How should I start over here? By telling my name? That does not look good enough to me. Still its Pranav for future reference. Most movies start by a train stopping by on a platform or a car entering a house mine starts in the middle of a conversation. It was the middle of September; you could call it 15th September for convenience. The weather was unstable and common cold was common among the people of Malgudi. It was then that Anuj, one of my friends joined the ranks of "The love of Life" a religious organisation by swami Anandanand. Its motto was simple yet appealing to the younger generation "Make love, not war." (Most of the devotees were actually interested in the first half of the motto.)
As was his habit to drag me into anything he tried(smoking included) he was those days trying to persuade me to offer myself to Swami ji. My story begins on one such day when Anuj had called me over to his place and trying to force the fact down my head that swami ji would change the world order.
"He believes that all humans are equal. We don't believe in any form of cast discrimination."
"I told you Anuj am not interested in all this stuff, I plan to give my time to such things after my retirement which can only happen if I can get a job."
"Swami ji is also good at astrology, maybe he can tell you about you and Chhavi."
There, Anuj had used his trump card a weapon that was bound to work. Chhavi, my semi-girlfriend. She was my girlfriend according to me and I was her best friend according to her. She was allergic to the words "boyfriend", love ,relation etc. And somehow for the past 3 months I had become desperate that she at-least once confessed her feelings towards me. (It might sound nonsense but it was true.) Still I had to argue that a swami can't tell me how to get a confession out of a girl.
"Actually he can get a confession out of anyone. He had told me a few days ago that he could make a truth potion for anyone after seeing his/ her kundli."
I was desperate by then so my reply instead of being " I told you I don't believe in such stuff." was "Now where can I get her kundli."
"Simple just get her place and time of birth rest we can manage from some astrologer."
"I remember it by heart 10th June 1988 12:55 PM govt hospital Malgudi"
"In that case I would call up our family astrologer right now. He will have the kundli ready by evening."
Family astrologer , God!! What had I got myself into?
I had to believe one thing anuj had really good relations with his family astrologer as 3 hours later I was standing in the amin market parking holding Chhavi' s Kundli in my hands. It had cost me even more than a dinner date with Chhavi after which she in no way would have denied me being her boyfriend would have cost. But an old hindi saying echoed in my head at that time "when you have put your head in a grinder why be afraid of getting hurt." (jab okhli mein sir de hi diya to moosal se kya darna).
Anuj however was elated about me having visited the greatest astrologer on earth according to him, Pandit H.Qhanna.
Pandit ji was a quiet story in himself, his actual name was Rajesh Khanna ( quiet a good name according to his era of birth) but after some calculations he had modified the surname to spell like Qhannaa and prefixed a H for Hema after his mother in law's name who had inspired him for astrology. I learnt all this from pandit ji himself as his assistant was printing the kundli. I had a strong urge to ask him why did common sense have to take a back seat in all such stuff but common sense itself stopped me from asking it.
All the way to swami ji's ashram anuj kept telling me how this was going to be the best decision of my life and at that time he sounded more of a vacuum cleaner salesman to me rather than a friend. He was so excited on having converted me that he almost hit a car in front of the ashram.
-continued
Swami Anandanad was looking at me. Looking would not be a proper word here as the affection in his eyes matched that of a mad scientist looking at a guinea pig.
"You want her to tell the truth to you." He said in a voice soft enough to put Michael Jackson to shame.
"Ji swami ji" anuj replied even before I could open my mouth.
"Truth is a beautiful thing, the essence of all things good, it is the most important ingredient in the recipe called life, like suger in this barfi. " and with a wave of his hand he pulled out two pieces of barfi out of nowhere "have some prasad o seekers of truth. While I read what the stars say about your friend." He added picking up the kundli.
Anuj was looking at him completely awestruck and I must admit I too was amazed he had nothing in his hand just a moment ago. This man did actually know how to impress people as "swami ji ki jai ho" were the first words spoken by anuj when he found his voice back.
