Unforgettable journey but Not Memorable!!!!!

How often these things do happens with you.

1.       You reach bus stand & bus is ready to go. - I guess very often.

2.       You search for empty seat & found it next to a beautiful girl – again often.

3.       You are pretending “I don’t care” about this beautiful girl next to you & planning how to start conversation, when she asks “Excuse me, what time it is now?” – Not often. In my case never, until few days back. Till then I used to think only blind girls with no sixth sense can talk to me. (Those with sixth sense & eyes don’t even notice me.)

Let me take you to this bus ride from Nagpur to Bhandara which turn out to be unforgettable but unfortunately not memorable.

I chose an evening time of 7.30 to go to my home town. As I step inside, I searched for an empty seat & to my luck found one (call it good luck) next to a girl, not just girl but Beautiful one. I sat there, started doing my stuff like checking my mobile (which I knew is in my pocket), wallet, undergarments & brush in bag and looking at this girl from extreme corner of eyes. Its very important for my ego to “pretend I don’t care” about this beautiful girl but utmost important for my thirsty, flirty & lonely heart to start conversation. But I failed at both things as she must have seen me seeing at her and conversation was happening in my mind only.

“Excuse me, what time it is now”, were those beautiful, magical & sensational words she said to me.

Guys are you getting it???? A girl -oh sorry- a beautiful girl talked to me (Don’t say it wasn’t talk but just a question, you jealous ppl)

7.40 was my instantaneous reply (who would delay at such times, btw my ego was dead by this time)

“How long this bus will stay here?” she enquired.

“10 mins max”, I replied with smile this time.

She looked outside window & soon was lost in thoughts. (How did I know?? Do I have any other work there???)

Then I looked away lost in my thoughts, of course of our future friendship, relationship, love. OMG, it just happened. LOVE.

“Where are you going?” I asked. Seriously I don’t know when & how this question slipped from my mouth.

“To Bhandara.” She replied little absent mindedly.

“Where you came from?” was my next question.

“Yavatmal”, she replied looking at driver’s seat (which was still empty) then looking outside.

How much time it will take to reach Bhandara?” she asked after some time.

“Not more than 1 hour 45 mins” My simple ans.

She looked upset as if she wants to reach sooner. We were back to our own thoughts. Both ways I was having good time.

“Your Hindi is really very good, I mean has very good accent.” I complimented her. (Appreciate girls is only trick I knew, so tried it)

Thanks. But it’s not very good as you said. We all speak like this at home” was her reply.

Thankfully our bus moved & we were happy. I called my mom to tell her I am coming home. Looking at my mob she hesitated for some time then asked me “can I make one call; I lost my mobile in Yavatmal?”

 “Sure, why not” I gave her my mobile, little embarrassed of still using Nokia 1200 handset in age of Smart phones, android phones Tabs & I phones.

She asked someone to pick her from bus stand (I wasn’t spying on her), but wasn’t happy by the reply she got. She was very upset. (How did I know??? She didn’t even thank me while returning my mobile.)

“It‘s not easy to find auto at night & not even safe for girl” she said. I wasn’t sure to whom she addressed as she was not looking at me.

“Don’t worry its Bhandara city, very safe compared to other cities”, I consoled her.

“But guys are same everywhere”, she fired instantly.

“Everyone are not alike”, I saved my species.

“Not everyone are alike but guys who stand ogling girls at night near bus stand are definitely dogs”, she was very much intense this time.

“Don’t worry, nothing like you think will happen”, I was still saving my species.

She borrowed my mobile again called two different nos this time. But none got connected. I was astonished by her memory. I mean its rarest quality these days to remember mobile nos. I recalled how many nos I remember from my contacts. Dad’s? Yes. Sister’s? Yes. GF??? Oh for sure (proudy smile on face) Best Friend’s? Not sure of last 2 digits. Forget everone else.

Can I tell you something, if you don’t mind?” she asked.

Sure. (Do I need to say yes, pagli)

“I have eloped from my home for my Bf. But he is not ready to pick me from bus stand & now has switched off his mob.” She said in single breath.

(“What The F**K!!!!!!” my heart cried out. Thankfully she couldn’t hear it)

“Oh No…” I said as I was short of words.

“Basically I am from nearby village of Bhandara, when my parents came to know about our affair they sent me to yavatmal, now I have eloped from there leaving behind everything, didn’t even pick my clothes. My parents got this news & they sent few goons to beat up my Bf, so he is scared now. That’s why he is not ready to pick me up from bus stand.” she explained whole scenario to me. (Being good at imagination I had created good visuals of all this sequences.)

Now that explains many things like her lost mobile, no luggage, her worried expressions, lost-in-  thoughts look outside window , blaming guys for every mishap,& her need to talk to me.(well, last thing hurt)

“But why are you going back to Bhandara when you know your parents will come there?” I asked.

“I had nothing else to do.” She said.

“I will say you must return to your parent’s home, after all they are parents.” I said.

“I better kill myself than returning to my parent’s home”. She said firmly. (This sounds cliché but believe me, it’s is very scary to hear in real. Very scary)

“Don’t be stupid, don’t even think of anything like that” (I don’t know from where & how these words came out, but I said it bravely. I guess you don’t need to be philosophical to understand dangers of such actions & explain it to others.)

She asked for my mob again to check if he has switched his mobile on. Luckily he has.

“Don’t do this to me, at least listen to me, where I will go at this time, I came for you only, Mukesh you cannot do this to me, you have your sister’s promise.  Okay, my swear, our child’s swear Mukesh.” She kept on saying, requesting & pleading.

“What the Fuck!!!!!” banged in my mind after hearing those last words. “Are they M…?” “Is She P…?” I couldn’t even complete words in my mind.

“Okay…as you say. I will return to my home tomorrow morning but please come to pick me up from bus stand. Don’t leave me alone. I need you most this time. Yes, yes I will do as you say.” She ended call with tears & smile on face. She returned me mobile wiping her tears & saying Thanks. (Finally she said it.)

 During her call I realized in awkward moments like this you look at roof of bus & find classic work of Art. You get involved in craft of unknown artists. You look anywhere to isolate yourself from embarrassment of sitting next to someone who is crying, pleading on phone & to avoid neighbor passengers’ hard look which are looking at both of you. You look with “I-didn’t-do-anything” & “I-am-not-with-her” expressions.)

“He is coming to pick me up…” she said to me.

That’s good. I replied.

I didn’t ask her anything as I heard everything. Again I was not spying on her. She didn’t tell me anything as she knew I heard everything. She tried to give me Rs 30/- for mobile top up but I refused. She thanked me for support. I said its okay, don’t mention. I gave her mobile so that she calls him for last time as I was reaching my stop. I prayed for no more twist & turns.

So isn’t it was Unforgettable but not memorable journey.

Next time be sure girl next to you has her luggage, mobile & senses at right place. And most importantly don’t get over excited if she talks or asks questions to you. She has some reason for that and you are not that reason.

Enjoy your life’s journey!!!!! Make it unforgettable & memorable!!!!