Platonic platitudes: passionate multitudes

Perplexed, agitated and or plain and simply hexed, he wasn't really sure. This was not the first time it was happening. He had encountered many such situations, but had come out a winner always, well nearly always. He was different indeed and he felt it to the bone. The world called him weird, but he ignored it and relentlessly went on. They often jeered; he knew they called him all kind of names. It really didn't matter to him, as he knew the blood that coursed through his veins was just as warm as theirs, was just as blue as theirs; was just as red when he bled.

He’d been like this ever since he could remember. As a little boy holding on to his mom’s hand as he entered the little nursery, he walked in with a certain calmness as the other parents were overwhelmed by the surrounding pandemonium, emanating from little, almost devilish creatures, feverishly kicking and hitting or just crying their lungs out. Even as far back as then he would walk into his class and patiently wait for his teacher. As he grew up they even often took credit for work that was rightfully his, but he did not cringe or fight, just took it all with a pinch of salt in his stride.

His mom though, never had to face a bawling child, except once when a little older, perhaps in grade three, still a little fellow, he was pushed off the stairs by a boy with a better physique and someone who easily took to swearing. As mom entered the premises to pick him up, a tad earlier than scheduled one day, she actually saw the horrible scene unfold before her. Stunned, stumped, she was at a complete loss for words and instead of running to him as other mothers would have, she stood rooted to the spot and saw his head hit the banister and then and only then did he let out a cry in pain. The tears seared his eyes but barely rolled out. He got back to his feet without any help and his face was contorted in pain. The big little bully gave the mother and him a scathing look as he almost stomped out.    

Time had flown; he had grown into a dapper young lad, very happy and helpful. Many called him HH which would otherwise translate to His Highness, but Happy and Helpful became his epithets. He had graduated from one of the best universities in town and there had been several occasions when he had come face to face with people of the ilk of the little big bully. He loved to think of them as a paradox as they were indeed little on the inside and hence resorted to big time bullying, on the outside. However, since he was so comfortable with himself and always busy helping others, time never really stood still for him. It was a constant crusade and he stuck to his guns diligently. Seeing others happy made him happy too. Well the jeering hadn't really stopped but he had learnt to live with it, by not giving it, or the perpetrators of the cascading jibes, any importance.

He sat outside the library, helping a girl with her notes. She rarely missed classes and was extremely dedicated and intelligent but she was often looked down upon by the others who were neither regular to class nor as intelligent, but often got by, with unfair means. They were not even politically correct when it came to sneering at her, even though it was a silence zone near the library, they would often pass by with whispers as loud as a shrill bell, “She better study hard as even though she has the looks she doesn't have the skills to net a rich guy.” She heard such and many other inanities with a strange quietude, so unlike a quality possessed by anyone else he knew, boy or girl. She was always courteous to him, spoke to the point as any classmate would and went about her work happily.

Their exam scores invariably differed by just a mark or two throughout the five years of college. Strangely while the world around them seemed to be spinning at a pace they didn't understand with affairs and break-ups, rebound relationships and crocodile tears, their friendship slowly blossomed within the confines of their little world. They reveled in the moment of just sharing notes, discussing at length the political scenario; she was very clear about how she wanted her life to pan out and what she’d like to do, and where she’d like to work. There was a strange sense of bonhomie between them, many snidely even coaxed him to take her on a date, woo her if he liked her so much: he on his part didn't feel the need to cross any line; there wasn't much he’d ever asked for in life, but just this once he felt a little sad that their time together was coming to an end, well only in a way though, he consoled himself.

Time and tide wait for none, goes the popular adage and before he knew it, he was consumed by his interesting job, money was not much but he enjoyed every moment of it. It allowed him the freedom to travel not only within the country but elsewhere too and more than that he was working for a cause close to his heart, for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden. However, today was an important day for him as he was to be a part of a contingent that was representing the country abroad and waited in the lobby of a hotel for the other members, who were due to join in shortly.

And then he sat transfixed, completely at a loss for words as he saw a very well groomed and chic lady walk in, a twinkle in her eyes and verve in her style. She was accompanied by a tall man who looked extremely influential and senior. His mind went into a tizzy. How long had it been since they’d last met? There had been no contact well, almost no contact, last he knew she was a director with an NGO working in the field of advocacy. He had read her name somewhere. But that was all.

She swished past him without really noticing him as he was seated in a kind of alcove, his face hidden from the bright lights. Again he was overwhelmed with that strange feeling of something that was rightfully his being taken away by another. He stood up shrugged and walked to the reception counter briskly, made a few queries returned to a more lighted up spot and waited patiently.

The meeting began on a prophetic note in more ways than one. The National chairperson addressed the meeting and immediately thereafter he had to make a presentation. The National chairperson was chairing the session that day and even though HH had conducted several training programmes and made innumerable presentations, today he felt strange, not nervous, just odd. However, once he took the stage there was no looking back and all eyes were focused on him. The chairperson, at the end of the presentation, announced that as HH had achieved all possible targets and given a new lease to the programme, he was being promoted and sent on a challenging assignment to Afghanistan. He was to help them set up a similar programme and expedite it in the span of a year. HH was elated, unlike many who hankered after plum postings to the US and Europe, this was a place he had dreamt of visiting almost forever.

As everyone made their way for lunch HH sat down all alone in the conference room, he felt complete yet incomplete, almost everything he’d worked toward was falling in place, everything except…not one to think negative he picked up his papers and moved swiftly to the door as there was just enough time to have a quick bite before the next session and thinking thus he opened the door only to be almost knocked off his feet well literally by someone rushing.

Catching his breath and bending down to pick up his files, he remained frozen in time as the same swishing person passed him by, yet not really noticing him. Not because she didn’t want to but because she was harried and seemed perturbed by something. He waited till she turned around and there was no escaping the buildup of a strange current in the room by then.    

They walked out together for lunch, quite oblivious to the years that had passed by in between; it was as if they were just exchanging notes, outside the library. The same tranquility and ease seemed to overtake them both, and in the middle of a roomful of corporate and other honchos they giggled like kids.

He wondered though, all the while as she mingled with a group of people from a seminar in the adjacent room, much against his will, about the man who had accompanied her, whether she was still single, she’d always preferred a very toned down yet sophisticated dressing style so there seemed to be no indications of her status. She suddenly returned from her table and asked if he would like a second helping of dessert, just like the good old days, quashing all chances of his getting any answers. 

She returned to her seminar room. Both were meeting after nearly ten long years. He rarely left a session midway or while someone was speaking, but he was enveloped by a sudden unease, so indicated to a colleague that he’d just step out for a breath of fresh air. He walked to the atrium running everything through his head and as he got closer to center of the beautiful and green area behind the hotel, he happened to notice movement.  And there she was, her head bent at an angle he knew so well from years ago, a stance when she was deep in thought or work. As he came closer he saw that she was tapping away at the computer like one possessed. No words were required he knew so well when she used to do this, back then with pen and paper, now on a keyboard.

He just sat patiently opposite her, well not exactly opposite, but diagonally so, for what seemed like eternity, till she just looked up. Carefully closing the computer, she looked at him with queer warmth and all she said was, “I knew we would finally find each other.”

Fifteen years later, he was felicitated by the President for exemplary work in promoting peace and harmony in the toughest places on earth and she was now the country director responsible for policy making and implementation.

They sat outside the library every now and then when they could manage, an odd sight amongst the young crowd, everything around them had changed, but they still reveled in the moment exchanging little notes. 

©Copyright Suverchala Kashyap