Today was a special day for me, with a promotion I was reallocated to the head office in Colaba (Mumbai). A nice place for an office and though the distance was considerable, the newness seemed worth the trouble of commute. All set for this wonderful opportunity, I planned to leave well in time so that I won't be late for work on the first day, and with the reliability factor of local trains in the monsoon at back of my mind, I preferred leaving home well in advance. I reached Bhandup station near about 08:55 am, and b'cos of new office location, even my regular schedule of boarding had to be changed . As I reached platform no.2 my eyes tried to spot the indicator to see the next expected train, and it read 09:05 CST Slow. (CST: abbreviation for Chhatrapati Shajivi Terminus.) As the train approached the station, a mental preparation for a mini battle to get in the train started. And to my amazement, I could easily get in the I class compartment without having to bruise anyone. Just as Ghatkopar station arrived, I was fortunate enough to get a seat, with a sigh of relief I sat just next to the window. Being an early monsoon, the climate was pretty comfortable today as compared to some other days. It was drizzling outside.
The train halted at Ghatkopar station and a throng of commuters rushed in. After few moments, I noticed a couple sitting on the adjacent seat who had boarded the train few minutes back, I presume. Well, there was nothing special about them in the first glance, late 20's, married most probably, the guy was busy reading his newspaper while the lady was talking to him and simultaneously she had a knitting kit and she was busy trying to to make something from the red/maroon yarn balls. Nothing special. The journey continued as I drowned in the music on the hands-free plugged to my cell.
A few weeks passed. The 09:05 am local became a routine but an interesting one too, with almost similar faces traveling in it everyday. But what seemed more intriguing to me was that same couple had the same routine; the guy used to be always busy reading his newspaper and the girl busy with her knitting tools and her one-sided conversation. I have often wondered
whether he even paid attention to what she said (this was the reason i had assumed they must be married b'cos usually that's when only girls speak and guys keep their mouth shut :P). Even they used to get down at CST, and by now it became safe for me to assume that they both must be working in the same office. Days passed by, nothing much changed, neither my regular local nor the commuters, yes but something was changing everyday and that was, the yarn balls; they were taking some shape now, and by month of September I could easily guess she was trying to make a sweater which seemed to be on shorter side which led me believe that maybe she was pregnant (b'cos thanks to Bollywood movies that's when a women knits a sweater usually, otherwise I don't see a point why someone will take so much of pain when you can get it easily from any of the shops).
All these months I never ever communicated with them, they were any ordinary couple but something was quite distinct about this one. I was analyzing them for about 4 months now, they never fought or had any arguments, the guy used to nod at whatever she said and was always busy in his newspaper, even she never nagged him, both were happy doing their own stuff but still had each others company.
It was Early November morning, I sneaked in my regular 09:05 local, the train had reached Ghatkopar station but to my surprise today for the first time in the past few months that couple did not board the train, 'may be they were late,' I thought to myself and got lost in my music. The month went by, but I never saw that couple again. I wondered what might have happened. I had all these foolish thoughts flooding my mind that too for someone I never knew personally, but still my rational mind wondered whether they had a break up, or did their office timings get changed or is it that they have changed their regular local. It's just that I was curious to know, then i thought,.'maybe she was really pregnant and has a baby now; after all she was making a sweater for him.'
One fine December morning travelling the usual, I was surprised to see that same face in my local, but he was all alone this time; his wife was not accompanying him, 'may be she was busy taking care of their new born baby,' I thought.
January arrived and all this while I noticed that lady never accompanied him ever, and I wondered why, now I simply couldn't resist asking him what has exactly happened. I knew I was poking my nose and trying to invade someone's personal life, but I had to kill my curiosity. He was standing near the door wearing a maroon sweater with his office bag hanging across his shoulders. I got up from my seat and went besides him. I was nervous, wondering whether it was a good idea to poke someone like I was about to do) but finally I did.
"Hey, hello. I am Aditya, I'm traveling in the same local for last 6 months and I have always noticed you and your wife all along for the first few months, but from these few months I didn't see you, so wondered, if everything was fine?" To which he gave me a stern look and kept silent ( he must be wondering who I was and why I am trying to poke my nose in his personal life) but I was adamant to know what was wrong, so I kept looking at him waiting for his reply. He stared away from me, busy looking outside the running trees and buildings. I again made an attempt to interrupt him and dared "I am sorry to interrupt you, but its just that I wondered why you both don't travel together again I hope everything is fine". He looked at me with eyes those were intense this time. His expressions revealed that I was about to be punched in the face or he was just troubled by a nagging nobody. I realised that if I pushed it anymore I might really have a bleeding nose. But I was surprised and taken aback when he finally spoke to me.
