chapter 14

I tried to get up… But I felt heavy …My head whirling…My mind was instructing … you are late… get up…She will be waiting there…Otherwise you know… what happened last time…What last time…What’s the time …She is afraid of darkness, I mustn’t be late ..Sir… Sir … are you awake?Please freshen up!Somebody is waiting for you in the drawing room…What drawing room, I asked?Hostel doesn’t have drawing room…You want to say waiting room…He replied… yes … please get up… he assisted me in the bathroom, with huge human size mirror…Who are you? This is not hostel bathroom… it is so tiny and full of darkness… I am confused…Ok… ok… he said … I was ready at last and we stepped out the bathroom and the room…It was a huge mansion …I was sure … It was not hostel… am I ill? Am I admitted in the hospital? Is he a ward boy who is calling me Sir? Questions were springing in my mind…There were two old people sitting on the sofa …I think, I have seen them somewhere …He said, Sir …they are your parents… familyMy parents… what are they doing here… in this mansion… or hospital?They live in Village… and they are not old… look at me… I am a postgraduate student, how can my parents be so old?Ok …he said…And we moved further… And entered the living room…I was shocked to see her there…She was wearing a pretty sky blue colour saree , with big Kumkum tikka on her forehead but there were no jasmine flowers in her braid … where are her two long braids? Instead, a big bun … I was unable to decide whether she was really here …But I was going to meet her as we have decided … why she is here?Sameep … she called in her soft , soothing voice … did you recognize me? She stood up and approaching towards me, she asked the question…Why is she asking such odd question? Don’t we know each other … we are classmates…? I ponderedAnd answered , ‘Yes, Sanyogita… I do recognize you… ‘With her big rounded eyes she was staring at me , I can’t explain , what were the expressions in her eyes… concern, love or friendship or combination of all… or motherly affection… ‘Thank God, you did… ‘, she exclaimed…She added , ‘ You looked at me there and left without meeting me … I was surprised … why did you behave like this? … so , I found out about your whereabouts … and I am here’, she uttered the whole sentence in a single breath…I was observing her … the same eagerness, the same zeal … She is Sanyogita… my Sanyogita… My …. ? my mind whispered…I uttered at once , I thought , you ignored me … rather you won’t like meeting me… ‘Why on earth I would not like meeting you…’, Sanyogita said in an irritating tone…Because , I was about to answer … then I realized … and corrected myself nothing… just thought you were busy in shopping … why would I disturb you… after so many years … I was doubtful … whether you will remember me or not …‘Oh! Shup up , Mr. Sameep’ , she said in a loud angry voice … ‘I know you have been very famous ambassador in many countries after you were appointed in Indian foreign services… but it doesn’t mean , you should forget your old friends and study partners…’‘No, I haven’t’ , I emphasized, ‘I was just late to come to meet you…’ Yes, you were always late … she asserted But , every time , I came … I replied …But always late … she corrected me …‘May be’ , I said‘Not may be ‘, she said, ‘You were always late…’‘Ok, from tomorrow , I won’t be late …I promise … I will follow your schedule of studies … ‘ , I replied She was looking at me with wide eyes … when he arrived and took her aside and said something in her ears … After that she came towards me … I adjusted myself on the sofa… She came and sat near me …She said , ‘Ok, from tomorrow , never be late … otherwise you will face punishment…’‘Punishment … ‘ , ‘Yes, I am undergoing punishment in the library … I must leave now … tomorrow morning … I have to do cleaning work as my punishment … have you forgotten …’ , I answered …Without knowing what to answer , she just hummed … He approached and said , Sir , let’s have your lunch… mam you also come… for lunch … his parents are waiting at the table…‘My parents…’, I angrily said, ‘They are in village …they are not my parents… ‘He replied , ‘Yes, Sir , I forgot …’I asked , ‘why are you saying lunch… it’s evening … I must reach the cafeteria in time and have my dinner … otherwise rector and Sumangal will be angry…’I saw her eyes were flooded with tears …‘What happened… Oh! I forgot you are afraid of darkness… I will come with you to drop you at the bus stop… don’t worry…’ , I comforted her…Sumangal , I called him… I will have my dinner afterwards … first of all I will drop Sanyogita at the bus stop…Sir … he interrupted and said … today she will have lunch with us … you will be happy if she accompanies you , won’t you… ‘Yes, I will be happy but she will miss her bus , last bus … then , again I have to drop her at the bus stop outside the campus…’, I replied‘No worries , Sameep… ‘, Sanyogita said… ‘I would like to eat with you …’I was so excited to listen to her reply and eagerness to have dinner with me… ‘Why not, I said, let’s go’…Dr. Archana Pandit