Part 1
Ajay saw her for the first time, in a train on his way to Khandala. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. There she was like an angel, in the midst of all that chaos that typifies the sleeper class of a train through India. He wanted to keep looking at her; he wanted to be oblivious of the fact that there were other people around. But the aisle was crowded, and all he could manage was a few glimpses when the human chain in between them made a movement.
Soon came the Khandala station, and he so desperately wanted her to get down there with him. But as the train came to a halt, there she sat lost in her thoughts. Sadly, Ajay made his way towards the exit. He got down, and was beginning to move towards the station gate, when it hit him. The train had started so he just dropped his luggage and ran towards the compartment door from where he had just exited. People standing at the door thought he was one of those freaks that likes to catch a running train and he saw a couple of hands reaching out towards him. But he was not interested. He ran alongside the train for what seemed an eternity, at a speed which was much beyond what he deemed were his physical limits. But then, he got to see what he wanted to and dropped the chase at the end of the platform. The occupant of seat 34 according to that barely legible reservation chart just beside the compartment door was F22 Priya J
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Two years had gone by since, and many trips along that route were taken, but he had never seen her again. The train journey to Pune was no longer a time to take a nap. Instead, his eyes remained wide open and searching, through countless reservation charts and sleeper compartments. He was eligible for air travel – business class, but then, in matters of the heart, which he had hopelessly lost in that dingy train, there is no room for logic. Alex, his colleague and good friend, who used to accompany him on these business assignments, thought he had completely lost it. Poor guy, every time he used to tell Ajay on how they were not utilizing their CTC (that’s corporate lingo – Cost to Company), and threaten to boycott his company. There were times when Ajay really scolded himself for what he was doing. It seemed silly, stupid, crazy whatever. But he didn’t care. So be it. Should he have gone and talked to her at that time? But what would he have said…?
Finally the day came when they were headed to Pune to do their final client presentation. Henceforth, Ajay would have no periodic excuse to go to Pune now. But as fate would have it, due to excessive rains, the trains that day got cancelled. The highways were also reportedly in a bad shape. Since they had to make it on the same day, they decided to take the flight to Pune. On their way to the airport, Ajay decided that he should take this as some kind of a ‘sign’, and take her out of his mind. So he told this to Alex, who reacted as if he had just won a medal at the Olympics, and after his initial jubilations told Ajay that he should now look forward to the weekend where he would introduce him to someone that he would fall in love with on first sight! Ajay’s thoughts were different – love at first sight happens only once, and guess he had used up his quota for this life.
They boarded the flight and promptly switched on their laptops to fine tune the presentation. As they were deliberating on what their recommendations would be, came in the refreshments. ‘Apple or Lemon juice’, asked the airhostess. Ajay looked at her, and after about 2 seconds during which his face would have shown a multitude of emotions including disbelief and happiness, he said ‘Lemon juice please…Priya’.
Part 2
But as she passed on that lemon juice to him, Ajay noticed something that he had always dreaded…she was wearing a ring, and it just didn’t seem just another ring. Fate indeed, was at its cruel best! As she moved ahead with her trolley down the aisle, Alex nudged him and asked ‘Is she your…?’. ‘Naah’ – lied Ajay, ‘I just happened to look at her badge’
That weekend, as Alex had promised, he introduced him to Nishi. Alex had mentioned to Ajay that she had just fallen out of a relationship. She was very good looking and as the conversation went on, Ajay found her to be incredibly sensible & mature – and wondered what an idiot someone might have been to lose her.
As time went by, Ajay & Nishi came closer and decided to tie the knot. They called their close relatives & friends over for the engagement ceremony. The engagement got over, and the junta soon left after wishing the couple. But there was someone that Nishi was eagerly waiting for. It was her best friend since childhood and Ajay had spoken with her once over the phone but never met her. And as she entered, Ajay realized that fate was yet to have the last laugh – what was Pinkoo on the phone was none other than Priya herself!
