Yours for ever!

YOURS FOR EVER!

It had been a long day, and not very pleasant! He returned to his bachelor’s den, a one bed room apartment, after having dinner at a nearby eating place. Now was the time to unwind and relax! Absentmindedly, he picked up the book with the title 'Yours For Ever' and opened the cover. There were a few hand-written words on the opening page, ' do keep in touch’, a phone number and a date about two years old. He thought he better call the number, especially after what he had witnessed in the morning!

The call was answered by a woman with a 'hello'. He said he just happened to see this book which he described. Before he could proceed, he heard the woman exclaiming with obvious joy, 'Oh, it is you! First you stopped writing to me. And now you call me after such a long time, almost an eternity! I had given up on you! I missed you very much lately but you forgot all about me too fast!' He quickly hung up saying he will call her in the morning. She was disappointed but decided to wait for his call.

She had met him in a library first and then every Wednesday evening where they shared their reading habits. After that, it was a matter of a few meetings when they became close friends. In due course of time, friendship gave way to romance. And then as luck would have it, she had to move to another town in another state. They parted after promises to keep in touch. It was at that time when she presented him with this book, 'Yours For Ever'.

After abruptly terminating his conversation with her, he gave full thought to the whole situation. Next morning, he called the woman as he had promised who eagerly answered. ‘Tell me what you have been up to all these days and why you broke off with me? And why were you in such a hurry yesterday evening when you barely spoke? You, who used to say that we are made for each other!’

He wondered how to break the terrible news to this woman that he was not the man she thought she was talking to. He still had not got over the accident he had witnessed in the morning when this young man was hit by a speeding car. Paramedics and the cops had arrived immediately on the scene and took him to the hospital. He had picked up this book ‘Yours Forever’ which was left behind at the scene of the accident by sheer chance. He saw the phone number and instinctively called. And then after hearing her response, he cut off and rushed to the hospital and found out that the man did not survive and was no more. Now he wondered how to break this heart breaking news to her!

And then he spoke in the phone, ‘Tell me how much you missed me lately as you say?’ The woman replied, ‘Very much! You do not know how guilty I felt when I decided to get married six months back. You see, you stopped talking or writing to me for whatever reason. It was your fault! Then I met another wonderful man. It took some time for me to get over you and fall in a new relationship. Please do not mind and please forgive me. I never wanted to hurt you in any way!’

‘I am very sorry, my dear! As you rightly said, it was my fault. Please forgive me!’ he replied. ' Does not matter' she replied, 'where are you speaking from? Let us meet for old times sake. My husband is a very nice person. He will not mind'. 'Not possible, I am sorry! He replied.'you see, I am going abroad tomorrow early morning to join a company. Please do not mind!'

And he hung up abruptly!