asteria's canvass...!!: Lost and found in Melbourne!!!!!

The only thought hovering in my mind was "Do I have anything to lose",and everytime all my grey cells answered in unison "NO". I guess its time to lose myself in the crowd,you know the best thing about the crowd is that it has no name,no face.I chided myself for having second thoughts...n told myself.."Gear up Kia,Its your time to visit Melbourne,NOW!!!!"

When my editor told me my next assignment is capturing Melbourne for a newly launched Travel agency,all jaded memories gushed in.The memories I had worked hard to erase.

The Great Ocean road

I am Kiara or Kia,depending upon whether I insult you in public or private,wrong side of 30,single(by choice),nicknamed ICE-PRINCESS by my colleagues and juniors,Head photographer of an advertisement company and till now you all must have understood that I have a past in Melbourne that too an indelible one.

Melbourne,the city splashed with colors,meshed with arcades,patisseries,....ahhh I could go on and on.
Was I going to be the Icarus near the sun by revisiting the city I lost so much in.But as the Great Ocean Road loomed in view,bustling with life,air palpable with joy,the smell of ocean surf,the freshly waxed colorful surf-boards reminded me that I am in Melbourne where all your senses are in for a treat.

****

St Patricks' cathedral

"So,are you a professional photographer?" distracted a voice from behind while I was trying to capture the opulence of St.Patricks cathedral.

"No,I carry the camera and this heavy tripod to hit guys who hit on me." I retorted.

"My bad mam",he said with a flip of his hat."I was just trying to tell you ,you should have come after 2 hours if you want to create magic in the shots." and he turned.

Funny thing about photography internship is that you are desperate to impress the head honcho with some quality pictures,pushing you ahead of the crowd where any monkey with a heavy duty camera clicks masterpieces.

"Wait, Mr...."

"Mr.Samuel Whittaker,and I was doing anything but flirt with you out there."

It was hard not to take a second look at his grey eyes,lop sided smile and the mischievous dent in his right cheek only visible when he smiled.I was in love.He took my camera,sat down cross legged,on the faintly visible grass patch and started clicking.

"Whoa!!! you are good"

"I can show the whole city if you wish,I have nothing better to do."

"If you promise to take equally alluring photos for my assignment." I chirped.

'Promise."

****

The blaring horns jolted me out of my reminiscences and I realized Dandenong valley was nearing faster than my thoughts.I could'nt help grinning like an idiot as i could'nt take my eyes off the lush green range,enormous fields and their earthy smell intoxicating me already.I was on time for my early morning balloon flight and put up a mental tick against going-to-get some great shots.I mounted the most colorful balloon,not even minding the 500 $ burning a hole in my paycheque.I was doing it for second time,still the child like exhilaration of the first time was back with full swing.The sky looked like the canvass of Claude Monet with so many balloons.

****

"You are too timid to be a LEO, Sam,"I smirked."Its just a balloon flight not Mirage 2000 ride."
"Kia, please hold my hand,or I will fall off this scary thing."
"I thought we were clicking pictures" I said with fake frown.
"We will from ground if you dont want to drop your camera in Dandenong valley."
I love you my heart was screaming in silence.

****

Mt.Buller..

Memory is a funny thing,it decides to play havoc at wrong time.Focusing on the job was becoming difficult.All the images were rushing back to me and the Mt.Buller's pristine slope deciding to play the projector for the same.Skiing was something I was scared of and I remember he did not leave any valuable chance of mocking me.
The Yarra valley winery where the aroma got to my head so much so that I was on the verge of blurting my heart out to him.The Colonial Tram car restaurant where a whole group of Asians mistook us to be a couple,enough to make me blush a couple of times.Red spice road where he introduced me to scrumptious Quiche Loraine....I missed the curb while driving.Ill have to get rid of the memories...since 5 years I have drowned myself in work so that I dont think about him at all,but memory is a funny thing...

''Why are you crying?" asked the old lady standing next to me in Melbourne Cricket grounds.I did not even realize I was welling up,thinking about the bet he so adorably lost exactly 5 years back on the same legendary grounds.I had painstakingly erased all these memories only to be brought back today so vividly.May be it was my fate which brought me back on his birthday so I could cleanse myself of the memoirs i have been bottling up.

