A Forgotten Love Story

                             

As the train slowly pulled out of the station, it was dusk time. Passengers started settling down on their berths. The twinkling lights of the town slowly receded giving way to darkness. The elders began calling their kids who were still moving around in the compartment. It was time for opening the tiffin, eating dinner and then going to sleep on their respective berths, a typical scene in a railway sleeper. It was to be an overnight journey to Hyderabad, the train’s next main halt.

I keenly looked forward to my visit to Hyderabad after almost a year, to meet a close friend and his family. I quietly ate my dinner. Soon, it was time for me to retire. After visiting the bathroom, I returned to my berth. On my way back, I noticed a couple in the adjoining coupe who were also in the process of settling down. As I lied down on my berth, I opened a magazine to read, my favorite activity before going to sleep. Another half an hour or so elapsed as I was dozing off.

And then, I heard the couple in the next coupe, whispering to each other. I just could not help overhearing their exchanges. The man, husband I suppose, was telling the wife about his ex-girlfriend, how she fell for him in the college, how beautiful she was, her long hair etc. etc. Men will never stop bragging about their girlfriends, always exaggerating their ‘conquests’, I thought! Does not matter how old they are, they will keep at it even when they are in their 70s!

‘How I wish you could meet her’ the husband continued. ‘I hope she is still in Hyderabad, in the same house where I used to visit her’ he said sounding very wistful. The wife whispered, ’you are so silly! How is it possible? She too must be in her 40s, married and a mother of grown up kids like me, living in a different town’. ‘And even if she is there, I am sure it will be difficult for both of you to recognize each other. It is more than 25 years since you left college’, she added.

 The husband still sounded very optimistic. ‘I did not tell you that she promised to wait for me. But fate took me elsewhere and then it was I who could not go back to her. I still remember, she had that black mole under her left eye. Hope it is still there and will be a give-away. She had long, beautiful hair and she always wore a big red ‘bindi’. She used to typically wear sarees with red border. May be she still does that’, he continued to day-dream. ‘Let us visit her place and take a chance’ he pleaded, ‘after all, we have a full day in Hyderabad before we take the next connection for Bangalore. We can easily spare an hour for this adventure’! The wife sighed and said, ‘OK, have it your way’.

Early next morning, my train reached Hyderabad. I quickly got off the train looking for my friend who was there on the platform to receive me. Very soon, we were there at his house. I had a quick shower and breakfast with my hosts, a very sweet couple. It was a pleasure to meet their two teen aged kids, a girl and a boy. We chatted for some time. And then, I changed in to a saree with a red border, my favorite wear, put on a big red ‘bindi’, had another look in the mirror at my greying and depleted hair and the fading black mole under my left eye. ‘Are you going out to some place?’ my friends enquired. I said, ‘not really, but I am expecting some visitors, hoping you will not mind’!

With baited breath, I began my wait at my ancestral home, this same house presently rented to my friends whom I was visiting. I was waiting to meet someone after a gap of almost 25 years, a man who was much more than a dear friend to me in my young days, thanking his wife for granting him his wish!