Spandana

An old lad, perhaps in his Sixties waiting for the one he always loved never minding the physical distance between them.

Crowded Indian railway station with people of all kinds’ right from social stature to facing all the problems in the world.

As he always believed “Loneliness is not just to one’s physical appearance”. He is yet again alone in the crowd lost in thoughts

16 Years back 

“Cute little spandana, not willingly walking beside her father holding dad’s little finger. Turned back to behold her grand pa one last time. That confused face with innocent expression told him that moment everything how badly they gonna miss each other”

“Old lad is still thinking how bad it was giving her a sendoff after being spent such an awesome time with her, going back into the memories even he remembered how proud he was sending his son to the city for studies at that naïve age. It all appeared like his son is avenging taking her back to the city he is living for her studies. He continued to say himself “What we give, that we get”. Smiling. This is kind of nostalgia to him.

A lady voice “Passenger from Bangalore to Puttaparti is arriving on platform no: 2.

Please pay attention” piercing his thoughts brought him back to the reality.

Girl dreaming inside the train…

It was farewell party season in the college...Spandana was painting a frame on the wall standing on the stool of which one leg was supported by the small wooden peace. The one helping the Spandana heard voice of other friend calling her for some help so she just walked forward in curious to know what she is up to. In hurry to move from there her foot kicked the wooden peace. Unbalanced stool swung and Spandana slipped and fell down. Just before she is hitting ground Shivu appeared in disguise and hold her.

The paint adhered her hands and off the brush left the stains on shivu's pure white Shirt.

Shy Spandana said thanks and run away from there. Next morning in party Shivu met her again. He started following her and time passed by. They have become friends and then started dating.

They went for break just before the exams and after coming from break Spandana was so curious to make their relationship into the next stage because she just started liking it and it has added some excitement to her life.

To her surprise Shivu was not likely to meet her expectations and slowly Shivu started avoiding it. When Shivu asked replied that he got busy with his project work and studies so can't make time for her.

No big deals. They just stopped talking.

All exams over. She was waiting for him to talk to her at least that time before for holidays. Shivu won't come to meet her and she only go to visit him but he will be with some other girl.

Spandana realized she was dumped. She drove away to home. She was crying crying and went into sober. A small child is waking up "Sister, Sister...ha.aa"

Spandana in the train: Waking up from the slumber for a girl’s voice saying "Sister, Sister and ha..aa(Cry)"

** 

The nervousness that has come with all the old age changes made him dropping his platform ticket. a small kid playing around there observed that and helped him with hat and says the “train you are waiting has arrived”.

Man murmur smiling “Yes for you it’s just a train. For many like us it brings back the world of love that we lost years back”

In no time he observed a young lady coming walking towards him. Girl laughing and kept walking as she already recognized. He was just gazing till she reached his sight and compared with the pics that he had been receiving through email, finally could recognize Spandana.

Spandana in yip hugged her grand pa, looking into that deep eyes that are filled with tears said “You didn’t change a lot. Just soft and white hair like feathers raising up from the bald head”

Walking back to the taxi that’s been waiting for them outside the station Spandana remembers “How she used to enjoy Grand pa’s stories. Especially that are about of Hindu mythological stories, She even remembers Grandpa’s fav story “Angel love by Arya”.

Every moment she spent with her wise grand pa taught us very small things in life that matters one way or another. In excitement time flew.

Just before the day she supposed to travel back they both find themselves in the park immersed in the nature. The truth that from next day they are not together made both of them dejected. Spandana was silent, sitting on the chair lost in thoughts.

Grand pa just walking in the ground, observing the dejected spandana said smilingly looking at the blue sky

“What happened?”

“Nothing”

“Since the day u came here though you seemed to having fun here, always I felt something you are hiding”

“I happened to stain on his T shirt…But he deliberately stained on my heart”

“What exactly happened?”

“Spandana went on to say everything that happened in college just before her exams right from their accidental meet at farewell party to the moment she realized that she was dumped”

When she was so confused and depressed looking for change to forget her love that just happened like a dream. Her dad convinced her to visit grand pa as he thought “Only Love can help the one who lost love”.

But where to go

“It’s always easy to choose one path…the one you travelled by.”

So here with you.

Before even grand pa says something back Spandana asks “Acha grand pa, I thought it remains the first and forever love. Why did he dump me?”

“Love. Where was in that. You wanted to be in love always because you believed it adds some excitement to your life and He sought entertainment”

Love happens in the soul. But we human love persons not the soul and hence we dump each other. Love that happened in the soul never dies.  

     

“Why should I live having this much pain in the heart?”

“Because you are destined to much better relationship.  Who knows what happens the next moment? May be you meet the right one and understand the true love and say ur story to the world”

Can I ever show the same love to anyone else?

Obviously. Love can happen multiple times and pure love lasts long. But….

But? 

How do you expect abandoned home to keep you comfortable the same unless you repair the cracked walls and windows. Same like you have to repair your soul and forget the old love.

She fell asleep early that day as she had to wake up early to catch the train next morning as her Semester holidays are gone into the history. Luckily the application she has sent to the Mindtree Ltd for internship has been accepted. 

After reaching home, before going to sleep thought of everything they discussed and everything started to make sense to her.

She is travelling to Delhi next morning for internship in her dream company, sitting in the flight that is almost ready to take off Said to herself “From tomorrow New city, new friends, new life. Change is so beautiful”.

**

                              ©Arya