"Chamchanand" swami ji said to one of his er … henchmen " I am going into Samadhi tell them the aahutis needed to perform this yagya" turning to us he added "you will get the phal tomorrow at this time only"
It turned out the aahutis were but a fashionable name for swami ji's charges which again were enough to take Chhavi to another dinner date preceded by a movie.
Soon enough we were again present at swami ji's ashram sitting in front of his divine grace swami Anandanad "love is what you seek my children" he was barely 30 and he was calling twenty year olds children. That statement of his brought some questions into my mind about his certain activities but discussing them may cause certain censorship problems so I leave them to your imagination.
As I was saying swam ji was again trying to impress us with his talks "love is what you seek my children, divine love that is integral to this world like sugar to these laddoos" he again held out laddoos for us however I could not help noticing that the laddoos were nicely put in paper cups with "Malgudi Sweets" written in big green letters on them .
"To get what you seek you will need help from God. As chamchanad tells me that you arranged for all the ahuti's of the yagya I have hence procured this for you from God" saying this he again waved his hand and held out a tablet that looked like the ayurvedic medicine for acidity.
"Put it in any liquid and it will form the elixier of truth for her. For 1 complete prahar (3 hours )after drinking it she will speak nothing but the truth. But be warned, do not use this if she is not in the best of health for it may cause strange things in the world around." With these dialogues he dropped the tablet in my hand and that was the first time when it happened. My head suddenly burst with pain and everything went blank. I tried to open my eyes but it felt like they were made of lead. With this I heard a distant voice "we can only wait."
The sensation went away as soon as it had come and as I opened my eyes I was again sitting in swami ji's ashram.
-continued
I wasn't able to understand what swami ji had ment by his warning. Though the thought of making Chhavi eat stuff given by such a fraud was scaring me. But the desire to hear the fact that she loved me was out-weighing my fear. My only worry now was to make her drink it. The only question was how.
God seemed to be listening to me as soon as a reached home and hid Chhavi's kundli at a safe place my phone beeped, it was Chaavi "want 2 meet for a burger and a shake?" the message said.
Soon enough I was sitting opposite her at "Macbeth's" that was the thing I loved about this girl she stayed in a great shape and still was not fussy about what she ate. Strangely that day the place looked oddly empty.
"So" she said while we were waiting for our order number to flash (yes I know Mc Donald's serves you right away but it's Macbeth's), "how's my new hairdo?"
"Hairdo" I thought and looked at her and mentally banged my head on the wall .Her hair were visibly shorter and even had a slight tinge of bronze towards the end, how could have I failed to notice it. She always used to compliment me for noticing things and how could I make such a blunder on such an important day but she would be speaking the truth to me in a few minutes and even I felt like telling the truth to her at that time so I told it "You look gorgeous like always."
"oh!! Makkhan lagaya jar aha hai kya baat hai." She looked so cute with this smile. I hated myself for thinking of making her drink something given by a fraud and my hand proceeded towards my pocket to throw the thing on floor to get rid of it. Just then a couple walked in, they were holding hands and I knew the boy he lived near my house, a total loser. He was behaving like a hero with the girl doting over him. This sight reduced my guilt.
"Hey, why are you staring at those love birds get a girlfriend of your own if you want to show off in public" Chhavi brought me back to the place. And I thought to give it a try once more , " Chhavi how can I love anyone else when I have you and I have told this to you many times" I didn't notice but my tone had become serious.
"Pranav" she smiled "why do we have to give our friendship a bad name just to look cool aren't we good friends."
That was her fixed reply and I was trying to trying to find an answer to that for the past five months and needless to say this was the fourth time in the past five months.
"Leave it , you didn't tell me about my hair do just went off into me being gorgeous" she chirped again and her with her voice sounded the Mac-bell the indication that our order was ready.
"I'll get it" I stood up as I said these words and rushed towards the counter. While going I managed to get that thing out of the wrapping paper in my pocket. I had intentionally ordered a strawberry shake for myself so I had an excuse of lifting that plastic lid to check what was inside actually slipping the pill into the shake while stopping my hands from shaking.
