A journey to find her…….5

…….Arun took out 3 coins from his pocket totaling to 25 paise. The rickshaw driver accepted it and drove off leaving Arun at the gates of a newly constructed building. Arun read the name engraved on the side walls of the gate. He had come to the right place. Arun walked towards the gate, the watchman who was sleeping on a chair near the gate woke up. He saw Arun and saluted him. He then smiled at Arun and said “Sir, whom do you want to meet?” Arun was happy seeing the hospitality of the watch man. He said in a soft voice “I want to meet some one who lives in this hostel.”

                   The watchman looked at Arun for a while and then said “At this time most girls are in the college, but today is a Sunday, are you Manisha’s brother, I remember seeing you once.” At first Arun wanted to correct him, but he quickly discarded the thought and nodded in agreement with the watchman. The watchman escorted Arun towards the office. While he walked he explained Arun how every girl living in the hostel appreciates his work and how most of them personally know him. Arun pulled a 5paise coin and placed on the old man’s hand who returned back to his place.

                   The watchman had escorted Arun to the office. Arun sat on a chair, soon a woman who was probably in her late 40s got in to the office and took the chair across the table. “Hello, I am Miss Kulkarni, are you a relative of a girl living here…let me know the name of the girl you are here to meet…I know this may sound weird…but this is a girl’s hostel…..we have to be very strict and make sure we don’t allow any anonymous person to get into it…” Arun wiped the sweat on his forehead and said “I am here to meet Miss Gayatri..” The woman said loudly “Vidya…”

                   Another woman dressed like Miss Kulkarni in skyish blue saree entered the room. She looked at Arun, then towards Miss Kulkarni. “Yes Madam..” “This is Mr…” Arun smiled and said “I am Mr. Arun and would like to meet Miss Gayatri…” Vidya smiled and left. Miss Kulkarni read a few papers lying on her table, after realizing that they are useless she threw them in the thrash bin.

                   Vidya entered the room followed by Gayatri.”Hello Madam…” Miss Kulkarni greeted back. Miss Kulkarni said “Gayatri your relative Arun is here to meet you…” Arun raised his hand as if to interrupt Miss Kulkarni “I am so sorry, but this is not the Gayatri I wanted to meet” All three woman stared at Arun. Miss Kulkarni indicated Vidya to leave the office. Gayatri followed her. “Mister, in his hostel there is only one Gayatril, and I know every girl in this hostel…:” Arun was confused, the name of the hostel, may be there are two hostels by the same name in Bombay he thought. “Miss, I am sorry for the confusion is there another hostel in Bombay by the same name…”

                    Miss Kulkarni was now angry “I don’t know what you want, you say you are a relative and now you are not even sure about the hostel name, for your information this is the only hostel with this name and this is the only Gayatri staying here…now if that is not the Gayatri you had come to meet I would kindly request you to leave…….”Arun walked out of the hostel. While he walked out the watchman saluted him back and asked if he got to meet Manisha.

                    Arun ignored the watchman. He looked at his watch. It was close to 11am. Arun decided to find a lodge. While he walked on the roads he replayed the image of the girl in the train. He remembered her saying Pandita Ramabai Hostel and her name as Gayatri. Arun felt cheated, disappointed and humiliated at the same time.

                                                                    to be continued…………………….

A journey to find her.......4

 ...........the train moved ahead. Arun continued to look at Gayatri as she walked away. Gayatri did not turn around to see. Arun walked back to his seat. While he sat on the seat, he still looked at the other seat remembering Gayatri who was sitting there just a few minutes back...................

                     Vijay was sitting in his office when he heard a knock on the door. Vijay said "Please come in Arun..." Arun walked in with a smile on his face. He had shaved, and was wearing a nicely ironed shirt. Vijay looked in surprise. "Wow! You change from the last time I saw you. I guess you decided to forget her. That is a good decision I must say, no point wasting time over a girl that is miles away. And about whom you know so little. Just because her thinking matches with your..."

                     "....Sir, please allow me to speak..." Arun interrupted. Vijay frowned. Arun sat on the chair in front of Vijay. Arun tried to relax on the chair, but to his surprise the chair inclined back. He held the chair firmly. Vijay laughed and said "Just got them...don't worry relax the chair will not break...you were saying.."

"Vijay, I got an invitation for an all India Conference...its about the existing political turmoil in India..." Vijay shook Arun's hand to congratulate him. He then tweaked his nose and said "No wonder you are happy and got all clean shaven and up tight..."

