)

"No.This is tricky."she said.

"Why?What is it then?Maybe the kid does not like it.Right?"

"Stop teasing me.Can you never be seroius?

After a while she continued,
"I was always a high performer in college. You know that Ravi started noticing me due to this.
He admires me for my intelligence and capacity even today."
If he comes to know I am pregnant...

She stopped half-way and gave me a worried look.

For what I knew of Ravi,it only brought me to chuckles.

After a bit of consoling and some more time, she continued,"I think he will not like me to take a break in
my career.He always says that women are no way lesser than men.
He encourages and still admires me for my credits in office.

What if he does not want me to stay at home and take care of the child but, to continue going to office after delivery?"

"Hey, stop.Stop.Are you going paranoid?"I asked her.

"No. I have reason for this worry."she answered

"What reason?".

Just a week before, I was appraised for a promotion and he was so happy.At that moment ,it made me very proud of him but, now I am scared."

"Then why don't you talk it with Ravi?"I asked.

"I am scared.If he does not agree.,it will be very difficult for me to take it."

"So, what are you going to do about this?"I enquired.

You are a common friend to ours. Will you talk this to him for my sake?"

"What? Me? About this?
It is so personal,how can I talk this to him?
No chance."

"Please.You are my best friend.
Please do this for me."

"Okay,I will try.But, what do you want me to convey to him ?"

"I want him to know that I have enjoyed my mother being with me whenever I needed her most.

 She always had the time when I needed it.

I want to give the same happiness to my child.

Will you please make him understand this?"

Okay. I will try to talk and find out what he thinks.Beyond that, it is your lookout.Okay?"

"Okay."It was a worried okay.

I knew there should not be no problem.I knew Ravi very well for that.I have admired him for his good and soft nature.But,I had to respect her feelings.

So,I talked to Ravi and asked him for his time.Long time since I had met him too.
It was fixed that we meet the next day evening in his office.

Scene 2:
Ravi's office:
I was in his office exactly at 6pm,as decided.He was very curious.

"Hi, long time no see.How are you?What happened? You called me urgently."he enquired.

"I am fine.Wanted to talk to you .Thats all.
 How is life?"

"What for me? I am very happy. Giri(Girija)is such a darling.My parents like her very much.
I am very lucky."

I hesitated. "I...er... wanted to talk you about something else too ,"I stammered.

"What?"

"Girija is a bit worried."I said.

About what?She did not tell anything even today morning.She was fine.Any problem?"he asked .

"Not a problem.But she has a doubt in her mind."

"What doubt?"

ER...er...How important is Girija's work for you?"

Why this question suddenly?Does she want to resign her job?
It is her wish.My salary is enough for us to run a our family.

But, I thought she was a  career - oriented woman.She is a high performer in office and I thought she would be the one not wanting to resign."

Saying so he looked at my face for my reaction.

"How would you feel if I say that Girija is pregnant?Would you feel bad if she resigns her job?

"What?Giri is pregnant?(He was literally in tears.)
Are you serious?

But,...er...she was a bit worried to tell you... (He was not there to hear me out.)

"Ravi where are you?"

I knew he would have gone straight to meet Girija in her office.

I saw him jumping and laughing, as he passed through the corridor.


I felt very happy for the couple but, tears rolled down my cheeks.He loves Girija so much.
"Will he ever know that I loved him the same way?"

I told myself,"Crazy girl."

Youthful days.Thoughtful ways!

Raghu had called his friend Sajan to come and pick him up at the coffee shop.When Sajan came ,he saw Raghu,Kavita and Joseph walk away in different directions.

What had happened between them?

What would have affected such a beautiful friendship?

To get the answer to this question,we have to first look into the lives of the three friends.

Raghu,Kavita and Joseph were co-workers in a factory.

They joined the factory at around the same time.They were young minds who gave all their time and energy into their work.

But, as days rolled into months ,the boys could not resist but, notice that Kavita was very stunning.It was not about her complexion , it was something about her personality.

