The light moment

Why Hate ? Last part

When Anirudh got to the office, there was hardly anyone else. He went about with his plan. Kavya got in office and started with her work. It was now end of the day and Kavya had to update her days work on daily task sheet application. She found the application that recorded her task sheet to be not working. The office staff responsible for fixing such issues was not present. Anirudh was working on his work station not showing any emotions on his face. He could hear Kashyap trying to work with Kavya to fix the problem. Just then Anirudh heard the voice that he was waiting to hear. "Brother, can you help us?" it was Kashyap.

Anirudh acted as if he did not hear anything. He continued looking at the monitor. From the corner of his eyes he could almost see Kavya looking at him, but he ignored it. Then he felt Kashyap coming towards him and Anirudh turned to look at him "Kashyap, my friend whats wrong?" Kashyap gave his unique smile and said "Oh great being," Anirudh interrupted him and said "Kashyap come to the point..."

Kashyap said "Yeah, of course can you help Kavya with her machine it seems to be having some problems with the task updater" Anirudh knew exactly what was wrong, he had broken it in the first place by coming early to the office and logging on to the rmachine. Anirudh walked confidently to Kavya's desk and pulled a chair to sit besides her. Kavya was not happy to take his help and showed her discomfort by quickly moving away. Anirudh observed that but did not react. Kashyap was busy mean while eating the pea nuts that he carried in a plastic bag.

Kashyap "Brother do you know what is the issue or you are just shooting in dark" Just then Anirudh got up and smiled looking at Kashyap "Brother, nothing is difficult if you know what you are doing." Kashyap did not say anything and just mocked him by moving his neck side ways some thing that Anirudh did regularly.

Kavya tried the software again and this time it was working. She had a big smile on her face, and she quickly thanked Anirudh. Anirudh on the other hand tried to show modesty on his face. Anirudh went back to his place. After another 15 mins when Kavya was about to leave the office she came to Anirudh's desk and thanked him for his help. Anirudh asked her where she lives and she replied back. Anirudh was smiling from inside and had a firm belief that the hatred is gone after all. After Kavya left, Kashyap got to Anirudh's desk and Anirudh smiled at him. "Kashyap, I told you its easy, and now she does not hate me, this is how the cookie crumbles............" Kashyap said "Oh great Guru! I am too much impressed by you, no wonder you are so great"

While going home Kavya was accompanied by another of her friend. Kavya said "Anirudh fixed a problem on my machine today, and felt he had done a great job, but honestly I hate that ass...." Bothg girl laughed. At the office Anirudh sat alone looking at the screen feeling great about himself.

Why Hate?

.............Kavya hated Anirudh, Anirudh worked in the same office as Kavya and had no clue about it. One day his good friend Kashyap mentioned him and Anirudh was shocked. He thought for a while and tried to rewind if he a wrong word said or any incident that might have made Kavya think in this sense. But he really could not find it. That was when he asked Kashyap as too why Kavya hates him.

Kashyap requested Anirudh that the conversation between them should be kept secret. Kashyap got a chair besides Anirudh and started talking "Brother! She thinks you are too smart and you have a big attitude issue" Anirudh smiled and said "Thats true, I do act over smart and do have a big attitude" to which both of them laughed. Kashyap continued "Anyways thats the reason she hates you.........she will always hate you.......don't try to open my mouth, you will not feel good about what you willl hear."

That night when Anirudh returned home he was not able to understand why would a girl think of him this way without knowing him.While waiting for the bus that day, Anirudh wondered how he could change the mind set of Kavya. He hardly watced her and had no feelings for her in any sense. It was just the fact that he could not stand the truth that a girl hates him for no reason. He wanted to solve this mystery perhaps talk to Kavya and understand what makes her think this way. However he did not know how he could ever start. Just then his bus arrived and Anirudh jumped into it.