****

"It's my birthday",he said while i was mesmerized by the monochrome penguins infront of me.
"Huh!! thats the oldest trick in the book" I did not even finish the sentence when his driver's license was staring in my face.
"OK!! happy birthday,what do you want as a gift"I could give my life if he asked for it.
"Aaah,very simple,spend the next 24 hours with me,you will ace the internship program, even Steve Mccurry will be proud of you."
"And what indecent proposal you have in mind??"
"Nothing.just have dinner with me on my birthday."
"Dont you have friends or relatives to celebrate."A profound,awkward silence followed my query.
"I come to Melbourne every year on my birthday."

Yarra river dinner cruise.

I had already planned to tell him how I felt about him,that I was madly in love with the stranger in Melbourne,that I lost my heart in Mornington Peninsula when he was busy picking fresh berries for me.
"Wow!" I burped amidst the sophisticated crowd sitting on Yarra river cruise.
"Excellent food"
"Kia,you proved it too!!!!." Ahh!! the lopsided smile again.The cool summer breeze on the Yarra river was playing with my emotions,and the exquisite wine fresh from the winery along with the gentle sway of the ship were adding to already fluttering butterflies in my stomach.
"What I can say,awesome company,delicious food." I replied nonchalantly.
"You talk just like my fiance." Crack! something broke deep inside and suddenly the brilliant lights of the dinner cruise turned a tad brighter,the kind that gives you a headache,and nausea hit me badly.
"Tomorrow we will go to the 12 apostle rocks,you know?",he continued disgustingly oblivious to my crushed crush.
"Im returning to Sydney tonight later." I managed to utter.
"What!!!!!!!!!! And when were you planning to tell me that Kia?"
"When were you planning to tell me you had a fiance!!" I shouted.
"What has that got to do with this."The ship touched the land and I was the first one to disembark,rather jumped out,ran as fast as I could,leaving Samuel as clueless as John Doe.

****

Point Lonsdale.

As I stand today on Point Lonsdale surf site,a sense of calm washed over my otherwise distraught soul.Those 48 hours I spend 5 years back snatched away a part of my soul,but gave me more.I had fallen in love,not the soul-lfting,enlightening kind but the deep abysmal ditch,the heart wrenching types.I crashed and burned.Thats my story,not tear-jerking may be but sad in its own way.The good news is I have almost come to the end of my assignment,The shrine of remembrance was the last spot after which I will be free from my stranger in Melbourne.
The shrine of Remembrance was being ironical as along with taking pictures, I was burying my memories,trying to redeem myself.Suddenly my AF-S Nikkor 24-70 mm ED zoom lens started acting funny,and when after 2-3 jerks when it did zoom in I had to rub my eyes because staring at me through my lens was my stranger in Melbourne."Get a hold Kia,you are just hallucinating.",I said in my head.
But then the voice boomed "You should have come after 2 hours if you want some great pictures." he said.

"What the hell....."

"Am I doing here?I told you I visited Melbourne every year on my birthday because my fiance died on the same very day in a disastrous skiing accident 7 years back.I was still grieving when I met you,I thought I am done with Love until I saw you that fateful day.I fell in love with your impish grin,your cool facade when you rebuked me.Since 5 years I have not stopped wishing for a second to get a second chance with you.I wanted to tell you on the cruise but you bolted on me.
Every year I roam into Melbourne with a hope that I will bump into you,so that I could tell you when Im near you the only place I wish to be is closer.." He was out of breath,and didnt blink.

"If you wont kiss him.I will",
shouted someone from the crowd which had gathered to watch our emotional reunion straight from some Yashraj films.

"Mr Samuel,we are coming to Melbourne every year on your birthday,will relive all those moments which made me fall for you,till your arthiritis hits."

"Of course,the Melbourne experience has just begun." the lop sided smile.

First time I visited Melbourne,I found my Love,the second time my Love found me...serendipity.
May be I'll be third time lucky in Melbourne.