She started eating the burger first while telling me how her parents had opposed the colour. When half her burger was done she picked up the glass and took a sip from the straw. Then it happened again , a sharp pain shot through my head and everything went dark. I couldn't feel my hands with which I could hold my head and then I heard a distant voice like a television announcer or a news anchor I tell from the style. "Swami Anandanad is on the run after sexual harassment charges."
The next moment I was again sitting at Macbeth's opposite Chhavi sipping her chocolate shake
-Continued
At that precise moment, Chhavi sneezed and swami ji's words echoed in my ears, "She should be in the best of health when she drinks the elixir of truth. "
"What's it Chhavi you just sneezed real hard"
"its just the cold Pranav am feeling it for the past 2 hours or so but you don't expect me to stop drinking shakes just because of a cold." She was right I couldn't expect her to give up on chocolate shakes just because of a cold. But what now she had ingested that thing while she was not perfectly fit. I couldn't even stop her now and if anything went wrong I would be the one to blame. I somehow managed to finish my food as she did hers as she kept her glass aside she said to me, "I feel like a walk. Coming?"
This way I could keep an eye on her and if everything went well this was my chance.
We came out and she led the way to a park nearby. I noticed that her expression was getting serious with time. As we entered the park her lips had become so small that I had to ask, "Chhavi, why are you getting so serious what's wrong?"
She burst out crying. "I feel bad dad told me to stay away from hair-colour still I did it." That wasn't a reason to start crying she was crying over nothing like anuj did this holi when he had taken …
OH GOD
I got it that swami must have given bhang in that tablet that's why she was crying how stupid could I be and I made her drink it damn I felt like kicking myself.
"No its not that Pranav", she said still chocking on tears " am guilty about hiding the truth from you."
"I do like you very much but I am afraid that I might lose you after that kind of relationship. I was afraid that I don't deserve you , and if you find someone worth you my heart will be broken."
This was not right , She didn't think like this this was wrong . I tried to comfort her but she won't listen to me and she came really close to me when she whispered "I love you. Pranav" The medicine had worked and maybe it wasn't bhang after all.
***
"Tu apni izzat bachchane ke sirf 700 de sakta hai? Are apni nahi is chhori ki izzat ka to khyaal kar."
"Sir mere paas 700 hi hain"
"jeb mein paise hote nahi aashiki karne nikal padte hain. Chal la saat sau hi de"
For those who didn't guess what these meant let me explain while I and Chhavi were kissing in that seemingly deserted park,a constable who was on beat duty at that place had spotted us ,the rest is self-explanatory.
Chhavi's crying had stopped after that she said 'she felt much better after telling the truth' swami ji had said the effect will linger on for three hours so I stayed with her till three hours were over and then dropped her home.
While going towards my home I was calculating the total cost of this "I love you" but it actually was priceless for me and even another 10 policemen like that couldn't have made it costly. It was then I too started to feel the cold and started sneezing.
My mother has a habit of asking "how did the day go?" as soon as she opens the door.
That day as soon as she asked, I blurted out , "great! swami ji's medicine worked"
"what swami ji? which medicine? "normally I would have given some strange reply and got out of it but somehow I felt like telling nothing but the truth.
-continued
Dad was looking at me, his hands folded in front of his lips. It seemed like he was looking for appropriate words but couldn't find any. "So" he started "You are seeing advocate Mehta's daughter for the past year and a half and you had problems that she didn't call you her boyfriend so you went this sex swami to get a medicine that would make her speak the truth, that thing somehow worked and now you are officially her boyfriend. But the thing is you lied to us for the past so many months (my mother glared at me) then how the **** (hell) did you come and speak the truth today. Did you take any of that drug yourself?"
"No dad, that's what I can't understand, why am I speaking all truths like this?" I again blurted out.
"Well I can't go talk to Mehta until you find a job but be careful with what you are doing."
I couldn't believe what he said, he actually agreed on Chhavi.
