The Letter

The man stood near the window with his hands folded..He had a calm demeanor and was smiling benignly. I couldn’t really understand how could he be smiling on this occasion.

A few moments earlier....

The charge in my mobile had dried up. I was just going to put my phone on charge when the electricity got cut. If there is one thing in India which you can say with certainty, it is the fact that when you have an important work to do, you can trust the government to cut it off... Cursing them for the nuisance, i lay on the bed and spend the rest 15 minutes to curse those guys with well learnt curse words.

I presume i was about to doze off when i felt a hand tapping my shoulder. I woke up to see a man with a letter bag at his side. He introduced himself as "God" and took a letter from the letter bag and gave it to me. He then went on to say 'You have 24 hours to live and that we will be departing to heaven/hell tomorrow'.

All i did was to keep staring at him. He told me to have a look at the letter and went and stood near the window. I opened the letter and read:

Dear Arvind,

This is to inform you that your life validity expires in 24 hours. One of our people will come down to meet you and you will be sailing in the "Ship of Departures" along with other inmates. Kindly plan your schedule so that you finish off whatever you want within this validity time. No luggage’s will be necessary as everything will be available in the ‘Home’.

Your final destination aka Heaven/Hell will be decided based on your liabilities and assets which you have accrued over your life time.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Regards,
God.

All i could say was "Is this some kind of joke"... All he did in return was to keep staring at me. I repeated my question again. he asked me "What do you think". I told him "I don’t think people receive termination letters informing about the remaining life time. And what is this, Liabilities, assets. I never knew that material assets and liabilities are valued in after-life. 

"Very typical of humans", remarked the God. You haven’t heard about the termination letters before because you get it only once. You don’t live to tell about it. And the assets and liabilities which i mentioned are the good deeds and the bad karma which you earn in your life time." This came as a complete shock to me... I never knew that the final day can come just like that. I had lived 24 years of my life time and had never bothered to think about the so called good deeds and bad deeds. I had hardly known any hardships, since i was provided with all luxuries. 

A lot many questions were running in my mind. [As in why he had come delivering this information when he can send across someone else, What had i done to get this call so early, Wasn’t he supposed to be wearing a white suit, as Morgan Freeman does in Hollywood movies]. I assumed i could guess the reason for his coming alone to deliver the information. After all, it was recession time now, so there could have been job cuts there also. Currently i was concerned about my situation, so i was wondering what to ask him, when suddenly there was a pop sound and Gosh, the man simply disappeared before my eyes... 

The feeling you get when someone next to you pops off in thin air makes you feel that even you can pop off anytime. You fear to tread another step not knowing when you will pop off. No wonder, the people in the medieval ages used to haunt the witches and considered them as outlaws. And the feeling when someone has informed you about your demise and has suddenly left you alone gives you no little consolation. Well, i never had hoped for this in my wildest dream. 

I kept the letter in the diary on the bed-side table and then kept staring at the ceiling. Why me. It’s not fair in any way. and Why now ?? Why now when i had found my dream girl. It’s been 3 months since we met. It was an instant liking from our first meet and i knew that if there has to be a girl in my life, it has to be her. She had all the good qualities which a Man could aspire for in a girl. I had proposed to her 1 month back and she had accepted it. We had planned up so many things for our future...The big bungalow, the children we would have, the fun trip….So many in the to-do list. But, it seems life had other plans. No wonder, people say Life is unfair. This is not fair, this is not fair.... I kept on muttering the sentences....

"Sleeping till 9am on your birthday and saying 'it’s not fair' isn’t fair too" - came the voice of my Mother. She tugged the bed sheet and woke me up with a birthday wish and a sweet kiss. I looked at her as if i was stunned. Birthday, oh, yes it’s my birthday today. I made up a smiley face and mumbled a thanks... Get ready soon, son. It’s your DAY today. Don’t you have plans for today.. Come-on get ready, son...God Bless you, saying so she left the room. 

I sat on the bed and tried remembering what had happened.. What about the letter, the God visit and the message... Was it a bad dream after all. I couldn’t express the happiness i felt at that moment. A dream, a bad dream, Gosh, it had felt so real... Thank goodness. Pushing the bad thoughts away from the mind, i threw the bed sheet away and got down on the other side. Then i saw it. A small white envelope was pointing out slightly in my personal diary!!! The whole room seemed to freeze. 