She was a very pleasant but, a strong girl and she had a mind of her own.The boys admired her very much.
The three of them formed a strong friendship.

But,as cupid would have it,this liking started to grow in them and even before they knew it, their friendship had developed into love.

It was becoming obvious to everyone that the two boys were vying for Kavita .
They kept looking at her whenever the chance permitted.They always waited for her during lunchtime and exit times and volunteered to help her out frequently.

Slowly, the mild competition became a cold war between the boys.
This affected their friendship.

 The boys wanted to put an end to this and proposed openly to Kavita. They wanted to know what she thought about this.

So, now the ball was in Kavitha's court.She had to decide and soon.

Many thoughts of the two boys raced in her mind.

Raghu:

handsome

boy from affluent family

good position in factory

pampered and only kid of his parents

Joseph:
normal looks
average family background
no father
takes care of mother and unmarried sister

At the near-by coffee shop:

The boys and Kavita  met on the planned date.

As the boys waited for Kavita's reply,

Raghu thought:
Kavita will surely marry me.I know she admires my looks.
She is into debts now. So, my sound financial background will come in handy to make her life.


Anyways, Joseph is of a different faith.He is not very well-to-do.
She will never choose him cause it will only continue her life of financial misery.


She is smart girl.


She has no other choice but, me.

Joseph came in thoughtfully:


Kavita always admires my responsible nature.So, taking care of my family should not be a problem for her.
Moreover,she has told me many times that religion should never come between relationships.


She admires my loving and understanding nature.She is a smart girl.


She will only select me, as her husband.

The boys were abruptly pulled down from their thoughts into real-life.Kavitha started to speak.

"I have decided a few things in my mind.I hope you will understand me in the right sense.

As both of you know,I got this job when my father passed away while at work.

So, I have my mother and brother's responsibility on me.
This is enough for me now.I will not be able to shoulder anymore responsibility.I am sorry Joseph.

Joseph was crest-falle.He started to leave.

 Raghu was overjoyed.He knew she had taken the right decision.

But, Kavita continued,
Joseph wait for a second.Listen to me before you leave.

You know that after my father passed away about four years back,I have had to adjust to many situations in my life much against my will.This has left a bad taste in me.

If I marry Raghu, I will always have to adjust to him because he is not used to taking a 'no'.
Raghu has himself told me many times that he is a pampered child and that always he is used to his parents doing his bidding.This will become a very big strain on me.So, I am sorry Raghu.

As for now, we will all be good friends and go on with our jobs as before.
We will see what life has in store for us.

Where will these paths lead?

The boys never expected her to say such a thing.They always thought she would choose one of them.They were taken aback.

But, all said and done, they were her friends.So, they respected her feelings and accepted what she said.

Raghu decided:
I will try to change my adamant nature and win over her heart.

Joseph :
Once my sister and her brother are settled into good jobs,we only need take care of the mothers.Anyways, four salaries can be poured into repaying her debts.


So, he was ready to wait till that fine day dawned.

Kavita was much relieved having talked out her mind to her friends.

So, all the three friends went their own ways.

Better luck next time guys!

'Passionately yours'

I love you
but,how to tell you?
I thought I will pen it
but, how to begin it?

Mmmmm...Mmmmm...

You're a lovely rose,
but,don't roses wither away?
You're face is a bright sunflower,
but,don't they turn away?

I don't like these flowers,
they are not charming as you.
They don't have characters,
that always adorn you.

Then what shall I write,
to describe you?
Whatever I write,
it does not equal you.

So, I made a decision,
of meeting you.
To tell you the passion
and pain of loving you.

Will you my dearest of dear,
adorn my love for you?
Or will you like the roses,
prick the hand that admires you?

An unforgettable experience

There are so many delicacies in a lifetime .Not of food for the stomach, but for the mind.

We have to just keep our hearts open, to find them.

Here is one such incident that teaches us the value of life and of timely help ,all at once.