As they started chatting, Nishi asked Priya ‘Did you get the ring?’ ‘Yes’ said Priya and handed it over. Ajay stood there shocked. It was the same ring – an image etched in his mind forever. Nishi smiled and told Ajay “It’s the same ring that Gautam had given me. We broke off over the phone and Priya was there with me. I couldn’t bear the sight of it and Gautam was not around for me to go and throw it on his face. So I gave it to Priya to keep it for me. Back then, there was a lot of sentiment attached with it, but today its just another stone for me. Gautam’s mother is in town and I will arrange to send it across to her” And with these words, she went inside to stash away the ring safely.
Ajay’s mind was swirling now. Priya said “You are an awesome speaker, Ajay. Are you still part of the Youth Forum?”
Ajay, trying to regain his composure, said “How do you know about it?”.
“I heard you speak at the general body meeting. I was very impressed by your thinking. I tried to make my way through the crowd towards the podium to talk to you, but couldn’t reach you”
“Ohh…”
“Yaah..and there was one more thing I wanted to ask you”
“What?”
“Why did you ever get off the train that day?”
Ajay froze. She knew?!?
“That day when you were running beside the train compartment like a madman, I caught a glimpse of you. Then I saw you at the youth forum. And then, in the flight again. But when you addressed me as Priya – it suddenly became clear to me. I have been used to men trying to make some talk, looking at the name on my badge. But that day, I had lost my badge & had pinned up someone else’s name. You could never have known, but for…”
There was a silence that seemed like eternity
“I realized & since I couldn’t talk about it then, I left that note for you in the pouch. Silly me! Since then, I have been looking for you in airport lounges and on flights but in vain. I even asked the Youth forum, but they didnt have your contact. And when I found you, it’s like this. Please never ever tell this to Nishi, I don’t want her to have any wrong notions”
“Weren’t you wearing that ring when we met in the flight?”
“Yes I was. Nishi was at the airport that day when she gave the ring to me, just before I was taking the Pune flight. I didn’t want to keep an expensive thing like that in my handbag. So I thought the safest thing would be to have it in front of my eyes by wearing it then”
And with these words, Priya left
Ajay slowly ambled back to his room. He took out his travel bag, and found that unopened pouch. Inside it was a note that said “You started to catch up with a train 2 years back. Am glad you finally are on board!” - Priya (tel number)
Ajay sank on his bed and thought to himself “I didn’t catch up with the train that day. I actually got off it”
Part 3
Place: London (4 years later)
It was a cold evening and Ajay was glad that his hotel was not far away from his destination. It wasn’t a particularly great time to be walking the streets of London but he didn’t want to turn Kunal down. They had slogged late nights in different time zones, but theirs was a virtual crack team – they hadn’t lost a single deal in the last 2 years that they worked together. He didn’t care that what would hopefully be the last deal of his corporate career, was also his biggest. But Kunal wanted to celebrate.
When he had told Kunal earlier that day about what he planned to do next, he could sense the disbelief. ‘Man, I can’t sleep if don’t hear about an ‘illion’ a day, be it a million, billion or a trillion!’ said Kunal. And Ajay had retorted ‘Your illions have made me forget what sleep really means’
He finally reached Kunal’s place & hastily rang the doorbell. Unscheduled meetings were occupational hazards in this line, and Kunal had one to attend today before he could make it home for the planned celebration. Nevertheless, he had told his New York colleague to come to his place on time. The weatherman had predicted snowfall later that evening, and he didn’t want Ajay to get stuck.
Kunal’s wife opened the door. Ajay looked up, and after experiencing what was now becoming the habitual 2 second emotional turbulence, he said ‘Hi Priya’. As he walked in, he thought to himself ‘O God, do I deserve this? What do you have in mind?’
‘It’s been a long time’ said Priya as she watched Ajay settle down on the sofa.
‘Yaah…3 years, 9 months , 14 days, 6 hours & …23 minutes going by IST’ as he glanced at his watch
‘You remember….’
‘Maam, its not often that a person gets engaged’
‘How is Nishi?’
‘Oh she is doing good. She’s just started her own consulting firm’
‘Wow. That’s cool. What about kids?..’…
‘Sara was born a year ago. Don’t go by her sweet name…she’s quite a brat!’