Slowly, with shivering hands i reached across to the dairy and took out the letter and opened it. 

It started "Dear Arvind,

..............

To be contd....

P.S: I had written this before. Posting it again for the benefit of the current readers. Hope you liked it.

The Letter - Part II

Letter-Part I

I sat down on the bed with the letter in my hand. It was completely unexpected... I had always loved movies with a twist, those mystery,thriller movies which keep you guessing whats coming up next.The irony is that we enjoy those moments ,as long it happens to someone else,when we too are in the same boat, its to thrilling to enjoy the thrill. I never imagined in my wildest dream that my life will be taking a twist like this. And to top the icing on the cake, this day has to be on my birthday.

It was now 9:45. Then my eyes fell on the mobile which lay off. I recalled that i was going to charge it yesterday when i got the damn letter. I switched it on and put it on charge. After the start up tune,the phone came to life. There were a series of beeps, signalling the receiving of messages. Messages from my friends and well wishers who will be wishing me happiness,joy and a long life... Long life !! 20 seems to be a long life indeed...

I kept the phone in my bed and went near the window. A cool breeze of air was blowing. It was so soothing ,so serene so as to engulf me in its arms. Only that i didnt feel like enjoying any of these. I felt i would have been happier if i would have cried. Strangely enough i wasnt crying. Maybe,i have been always taught that no matter what happens in your life, no matter how many stones you get, no matter how bad the life treats you,your life is in your hands. There is always something positive , you only have to keep your eyes open.

Since, i had seen Dasvidaniya, a Bollywood movie, in which the movie's protagonist gets to know that he will be dying in 3 months. He makes a list of 10 things which he has always dreamt of doing. Basically, he fulfills his wish list and dies peacefully. Well, in my case i didnt have that option too. It was more a fast track Dasvidaniya in my case. Not 3 months but 24 hours....

People say its wiser not to reinvent the wheel. i thought of doing what our Dasvidaniya hero had done. Making a list of things which i want to do most. Since, i was the youngest child of my parent's 3 children, i was confident that they will be taken care by my elder brothers. Then, i wanted to pursue higher studies, for which the time i had was not sufficient, so that goes off from the list. Then... The challenge here was that i had everything i wanted.

My parents had ensured that i was well taken care in that regard. So what else... I was musing on that, when my Phone went off... "Tujh me rab Dikta hai,...." - the melody song from "Rab ne Bana di Jodi" movie. It had to be her. I had kept that ring tone for her calls. The irony here was the fact that "Rab" had given me a visit few hours back, so the word "Rab itself (meaning God)" brought jitters to me.

Anyhow, i picked up the phone and came the fresh voice of her - "Happy Birthday Arvind. God Bless You." I was tempted to answer "Well he has", but then thought the better of it and mumbled a thanks.

She asked me - "Where were you yesterday night. I kept on calling your mobile but it kept saying the receiver phone is switched off. What happened ?

I explained that my cell phone charge had died down and the current had gone out. I put the phone on charge now only."

Oh, ok fine. So whats the plan for today...

I thought " Well, pack up my bags for the trip". But said - I dont know. Have to be at home, i suppose. Ma has some plans.

Oh, ok. I wanted to meet you for sometime. Tell me if you can meet me today. [We had an understanding about my birthday.I had told her before that on my birthday we usually go to visit my grand parents, then temple, then orphanage.She respected my plans and didnt push me much on it]

But the last thing i wanted to do was to meet her. I knew that i wont be my normal self if i meet her today. So i wanted to avoid meeting her at all cost.. I said - Hey, Ma calling me. Will call you shortly.

OK, Wish you a Blessed Day.Sweet Kisses,saying so, she kept down the phone.

I clutched the phone close to my heart. A tear ran down my face. I knew that the only thing i wanted to do was to meet her. And bless her for a fruitful and a happy life. If i could have any wish fulfilled today, i would wish for a happy life for her. If not with me, then with someone who would love her with all his heart and give the world to her. I called her again.

Hey, whats up, she asked.

I said - How about meeting at the coffee shop, at 4pm ?

Wow, Thats so nice of you. See you soon.

