My ring tone dragged me out of sleep.
Squinting, I try to see past the burning brightness of my phone.
As my tired brain tried to make out the ten digits, I was mentally cursing the person who'd call me this late at night.
"Hello," I said, rubbing my eyes.
"Hey, did I wake you?" asked a husky voice. I immediately jolted up, not because of its deep tone, but because I knew it all too well.
It was the voice with whom I'd spent hours on the phone.
It was her voice.
"I know it's late. But are you free?" she asked.
"Uh..uh.. yeah sure," I stammered.
It had been months since we'd spoken.
Apparently, exes can't be friends.
"I am aware it's been long, but I need to talk to you," she said.
Those words immediately brought a smile to my face.
Had she been thinking about me?
The butterflies came back to life in my stomach.
"I know it's selfish of me to talk to you about this, but I didn't know who else to go."
I was confused now.
What is she talking?
"There's this boy."
My heart sunk.
"He's so different. Really different. He makes me want to be a better person. He's so strong, I mean after everything he's been through he's still so happy. He inspires me..."
Her excited voice continued speaking, but I couldn't hear anymore. It's like my brain stopped trying to understand what she was saying.
My throat went dry, and my vision started to go blur.
"You there?" she asked, just now noticing that I hadn't said anything in a while.
"Yeah," I replied, struggling to hide my shaky voice.
She continued, and it hurt knowing that she didn't realize that I was crying.
I couldn't help but wonder what I'd done wrong. Why couldn't I be that boy for her?
Why had I failed to make her feel this way?
My eyes were stinging now.
And suddenly it hit me.
Just because she was the love of my life, doesn't mean I was her.
And even if that breaks my heart, it was the truth.
She deserved to be as happy as she made me feel.
So I wipe my tears and continue listening to her.
With a heavy heart, but a smile on my face, I wish for a happy ending this time, even if the love story wasn't mine.
To Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, There's something about you that left an indelible laughter in my mind ever since the first time I saw you on screen. Wait, do you understand you are no comedian or joker. You are an alcoholic, debt stricken bloke always swaying to and fro between Raju's cunning mind and Shyam's righteous attitude. You affirmed your seniority everywhere but you never made any sense to me or anyone out there. Tenants need to pay their rent. You get it right? On my off days, when I see your unadulterated smile it bewilders me - I mean how can this man live with such conviction and ease. What about his isolated life? His debts? These questions linger on my mind. It's not okay to be unambitious and surrender to your fate but when life doesn't give you 'Star Fisheries', you can always show some content in your dilapidated 'Star Garage'. Your innocent gullibility, incorruptibility and rustic lunacy bought chuckles. Well, you need to learn that Sh...
Umm. What to say i don't know. I don't know whose story of it. Regard it many of us who faced it. Whatever, love it heartily.
ReplyDeleteFor once it made me feel, you will give it a happy ending.... but Yash is Yash ;)
ReplyDeleteHolding on to emotions is what a writer does at his best, like you!!!