A few years ago, my friend Sheela was traveling on a national highway,with her husband and child back from their vacation spot.She was on a taxi with three other co-passengers.

Sheela and her son were sitting on the front seat next to the driver.When the taxi had travelled half the way to its destination, an old lady and her daughter from the back seat ,wanted to swap seats with my friend and her son.

Sheela accepted and allowed them to occupy the seats.

The taxi would have travelled only a few kilometers with this new seating arrangement, when suddenly from nowhere a lorry came speeding towards them.The situation was out of control and the lorry stopped only when it slid over the taxi , crushing the front half of it.

Sheela had been unconscious for quite sometime.When she regained consciousness,she came to know that the old lady ,her daughter and the driver were crushed under the weight of the lorry.

the four of them in the backseat had survived the accident,but with serious injuries.

the middle-aged man next to her in the backseat , had succumbed to the injuries on his way to the hospital.

Sheela, her husband and son underwent many surgeries before they could be back on their feet.They took many months to resume normal living.

the highlight of the incident is that ,when they regained consciousness, their attending doctor,
told them that they have survived the accident because they were brought to hospital on time for treatment.

One other taxi driver who was on the same road,had stopped to help.Having seen them bleeding and semi-conscious ,he had called for an ambulance immediately.he had travelled with them to the hospital ,waited there till the hospital authorities could give them first aid .

he then left ,not leaving behind his phone number, address or even name .

To this day,my friend and her family thank this unknown good samaritan, for their lives.

Thank you, wherever you are brother.

Short story-Memories

James and Rani were a beautiful pair.It seemed they were 'made for each other'.

They had loved each other in college and had got married, against many odds.They have lived happily for a year now.

It was their first wedding anniversary and they wanted to celebrate it pompously.

They had called all their friends.Since both of them were working on full-time jobs,they had a huge crowd to welcome.

James and Rani had a great time with their friends ; till James saw Raj.

Raj was a handsome and smart , young bachelor who worked in Rani's office.He is a good friend of her's too.

Rani used to mention about Raj occasionally, to James, whenever he had helped her out with problems in office.

James had not thought much about him till then.

Raj's striking looks and sharp intellect created an inferiority complex in James.

The function was over and all the friends had left.

But, Raj had not left James thoughts.He was here to stay.

James started asking his wife periodcaly about Raj and as to what she felt about him.Rani did not take these questions seriously in the beginning.But, slowly she started to sense changes in James' behavior.

James was falling a prey to suspicion day by day.

This affected his normal life and his relationship with his wife worsened.

At one point, James' fear reached fever pitch and he could not hold it back any longer.

He burst out at his wife with all animosity and allegations.

Rani was totally shattered and did not know how to respond.

She cried her heart out, but to no avail.Then, she thought going out to office would ease her nerves.She started to office.

Even then ,she could not bear to think that her husband could suspect her with someone else.

With all her mind clogged with these thoughts, she forgot to check the signals before crossing the lane.Fortune did not favor Rani that day.

She had a bad accident on her way, close to office and her head was injured.

She was admitted into the intensive care unit of a nearby hospital by her erstwhile friend Raj.

James rushed to see his dear wife, on hearing the news.

Rani took a few weeks to regain consciousness.

Rani's parents and James 'parents had come over to see her.

The doctor took Rani through a series of tests and declared that all her senses were back to normal.

But, that he cannot say anything about her memories.

All her friends and relatives came to see her.There was a big crowd at the hospital.

But, she remembered none.

She did not remember james too.

She only remembered the person who carried her to the hospital ,immediately after the accident -her friend- her friend Raj.

So, Raj, Rani and James live in the same flat now-a-days.James and Raj have decided on this arrangement till Rani remembers James.

All this on James request.

Note:

Today is James' and Rani's second wedding anniversary.But, she knows nothing of it.

James never had the guts to tell Raj what he had thought about him.Staying with Raj for one year made him realize what a fool he had been to think so.