Thursday 15 August 2013

Short Story 2013 Longlist, Vineet Chhajer

Love The Angel

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has
gone through to achieve that beauty.”~ Maya Angelou


Ritwik Acharya, a Brilliant Young Dynamic Multi-Talented Prodigy, but in angst
with the attitude of the People around him, the system and the Society at Large.
Few Reasons for his anger was a Failed Marriage between his Parents, His Childhood
Sweetheart of a Neighbour not allowed to see him because of Her Parents
Traditional mind-set, He Had topped the IITJEE but wasn’t allowed to Study as he
was Underage. College Admission in the Desired College wasn’t available because of
the Reservation system and the General Quota allowing just 9 Seats in his desired
programme.

He Topped in his Fashion Designing course from India’s Leading Fashion Schools,
Did his engineering with flying colours, Completed his MBA from one if India’s
finest and all at the age of 24, and the List of Qualifications being added just
kept on coming… but Wait, All These Qualifications were not because he had
interest in any of the Fields, but it was all to Prove a Point… Some to His
Separated Parents, Some to his Peers, Some to his Critics and Some to Society at
Large.

Amidst the Hoopla, He Lost himself.. what he wanted, what gave him happiness and
all that remained of him was an Angered Dissatisfied, Possible Over-Achiever gone
horribly wrong… The Frustrations took a toll and he started Smoking, Drinking and
Drugs too.. A Possible Fairytale was going Horribly Wrong.
His Best Friends were distancing themselves from him because of his futile
temperaments and mood swings, He wouldn’t listen to his Mom, Talk back to his
Father Rudely. Even The Professors he once adored had now No Control on his
abilities. The Genius was on the Loose and the Devil was taking Over..
His Recent Research Patent had got him a fortune and along came a Self Made’s EGO
too.. He had begun to think that He had it all but in Reality he had NOTHING! He
had begun to Lose all his Moral Values, Love and Beliefs… Money, Drugs, Sex &
Alochol were beginning to take their Effect on His Head. He was Driven to Grow
fast and now felt the need to have someone share his burden, so he decided to
interview for a New and Effective Secretary, who had a fair knowledge in his area
of expertise too.

An Ad was placed and Several Resume’s were received. He Personally shortlisted,
the 5 most Impressive candidates and they were called for an Interview. The
Interviews were as perceived, but the 3rd Candidate caught his Eyes, it was a
Certain Miss Rajini Chopra, she was a Topper and multi-faceted. When she entered
His Office, She Appeared Docile, Cute and yet Slightly Clumsy. The Interview began
and Ritwik asked her a set of Questions, The Most interesting Bit came in with the
Question, “What do you want to be 10 Years Down the Line?” Pat came the Answer,
“Happy!” from Rajini.
Ritwik was smart and inadvertently replied, “Don’t Give me That John Lennon quote
as an Answer, I’ve seen and heard of such things before, But Life doesn’t work
like that.” She quickly interjected in a cute Light voice “But it is.. For me!! I
Just want to be Happy & Content .”

Nonetheless She Was still selected, as She was Brilliant and Most Suited for the
Job. As Soon as she Joined, there was a buzz in his Workplace, someone Active,
Bubbly and Ever so Hardworking, he almost thought to himself.. “Where were you all
these Years??” Soon they became Friends and she would instantly throw the butt of
the Cigarette away without asking him, so that he wouldn’t smoke. On Formal
meetings as his assistant she ensured that he’d not Drink too much either. She was
trying her Level Best to Change him for the Good, But Old Habits die hard. He
never did Drugs at Workplace, so She never knew this about him. The Fact that he
had a Soft Corner for Rajini too ensured that his Cigarette and Alcohol intake
dropped substantially, but it also meant that with every Opportunity he got at
Home, His Drugs intake increased. This took a Toll on his Body and he was
hospitalized, only to be found with Damage in the Liver and One of the Kidney’s
almost not working.