I got up from the bed and starting getting refreshed. Then i put my favourite dress and went down. Papa had left early regarding his business. Mama was reading a book. As soon as i came down, she got up and planted a huge kiss on my cheek. God Bless you , my sweety. Papa said sorry about not being able to be at home today.He has some important meeting with his clients today. He told me to wish you on his behalf..

Thanks Mom i said bringing up a smile.

Come on, have your breakfast now. I have made your fav dish today .

I had few morsels and got ready to go to grandparents place.My grand parents were also ready in the home by the time we reached there. I took their blessings and grandpa/ma gifted me a gold chain, Grandma said it will make me more handsome. Grandma was always like this. Nowadays she has taken to giving lectures on finding a suitable girl for me. It will be sometime before it actually happens,but i suspect that she was the real reason for making love blossom in my heart. Due to her persistence talking,i had began to get thoughts that maybe its not bad to have a girl friend. Thats when i met my dream girl and whatever happened next is all known. It was 3 pm now. We started to the temple to offer prayers to our family god. Ma and grandparents prayed for a long life for me. I could only laugh at the irony of it. Then i bid my grandparents and Mom adieu and told them to proceed to the orphanage as i had some other work to do.

It was close to 4pm when i reached the coffee shop. She was already waiting for me there. Very much like her. Always on time, sometimes before time too. She gave me a hug and a short kiss and wished me happy birthday. We took our usual place in the coffee shop, the corner one with a small pool nearby it.

Do you remember our first date, in this coffee shop, i asked her.

Yes, how can i forget. You were blushing redder than a carrot.-She said.

I wasnt blushing. - i said back.

No. You were.. , she said.

We spend some time remembering the times, reliving the memories of our being together. Then she gave me a present. It was a triangular glass crystal with a red heart glowing inside.

I looked in to her eyes and gave her a smile. We just kept looking at each other.I had read somewhere that the closer people feel to each other,the lesser they need to talk. Emotions have a way of expressing and i think we understood each other perfectly well. I think she must have guessed that something was bothering me.

Whats the matter,Arvind - she asked.

Nothing dear, i replied. Trying hard not to lose control.

No, something is there. You can tell me - she said.

Do you love me - i asked.

I love you more than i love myself - she replied.

Iam very lucky in that regard. But i want you to promise me something. - i said.

What do you want me to do - she asked.

Promise me that you will love yourself more than me. Promise me that you will be happy no matter what happens.Promise me that you will carry on in your life and take care of yourself. I felt like a fool telling the above things. Yet, the only reaction i got from her was a strange stare. Not the stare again. She gives these kind of stares when its like she knows what Iam up too. Well, iam sure she wouldnt have known this, know about what had happened to me 24 hrs back.

She slowly replied -

Arvind, i dont know what to say. I never imagined that i will meet a person like you, and i consider myself lucky for that. Yet i want you to promise me the same things which you have asked me. Can you promise me that ?

I was tempted to tell her about what had happened 24 hrs back, that by tomorrow i wont be in this green earth. but i didnt want to scare her off. The last thing which i wanted to see on my last day was see her crying. I just smiled and shook my head. I found it hard to see that she was saying my dialogues. 'That she wanted the best for me'. Something was bothering her, but since i wasnt a good mind reader as her,i was left guessing about her botherations.

It was close to 7pm.The waiter came,kept the bill and went back. Its my treat for you, saying so she paid the money.

Well, time to say good bye - i said.

seems so. Wish you a long and a Happy life. Saying so, she left.

Iam not sure if i saw it, but i think i saw a tear in one of her eyes. Someone had said that If there is one thing which is unpredictable in this world, you can be damn sure it will be the girls. I pushed my chair and was about to get up,when i saw she had left her handkerchief in the table. I reached across to take the kerchief. Something white in color fell down. It was a letter. It opened it and it read:

Dear Asha,

This is to inform you that your life validity expires in 24 hours.....
......

Epilogue:Thats the way she was. Not only she didnt show her sorrow to me, but to keep me happy on my birthday she acted as if nothing had happened. No wonder my instincts had always told me "She was the one for me".


The End.

P.S: I would like to thank my friend Naveen for giving me the story idea. Hope you enjoyed it.

