The Real Blinds

I parked my bike near the gate and started walking in. "Hamein 10th class ke bacho se milna hai" asked my mum. An old man, came out from the guard's room and we followed them. I saw 4-5 kids playing cricket with a plastic ball with ghungroos in it and a big flat wooden piece was made a bat. As the old man approached near kids, they stopped throwing the ball and greeted, "Namaste Taauji". We all were walking silently. The kids could feel us too. I was amazed with their senses.

Whatever the people say to them, but I can never consider them blind. They were not. They had an extraordinary sense that was overcoming their disability. As soon as we entered the room, some boys were listening to an audio cd, some were busy in punching the paper. Mummy said "Hello beta, pehchano kaun?" All the boys shouted "Rashmi madam!!!". Mummy met those kids 6 months ago! when they were having exam in mummy's school. I was amazed of their brain and shameful too. As many times I use to forget even the name of the person I m talking to. But just by voice, they recognized her. Seriously, they were different and better than us. They could feel me though I was silent and still. Then I introduced myself. The boys standing there talking with mummy moved their hands towards me for a handshake. That was really amazing to see how they could know where I was standing just by my voice.

We talked with them for almost 15-20 minutes, then we moved out. Mummy was talking to me. A small kid came and wished mummy "Namaste madam". I was silent, because I actually had no words to say. I was speechless. The boy was following us. As I looked back, the kid stopped and wished me too as "Namaste sir ji". I was just stunned! How could a blind know the genders of a person passing by them.

They should not be called as a "BLIND". We get scared even if we are in darkness for even few seconds. And those kids, their whole life is dark. But they were smiling, happy, playing, singing and believe it or not, they are more intelligent than us. They are not blind. It is WE who are blind that we cannot see the happiness in our life.

Still... I love you

I was waiting for him at our favrt ice cream parlour. I was feeling restless. Not in a mood of thick shake. When he called me up, he was upset. Something was wrong with him. Looking at the table nearby, some friends were enjoying cold coffee. I lost into the days when I met him first time. I came with shefu didi to get his friend an idol for his lil sis. I still remember that he wore a yellow loose shirt with baggy jeans. A geek specks and beard. He was a mess was my first thought.. He just said hii to me and went busy talking with Shefu. I took strawberry shake. They both had chocolate shake. I was feeling irritated. He gave me and shefu fruit n nuts. I just said that I hate chocolates. He exclaimed... "Koi chocolate bhi hate karta hai???" He teased me in our whole meeting. The guy became a confusion for me...  Was he really a geek?
My past walkover was soon broke up by mobile ring. It was Dhiraj. He told me that he is struck in traffic jam.  Will be reaching the shop soon. I have never seen him so eager. Something definitely was wrong with him. I was worried for him.
It was still an amazement for Shefu didi how I got feeling for Dhiraj. Bcoz we never met much. I just chatted generally with him mostly as Shefali... All I knew that it is not necessary that you can love a person only if you meet him daily. I said the same to didi. Didi consoled me that she will try to convince Dhiraj for the same. I was happy.. Shefali was the best sis anyone can get. Next day didi planned choco shakewith Dhiraj as they used to. This time I too joined them. As didi was to start my topic. He told us that he got in relationship and suddenly a girl entered and joined us. Dhiraj introduced us to Isha. I was feeling like crying aloud. But I had to control. I congratulated the couple and went off the parlour saying that I had some work. Shefu understood the problem. She also went behind me to control me. I just kept crying sitting back on activa on all the way to home. That was the worst time of my life. Even today I get goosebumps thinking those days.
Somehow I adjusted with the situation and tried to move on. Don't know how but Dhiraj and me became good friends. All I wanted to check if Dhiraj is happy. That was my only wish. Yes he was happy with Isha. From that day, I left the city for higher studies and went away from Dhiraj. 2 years had been passed since. But it was been felt like it happened yesterday. Don't know from where Dhiraj got my number. I was choked up when I heard his voice. He just told that he wanted to meet me urgently. Shefu was on honeymoon so I had to handle this situation alone. Each and every event of my past was running like a movie. Then someone in a hurry entered the almost empty parlour. It was him. He was with red eyes and much weak. I just stood on my seat to run and hug him tightly. But somehow I controlled. He came near me and hugged me and started crying. I was happy because Dhiraj hugged me. But sad because He was crying. I can't see him crying. I still don't know why tears started flowing from my eyes. I asked him the matter. "Anju... Isha left me... She says that she loves someone else...." and again he hugged me and cried. I didn't cared all the staring audience at the parlour. I hugged him tightly and cried with him. All I wanted to do was to say him that Still.... I love you...

The Unwanted Guests

“Ajay? Vijay? Anyone home?” It was a quite wierd reaction from the family. Sanjana replied “Daddy, they are studying. Please don't disturb them.” I was stunned... I went off their house, took my bicycle and got my way to home. Althogh I was on the road, but my mind, was still with Aju, Viju. Why they did like this with me? Was that over affection that bothered me. My eyes were filled with flashlight alongwith some salty droplets of water. As I gained my senses, I saw a young boy trying to lift me up from the ground. “Uncle, are you OK?”. “Yes beta, I am ok. May got bless you. Thank you”. Was I really OK? He gave me my cycle back lifting it up from the ground.

I came home. Kaveri was waiting for me at the tea. “Did you fall somewhere?” she asked. YES! It felt like I have fallen from the high skies right on the ground. “No, I am OK!! Where's my tea?” She applied some antiseptic on my bruises at the elbow. But it was not my elbow that got hurt. It was my feelings that got broken. I kept smiling at her innocence. “You have gone mad. It's bleeding and you are laughing” said Kaveri. I was still smiling. I didn't came to know how I got that bruises. I was caring for some deeper bruises.

I had my evening tea without uttering a word. Watched news. It showed some building collapse in Mumbai. But nowhere was the news of my feelings which were crushed into powder. I kept on searching that by checking each channel. “Can you please let me watch at least one channel at a time”. I again smiled at her and gave her the remote. She saw some of her daily soaps. I went out to assemble my folding bed and mosquito net and slept quietly.

“It's 4:00 PM? Are you sure you not going to Sr. Citizen park?” asked Kaveri. “Ya ya... I m going”. Can I really go there? What if i go there and again go to meet my Aju, Viju? Will they meet me today or just ignore me like yesterday? Will i be able to handle that pain again? “You OK na?” Kaveri asked. “Hmm... I won't go today. I have got my cycle punctured.”

I was sitting in my lawn, thinking about what I got. I love Aju Viju more than I loved Vikram. They are my lives. How can I be without them. I just need my Aju-Viju. Aju-Viju... Aju-Viju...

“Heyy!! What happened? Tell me. Why are you crying? Why are you saying Aju-Viju again n again?”. I opened my eyes. They were again filled. It was Kaveri holding our tea-cups and snacks in a tray. It was now unbearable for me. I cried for them. “Kaveri, I am their grandfather. How can they do this to me? I love them alot”. Kaveri was silent. She had nothing to say. She also got some tears watching me cry. “We have got old now, they are kids no more. They have their own busy lives...” I was just silent, sipping my tea. May be I was their unwanted guest now...