Tears began to Flow from his Eyes, when Rajini came to meet him. He just realized
how much in Love he was with her.. He took her in his arms and said “I Don’t wanna
Die! I wanna live for I Love You!” This was their Moment of Truth, She consoled
him and said “Everything’s going to be Okay. You Shouldn’t Worry.. Just Promise
me, You’ll Leave all the Drugs, Alcohol and Cigarettes.. Promise Me You’d Live a
Life that You Deserve and a Fulfilling one that is.. Also Promise me You’ll see
Happiness everywhere and spread it always” He Replied.. “I Promise You”

A Little time Passed and she was Driving him from Work to his Residence, when
amidst it, he made her Stop the Car.. Told her to Come Out in front of the Car’s
Bonnet, he got down on One Knee and Proposed to her.. There were Tears in Her
Eyes, out of Happiness but this Moment of Love was dismal, and out of nowhere, a
Raging Truck came down there way and smashed the car from the side, The Car Spun
around abruptly because of the impact and she pushed him out of its Way. When he
Regained his Senses after a few moment has passed, he realized that she was Hit
and severely injured. He took her in his arms, not worrying about his own Blood
Loss and managed to reach a Hospital, where he collapsed soon after himself.

The Blood Loss in his own Body had triggered a Panic on his only working Kidney,
and his Body was Fast moving Towards the Failure of the 2nd Kidney, Panic set in
his family’s ranks for they needed a Donor and quickly, He was soon out of his
senses but kept on asking about Rajini and how she was, without getting an Answer.
He saw Death fast approaching him as the Light in front of him was fast Fading,
Then a Miracle happened, The Doctors found a Willing Kidney Donor and Liver Donor,
these People had agreed for the Transplant willingly and miraculously, their
Organs were a Perfect match.

He was operated upon by the Best Doctors of India and it was a Successful
Operation, when he gained senses, he had learnt what Real Happiness meant. He
gained New Found Reason to Live : Love, Happiness & Spreading Joy to the Lives of
the People who’s Life he could possibly Touch. More importantly he found Belief:
Both Self Belief and on the Supreme One. Within Minutes of this Eureka Moment he
called for Rajini, but to No avail. He checked for time and saw that it was 3:45
am, he thought she probable may have returned back home and would see him in the
morning. He slept like a Baby, content in Life after Ages. Next Morning, He Called
for Rajini again, He Received a Rose and an envelope instead. He smiled to see if
there was a Surprise in it.

After Reading the Letter, He began to Cry.. The Letter Read.. “Dear Ritwik, The
Moment I saw You, I was in Love With You.. Like Love at First Sight. When I Said,
I Wanted to be Happy and Content 10 Years down the Line, I meant that with you.
Blessed are the Select few who find their Soul-Mates in this Life, and I have been
more than Blessed.. I Feel I am God’s Favorite Angel at this moment. I got what I
wished for… YOU! Very Few People in One Life get an Opportunity to Live as Long as
their Beloved would, I’ve got mine! Now I’ll forever Live with you… in You! My
Organs were a Perfect Match for Yours, and am sure, Later in Life when you Do Good
for the Larger Society, I’ll gather some blessings from them too.. Always Fulfill
Your Promise to Me. Love, Ranjini”
He was Heartbroken at first, His Surgeon consoled him.. “She was a Brave Girl,
despite having severe concussions in the head and Broken Ribs which had hit her
Windpipe and she had started having complexities in Breathing, she only enquired
about your Health.. Perhaps she knew her time had come but she was alive for the
fact that she could help you. She Repeatedly told us to give her Kidneys and Liver
to you, and it was her Persistance and willful acceptance besides her
deteriorating condition that led us to test the Possibilities! She was a Perfect
match for Yours and we ultimately take the call. You were the Only One who could
be Saved..”

Ritwik had leant a New Meaning of Life : LOVE! He devoted the rest of his Life
married to his work, Serving Those in Need and Creating Happiness with all the
many Opportunities that came his Way! Whenever he Felt down in Life, He knew he
was letting Ranjini down and just her thought would miraculously remove all his
Problems.. An Atheist had finally and miraculously found his Personal angel:
Ranjini

“I was dead, then alive.
Weeping, then laughing.

The power of love came into me,
and I became fierce like a lion,
then tender like the evening star.” ~ Rumi

“Be helpless, dumbfounded,
Unable to say yes or no.
Then a stretcher will come from grace
to gather us up.

We are too dull-eyed to see that beauty.
If we say we can, we’re lying.
If we say No, we don’t see it,
That No will behead us
And shut tight our window onto spirit.

So let us rather not be sure of anything,
Beside ourselves, and only that, so
Miraculous beings come running to help.
Crazed, lying in a zero circle, mute,
We shall be saying finally,
With tremendous eloquence, Lead us.
When we have totally surrendered to that beauty,
We shall be a mighty kindness.” ~ Rumi

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