i am in the Office Gym right now, the speedometer at the treadmill reads 10km/hr, I insanely increase the speed of the treadmill again. I am dellusional, confused, hurt and helpless am still not able to come to fact with the terms that Arthi would not be coming to office from tomorrow. My name is Siddarth; people around me affectionately call me as “Siddu” i have been working for ECS Software’s, one of the largest and most prominent software companies in India for the last three years in Cochin. Way through work load and the ever unsatisfying needs and demands of my manager found my way into the position of a lead. I joined ECS Software’s as a fresher. Personally I have no life of my own, I am the only child to my parents, they are settled in Bangalore and I would manage to visit them once in every two months. I was one of those people who had found a home in Office, I always loved being there as I always found myself in the midst of people, I was not someone who would enjoy spending time alone. It was this fact that some of my friends used to pull my leg by saying “Siddu why are you wasting your money by paying rent move into Office”.
I was almost going to complete the first set of coding for a customer requirement, that I heard Kaustav calling out to me “Dada Khete Cholo” subtitles “Dada come for lunch”,Kaustav is from Kolkata and here in cochin he was teaching me Bengali,well he was getting over home sickness by talking to me in Bengali. I take a look at my watch it was almost 01:30 pm, yup i replied, I saved my work application and we both headed towards preeti’s desk.
There she was, she had the same smile that Preeti Zinta has, the cute dimpled smile, but the comparison or to put in better terms the similarity end’s then and there, Preeti is born and bought up in the lovely street foods of Mumbai, she was one who looked from a “Khate Peete Ghar ki ladki” subtitles “She was fat” , she was one who would jump up one fine morning and declare to the whole world that she has started dieting, I would see her running along with me in the gym, and then she would drag herself to the canteen and order herself a large chocolate cake and Milk Shake, she says “Siddu nahin hota yaar” I give her a smile put my hand in her shoulder, np jaanu enjoy maadiii.
Preeti are you coming, damn I am hungry man yells out kaustav. Yeah yeah 5 mins please replies preeti as she is busy replying to a mail. I am sure each and every one of you might have faced this scenario in Office, no matter how many reminders you give to a friend to be ready to come for a break, or to be ready they always needed those extra 5 mins. Phew, I am done exults preeti. We make our way up to the Office canteen. I scan through the food laid out at the canteen, as always it is a disaster, I order myself a Maggie and settle down in a table, kaustav and preeti were lovers of the “Full meal” I used to call it Jumbo Meal for them, as their capacity to utilize each and every inch of the plate and ensuring that none of the item got missed amazed me. If the canteen owner, whose food was despised by almost all in office, ever saw kaustav and preeti’s plates, am sure without doubt he would have made them his food’s brand ambassadors.
A new girl is joining my team tomorrow, at last I have a girl for company declared preeti, and “is she beautiful” asked kaustav in excitement with a blush of a smile. “Hello control” replied preeti in a hard tone, don’t blush okay. Hmmm girls I wondered, have you ever tried to admire a girl in front of another girl, you would be just admiring beauty, but for girls it would be flirting and Male hormones running overtime. I had deduced, a girl can never stand a guy looking at another girl and admiring her, she would always give a quick jerk of her face, as though to shoot back “Chiii is she that beautiful”. Bloody Female Chauvinism declared kaustav.
One of my juniors was struggling his way around a piece of logic, and was unable to code it down. I loved helping people I believed if one knows something then he should share it with others. As I strongly believed that Knowledge grows by sharing it with the people around you. “Sidduuu come here” I could hear preeti, not now I am busy I replied back. Then I heard a voice from behind “Hi Siddarth, this is Arthi”. I turned around and there she was, dressed in an elegant salwar kameez at a beautiful height of 5 ‘7’, she was beautiful. “Hi Arthi, welcome abroad” I replied. I looked up at the computer screen I saw the logic failing again, preeti said ok u seem busy will call you for lunch, and they both made their way away from my cubicle. My damn back I retorted and got up from the chair, well getting up was an excuse I wanted to watch Arthi as she smiled and got introduced to all the “Tom’s and DICKS “J in Office.
I joined kaustav,preeti and arthi who had found a place and settled down with my lime juice and cheese sandwich. “So Arthi tell us about yourself” asked kaustav. I am from Delhi, I have a younger brother who is studying there and my parents reside there. So what are you doing in Cochin, I asked still fiddling with a sandwich which had more onions than cheese. I was working in Chennai and then I got this offer from ECS’s they have a big branch in Delhi, they kind of assured me that after the initial 6 months, I can seek a transfer to Delhi. Oh that is great, wishing you all the very best for your confirmation, and hope you get your transfer soon, I smiled and started off at my sandwich again. “Thank Youuuu” replied Arthi.