Then it happened again, I felt that my head had been split open with pain and there were strange voices all around and a coughing fit began I heard my mom say, "Anuj call the doctor" but Anuj was not there. When i came back to my senses I found myself again standing in the drawing room. I said what happened and mom replied, "Nothing".
****
Chhavi called just as I was about to sleep, to tell me that she had told everything to her parents and she said that she didn't know why she was telling truths to everyone suddenly.
I spoke again, "It's all my fault, I can tell you only when we meet. "
We met the following evening I told her everything. I saw tears drawing up in her eyes as I spoke but couldn't dare to comfort her. When I had finished she stood up and moved her hand backwards in a threating way, i closed my eyes, I had well-earned that slap. But it didn't come when I opened them I saw her standing her face in her hands. "Actually it's my fault" she said, "if I had told you the truth by myself you wouldn't need to resort to such measures. But then, "she suddenly realised "why did you tell me the truth and why in the morning while dad was leaving for work did he tell mom that he would be coming late in the evening as he planned to have drinks. Normally he says he has to go to a party. But it's understood and today he said it directly. "
Now this was news to me how did his dad start speaking such truths all of a sudden? My thought process was punctuated by her sneezing again and I had a moment of enlightenment like the Buddha would have had.
"Chhavi did your father catch cold from you."
"What?"
"I mean did it seem like he had cold in the morning"
"Well yes he took a medicine just before leaving. How do you know?"
"Maybe swami ji was right" I said looking towards the setting sun.
-continued
Now I was getting the full meaning of swami ji's words , "It may cause strange things in the world around". But why did he give me such a dangerous thing. There was something strange about this whole business including the strange black outs I was experiencing. Things didn't seem right. It now felt like a long drawn dream, I told Chhavi to go home and take rest and tell everything to her dad while I dandecided to find Swami Anandanad with Anuj's help. He was the world or at-least malgudi's last hope. Because if my assumption was correct then everyone catching cold from Chhavi would soon be telling truths only. Blurting out his/her deepest secrets to everyone and even worse telling things that could destroy people's lives. The consequences of that small round brownish pill were much worse than simply "strange".
As I moved towards my home avoiding to speak to anyone another fear started rising in me. What if the disease actually was contagious? Then it would spread like a chain reaction all over the world. I feared for the world after what I had done. My fear was confimed as I reachd home. Mom sat there in a bad mood. Her prompt reply on me asking about her mood was that she had had a fight with our neighbour Mrs Khanna (not Qhanna) over gutter issues. (She actually had admitted having unintentionally blocked the Khanna's drain last week.)
Chhavi called some time later and she had big news.
"Prakhar there are two problems."
"Two more. What happened now?"
"Well dad lost his the case today as he admitted forging the evidence and now he's thinking to shut down the business an advocate who cant lie cant run a practice." Good I had set my father in law out of business as soon as I had started seeing her daughter.
"and second if this thing is actually contagious then India is headed for big trouble."
"Why? what happened ?"
"I watched the news after coming home , the executive of the ruling party is going to hold a national level meeting in malgudi next week. And you know.."
I got her meaning even before she even completed the sentence. Truthful lawyers were only dangerous for their clients but if truthful politicians started exposing themselves the entire political structure of the country would be doomed.
And as the thought of this thing spreading to other countries crossed my mind a shiver ran down my spine. I could almost hear USA nuking Pakistan.
I had to do something and I had to do it fast. I needed to find that swami and anuj was the only way I could find him and get the truth about an antidote out.
I still needed one more truth among all this commotion, one more truth to save this world from the possible catastrophe caused due my impatience and immoralities of people that though were common but if spoken out loud could rip apart the social fabric.
"Yes , Pranav am busy yaar." Anuj answered the phone on my 8th attempt.
"listen i want tom meet you, its urgent." I told him.
" Can't come am helping Asif Bhai shift."
Bhai , so after sex swami's his new friends were underworld dons. He was surely heading for politics. Still I asked ,"Asif bhai who?" i have never heard of him .