                     Arun nodded in agreement. Arun then inclined forward on the table and whispered "The great thing is that the conference is in Bombay.." Vijay said "What is the good thing....wait a minute...so you are going to meet this girl after all..." The smile on Arun's face faded away. Arun started looking out from the window after giving a cold look to Vijay. Vijay said "Alright, I am just not used to this Arun, I know the Arun that thinks logical, and not some one who is crazy behind a girl...."

                      Arun replied "Vijay, I am not crazy behind the girl, I just want to meet her once...." Vijay got up from his chair. The chair sprung up straight with a noise. Vijay placed his hand on Arun's shoulder and said "and do what..." Arun pushed Vijay's hand away and spoke "I don't know, but what ever happens I am ready to face it." There was silence for some time. Vijay then broke the silence and said "Arun I don't agree with what you are doing, but if meeting this girl is so important for you, which only you understand why, you should do it" Both men hugged each other.

                       After another week, when Arun got down on the station he was tired. He had to stay in Bombay for three days, but the most important thing he was looking forward to was meeting Gayatri. Arun got out of the V.T station. He saw a group of people with red flags protesting against the government. Arun saw a horse driven rickshaw. He smiled and walked towards it. The rickshaw driver smiled back at Arun. Arun said "I want to go to Pandita Ramabai Hostel, can you take me there..."

                       The rickshaw driver said "Sure, it will be 25 paise, do you agree to the fare, I don't want to fight later..." Arun sat in the rickshaw, "I agree lets go................."

A journey to find her........3

               ..................accepted that there is more to be done to make women independent" Arun joined both his hands and said. Gayatri only smiled. She opened the book and started reading it. Arun decided to sleep. Arun was not able to sleep for a long time. He was disturbed by a fast train that passed whistling loudly. Frustrated he sat on the upper berth lowering his head to not hit the ceiling. 

               He decided to sleep back when he looked at Gayatri. She was sleeping with the book placed on her abdomen. Her steady breathing made the book move up and down. Arun observed her.He watched her two hands locked into each other, placed on the book.  There was some thing that was making him look at her. He tried to sleep but again turned around to watch Gayatri. Arun had never met a girl that intelligent and beautiful. Her thinking was very modern. Her approach to life very brave. Arun started to feel sleepy again. 

               "Tea, Coffee..." Arun woke up one more time. There was a hawker on the station selling tea, where the train had stopped. He watched across to see Gayatri on the other upper berth, but she was missing. He quickly tried to get up, and while doing so his head hit the ceiling. He rubbed it and jumped down from the berth. The two women who were sleeping on lower berth were also no where to be seen. Arun looked around and then sat near the window. "O! You are awake.." Gayatri said. "The two women probably got down...while we were asleep..and now for the bad news, the train has been on this station for 30 mins, there has been some problem ahead...." 

               Arun listened to Gayatri but his eyes were mesmerized. He was not himself. "Hello...are you listening to me...?" Arun smiled and replied "Where do you live?" Gayatri gave a confused look and said "Me, I come from Bombay...and I am going to attend a marriage.." Arun gathered some more courage and asked "Nice...and where do you live in Bombay..." Gayatri was now sitting on the seat across Arun's. She said "I, well I don't share such information with stranger but you seem to be a...what do you do?"

                Arun cleared his throat and said "I am a Professor. I teach social science, very reason why our discussion interested me and I was very impressed by your thoughts on woman empowerment, you have a thinking that is way ahead of time, but you are right by the end of the 20th century we will have as many women working as men..."

                "You think that! I wish there were more men like you.....". Both Arun and Gayatri felt a push as the train started. Gayatri heaved a sigh of relief. Arun looked out of the window. He suddenly remembered what he had to ask. When he turned around to ask he saw Gayatri trying to pull the bag from the upper berth. He helped her. She thanked him in return. Arun asked "Are you getting down?" Gayatri said "Yes" Arun did not understand what to say or do. 

               After another 15 mins Gayatri picked her purse and her bag. She started walking towards the door. Arun tried to pick her bag but she refused him to do so. Just as the train arrived at the station Arun asked "You did not tell me where you live in Bombay..." Gayatri looked back at Arun and said " Pandita Ramabai Hostel....................."

A journey to find her.......2

 ..........she said "Thank you..." Arun sat back on his seat after helping the girl in keeping the bag on the upper berth. The girl sat on the seat in front of him. Arun started looking outside the window. He saw a station master walking near the bell placed at one end of the station. He rang the bell and the train started. Arun felt a jerk. He looked out as the train left the station and started to speed up.