Little did I know then at the time of wishing her movement to delhi, that we guys would become so close. Arthi had broken into the “Great Three Musketeer’s Gang”. There would be times when kaustav, Arthi and myself would land up in the canteen only to realize that we had missed to call preeti. The Canteen slowly made way to Dinner, Movies, Bowling Alley’s, weekend outings and long walks, Arthi and I almost hanged out together, we enjoyed each other’s company. There would be times when as in a Typical Indian company, you could hear people gossiping “Hey are they in Love, all such Nonsense”. I still could not understand why the hell they did it, what is wrong if a guy and girl went for a cup of Coffee. Once after overhearing these comments, I avoided walking with Arthi, when she came to know about this from Kaustav and preeti she came right up to my cubicle sat on my desk and almost pulled me to the canteen, well she was one of the daring types, who cared the damn for people and their loose talks.
Within no time six months had passed and it was November the 21st a Friday. “Sidduuu I have a good news and also a sad news”, good news first buddy, I always wanted to hear the happy part first. “Arthi has got confirmed in her job, after the initial six months of training. Wow that is great I exaulted, we should have an outing then this Sunday “movie and dinner would be great”. Where is she, she has to foot the bill. “Siddu she is leaving on Sunday Afternoon to Delhi”. WHAT I shot back, comeon siddu you know right that she had applied for a transfer to Delhi. My heart sank I could not bear what I was hearing, I did not want to show my reaction in front of preeti and turned my chair around once again facing my laptop and started coding again. Aren’t you coming to wish Arthi, not now I am busy I retorted back I have work to do. “Ok Siddu, but do come for the dinner she has planned for us tonight, she would be busy with packing tomorrow, as her flight is day after. Hmm okay I will try I replied, “What do you mean try Siddu, Arthi is our friend, how can you say I will try you have to come. “God Damn’t I have work, okay I cant let these things go for a toss, over some stupid dinner party, now don’t disturb me and get moving I shouted at preeti. I had never ever shouted at anyone ever. I still did not know why I did that to preeti, she had done nothing, I was feeling weak something inside me was giving away. I picked up my laptop and headed home, as I made my way to the Office lift, I could hear the sound of Arthi calling out to me “Siduuuu ..” . I pretended having not to hear her and entered the lift, it was quite but obvious that I did not want to see her, and that i had ignored her.
I reached home, dropped my bag in one corner and flung myself in my bed, I looked up at the fan running over my head, and within minutes downpour stared, I could not control myself I was crying like a small kid, I could not understand what had happened, I was the one who had wished her well for her Delhi transfer and now that she had it, why was I getting upset. I thought it was just a friendship then why this pain, without even me realizing I had fallen in love with her, I could not bring myself to the fact that she would not be there for me anymore, she would move to Delhi and get married to a guy of her parent’s choice. I broke down again, I put my cell in silent, and just did not know what happened, The Alarm rang it was 8 in the morning on Saturday, I had slept for close to 16 hours, the emotional melt down had taken its toll. I looked at my phone close to 20 missed calls from Kaustav and Preeti and half a dozen sms’s enquiring where I was. I went through the missed calls and the sms’s but there was not a single call or sms from Arthi.
I lay on my bed for the whole day, I was not asleep, but I kept looking at my cell for that one call or sms from Arthi, I was confused, whether the feelings that I had for her was one sided, maybe she only treated me as a friend and that’s why she was so happy to leave, maybe she never felt the way I did for her. It was 10 in the night, I was in a complete shocker condition, I did not know what to do. Suddenly I heard the Transformer outside my apartment blow up, no current till morning sabji, told the security guard, as he made his way informing all the tenants. I picked up my bag, and in my tracks and T-Shirt headed for office. I walked into my cubicle it was Saturday night not a soul in Office, the maintenance guys were cleaning the desks and the floor carpets. I switched on my desktop and started googling, I was restless I did not know what I was doing or what I was up to, and without me realizing I fell asleep again. I got up it was 10.00 am on Sunday Morning. I wanted to get rid of all the negative emotions and sadness within me, I headed up to the Office Gym, and started running in the Treadmill, I insanely kept on increasing the speed, I was running like a mad man, She never loved me, if she did she would not have left me, I was a fool. No matter how hard I tried I just could not take my mind of her, the mirror in front of the treadmill reflected her face every where I turned around she was there. I increased the speed of treadmill again, I lost my balance and came crashing down and hit my head.