"He is our new tenant. He's doing a PhD in English from Malgudi University, just arrived yesterday."
"Better than an underworld don" I thought. But I didn't speak it out aloud so i still was able to think some things without speaking i could still have an opinion of my own without saying it out aloud. I however had more pressing matters than the symptoms of this strange ailment to attend to.
"Be ready in half an hour am coming and i don't want to hear any excuses. "
Exactly 30 minutes later i was standing in front of his house. A new nameplate proclaimed "Er. Anuj Verma ,System support Executive, DELL." The job title sounded fancy for a call centre job I thought as i rang the bell. He came out in another 2 minutes looking irritated.
"Pranav, I told you na i was busy why are you making such a fuss."
" I tried to explain the situation to him but all he was worried about was Asif bhai." It seemed to me he finally had found true love.
"...and we need swami Anandanand to cure that thing"
"What did you say about swami ji", his faced turned to a shade of red at the mention of the name. "All the alligations against him are false he will emerge triumphant." At this i didn't know whether to laugh or to punch him in the face. But he was not behaving like normal, true he always was attracted to god-men for he believed that they could change his luck overnight, but this was getting out of control he was acting like a puppet for this Asif bhai and that Swami. Then i remembered he wasn't the only one getting out of control at that time so i added a please to my statement.
"Anuj please we need to find swami Anandanad or this will problem may increase to the extent of becoming incurable.
"Wait let me go ask Asif bhai."
I actually wanted to break his nose at that. He came back five minutes later saying , " he says he does not need my help and we may leave."
In the two days that followed we checked all the possible places where Anandand could be hiding, but all n vain. I couldn't blame myself for that. As even the entire state's police had not been able to trace him. The illness by now had spread to many people as the outbreaks of household quarrels was on the rise. On the third day the newspaper carried a news item about 7 police officers of different ranks being suspended for publically admitting their love for accepting bribes. It was getting worse and we had only 2 more days before some of the political big shots of India came to malgudi for party planning as per them and to ruin the party as per me.
Getting frustrated with our wild goose chase , Anuj decided to take me to Pandit Qhanna again he wanted to know whether i would succeed in my mission or not.
Pandit ji blew his nose loud as we entered his chamber.
"Anuj ,my boy" He greeted. "I don't know what has happend today, am having this bad cold and you are the first customers since morning" .He said customers instead of some heavy words that he used for his clients maybe Anuj was going to learn some truths about one of his god-men.
He posed the question about me succeeding in my mission and prompt came the reply, "how do you think i would know, do you think am god. Oh no what did i just say. "
"But pandit ji you could read his hand and tell." Anuj pleaded.
"Oh and just what do i read on his hand? Crisscross patterns of which i can't understand a thing. WHAT AM I SAYING NO!!!!!"
"Are you ok Pandit ji , maybe you could read his kundli and tell"
"i would do that if only i knew how to read it. DAMN!!!"
"aren't you a jyotishacharya."
"I dropped out of school when i was 12. Havn't touched studies since then. F***!!!!" and he banged his head on the wall.
"But your Sanskrit vishaarad degree on the wall behind you." Anuj asked in a breaking voice.
"Bought it for 2000 bucks in '98. GODDD " anuj was still curious but Pandit ji had run away from his office pushing him aside.
As we came out of his office and were descending the stairs we saw a Mercedes zoom past us and as we headed towards my home we saw pandit ji stopped by a traffic constable telling him that he had had only 2 pegs since morning and was in a perfect position to drive. Though he had never bothered to take a driving test or a licence.
-continued
Am working on this one right now there. And possibly will finish it by tonight J
"You see anuj whats going to happen if we don't find anandanad soon." I said switching to the news channel on the just to check if anything else had gone wrong.
Well it had gone wrong. The words breaking news flashed on the tv screen with the picture of our local MP. Who was the party spokesperson and the ex-home minister for the state. He had just quoted the exact amount received by him to allow safe passage to Mark Williamson the chairman of Union Gadbadaite limited from India after a major industrial mishap 10 years ago. This was followed by the tally of his earnings form the mid-day meal of school children during his tenure as the home minister and... the list tended to be so long that i changed the channel.