Next day while sitting at his work station, Anirudh was reading a few emails. One of them was from Kavya, it was an official email however it brought back his last night thoughts again. Anirudh wanted to show Kavya how nice he was, and that at heart he has no ego or attitude. But how could he do it and thats what kept on bothering him. He needed a plan to make the girl at last not hate him. Perhaps he could help her, Anirudh thought. But again help in what, it seemed like an endless cycle for Anirudh. Just then he saw Kavya pass by his desk towards her. Anirudh's eyes followed her, just then she turned and their eyes got locked in. Anirudh was embarrass and he quickly looked else where.For the first time he thought Kavya was not that bad looking either. "What if I just go and give her smile or perhpas appreciate her fancy purse, no purse is very gay, may be I will just give her smile, but may be I can do that when she goes for her lunch" Anirudh stuck to the plan and gave Kavya a very wide smile, to which she did not react for a while and they reciprocated with a smile. She passed him and then murmured "Over smart..........." Anirudh heard it clearly and he felt like screaming loudly and asking her "Why the hell she said it?" But then he just remained quiet. In one corner Kashyap was standing with his lunch box. He came close to Anirudh and said "Brother! Lets have lunch, you will be always in her bad books no use trying" Anirudh frowned looking at Kashyap and said "You please continue, I will have my lunch later"

Anirudh was already on plan B, he was waiting for Kavya to get done with he lunch, the plan was that he would ask her "Lunch over! How was it?" He was acting trying to show he is concentrating looking at the monitor, just then he saw Kavya passing by and he quickly turned to ask but he stopped, Kavya did not look at him. Anirudh then walked towards Kavya's desk and said "Kavya which project you are working on?"

Kavya softly said "Can we talk later, I have a few emails to read?" The lines felt like slaps to Anirudh who turned back and sat on his place. He was clear of one fact that the girl hates him and hates him a lot. He wanted to some ways do something and change this equation. Aniridh decided to give it a try on Monday, and think over the weekend......................................that weekend Anirudh thought about multiple ways of impressing Kavya. On Monday he had a very clear plan and he was very confident that by the end of the day Kavya will not just stop hating him but perhaps will also become good friends with him.

(to be continued.............)

Parallel Rivers Part 1

Anirudh was in USA when he got to know of her. There was a certain hype in the office about the new girl that had joined. Anirudh was chatting one night, when his office colleague mentioned him about her. His friend was fascinated by the girl. He was so excited, that he was even able to transfer some of the excitement to Anirudh.

Anirudh could not wait to get back to India and meet her. I did not love her, not even liked her, I had not even seen her, but there was a curiosity that any child can have. It seemed the child in me was all curious.

Poetic Lover

Love means a lot to some for others its just part of the life. But everyone needs that feeling to come into their life. Raju was no exception to it. The one thing Raju wanted to do is make sure the person he loves so much is always gifted to make sure she knows how much he loves her. Today when he got up he decided to do the same thing he did many a times before. He was ready to write a poem for the girl whom he loved so much. Raju was no poet but he loved to write for her. It was a feeling that was amazing. The piece of paper in the flower bouquet, the fragrance of the flowers and the romance in the poem. It was a combination that Raju just could not resist.

He was ready with a piece of paper and a pen. He looked out of the window and saw two crows sitting on the terrace of a building. He had read a lot of description about pigeons making love, but he was amazed to see that a pair of crow did the same thing. Their color might be the reason why their love was not that famous. But Raju knew love sees no color, no barriers.

Raju was looking for an inspiration to start the poem. He was happy to see the crows but they did not inspire him to jolt down any line.

After another two hours of thinking and seeing that the page is still all blank Raju got up and walked to the rest room. He washed his face and sat again on the bed. The bed was big enough to allow one person to sleep. On one side of the bed was an old t.v while another side was a small box having a lot of books pilled up.

Raju opened up a dictionary to find something, and then threw it away. This was frustrating why is this so difficult he thought. He slept flat on his back looking at the fan rotating. The ceiling showed that the apartment was really getting old. There were some spider webs hanging which Raju was planning to remove for weeks now.

Finally he thought about a saying, which his professor once told him "Son, think what you want to convey and then words will just pop put" Raju thought, he wanted to tell her how important she is been to him. He wanted to tell her how she refreshes his mind every time he remembers her. He wanted to tell her how honest his love has been for her. Soon Raju started to smile which then converted into a more serious face, he sat back and started writing.

