THE STORY TELLER - PART II

She asked him if he would like to meet her... How could he answer her. He had waited all these years, hoping that one day he would see her again. Beyond that his heart refused to imagine. From a glimpse to an embrace was a vision so vast that it could not be contained in his mind. He coughed sure, and his friend laughed. What are you nervous about, grow up man, he said. A faint smile came to his lips. Yes he would surely like to meet her. Besides, there were so many questions buried in him which troubled him ever since she had disappeared. He will get the answers soon. How soon? She asked how about tomorrow evening? Sure. What time? Around ten. 10??? Ten is not evening, its night. Well, I go to work every evening, night for you, she laughed. He was embarrassed. He would come. Where? The city to the north. She must be joking he thought. Another city, at night, nearly on the road... who does she think he was? Well, men will be men, and so he agreed.


Kabhi yun bhi aa meri aankh mein ki meri nazar ko khabar na ho,
Mujhe ek raat nawaaz de, magar uske baad sehar na ho...


So wrote Dr. Bashir Badr long ago. How he wished that this would come true when he met her in a few hours. The day crawled as if teasing him and the moon and stars blinked as if sharing a joke on him. Morning came after ages and he went to work but his mind was not in it. His colleagues noticed it but decided to stay quiet knowing his temper. Finally evening came and his boss asked him if he would like to go for a drink. He politely refused and left the office, walking slowly towards the bus station. He had three hours to go till the rendezvous. He had been thinking about so many things. Would she have changed? Is she still as lovely as the day she took the train leaving the town? Will she recognise him? Does she even know how much he cared then and how much more now? Has she ever searched for him or tried to find him as he had? So many questions...

At the bus station, he changed his mind and took a taxi. He was very annoyed with himself. Maybe she did not like him because of his ever changing mooods and sudden decisions like this. Anyways, the taxi took a quarter of an hour to reach the decided place and he was in for another shock. Why did she want to meet him near a mortuary. Was it a sign... a futile attempt to revive a dead relationship. He realised he had missed his dinner in the excitement. He went to a nearby restaurant and nibbled on half a paratha with keema. He looked at his watch, it was time. He popped a mint and started walking towards the place. He had expected to meet her in a quiet place, away from nosy crowds and oggling eyes but this was as public as it could be. The place was a parking lot too and it was abuzz with people. His phone rang and he jumped. It was her. She was in her car in the parking lot and could see him. Just follow the lights she said. He understood and soon was standing near what seemed to be the ship of his dreams. The door opened and he stepped in, awestruck at what he saw. She was the same, except for the few strands of silver in her hair. Her smile was warm and true and he was transported back to the days when he would be waiting near the tea cart at the entrance to his office years ago.


She said hello and he said the same. She extended her hand and he did the same. She held his hand with a strange shiver and he was hesitant about what to say. She put him at ease by asking the questions and he answered. He realised she was still holding her hand all the while she talked. It was time he got answers to his questions. Did she know anything? She said she did not. He had expected her to say yes, yes she knew but there were reasons for her going away. Her answer took him by surprise. So all this while he had been the only one looking out for her. He looked at her and saw the angles of her mouth curling, a smile she was hiding. And he laughed, and laughed. It did not matter now. Here he was holding the hand of the most important person in his life in the past and that was all that mattered. She let the smile widen and looked into his eyes. 


All she could say was - Zindagi mein guzar jaaten hain jo mukaam, woh phir nahin aate, woh phir nahin aate. And hugged him. He looked around... sitting in a car in a the dead of night with people walking past, his face buried in her neck, her perfume filling his senses. She moved and her lips found his, and he mumbled. She did not allow more words and he was lost. All he could say was that they had only ten more minutes before she went to work. She leaned back and looked at him and he realised what he had done. She said she had to go, but held on to his hand. He could see streetlights reflecting in the beads hanging in her eyes. He pulled her towards him and kissed her. She held his hand close to her heart and closed her eyes. They hung on the moment as if there was no tomorrow and then she peeled herself away. She whispered in his ear and released his hand. He opened the door and stepped out into the reality.

He walked without looking back. People who saw him thought he was with the group mourning. After all, he was walking past the mortuary, tears rolling down his eyes. Now he understood why she had called him there.... and why she had chosen the last word she had whispered .... Alvida. Not Khuda Haafiz, but Alvida. And so he walked a long distance till he was tired. A taxi stopped near him and the driver looked at him expectantly. He nodded and entered. He gave his address and the taxi moved. Leaving the realm of dreams back to reality, he managed a smile thinking how different were things. He was in a car before and now too, but how different. The taxi driver looked in the mirror trying to figure out whether the man was drunk or crazy. He thought who cares now.