                 "Excuse me.." he heard the girl. He looked at the girl. She was fair, with dark deep eyes. The girl was trying to pull some thing. Arun looked down and realized that he had stepped on the strap of her purse. He lifted his foot. "I am sorry.." Arun apologized. The girl ignored and dusted the purse. The girl pulled a book from the purse to read it. 

                Arun felt sleepy and decided to rest his head on the window. In a few minutes he slept. After another hour when he woke up, he saw a face looking at him. Arun got a bit scared. He took a deep breath and got up. The face was of a lady. Arun said "Yes, may I help you.." The woman quickly replied "The seat next to yours is mine..." Arun pulled his body close to himself to allow the woman to sit. Just as the woman sat down, another woman arrived at the scene. The girl who was reading the book had also started observing now. Both women looked over weight. One woman sat next to Arun, while the other sat next to the girl. 

                   The two woman started talking with each other in a loud voice. Both seemed to have hearing problems. Arun was not happy because he was not able to sleep. He walked out and stood near the door. The girl followed him. "You are not going to get any sleep..." Arun smiled looking at the girl. "I know...neither will you be able to read the book" The girl walked towards the door and started looking out. As she stood near the door, the incoming wind started blowing her hair. Arun watched her as she enjoyed the wind blowing into her. Just then the girl looked towards Arun, being embarrassed Arun looked elsewhere. 

                    Arun walked slowly towards the girl and then asked "What is the name?" The girl walked away from the door and said "Why do you want to know my name?" Arun smiled and said "The book, what is its name.." The girl blushed and said "Sorry I misunderstood, its a hindi book on woman independence" She handed the book to Arun. Arun read a few contents and then gave the book back. Arun then walked back to his seat. He was astonished to see both women sleeping. "They are sleeping..." Arun turned around towards the voice. The girl was having a smile on her face. Both Arun and the girl climbed on to the upper berth opposite to each other.

                  After making his way on to the upper berth Arun looked towards the girl who was still trying to climb up. "Do you need help?" The girl pulled herself and said "No, Thanks..." Arun looked down, both woman were snoring. Arun looked at the girl and said "So you believe what is written in the book..." The girl gave a cold look and said "I know no men will ever agree....to such books" "I never said I disagree, woman empowerment is the need of the hour, but then our Prime Minister is also a woman, so I don't think we can bluntly say all men disagree to woman independence...else Indira Gandhi would not have been the Prime Minister" The girl kept the book away and said "Excuse me, Mr..."  "Arun...." Arun replied "and you" "Gayatri...." the girl replied.........................

A Journey to find her....1

                 ......he observed as the girl struggled to place her bag on the upper berth of the train. Arun decided to help her. He pushed the bag, thats when she looked towards him.

                 Arun..." Arun was brought out of his thoughts. He was in his bed room. He walked out of the bedroom. There was some one knocking at the door. "Arun.." he heard the cry again. It recognised the voice of his old friend. He opened the door. Vijay was Arun's childhood friend and he was now standing smiling at him. Arun smiled looking at him. Vijay walked in literally pushing Arun at one side. "Sorry I thought you would never ask me to come in, so I pushed myself.."

                 Vijay pulled a key chain from his pocket. Aun looked at the key chain, it was made of a sea shell. Vijay said "This gift for you, I visited a shop last week saw it there, thought you will appreciate it." Arun took the key chain and hung it on a hook next to the calendar. Vijay looked towards Arun as he placed the key chain. Vijay looked at the calendar and smiled. "Arun its April now, not March, you need to change the month, April 1977 has arrived."

                 Arun looked at the calendar and frowned. "Vijay please sit, its good to see you in town. How is your business going on?"Vijay wiped the sweat on his brow and said "Its awesome, made profit over 1000Rs last year...and wish to....hey what is wrong with you....when was the last time you shaved.." Vijay looks around and realises the house is not been cleaned for a while. He sits at the chair next to Arun. "Arun, what is the matter...is everything alright..."

                 Arun takes a deep breath and says "I would tell you but you would only make fun of me, it is so stupid and this has never happened to me before.Vijay "A man gets that messy either when he looses his job or when he looses.." Arun "I did not loose my job.."Vijay says "So there is a girl involved....no, it cannot be, I know you for ages you been away from all such things.."

                 Arun shakes his head. He stands up and scratches his grown beard. "I cannot think about anything since I have met her...its been like I am stuck in time....its good that the colleges are closed...I don't think I could have taken a single lecture in this state..."