It was mid day when he was done writing his 8 lines. Raju neatly folded the paper. He had a bottle of perfume which he sprinkled on the paper. He then kept the paper in an envelope. Raju then kept the envelope in the pockets of the coat he was planning to wear. Raju was now having a big smile. He walked to the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator. He saw the frozen curry and five slices of bread. He took it out quickly. Raju put the curry in the owen and then followed it up with the bread. Raju finished this lunch far quickly and then went off to the bed.

When Raju woke up it was 5pm in the evening. Raju saw outside the window again, he saw fair amount of traffic. Raju then got dressed up, double checking if the paper having the poem is in the pocket. Raju then got out of the house, he locked the door and kept the keys into the inside pocket of his trousers. Then he walked out of the society compounds towards the man who sold flowers at the end of the road. He collected the best roses. Raju knew where to find her and he walked towards the familiar place.

A girl dressed in pink, wearing a skirt that was long enough to cover her knee line was standing. She was wearing dark black goggles. Raju watched her move towards him. He moved forward, as the girl passed him, Raju watched her again as she moved into the opposite direction. He was now close to the gate. He opened it, walked a few steps and stood silently. He then just squatted down, kept the flowers down having the paper in it.

Raju turned around and walked back. Raju was 75 years old and this was the 40th poem he wrote for his dead wife. It was her 40th death anniversary. He placed it on her tomb and left. Jolly was the name of his late wife, who loved his every poem, but just after 5 years of her marriage she died of breast cancer................................

Poetic Lover

Love means a lot to some for others its just part of the life. But everyone needs that feeling to come into their life. Raju was no exception to it. The one thing Raju wanted to do is make sure the person he loves so much is always gifted to make sure she knows how much he loves her. Today when he got up he decided to the same thing he did many a times before. He was ready to write a poem for the girl whom he loved so much. Raju was no poet but he loved to write for her. It was a feeling that was amazing. The piece of paper in the flower bouquet, the fragrance of the flowers and the romance in the poem. It was a combination that Raju just could not resist.

He was ready with a piece of paper and a pen. He looked out of the window and saw two crows sitting on the terrace of a building. He had seen a lot of description about pigeons making love, but he was amazed to see that a pair of crow did the same thing. Their color might be the reason why they were not that famous. But Raju knew love sees no color, no barriers.

Raju was looking for an inspiration to start the poem. He was happy to see the crows but they did not inspire him to jolt down any line.

After another two hours of thinking and seeing that the page is still all blank Raju got up and walked to the rest room. He washed his face and sat again on the bed. The bed was big enough to allow one person to sit. On one side of the bed was an old t.v while on the other side was a small box having a lot of books pilled up.

Raju opened up a dictionary to find something, and then threw it away. This was frustrating why is this so difficult he thought. He slept flat on his back looking at the fan rotating. The ceiling showed that the apartment was really getting old. There were some spider webs hanging which Raju was planning to remove for weeks now.

Finally he thought about a saying which his professor once told him "Son think what you want to convey and then words will just pop put"Raju thought, he wanted to tell her how important she is been to him. He wanted to tell her how she refreshes his mind every time he remembers her. He wanted to tell her how honest his love has been for her. Soon Raju started to smile which then converted into a more serious face, he sat back and started writing.

It was mid day when he was done writing his 8 lines. Raju neatly folded the paper. He had a bottle of perfume which he sprinkled on the paper. He then kept the paper in an envelope. Raju then kept the envelope in the pockets of the coat he was planning to wear. Raju was now having a big smile. He walked to the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator. He saw the frozen curry and five slices of bread. He took it out quickly. Raju put the curry in the owen and then followed it up with the bread. Raju finished this lunch far quickly and then went off to the bed. When Raju woke up it was 5pm in the evening. Raju saw outside the window again, he saw fair amount of traffic. Raju then got dressed up, double checking if the paper having the poem is in the pocket. Raju then got out of the house, he locked the door and

Vacant Seat

My father decided to buy a new house at the other end of the city which meant I had to join a new school and that is where I met her. I was 9 and she was perhaps 8.5 years. She was very talkative, she was very funny and most important she was a total tom boy with short hair. I being introvert just did not speak with any one. But Reena made sure that was not the case. She would greet me everyday. I would just smile back. It was after 7 days that I finally managed to ask her "How are you?'" and she busted into laughter.