Just then anuj coughed.
"Oh so you have got it too now. Go take rest otherwise you will blurt out some great secrete to me like the hiding place of Anandand." I said sarcastically.
"How did you know that i know where swami ji is! oh no!!!" and he tried to run but i was quicker than him. I grabbed him by the legs and he fell forwards on the floor.
"So you have been misleading me for the past 2 and a half days , you knew where he was and is and you have been lying to me." I said gripped him so that he couldn't escape "ok now speak up where is he you can't lie you know."
"I won't" So you could resist telling the truth if you wanted to but you can't lie i made a note.
"Where is Swami Ananadanad," i said tickling him. He laughed uncontrollably while I just sat there repeating the question.
In a matter of few seconds he cracked
"Swami ji is at my place"
"What he has been hiding at your place how?"
"He is dressed as asif. You can't do this to him. All the alligations aginst him are false. " I again felt like hitting him hard but we didn't have time for that. I called up Chhavi to bring her dad and threw anuj's phone out of th window as he tried to call and warn Anandanad. I tied his hands with dad's help and proceeded to his place where Chhavi and her father would be waiting. Did the people at his place know that they were unknowingly harbouring a wanted criminal?
Once there we quickly ran up the stairs to the tenant's room. As neither of us (except Anuj) was in a mood to show any manners so we didn't bother to knock or call out before breaking in and grabbing Anandanand. Who by our sheer luck had been sleeping. It took only a moment for us to bind him. But I must say the makeup was really good the beard and hair were styled in a fashion that no one could say that h was a Hindu swami in exile.
"Ok Ananadanand", dad said "how do we get rid of this problem that we are having because of you."
"Am not Anandanad my name is Asif Ansari and I will go to the minorities commission if you behave like this with me.
"They know swami ji" Anuj said.
"Oh shut up you ... " Anandanad replied "I have told you my name is Asif and am not some hindu swami. Now leave or you will pay heavily."
I then did the most disgusting thing I have done in my entire life. I blew my nose into a handkerchief and put it on the face of Ananadanad." After some five minutes he too had caught cold.
Thus began the confessions of the great sage swami Anandanad which if I would need an entire novel to finish off. So skipping the juicy details we come to the problem that we were facing.
"I don't know anything about that I just read it in a book that I stole from an old temple library."
"And where is that book now" Dad asked.
"It's in my ashram but I cant get over there its sealed."
"Don't worry I can" Chhavi's dad said and made a phone call one of his known DSPs in the crime branch.
DSP Shukla was more than happy to exchange an old book for Anandanad whon uncle promised him in 24 hours.
Within an hour we had the book and the great swami ji was translating the antidote.
"It involves taking a round of the infected area…"
The pain in my head started again more severe than before I couldn't hear a word he was saying. Breathing became difficult I tried to move my hands but it felt like they were not there. Nor did my legs respond I tried to cry out for help but no sound came out. Then again the pain subsided slowly and I was able to see.
But did I see anything. I could feel and see my body I was all alone over there. No one else was there. I looked downwards and there was no floor on which I was standing . I was just there. Then I saw him.
He looked just like me or did he. His face also reminded me of dad no Anuj no Chhavi I couldn't tell but he looked familiar. Not vaguely familiar but hugely familiar. And as he looked at me he smiled.
-to conclude
Will finish this off tonight J
And with that smile on his lips he moved towards me. I couldn't say that I wasn't scared but somehow I didn't move and just waited for him. As he came within earshot I heard him say ,"hi. Sorry for interrupting this way but possibly continuing would have made it more absurd." His voice seemed to come from within me and it was as-if he spoke into my mind directly.
"who are you ?" was the only reply I could think of.
"So rude?, you are not this rude to even the text messages from wrong numbers." He paused because you have a feeling somewhere that Chhavi has changed her number and is teasing you.