The Letter

The man stood near the window with his hands folded..He had a calm demeanour and was smiling benignly.I couldnt really understand how could he smile at this occasion.

A few moments earlier:

The charge in my cell had dried up.I was just going to put my cell on charge when the lights got popped off. If there is one thing in India which you can say with certainity,it is the fact that when you have an important work to do,you can trust the electric guys to switch it off... Cursing them for the nuisance,i lay on the bed and spend some time in using well learnt swear words to curse those guys.

I presume i was about to doze off when i felt a hand tapping my shoulder. I woke up to see a man with a letter bag at his side. He introduced himself as "God" and took a letter from the letter bag and gave it to me. He then went on to say that 'You have 24 hours to live and that we will be departing to heaven/hell tomorrow'.

All i did was to keep staring at him. He told me to have a look at the letter and went and stood near the window.I opened the letter and saw:

Dear Arvind,

This is to inform you that your life validity expires in 24 hours. One of our people will come down to meet you and you will be sailing in the "Ship of Departures" along with other inmates. Kindly plan your schedule so that you finish off what ever you want within this time. No luggages will be necessary as everything will be available in the Home.

Your final destination will be decided based on your liabilities and assets which you have accrued over your life time.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Regards,

God.

All i could say was "Is this some kind of joke"... All he did in return was to keep staring at me. I repeated my question again. he asked me "What do you think". I told him "I dont think people receive termination letters informing about the remaining life time. And what is this, Liabilities, assets. I never knew that material assets and liabilites are valued in after-life.

"Very typical of humans", remarked the God. You havent heard about the termination letters before because you get it only once. You dont live to tell about it. And the assets and liabilities which i mentioned are the good deeds and the bad karma which you earn in your life time." This came as a complete shock to me... I never knew that the final day can come just like that. I had lived 24 years of my life time and had never bothered to think about the so called good deeds and bad deeds.I had hardly known any hardships, since i was provided with all luxuries.

A lot many questions running in my mind. [As in why he had come delivering this information when he can send across someone else, What had i done to get this call so early, Wasnt he supposed to be wearing a white suit, as Morgan Freeman does in HollyWood movies]. I assumed i could guess the reason for his coming alone to deliver the information. After all, it was recession time now, so there could have been job cuts there also. Currently i was concerned about my situation,so i was wondering what to ask him, when suddenly there was a pop sound and Gosh, the man simply disappeared before my eyes...

The feeling you get when someone next to you pops off in thin air makes you feel that even you can pop off anytime. You fear to tread another step not knowing when you will pop off. No wonder, the people in the medieval ages used to haunt the witches and considered them as outlaws.And the feeling when someone has informed you about your demise and has suddenly left you alone gives you no little consolation. Well, i never had hoped for this in my wildest dream.

I kept the letter in the diary on the bed-side table and then kept staring at the ceiling. Why me. Its not fair in the least way. and Why now ?? Why now when i had found my dream girl. Its been 3 months since we met. It was an instant liking from our first meet and i knew that if there has to be a girl in my life,it has to be her. She had all the good qualities which a Man can aspire for in a girl. I had proposed to her 1 month back and she had accepted it. we had planned up so many things for our future...But, it seems life had other plans. No wonder, people say Life is unfair. This is not fair, this is not fair.... I kept on muttering the sentences....

"Sleeping till 9am on your birthday and saying 'its not fair' isnt fair too" - came the voice of my Mother. She tugged the bedsheet and woke me up with a birthday wish and a sweet kiss. I looked at her as if i was stunned. Birthday, oh, yes its my birthday today. I made up a smily face and mumbled a thanks... Get ready soon,son. Its your DAY today. Dont you have plans for today.. Comeon get ready, son...God Bless you, saying so she left the room.

I sat on the bed and tried recalling what had happened.. What about the letter, the God visit and the message... Was it a bad dream after all. I couldnt express the happiness i felt at that moment. A dream, a bad dream, Gosh, it had felt so real... Thank goodness. Pushing the bad thoughts away from the mind, i threw the bedsheet away and put down my leg on the other side. Then i saw it. The letter i had placed inside the diary !!! the white part was visible partly. The whole room seemed to freeze.

Slowly,with shivering hands i reached across to the letter and opened it.

It started "Dear Arvind,
..............



to be contd....