This knock in my head was the best thing that could have happened to me at that moment, as it pushed some sense into me. What was I doing I was letting the girl I loved spending my time with, sharing all my feelings, just walk away from me. I looked at my watch it was 3 in the afternoon I rushed out of the gym, ran through the office hallway I was breathing heavily, ran to the auto stand outside the Office, jumped into an “Auto”. The Auto Driver replied “One and a Half Sir, it is Sunday”, please go I will give you my full month’s salary please go go, to the Domestic Airport. The Auto Driver was driving very fast, but I had this adrenaline running very fast within me that I wanted to grab the steering from his hand, and wanted to drive myself.
As the Auto entered near the Domestic Airport, I jumped off giving the Auto driver a few five hundred bucks. The cost of travelling to the Airport comes only close to 80 or 90 bucks, but I did not care there was something in my life at that moment which was far more important, Sirr change shouted the Auto driver, keep itttt and i ran in. I immediately made my way to the enquiry section, to enquire about the Delhi Bound flight, there was only one jet airways flight on Sunday afternoons. The lady at the enquiry counter replied, all passengers have boarded, and the flight is in the runway for take off. I ran towards the open courtyard adjacent and I saw the flight take off. I had done it, I could not muster enough courage to propose to the girl whom I loved, and now she was gone. My Heart sank I fell to my knees, I did not have enough strength to get up.
I dragged myself to the “Coffee Day” outlet nearby and ordered for a cup of coffee, “Look who is here, I see kaustav and preeti headed toward’s me. Damn not now I said to myself, I just wanted to tell them to go away, but they were my buddies, the sweetest in the world. Look at yourself Siddu you look shit said preeti, why this beard chii remove it. “Preeti please forgive me being rude to you, I am sorry man”. Comeon “Sidduuu, now shut up and get me something to eat, and she ordered herself a large chocolate cake,while kaustav stuffed himself with a Chicken sandwich”.
As they both were busy helping themselves, I could not help but let my best buddies know. “Guys I loved Arthi I said. Hmm “Hey the Choclate cake is yummy, try it na siddu” replied preeti, can you please pass me the sauce asked kaustav. Here I was bloody heartbroken and completely shattered and what mattered to these people was chocolate cake and sauce. Damn it you guys did you hear what I said, I shouted back. Sir Bill, as the waiter gave it to Kaustav. He pointed at me saying “Well he is paying for this”. I could not understand “Even at this moment of grief I had to foot the bill, damn it … give it to me.
As I opened the Bill card I was amazed it had a Tanishq diamond ring bill of Rs 60,000and a note which said “IDIOT”. I immediately told the waiter, there must have been a mistake as i did not know any ring or stuff, and what the hell is a diamond ring doing in a Coffee shop, Sir the madam in the table asked me to handover to you. I turned around and there she was "Arthi" dressed in a white Top and a blue jean, with her hair let loose, I walked towards her meanwhile she too got up from her table and walked towards me.
I was short of words; I could not understand what was happening, then she bent down in one knee in front of me and said “Siddu you are the reason I smile, you are the one who makes me believe that I am beautiful, every time I am with you i have an extreme sense of security. You complete me, I am nothing without you, I would want this to never end, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, If we have kids, I would fight with them, and not let them have my share of your love. If I die I would die a day before you so that I never have to spend a moment without You. Siddu Sidarth will you marry me,,, she asked”
Tears rolled down my cheeks, The Words that I was struggling with, she had said it, she was my daring Arthi, I cried out “Yes, Yes… Yes …..” and I took the diamond ring from her, and slid it gently on her ring finger. I took her in my arms, and we kissed. Yippee shouted Kaustav and preeti .. I had no words to control my happiness. So Delhi, I asked Arthi, who said I am going idiot, I love you. My house is were you are.
Later I learnt that kaustav and Preeti had the sensed our chemistry and liking for one another. They knew it all the while, even before we could realize.
I made my way out of the airport along with Arthi,Kaustav and preeti did not want to be the haddi in the kebab. I could see the Auto Waala waiting, Sir waapas Office, “Nahhhh we will walk as Arthi and myself walked away into the Sunset Hand in Hand”….
- Anand
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