Saakshyaa.

The story did not begun the day I first spotted her on the isolated bench of the central park, fidgeting with a shriveled neem twig. She was definitely waiting for someone, the way she craned her neck every now and then made it evident. Everything screamed “average” about her, the simple lemon yellow kurta, beige floaters and thin gold chain around her slender but middle aged neck. The only thing which struck odd to me was a sparkly platinum ring brilliantly adorning her finger. The writer in me instigated me to have a conversation with her, to build a story around her greying , wispy flicks and to conjure a character based on the out of place ring. But the story did not begun that day.

The story began when I spotted her again on the same bench, wearing same kurta , same floaters and same expensive ring. She was scanning the crowd again, though not in an anxious way. I wouldn’t have recognized her had she not wore the same semblance. I don’t know it was my writers’ instinct or the feminine one , but I knew those eyes had a story hidden behind them.

“Hello! I have often seen you in this park. You live nearby?”

“No, no I live in Dadar west.”

“That’s too far to travel to visit such a lame park.” I joked.

She smiled , actually a wisp of a smile.

“Five years ago, this used to be a pretty sight. Cut out bushes, dog-flower lined pavements and jamun trees.”

“Five years??? You have been coming here since then?” I couldn’t hide the question in my voice.

“I just come here on 2^nd of every month.”

“ Any specific reason?” I prodded.

“Why do you want to know?” she asked, again with a sliver of a smile.

“ Curiosity.” I lied.

“I hope you are not looking for a story or some inspiration.”

“How on earth…..”  I was interrupted in mid of the sentence by a full ear to ear grin, followed by a hearty laughter.

“You think I hadn’t noticed you with your oversized writers’ bag, that writing pad and pen, observing everyone keenly.”

“Okay! I promise I will not write a story, but now honestly the curiosity is killing me.”

“I will tell you the story, its been ages I shared this with any one, but only if you promise to write a story and tell it to the world.”

It was my turn to be taken aback by this sincere request from a simple yet mysterious woman. The story which followed was straight out of some classical romance novel and wrenched my heart along with making me fall in love with love again. I hereby tell it you people keeping my promise.

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Saakshyaa had no plans of relocating to Mumbai from her cozy hometown but life has uncanny ways of teaching you the things you never want to learn in the first place. She was having a hard time adjusting to the crowd, the language, the food, and most important the locals. Twice she boarded the wrong train and missed her interviews, once she fell on board and multiple times abused by the ladies for blocking the door.

One such sweaty and confusing afternoon she was stranded on Thane station, struggling to figure out her interview location when she bumped into a guy wearing larger than life headphones. She broke her spectacles and along with that her composure too. In no time big fat drops of tears were falling from her eyes as she tried to gather her strewn papers and broken spects. The guy she bumped into was apologizing profusely but she knew she had no chance of getting to that interview in time and without her spects . Saakshyaa has had enough and was already planning to return to her home, forgetting about the interview. She desperately wanted those unfaithful tears to stop before a stranger, but they were as adamant as her misfortune with the interviews.

“Mam, Im really sorry, I wasn’t looking straight, I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

“Its absolutely OK , its not your fault, I wasn’t looking either.”

“You sure you will manage without your spects? Shall I accompany you to wherever you were going?”

“Now listen , Mr. Biggest-headphones-I-Have-seen, just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean you can hit on me. I know these tactics very well. So kindly mind your own business.”

“Okay, okay I get it, but seeing the thickness of your glasses and seeing you blink like that Im pretty sure you will not reach anywhere without getting one or two injuries. But if you don’t want my help, its okay.”

Saakshyaa wanted to retort, something cruel, sarcastic but realizing her petty and helpless state all she did was shed some more tears.

“Listen, I have nowhere important to go, I can take you to home, office or wherever you want to go, and I promise I will not ask your phone no or mail id.” he said with a sheepish grin.