Another 4 months and we became good friends. In a bad way though that isolated us from the rest of the group. But I did not mind I was a loner anyways.

Soon I was 11 and she was 10.5, we just knew anything and everything about each other. We would fight like boys and played like girls. Everything was good but then in the summer of 1996 she went on vacation and when she came back she was not the same. Reena was talking more perhaps but her looks were different. She had grown her hair so had she started putting a bit of make up or may be thats what I thought. I asked her and she just giggled and touched my cheeks. Another 6 months Reena had changed drastically she was now looking like a girl.

I was 12 and she was 11.5, still not in our teens. But one day when we walked home it started to rain. I watched her hair go wet, we were not carrying an umbrella. The water dripping from her hair onto her forehead. She was shivering and I just watched her. I thought of the last 3 years since we were such close friends, however today was the first time I felt a very different thing for her. She was looking beautiful I thought. After that day I did not fell the same that Reena felt for me. I started caring more about her. She would joke on me, but I just could not do the same to her. I used to beat her on the head and I stopped that too. Reena was surprised and she asked me how the devil that I was for her, changed into an Angel. Well I could not say anything.

I had entered into my teens and Reena was now half year away from that. I decided to stop the hide and seek and tell her the fact. However days passed into weeks and I could not speak up. Some of my friends in school did start to tease me that I am Reena's boy friend. I felt good from inside but never showed it, I did request them to not tease me in front of her. But it did not work Reena got to know the whole thing. She came to me and asked me if I knew anything and I told her that even I did not like it. I told her I have warned my friends to not tease me of all such things. Reena asked me to meet in the classroom next day. I agreed to it but she did not declare the agenda. All my friends were sitting and they watched me and Reena enter the class together. Some of them giggled and some coughed. Reena stopped in between and asked me to held my hand up. She quickly got a string from her pocket and tied it to me. Hindu culture that means I am her brother. That night I cried a lot. It took me weeks to get out of it. I did not show anything to Reena and continued my behavior in the same manner to her.

I was 14 and Reena was 13.5 when she left my school to go to another city for education. We tried to call each other but then it slowly stopped and then there was no contact.After that it was in year 2002 when I saw her again. I knew it was Reena the moment I saw her. I walked to her and said "Do I know you......" my next line was "of course I do" and then perhaps even hug her. But she quickly replied saying "No" I was embarrass, I was accompanied by a friend of mine. He sympathized with me. Reena was standing with her friends and they just... laughed. I had no clue what had happened. It was perhaps my friend who dragged me from the scene and then scolded me for such stupidity. I had no answer to any of his question.

2007 when I was 22 and she was 21.5 we met again, this time on chat. I reminded her of the incident but she replied back saying she don't remember it. I wanted to call her a liar but I could not. I just continued talking to her like nothing happened that day. I continued to chat with her and then also wrote poems for her. Our relationship was renewed via the internet. I wished she still did not consider me as her brother and would just think of it as a childhood mistake. My memory just could not erase the rainy day. The day when I fell in love with her for the first time. She loved my poems and thanked for it.

However in the summer of 2008 when I was 23 and she was 22.5 she declared on chat that she was getting married. She also told me she was going to Dubai. 2 years passed that now, so why are we talking about it today.

Because couple of months back when I turned 25 and she perhaps 24.5 I ran into her in a public bus. I looked at her and she looked at me. I waved to her and she just looked elsewhere. I was so upset. But I just looked down and continued to read the book. However I could not concentrate and I looked at her again. She had gone a bit fat I thought. She looked back at me and this time I just looked back into the book. Apparently this was not the last of it, she took the same bus that I did everyday. I would watch her from the corner of an eye. The vermilion high up on her forehead suggested that she was indeed married. It was then that I also realized that she was pregnant. I was in too much of debate, it was Reena after all, what happened why are we behaving this way. I was totally confused. Today however the ice did break. The bus was packed, I got a seat and Reena was standing right besides me holding on to the seat. I was feeling very restless. I finally just got up from my seat, she looked at me, I had no clue what I was thinking. I said "Madam please sit......." people around especially the ladies gave me a smile seeing my good will. Reena got on to the vacant seat. I turned around, when she touched my hand from behind. I turned back and she said "Thanks brother................................................."