Priya managed a smile
‘So when did you move to New York?’
‘Three years back. Needed a change of scene…new place, new people’
The sound of the doorbell broke the conversation. It was Kunal back from office
‘Hey Ajay…sorry to be late man…you know how it is!’
‘Don’t bother’
‘So you met Priya. I’m glad I brought you here. With all our late night calls, she always used to suspect I am having some long distance fling…add stuff like that to your occupational hazard list!’
‘Oh don’t worry darling’ said Priya, sounding sarcastic…’ I am sure you have had your hands full with local affairs to deal with’
There was an odd silence before Kunal burst out laughing ‘Ajay I tell you…men will be men…and women will be women!’
Over dinner, Kunal told Priya ‘You know…our man is leaving the firm…and heading back to India!…why don’t you con him into staying back…I wont be half as good without him around’
‘Better prospects I suppose…’
‘Ohh no…he’s been hit by the creative bug…on his way to becoming a playwright I suppose!’
‘I don’t know…and I don’t care…will take things as they come’
Later that night after dinner, Kunal & Priya came to drop Ajay at his hotel.
‘Thanks guys for the lovely dinner…not sure when I’ll get the chance next’
As Kunal started his car, Priya told Ajay ‘Do convey my regards to your wife. I guess she must be in the same boat as I am, when it comes to workaholic husbands’
Ajay smiled and said ‘At least she ain’t complaining yet!’
Some months later, as Priya boarded the NY-London-Mumbai Air India flight, she noticed a familiar face.
‘Nishi….’
‘Hey Priya…’
‘How are you?’
‘I am doing good dear…where did you disappear!’
‘Ohh…didn’t Ajay tell you that we met’
‘No..when was this?’
‘Last winter when he had come down to London’
‘Ohh…I haven’t met him for a long while’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Yaah, he’s come to NY only once since he went back to India’
‘You guys are not staying together?’
Nishi looked confused ‘Didn’t he tell you? We never got married!’…and with those words, Priya got the shock of her life
As the words sank in & Priya told her about the meeting with Ajay, Nishi proceeded to fill in what had happened
‘On our engagement night when I went in to keep the ring, I realized I had forgotten the cupboard keys on the table. As I was coming back to take it, I overheard your conversation. But I didn’t tell Ajay about it. I realized what had happened and wanted to give him time to get over it. But your thought never left him. He was never the same again. So after a month, I told him that I knew about both of you, and its best we don’t go ahead with this. I even called you up then, but it was too late. Uncle told me about your arranged marriage with Kunal, and that it had happened very quickly and you had left for London immediately. I felt terrible & so did Ajay. But we continued to remain good friends. In fact, we moved to NY almost simultaneously. That’s where I met Andrew my husband, and then Sara happened’ pointing to the peacefully sleeping baby beside her. ‘Ajay still loves you Priya. I don’t think a day goes by where he doesn’t think about you. He tried to immerse himself into work to forget you – but then this universe conspired to make you bump into each other again. Perhaps when you asked about me, he realized that you didn’t know that we didn’t marry, so he must have pulled along’
Priya had tears in her eyes. As Nishi comforted her, Priya said ‘I divorced Kunal 2 months ago. He remains happily married to his illions…’
(Six months later…)
‘Lemon juice or Apple juice’
The voice sounded too familiar to be true. But Ajay was getting used to the ways of Mr. Universe. He looked up to see Priya smiling. There was a glow on her face, and it seemed that time had stopped when he had first seen her…
Ajay saw the pouch in front of him, and opened it. In it was written a note in a handwriting that was unmistakable
‘For almost five years, I tried to stay with a man who never loved me. And tried to forget the man who perhaps loved me for every minute of it. Life is short, and I don’t want to miss the train now…’
As the flight landed, Ajay handed over a note to Priya as he was getting off the plane. After seeing off all the passengers, Priya opened it & smiled. It said ‘Let’s change the mode of transport. I am waiting outside in my car…’
