A smile
popped up his lips as Mannu stepped down from the train and started scrutinising
the railway station for the cheapest food item that would fill his stomach till
the next meal with Pia. Two plates of red tomato salad were all Mannu could
finish when the track lights turned green. He was in friendship with this
hideous, but the most revealing journey of his life. No phone call had been
received from home. Crying had made him feel better.
“Ajeeb zindgani hai...” Mannu said to himself,
as the cool wind swayed away the heavy emotions from his head and heart.
Standing at the gates of the train, with an open eye on the bag, he imagined
the vastness of the mother earth. But today he could see the horizon of his
real and virtual worlds. The Bee Gees
were his companion in the journey to Pia. Again he closed his eyes, for it was
a good time to add on the sleepy hours, but very soon the phone bell
interrupted.
It was Mr.K.
‘Happy Birthday beta’ He spoke in his most
loving way.
“Be safe
and don’t roam around much.” He continued. For an instant, his words shook
Mannu’s heart from left to right.
Covering
the micro phone to prevent the sounds of the rolling wheels from reaching Mr.
K, Mannu answered only what Mr. K asked. His eyes were filled with tears. Mrs.K’s
words made me cry more. She only had a simple wish, to be wither son today, but
Mannu couldn’t fulfil this sweet wish of hers.
Forgive me, Mummy. Your bad son will be a better
person someday.
Guilt was
knocking up every moment to knock him down. After a three minute call Mannu had
won again in hiding this secret journey. But Mannu had heard nothing from Pia
till 12:30 am. Without a nip of doubt he came to the conclusion that this was
the game of the highly unstable signal of the mobile network. Mannu smiled and
wished her a thank you in his head
and waited anxiously for the display box to display Borivali.
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