"What? , How do you know this . " I asked
"I know this because I am you."
"What?"
"Well even I don't know much about how we got separated all I know is that am that voice inside you that speaks argues for you to do the right thing whenever you have a choice between right and easy."
"So you are trying to tell me that you are God."
"Me God, no way. I told you am the voice that votes for right whenever you have to choose between right and easy. Well I was feeling a bit ignored inside and I got a chance of having some fun with you and tell you some things about choices in life so I took it."
"What do you mean you had a chance and you took it?"
"You need to answer me first" He smiled more irritatingly and posed another question , " Do you think that a fake swami such as Anandanand can possibly make or give something that would cause this much damage?"
"Well no, But he did"
"He may have given you some weak sedative under the influence of which Chhavi would have said some nonsense to you but not possibly the truth. That also if you had met him."
"That was exactly what I thought when anuj first told me about it."
"And which was possibly a far logical explanation to it than Anandanad leading the world to the verge of destruction."
"Wait you said if I had met Anandanad didn't I meet him and didn't he cause all this trouble"
"No"
"what ???"
"Didn't Anuj take me to Pt. Qhanna"
"He did and I protested a lot for that."
"Then how didn't I meet that swami"
"because there is one small detail that you are forgetting but before I tell that you answer some more questions of mine so that I know that you are ready for it"
"ok" I said
"Anandanad is such a famous godman didn't it feel strange to you when he attended to you in person?"
"Do you remember doing anything between these happenings since you got to his ashram?"
"Is there a park near Macbeth's?"
"You told your parents about your affair and they didn't mention even once that you had done something wrong?"
"You think you are so good that Chhavi would keep on talking to you even after you spike her drinks with stuff from some quack?"
"Where did Anandanad's Michal Jackson voice go?"
"Anuj might believe in such nonsense but even he has sense enough to not to harbour a wanted criminal right?"
All his questions made sense to me and there seemed to be only one possible answer, "Am I dreaming?"
"Kind of."
"What?"
"Well actually while anuj was taking you to Anandanad he was so excited that .."
"..he almost hit a car" I said.
"Not almost. He did hit a car. And you fell backwards . your head hit the road and …"
"I fell unconscious"
"only physically, then those blackouts were …"
"… the times when you were regaining you consciousness. The first blackout was when the doctor was telling your parents that they could only wait for you to regain your senses. When you woke a bit for the second time your father was watching the news and by sheer chance there was a news item about …"
"…Anandanad absconding" I said
"good. Third time you just got a coughing fit and your mother asked anuj to call the doctor."
"Oh thank god it was all a dream" I smiled for the first time.
"Hey wait a minute didn't you learn anything out of this?"
"Yes I did, I learnt that people have a choice of keeping secretes and if it is not given to them the world could be a much worse place."
"And about Chhavi"
"Yes , she is free to consider me whatever she wants to I can' t and rather shouldn't force anything upon her. It's her life and I can't and shouldn't make choices for her if she does not want me to. I love her that does not mean that I should force her to reciprocate my feelings because that would make my love for her bound by conditions and that won't be love would it?"
"Wow , even I couldn't have put it better" he smiled again and the pain started again. But this time I was ready for it. My eyes felt heavy and I could only open them slowly . As I opened them I could see a blur of three figures sitting.
My parents and Chhavi.
"Mom" I called.
"Oh look beta he has awoken" Mom said and all of them took turns to hug me.
The bandages on my head were removed a week later and Chhavi called me to Macbeths for a treat from her side while we were eating she said to me "I was really scared when you were in the hospital and it was then that I realized what was your worth for me. I know you have asked me 3 times earlier, could you ask me once more please I want to say yes this time."
Oh and I forgot about that Kundli well anuj had kept it safe with him and told me that Anandanad's doing had made him reconsider his faith in all god-men. He told me that h was only waiting for me to get well before destroying that as he wanted my permission for it and I hugged him.
So that's it this finishes the third story of love for losers
