By the time I reached home, everyone was getting ready for breakfast.
“Where have you been?’My mother asked.
“Just for a walk” I replied and went straight to the bathroom. Thankfully, it was a holiday so I was in no hurry otherwise I would have been late for the university. I took my time in getting ready as I was not in a mood to talk to anyone. I was too preoccupied there were many things on my mind. Anita, of course dominated my thoughts but what Jayesh had said troubled me a lot. Jayesh said he was a family friend of the Suris, if that was the case why did he speak ill of Anita? Was he telling the truth? Was he himself interested in Anita and wanted me out of the way? It could be. At the same time whatever little I knew of Jayesh, he was not a bad sort and certainly not the one to malign others. But then how long had I known him? I had come to Amritsar only about seven months back, not enough time for me to judge him or understand him. There was another fact which might have been responsible for his behavior. After all, I was an outsider, from an alien land called Kashmir and both Jayesh and Anita were from Punjab. It was possible he didn’t want a non-Punjabi to come anywhere close to Anita. In the short time that I had spent in the city, I had realized that caste and regionalism played a very significant role in day to day lives of the people.
“Lalit, finish your breakfast, will you? What is wrong with you today, you have hardly uttered a single word since you got up??” It was my father and he sounded concerned rather than irritated.
“Nothing, Papa, I am perfectly alright, I slept late last night therefore I feel somewhat exhausted”
“He is lying, he was sound asleep by ten” it was my younger brother, he was three years younger to me, we were good friends but he enjoyed to see me in a spot of bother.
I didn’t say anything, got up, went to my room, which I shared with my brother, Ravi, changed into presentable clothes, came out and told my mother that I had to see Prakash. I said I would be back by lunch time. My parents knew Prakash was one of my best friends, they knew we used to meet almost every day so they did not say anything. My mother said they would wait for me, I should make it a point to come back by one.
I hurried out, unlocked my bicycle and cycled furiously towards Prakash’s house. We lived on Lawrence Road, a very posh area of Amritsar, at least in those days, and my friend lived in Model Town which was about six kilometers from my place. I reached his house in fifteen minutes and rang the door bell. It was Prakash who answered the door with a smile on his face but a look of surprise as well.
“Lalit, what brings a lazy man like you here so early in the morning and that too in this cold?”
“I have something important to tell you”
“Something important? What happened? Anyway, come right in”
“No. Prakash, you come out, I don’t want anyone else to hear what I have to say” Prakash lived with his parents. His father was a retired government servant. They belonged to Himachal. His elder brother was working in a private firm, was married, and had an eight year old daughter, whose name was Urvashi. His sister-in-law was a housewife. Urvashi was a sweet little darling very attached to me and would always say, “When I grow up I will marry Lalit” all of us used to have a hearty laugh over this. She must have heard my voice as she came running out and hugged me. She was a pretty looking girl, always smiling and the most striking feature of her appearance was her deep blue, almost piercing eyes-eyes which one could never forget. She insisted I should come in but Prakash forced her inside and came out with me.
“Strange that you should pop in like this. Urvashi has been saying since she got up that if Lalit doesn’t come today, she would not have anything to eat. She behaves like a young girl in love” He laughed. I had not come to hear all this so I straight away came to the point.
“Prakash, I am in love” He burst out laughing, he was in splits he almost doubled over, clutching his stomach.
“What is funny about it?”
“You and in love!” another bout of laughter.
“Prakash, I am serious, believe me”
“Lalit in love, Ha Ha Ha, I can’t believe it. You don’t even talk to girls, you run away from them as if they carry some kind of an infectious disease and here you are telling me you are in love?” Suddenly, he looked at me, noticed that I was about to flare up and stopped his funny antics.
“Who is the girl?” I described everything that had happened last night and also told him what Jayesh had told me in the morning. He heard me quietly with an unusually serious look on his face.
“Did you say, Anita Suri?” He asked with a contemplative look in his eyes.
“Yes, that is what I said, didn’t you hear me?” I said somewhat impatiently.
“ Lalit, you think you are in love but it might just be a momentary infatuation, might it not?”
“I told you I was in love and I know it is love, I am sure of it. She is the girl for me” I was almost angry now.
“Calm down, Lalit, what do you know about this Anita, may be Jayesh is speaking the truth?”
“I don’t care if he is”
“Lalit, this is a serious matter so I don’t want you to have any illusions about her”
“What do mean, illusions? What kind of illusions are you talking about?”
“Listen to me Lalit and listen carefully. I also know Anita and whatever Jayesh told you is the truth”
“Nonsense. And how do you know Anita?”
“Her younger sister, Urmila, studies in the same school as Urvashi. Urvashi is very fond of Urmila and she visits their place very often. She has taken a strong liking to Anita as well. Anita comes to our place now and then because Urvashi insists upon it and you know how obdurate Urvashi can get. Anita has become a good friend of mine also and let me tell you very honestly, whatever Jayesh told you is not lies, and it is all true. Anita is not the type of girl who can love anyone. My advice to you is also the same, JUST FORGET HER!!” I could not take it take it any longer. All my pent up anger burst out.
“I don’t believe you at all. You people are jealous of me, jealous because Anita is very beautiful. Just wait and see. Very soon she will also be in love with me” With these words, I almost ran towards my bicycle and rode off. I did not even bother to look back!
No comments:
Post a Comment