                 Vijay stands up and pats Arun on his back. "Professor you are in love....noq is there a problem....a girl would be lucky to be with you..." Arun smiles, he walks towards the photo of a married couple hanging on the wall. He looks towards the photo and says "Vijay, when my parents passed away I drowned myself in studies for that was there dream that I get well educated, after becoming a professor I felt happy that I was giving the knowledge I learnt to others.....love...girls...or marriage...were words out of my dictionary...until..."

                 Vijay yawns "I know all this, until you met this girl...now can you please tell me who the girl is, where is she.Arun turns around to look at Vijay who has raised both his eyebrows. Arun smiles and then says "Vijay, I wish I knew where the girl is..." Vijay quickly replies "Wish you knew, is the girl real or you dreamed about her..." Arun smiles and sits on the chair. "Please sit down, I will tell you what happened.............................................................."

The missing bag....the stolen wallets

.............as the train moved, Ramesh got in action. He first unlocked his briefcase just a bit. The train was crowded but since he had practiced the act so well, it was an easy thing for him. He held the bag in his left hand with the index finger, he was stopping the bag from getting locked. His eyes moved around to find a new victim. Once he had decided, he took a deep breath and waited for the train to arrive at the next station.
The train reached the station. It slowed down and people desperate to get down started pushing each other. Ramesh moved the right hand, he felt the wallet. Next step took less than 5 seconds, the small blade taped to the thumb did its work. The wallet fell in his hand, then slowly into the briefcase. The index finger moved and the bag was locked. People pushed Ramesh from behind and he was soon on the station. Once on the station he locked the bag using the secret combination. "Job done !" he thought and gave him self a virtual pat on the back.
It was about 11am in the morning. He had got around with 5 wallets, which meant lot of booze for the week, and importantly he can meet Rani.
The thought of Rani also brought the thought of the necklace that she was once craving for. He decided to go to a lonely place and check the amount of money he was able to rob. After walking another 20 mins in the hot sun, Ramesh found the lonely place. Ramesh was dressed in white shirt, black trouser and a blue tie. It made him look some executive in an office. It was a trick he used so that if the person whom he is robbing do realize that he is been robbed, the people around will not put a suspicion on Ramesh. He learnt all the tricks from his mother's brother Shiv. Uncle Shiv always told him a thing "Ramya, only rob when you are in need" But Ramesh soon realized that needs never end they just become more with every hour.
Rupees 5000 he counted till the last change and was surprised to see a round figure in hand. He mentally calculated the amount of money he would need including the money to buy the necklace. He had to get into the train one more time.The prime requirement was that the train needs to be crowded which at that hour would be many, especially the ones going towards the town side. He was in between two railway station. Ramesh decided not to walk to the station he get down at, there was an element of risk involved. After walking another 30 mins he reached the other station where he got into the train. There were a lot of people as Ramesh expected, but he would need to pick the ones that look to give him the most profits.
As his greedy eyes moved, he saw a person standing in a corner. The person looked familiar. Just as he tried hard to think and recall, he realized and Ramesh started to sweat. The person was one of the few that he had pick pocketed recently. In a city of more than 60 million train travellers the chances of seeing the same man were very remote. Ramesh would not take the same train, of the same route. He would change the time, the route, the bogie. Ramesh decided not to take a risk. If he does anything now, he might get in trouble. The man was staring at him. Ramesh thought he needs to abort the mission and just get out. As the train arrived at the station, Ramesh started to push people to get down. There was suddenly chaos as a person with a big bag tried to get down. He pushed Ramesh, in the process Ramesh was thrown out of the train on the station.
It was when he reached the station he realized what he was missing. The hand was not feeling any weight, the bag broke leaving the handle in his hand. Ramesh cursed himself, there was no point looking for it now. The train had left.An hour back he was rich and now he was penniless.By evening Ramesh was able to recover himself from the shock. All day he walked on the roads not knowing what to do. He stood outside a briefcase shop, he needed one. But will the same trick work, whoever finds his lost bag might give it to the police. The police will find him. He was too scared.
"Sir. hello...." Ramesh turned to see who it was. He looked somewhere when he realized who the person was. "Sir, I am talking to you...look what I have..." It was the same man, whom Ramesh had seen in the train, the same whom he had pick pocketed a week back. The man was standing next to Ramesh now. "Sir, this is your bag right, handle broke and it remained in the train, that man was fool who pushed you out, here it is take it..." Ramesh did not understand what to say. Ramesh wanted to ask "Did you open and see what the bag has, you fool..it also has your own wallet...." But instead he just said "Thanks" "No problem sir, see some ass stole my wallet last week, I was devastated, all my cards, my money everything. I know how you must be feeling so I helped you..."
Ramesh had some money in his wallet, he took out the money and handed the man, The man returned the money saying "Sir a good work is priceless, take the money, I don't want it." Ramesh quickly opened the bag a little bit and peeked into it to see all the wallets. "Combination lock, perfect no one can open it that easily..." the man said with a smile.The man left.Ramesh thought "I have turned into a monster, a crazy, greedy monster, I have given pain to so many, people don't just loose money, they loose their license, their identity cards, their photos, sometimes there is a letter, may be an important one"
Ramesh felt terrible, seeing the goodwill of the man, as against which he was nothing but a rat, that too a one rotten from inside. Ramesh walked away from the crowd and opened the bag. All the wallets were in it, he pulled one and opened it there was no money, he then tried the next one, same result, all wallets were empty, only one of them had a note saying "5000 rupees, and I got my wallet back, meet me next time you ass, and I will give you to the cops....................."

