Sometime in the winter of 2010 I was travelling back to
Bangalore from my native Byadgi. The bus stopped in the wee hours at the final
destination near Anand Rao Circle Bangalore. It was still dark outside. With little or no sleep, the thought of going to work on a Monday away from the comforts
of home
wasn’t a good feeling which most must have experienced.
I generally wait till
all the passengers disembark from the bus. When I thought all had gotten down, I
lazily moved to pick my bag up.
My sight went to the last rows of the bus where a girl woke
up from sleep stretching her hands and yawning. Her hair untied, she was fair,
little on a chubbier side, wore sleeveless kurta
and was looking very pretty. Ask about scanning a girl in a second that too
with half sleepy eyes.
“Which city is this”? She asked still sitting in her seat
tying her hair.
That surprised me.
“Where are you going?” I asked
“Bangalore”
“This is Bangalore; the final stop. Please get down” I said
and got down from the bus.
I waited outside for an auto rickshaw. My thought went to
the girl in the bus who seemed to be a naivete. It wouldn’t be safe for her in
the dark if she didn’t know the city, I thought.
Then I felt someone coming closer and standing next to me. I
turned my head and it was the same girl. She looked at me and smiled. I felt
that made my Monday. She looked surreal.
“New to the city?” I asked pretending not to be over
enthusiastic.
“Yes” she nodded.
“Do you know how are you going to your home or wherever you
have to go?” I asked.
“No. I thought of asking. Are there busses here?” She asked
confusingly.
“No. You have to take autos. Where do you have to go?”
“Maruti Nagar”
“Aah. That’s just couple miles away from the place Wilson
Garden I’m going to. If you don’t mind, we can share an auto and share the fare
as well” I sounded honest.
She nodded gleefully.
The next moment we both were in an auto zooming in no
traffic. She wasn’t one of those who sit at the extreme edge of the seat just
to be safe. She sat comfortably.
“Alright. Where are you coming from?” I broke the ice.
“Belgaum”
“Your purpose of visit?” I was curious.
“I’m doing my M Tech in Belgaum. I came to do a 4 week
internship in Bangalore. My friend lives in Maruti Nagar. She actually works
here. I’ll be staying with her” She said in a breath.
I saw that she crossed her hands and held her shoulders, shivering in cold. I took out my jacket and offered her. She took it thanking
me and covered herself.
“Actually I’m from Calcutta you know” She said.
“Oh tomi bongoli ! tomi khob bholo logolo baba. Mishit doi”
She burst out laughing hearing my broken Bengali.
“Your laughter is better” I said looking at her.
“Better than what?” She asked.
“Than your smile”
She blushed.
Then I told her that I was living in the city for over
couple years and was working in an IT firm.
.
“Bangalore is a lovely city you know to hang around over the weekends. But just make sure you don’t travel on weekdays. Traffic sucks here”
I was giving her gyan.
She was worried looking at her cell phone.
“What happened?” I asked
“Gosh! My cell battery got drained. I’m supposed to call my
friend at Maruti Nagar” she said.
“No issues. You can use my phone. Hope you remember her
number?”
She took my phone and spoke to her friend, asked for the
landmark and said she was coming in an auto.
Wilson garden stop almost neared.
“The meter is around 100 rupees. It would hit around 150
till it reaches your place. And here is my share of 75 rupees” I took out my
wallet.
“You are paying more” she blurted.
“That’s fine. Let’s share the journey” I said.
There was some silence.
“You are very nice. I don’t know how to thank you enough for
all your help” she sounded sweet. I could see the sparkle and gratitude in her
eyes.
I had liked her casualness and her carefree smile. I wanted to
help her genuinely.
“You can. By saying
something” I told.
“Something? What is that?” she was puzzled.
“I’ll tell you when I get down” I said.
“You are funny” She laughed.
The auto stopped at Wilson garden. I grabbed my bag and
jacket and got down from the auto.
Standing out, I bent over and told her, “This probably was one of the sweetest
journeys of my life. I want it to remain in our memories this way. You don’t
know my name and I don’t know yours. Let’s just make it memorable by… probably never
meeting again”
She looked baffled.
“And to make sure.. I’m deleting your friend’s number too." I took out my phone and went to the dialled numbers and deleted
her friend’s number showing it to her.
She was quiet.
“And as I have told you, can you please repeat something
after me?” I reminded her.
She nodded.
“Hum hain rahi pyar ke. Fir milenge chalte chalte”
She burst out laughing.
“What is this?” She asked.
“Just say it please. Hum hain rahi pyar ke. Fir milenge
chalte chalte” I was adamant.
She said still laughing, “Hum hain rahi pyar ke. Fir milenge
chalte chalte”
The auto zoomed away and I didn’t look back.