Saakshyaa has had enough of trial and error and for the first time after the painful incident in her past which propelled her to relocate to the city of dreams, she trusted her instincts. She not only asked the stranger his name which was Haamid but also took the liberty of asking him to accompany her to the interview. Apparently Haamid was going in the same direction and accompanied her, not to the company but to the interview room, thanks to her poor vision. Moments later a joyous and bubbly Saakshyaa emerged from the room confirming the fact that she got the job. For Haamid , it was love at first sight when he saw her rare ear to ear smile. She was a complete change from the sobbing, doleful Saakshyaa he met earlier. Haamid didn’t ask her phone no, for she herself gave it to him, calling him her good luck charm. Saakshyaa found a faithful friend in Haamid who not only taught her about locals, but also showed every nook and corner of Mumbai. Haamid was falling in love oblivious to Saakshyaa’s traumatic past and Saakshyaa was oblivious of Haamids feelings for her. It could have gone like that, it should have gone like that, but fate has to play an upper hand and it did.

Haamid was a struggling musician who played gigs for survival but was waiting for a big break which he got. He was selected to compose background score for a documentary being shot in South Africa by discovery channel. The only glitch in the dream like story was the fact that he had to accompany the crew to Africa for 6 months. It took every ounce of courage Haamid had to buy the platinum ring he was eyeing for his proposal.

He called up Saakshyaa to the central park where most of their post work time was spent.

“Hey, that’s a really cheap treat for a musician working for discovery you know.” She chirped.

“I promise I will make up for that. But first I have something Important to discuss.”

“No, I will not call you on ISD, and will definitely not look after your house while you are gone.”

“Can you be serious just for a while?”

“Okay, okay grumpy go ahead, tell me.”

“Saakshyaa, since the day I met you on Thane station where you were as lost as a deer in town I have been in love with you, I haven’t seen any girl who looks as adorable with spects as you do, I haven’t seen any girl who hands out candies to the beggars on traffic signals , I haven’t seen any girl who can tolerate my nonsense musical gibberish for so long and I am sure I will never see such a girl. I don’t know what you feel about me but all I know is I love you and I will love you for the rest of my life.”

With this stunning declaration he produced the ring on which he spent every penny he saved. He was hoping, rather praying for Saakshyaa to accept the ring. But fate had to have an upper hand and it did.

“Do you know any thing about me or my past Haamid? Do you know Why I came to Mumbai leaving my hometown? Do you know why I never talk about my family ever? No Haamid you know nothing about me . The day I came to Mumbai was the day I was supposed to get married , to a guy chosen by my mom and dad, the guy I fell in love with on my engagement , the guy who was supposed to protect me from the world, the guy who was in a live in relationship even after our engagement and when I confronted him all he said was he was marrying me for the sake of his parents and I had no choice but to marry him. I had an easy choice of marrying him and spending the rest of my life in a loveless marriage or to defy my family and live on my own terms. I haven’t trusted any one since then, but you coz I thought you care as a friend, but seems I was wrong. You belong to the same creed of men who can not see a girl as any thing but a marriageable asset. I refuse to be one.”

All her pent up aggression, her anger came crashing down like a thunderbolt on unsuspecting Haamid. He was too stunned to defend her flawless love for her, he wanted to tell her he was not at all like that scoundrel fiancé of hers who couldn’t see the innocence in those bespectacled eyes, he wanted to scream that he will never ever lay eyes on any other girl, but seeing Saakshyaa shivering with rage and hurt all he could do was to place the ring next to her.

“Im leaving On 3^rd of December and I will wait for you on 2^nd here on this same bench. Everyone is not alike , and I petty that man who didn’t see the brilliance and innocence of yours. If you come I promise I will never let you cry again , ever. Goodbye.”

That was the last Saakshyaa saw of Haamid, she never went to the park on 2^nd, for she was sure she didn’t love him. If only she had known that she wouldn’t be able to survive one day without him she would have gone, if only she had known she was having the most clichéd confusion of lovers being friends, she would have gone. But the realization came late and she lost Haamid.

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I didn’t realize I was crying profusely, uncontrollably and it was Saakshyaa who was wiping those tears off my face . If fate could be so cruel this was a living proof of that.

Since that day saakshyaa had come to this forgotten park on every 2^nd of the month, in a vain hope of finding love again. She even wears the same suit so that Haamid would recognize her despite the greys. The ring proudly adorns her finger like benediction of her lost love. That is her Day of love.

As far as Im concerned, Im still trying to find Haamid through the discovery channel and internet, may be if I get Saakshyaa her love back I might find my day of love. Promise me you all will try finding Haamid, and if you do tell him his love will be waiting for him on that park bench.

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P.s.This post is written for Indibloggers contest Platinum Day of love.