Simple Life

                      .........the clock ticked to 2am, and Punit stood on the lone road. There were few dogs that looked towards him. Punit walked a bit, he saw a small temple, he bowed down and prayed. Punit heard a sound, it was of an auto rickshaw. He could only see the light in the dark but it soon turned into proper shape. He raised his thumb to  indicate the driver to stop the auto rickshaw. The rickshaw stopped a bit ahead from the place where Punit was standing. Punit walked to the vehicle and leaning enough so that the driver can see his face said "Vintage woods..."
                       The driver twitched his nose and said "Midnight fare, remember.." Punit smiled to it. He sat in the rickshaw. It was a clean auto, with nice seat covers. The driver had decorated the inside with photos of gods.
Punit looked at each photo and showed his appreciation by nodding his head. As the rickshaw moved, Punit started to look outside. It was a silent city. A few homeless sleeping on the footpath. The only sound that echoed was of the auto rickshaw. Just then Punit's eyes caught something. There was a figure standing. As the vehicle moved closer, he could see the figure clearly. 
                        It was a man about the same age as Punit. He was raising his hand to indicate the driver that he needed a ride. As Punit had already engaged the auto, the driver ignored the signs showed by the person on the road. As the vehicle passed by the man standing, the driver felt a pat on his back. He turned his face a bit, to hear Punit. Punit said "Stop the auto, let the man sit, we can give him a ride. Where will he find an auto at this hour in this lonely city..."
                        The auto stopped, Punit leaned out of the vehicle and whistled. The man read the sign and showed a broad smile. When the man was standing right next to the auto, Punit said "Come in, I know its tough to get an auto at this hour, I always give a ride to a person if I see them standing, not all accept the invitation." The familiar sound of the auto started again. Punit introduced himself to the man, to which the man replied "Thank you so much, myself Sur.." "Sur! thats a nice name...very unique I must say...so where can I drop you..." Punit tried to be friendly.Sur replied "I am not going too far, I will stop the vehicle when I am near to my place..." Punit smiled and said "If thats what you want..." 
                        "I had a very bad day today, nothing went as planned..." Sur said. "I don't like to stay awake but you know how life is, some times its so difficult at some other time it is very simple." Punit took a handkerchief from his trousers and wiped his nose. He then looked out again, it was a long ride. He then looked towards Sur, who was still lost in his thoughts "In my opinion life is simple, we make it complex by adding things to it...I believe in Simple Life, may be you will not get the desserts after the main course, but you will get a very nice sleep...except today of course..." Punit smiled. He scratched his hair and then continued "You see there are days like these, but if life would have been just about the good days..." Sur cut him by saying "I understand your point.." then looking towards the driver said "Stop, I will get down over here..." Sur got down of the auto, he thanked Punit and tried to pay him, but Punit refused and said, "The smile on your face is worth everything...."
                          Punit stopped the driver after another 15 minutes. He had reached his destination. Punit said "Alright, time for me to go..." The Auto driver smiled and said "You are a nice man, you helped that man, it was a nice gesture..."
                          Punit moved a step back and said "Well I had to he is my brother..." The auto driver was confused "Your what...but then.." Punit smiled and then laughed. "Ok, he was my brother, he died a few years ago, it was his ghost, we often take the auto together and act like stranger, its fun.." The auto driver at first was confused, he then gave a scared smile and finally laughed "You are not just a nice man, you have a strange sense of humor too..."
Punit said "good you got that..." 
                          Punit handed the money to the driver, which slipped from the driver's hand, as the driver bowed to pick up the money, he saw Punit's leg twisted 180 degrees from its knee cap. The next day morning office goers saw the auto in the middle of the road, while the driver was dead on the road. Doctor said he had an heart attack.