"I am Jayesh and that lady you are talking about was my wife Preeti, she was very adamant, stubborn and never listened to me and that's the reason she finally left me." (my brain meanwhile was drawing conclusions on it's own that, he was responsible b'cos he never used to pay heed to what she said and loved his newspaper more than her). He continued, "eight months back she was diagnosed with leukemia; she was ill. Doctors had told that she was in her final stages and could only live for few more months and had suggested her to take bed rest, but she never listened to anyone. She argued with me that she doesn't want to live her final days lying on bed instead she wants to be with me and spend most of her time being with me as much as possible, and hence every day she used to accompany me, she used to come all the way to leave me till CST station, from there we used to take a walk till my office in Fort and then she used to come back all alone. Her condition was deteriorating day-by-day, but she continued to accompany me. Finally in month of November her condition got critical and that's when I took leave from my office and was with her all the time, and then as the month ended so did my other half......(he took a look pause.... just looking at the pole at the door)
she passed away leaving me all alone."
My heart sank. For what I did, I was feeling guilty b'cos I had misread this guy, he was not rude as I thought. The train reached CST station, Jayesh lost in his own thoughts got down and started walking, and then suddenly I noticed something; the maroon sweater he was wearing was a bit unique, it was a full sleeve sweater but its right sleeve was missing .....and then I realized that, it was the same sweater that Preeti was knitting the whole time. I couldn't believe that true love still existed in such a busy fast paced life. She knew she had less time in her hands, yet she loved him to her fullest. And even though the sweater was incomplete his love for her was.
-Aditya Kasar (AK)
___________________
Incomplete Love
The train halted at Ghatkopar station and a throng of commuters rushed in. After few moments, I noticed a couple sitting on the adjacent seat who had boarded the train few minutes back, I presume. Well, there was nothing special about them in the first glance, late 20's, married most probably, the guy was busy reading his newspaper while the lady was talking to him and simultaneously she had a knitting kit and she was busy trying to to make something from the red/maroon yarn balls. Nothing special. The journey continued as I drowned in the music on the hands-free plugged to my cell.
A few weeks passed. The 09:05 am local became a routine but an interesting one too, with almost similar faces traveling in it everyday. But what seemed more intriguing to me was that same couple had the same routine; the guy used to be always busy reading his newspaper and the girl busy with her knitting tools and her one-sided conversation. I have often wondered
whether he even paid attention to what she said (this was the reason i had assumed they must be married b'cos usually that's when only girls speak and guys keep their mouth shut :P). Even they used to get down at CST, and by now it became safe for me to assume that they both must be working in the same office. Days passed by, nothing much changed, neither my regular local nor the commuters, yes but something was changing everyday and that was, the yarn balls; they were taking some shape now, and by month of September I could easily guess she was trying to make a sweater which seemed to be on shorter side which led me believe that maybe she was pregnant (b'cos thanks to Bollywood movies that's when a women knits a sweater usually, otherwise I don't see a point why someone will take so much of pain when you can get it easily from any of the shops).
All these months I never ever communicated with them, they were any ordinary couple but something was quite distinct about this one. I was analyzing them for about 4 months now, they never fought or had any arguments, the guy used to nod at whatever she said and was always busy in his newspaper, even she never nagged him, both were happy doing their own stuff but still had each others company.
It was Early November morning, I sneaked in my regular 09:05 local, the train had reached Ghatkopar station but to my surprise today for the first time in the past few months that couple did not board the train, 'may be they were late,' I thought to myself and got lost in my music. The month went by, but I never saw that couple again. I wondered what might have happened. I had all these foolish thoughts flooding my mind that too for someone I never knew personally, but still my rational mind wondered whether they had a break up, or did their office timings get changed or is it that they have changed their regular local. It's just that I was curious to know, then i thought,.'maybe she was really pregnant and has a baby now; after all she was making a sweater for him.'
One fine December morning travelling the usual, I was surprised to see that same face in my local, but he was all alone this time; his wife was not accompanying him, 'may be she was busy taking care of their new born baby,' I thought.
January arrived and all this while I noticed that lady never accompanied him ever, and I wondered why, now I simply couldn't resist asking him what has exactly happened. I knew I was poking my nose and trying to invade someone's personal life, but I had to kill my curiosity. He was standing near the door wearing a maroon sweater with his office bag hanging across his shoulders. I got up from my seat and went besides him. I was nervous, wondering whether it was a good idea to poke someone like I was about to do) but finally I did.
