Mystified EventualityThat was the last time they saw each other. The days gone, the years passed by, the winds took a violent turn while the leaves turned black with ages. That was the last time they saw themselves and bid adieu to each other.
Why Pratik made friendship with Sumaira at the very instance they met over a cup of coffee after an interview? Not know;……. if they were to part with each other. The interview was for the teachers recruitment drive held at a well known Park Street hotel.
“Hi! My name is Pratik and I am from a private school located in central Kolkata teaching Biology” said Pratik.
“Hello! I am Sumaira also teaching Biology in a private school” said Sumaira.
(Both trying for the same job).
Would you like to go and have a cup of coffee with me at the Café-Cofe-Day restaurant just off the next crossing as we have some time left for the demo classes to be held in the next round? She did not reply at once, but gave a long gazing look thinking who this man is wearing bi-focal spectacles. Fearful thoughts ran to and fro like a pendulum in her mind as she was a timid girl coming from a humble background. She could not make out the intricate complexities of whom to trust and whom to not. Hopefully at home her father might have warned her not to talk to strangers’ especially bi-focal ones….Pratik presumed.
At last Sumaira reluctantly accepted his polite offer even though she didn’t know the person well she was talking to. There was ample time left, but that time had to be passed as it was past noon. Parental aggression could not supersede the hot tempting coffee. They both left the lobby informing the receptionist that they will be back within an hour or two.
For Pratik having a cup of coffee was not the only reason to talk with her. She was one of the most complacent lady present for the interview according to him and the most intelligent one according to the other co-applicants. He wished to engage himself into a good healthy discussion with her from the very beginning as he had an intuition that either one of them will be selected for this teaching job.
Two cups of coffee, a veg patty and a pastry was not served in due time by the service boy. Pratik could see beads of perspiration on her forehead. Reason can be any……either she was feeling very hungry or her father’s statutory warning flashed in her mind. Who cares when you are hungry? In a wallop the plates were clean as if the service boy had served then two empty plates. Sumaira knew that the second round of interview would not be no less challenging and demanding then the previous one. Time galloped for both of them as they did not realize how an hour flew past them.
Pratik came to know a lot about Sumaira in those sixty minutes of conversation. They got very much acquainted with each other and hoped to keep in touch over a phone or e-mail no matter wherever they are. They decided to exchange it after their final interview as it was getting late.
Pratik realized from their conversation that Sumaira was in dire need of that teaching job. Her two younger siblings and her retired ailing father are very much dependant on her financial assistance. Only one person can be selected for that job and Pratik knew what he had to do. His emotional feeling to help her somehow took over his likeness for Sumaira.
After making the necessary payments and giving an unwilling tip to the toter boy they left the café shop and started to walk along the kerb towards their like destination. Life did not seem so serene earlier as if now to Pratik than the first instance. But from that moment the sixty minutes spent together in the café shop Pratik realized that she was the one. She was the one who could bring bliss into her life that he was awaiting for so long. It seemed though Sumaira had the same feeling as him. But none expressed their notions to each other. Pratik wilfully thought of spending some more time with her. But fate had something else stored in for them.
Turning left from the corner road he saw a music shop that sold various types of music ranging from country, hip-hop, rock, jazz , ballet and not to forget mentioning the common bollywood hindi film videos and audios . ” You proceed while I will catch you up after going through the latest bollywood top numbers” said Pratik to Sumaira.
She left saying “Come soon or you will be late” not realizing what was going on in Pratik’s mind. Why he went into the music shop when Pratik at the very first instance over a cup of coffee told her that he does not have much fascination in music. These thoughts slipped out of her mind as she was very much engrossed in her own world of interviews, demo-teaching so on and so forth.
Pratik realized that if he went to attend the interview from here on he is definitely going to give her a run for her money. Her chances of getting that job as Biology teacher will be like a flame burning dimly in a gasoline lamp as he is more eligible than her. He supersedes her in academic excellence.
The ‘U’ turn which Pratik took that day made him realize the importance of one’s happiness by suppressing his own. An immense self satisfaction and pleasure circumscribed his body mind and soul when he made his decision of not attending the final interview.
Pratik went in the store with the hope to see Sumaira pass by through the transparent glass door for the last time. He decided not to go back for the interview, giving Sumaira a better chance to succeed. Pratik called the receptionist over the phone just to inform her that he won’t be able to attend due to some personal reasons. Seeing her pass by tears rolled down his eyes only to be seen by the immortals. He came out , took a turn down left and walked past the same hotel inside which a new hope , a new aspiration was about to be rebuilt.
Pratik wished to be remembered in the mind of Sumaira like a Rose which gives fragnance even to those hands who crushes it.