"Hey, hello. I am Aditya, I'm traveling in the same local for last 6 months and I have always noticed you and your wife all along for the first few months, but from these few months I didn't see you, so wondered, if everything was fine?" To which he gave me a stern look and kept silent ( he must be wondering who I was and why I am trying to poke my nose in his personal life) but I was adamant to know what was wrong, so I kept looking at him waiting for his reply. He stared away from me, busy looking outside the running trees and buildings. I again made an attempt to interrupt him and dared "I am sorry to interrupt you, but its just that I wondered why you both don't travel together again I hope everything is fine". He looked at me with eyes those were intense this time. His expressions revealed that I was about to be punched in the face or he was just troubled by a nagging nobody. I realised that if I pushed it anymore I might really have a bleeding nose. But I was surprised and taken aback when he finally spoke to me.
"I am Jayesh and that lady you are talking about was my wife Preeti, she was very adamant, stubborn and never listened to me and that's the reason she finally left me." (my brain meanwhile was drawing conclusions on it's own that, he was responsible b'cos he never used to pay heed to what she said and loved his newspaper more than her). He continued, "eight months back she was diagnosed with leukemia; she was ill. Doctors had told that she was in her final stages and could only live for few more months and had suggested her to take bed rest, but she never listened to anyone. She argued with me that she doesn't want to live her final days lying on bed instead she wants to be with me and spend most of her time being with me as much as possible, and hence every day she used to accompany me, she used to come all the way to leave me till CST station, from there we used to take a walk till my office in Fort and then she used to come back all alone. Her condition was deteriorating day-by-day, but she continued to accompany me. Finally in month of November her condition got critical and that's when I took leave from my office and was with her all the time, and then as the month ended so did my other half......(he took a look pause.... just looking at the pole at the door)
she passed away leaving me all alone."
 |
| I will be incomplete without you. |
My heart sank. For what I did, I was feeling guilty b'cos I had misread this guy, he was not rude as I thought. The train reached CST station, Jayesh lost in his own thoughts got down and started walking, and then suddenly I noticed something; the maroon sweater he was wearing was a bit unique, it was a full sleeve sweater but its right sleeve was missing .....and then I realized that, it was the same sweater that Preeti was knitting the whole time. I couldn't believe that true love still existed in such a busy fast paced life. She knew she had less time in her hands, yet she loved him to her fullest. And even though the sweater was incomplete his love for her was.
-Aditya Kasar (AK)
___________________
Incomplete Love
There were pages to be written, There were our plans for kids,
why did you leave things behind?
You were stubborn, you were adamant,
You used to cry, you used to smile,
You couldn't go on but you still wanted to try,
then why did you leave things behind?
I couldn't look at your face,
You knew I would weep and cry,
Wasn't much time before we knew you would die.....
still you left things behind.......
You loved me more than I could grasp,
Sometimes it was for a love that would never last,
And yet your last wish would still be another day with me,
Till that breath in your lung would last.....
Every time you sat next to me with that smile,
I realized the day my tears flowed for a million miles.....
The distances don't allow I know,
But without you.... within me.....there's no place left to go.....
.. there's no place left to go......
- Jeswyn m.
______________________________________________________________
Also check out the poetic version of this story at http://kaustubhhile.blogspot.in/2012/07/left-alone.html or http://www.kasaraditya.com/2012/07/left-alone.html
P.S. The story is a piece of imagination and fictitious in nature, any resemblance to any place or person leaving or dead is purely coincidental.
Images used are only for representational purpose and are property of their rightful owner. A special thanks to Jeswyn m. for the beautiful poem and final editing touches.
Thrs a short movie based on this story... I didnt know it was your idea! Awesome man!
ReplyDeleteYeh is it so..will surely search for it...M Glad u liked it at last appreciation from a pro author does help.
ReplyDeleteyeah sir there is a short film on this! :)
ReplyDeleteverryy well put in words! :D
Is it so, well I haven't seen it yet.
ReplyDeleteWill surely watch it though, This story was lying in my draft since 2008, just never took posting it seriously... :)
Lovely...:-) :-) :-) :-)
ReplyDeleteYeh ridz wat a surprise..glad tat u liked it
ReplyDeletegood one...
ReplyDeleteThanks Avinash :)
ReplyDeleteDear Aditya there's a spelling mistake in the full form of CST . Plz rectify it.
ReplyDelete