Only Memories!!

"Some people come into our lives and leaves footprints in our hearts." Sad part is we realize it only when they have left forever. One such person who came into my life and left footprints in my heart forever is "Apurv Ajmera".

When I think of him, I remember him as a very fun loving person, pulling everyone's leg and cracking joke on every other thing. I met him for the first time in my previous organisation at one of  my friend's farewell party. Obviously I had heard a lot about him before that. We talked for the first time that day, he was very surprised to know that I am also a "Manchester United football club" fan (girls usually don't watch it). We became good friends instantly thanks to MUFC thing. I remember how we use to discuss every match fact on office communicator or sometimes late at night via smses. I really miss those MUFC discussion with him. :(

He would call me "Sundyyyy" in his typical accent. Once I told him Appu its not "Sundyy" but "Sandy", he smiled and said "haan haan wahi toh keh raha hun", "Sundyyyyy" and we both burst into laughter. Those laughter and smiles, now just leaves behind tears in my eyes. Before moving to Pune from Mumbai, he invited us for lunch at his place. I remember, entire afternoon he went on and on about his favorite manager (one who should not be named). That was the last time I saw him. I have not known him for a very long time but his personality was such that I felt as if I have known him for my entire life. He was one such person who would mingle easily with everyone.

When it came to work, he was very passionate. He would give his 100% into all of his projects. More often than not, he would end up having fight with test lead over defects, quality or deadline. His fight with testers was very famous and common thing. But somehow, we had good understanding between us and always kept our personal and professional relationship separate. Some people say it was his dedication towards work that took him away from us.

I still remember that unfortunate morning. It was around 05.00 am when my phone rang. I answered the call with my eyes still closed. It was from a colleague. She asked me "Sandhya tumhare pass Apurv ki wife ka number hai kya?" I replied lazily " No, but why do you need it at this time"(I thought he must have kept his phone off purposely so that office people don't disturb him early morning). She said "Apurv had an accident while going office and police is not ready to disclose anything, Police wants to contact his family member only" hearing this my eyes opened wide along with mouth. I asked her again "What are you saying?  Is he ok?" She said "I don't know" and disconnected the call. After sometime she called me back and confirmed about his death.  I froze, my mind stopped working. I had no idea what to do. I closed my eyes and slide show of his memories begun in my mind. I lost one of my dear friend that day.

He has left us forever but not without lighting our lives with his fond memories. I am not writing this in grief that he is no more but in thankfulness that I have known him(doesn't matter for short period of time). He will always be missed by his family and friends like me.

Remembering him on his birthday ie 12th May.

Ek choti si love story--Part 2

Contd from....Ek choti si love story--Part 1

Obviously now I wanted to know whether he was single or committed? I went ahead and checked  his entire profile, all his status updates and all his pictures. Everything looked good, no sign of commitment. Sigh of relief it was for me. "Yo Sandy, go ahead and get him" I said to myself. While checking his profile I figured out that he was also football fan. My happiness knew no boundaries. I desperately want my partner to be a football fan. Only sad part was that he was supporting my rival team. I ignored that too. (Love is really blind)

To be very frank, I can blabber something or other entire day but when it comes to situation like these, my brain stops working I just can't think what to say. Exactly same thing would happen whenever he would be around. Coincidentally, couple of times we shared same lift, many times lunch table but I never had the guts to go and simply say hello to him or just smile at him.

With each passing day I was falling more and more for him. I remember it was Sunday night and I was not sleeping but thinking about him. I said to myself " Its almost 15 days now, Its high time that now I should go and talk to him." I decided that I will go and praise his game. I even decided the words to be used, If he wins the game I'll say "Wow you just smashed the opponents" in case if he loses "Well played, better luck next time."

I went office and rehearsed my lines many times in washroom. I was eagerly waiting to see him around. Finally I saw him near lift, he was wearing white tee shirt with our company's name and logo on left side and jeans. I was surprised to see him in casuals on Monday. "Why is he leaving so early today?" I said to myself. While I was just wondering about all the possibilities, lift arrived, he entered the lift and disappeared.

I came back to my desk, immediately typed his name on office communicator. He was offline. My heart sank. I thought, he must not be feeling well may be that's why he left early. Next day, as soon as I logged in my machine, I again checked his status it was still offline. I was worried what happened, why was he not in office?

After two days, when I typed his name again to check his status, "No results found" message displayed. I thought I might have misspelled his name. I typed his name again, same message appeared. I immediately opened our corporate directory and checked over there. His name was missing from corporate directory too. It was very clear by now that he had left our organisation. Tears fell out of my eyes. I thought why this happened to me, first time ever I felt so strongly about someone and before I could do something, he was taken away from me.

My situation was exactly like that song "Dil Jude bina hi tut gaye...hath mile bina hi chut gaye....ki lekhe ne lekh kismat ne..."

After few days, I got a ping from Mr.stranger:
Mr.Stranger: Hi
Me: Hi
Mr.Stranger: I think you are new here.
Me: Yes I am.
Mr.Stranger: I think you like table tennis. At least you watch it with great interest.
I was like huh, who was watching table tennis?? I was busy with something else only.
Me: Umm, Yeah I like watching it. But how you know my name?
Mr.Stranger: I read it on your I-card.
I was like OMG, While I was busy drooling on him, someone else was drooling on me too. I smiled and closed the chat and never bothered to find who that stranger was?

Lessons learnt from entire scene:
1)Don't assume that you have all the time in the world to get your love. As soon as you like someone go and say it.
2)When one door closes another door opens for sure. Its up to to you whether you want to walk through that door or not.


P.S: All characters appearing in this work is purely fictitious, any resemblance to real person living or dead is purely coincidental.  

Ek choti si love story!!

“Arey Mera Fried Rice kal dega kya” someone shouted standing next to me near lunch counter in cafeteria of my office.  I turned my head to see who this “Angry Man” was?? He must have been of same age as mine. His height was average. Fair complexion with neatly combed hair, big black eyes, He was wearing grey tee shirt and jeans. He was looking bit angry on café boy.

“Sir bas 5 min aur lagega” said the café boy, “Mai idar hi baitha hun, awaz dena” he said and left the counter. I took my plate and spoon and went back to my table to have lunch with my colleagues.  It was 14^th feb so most of them in café were in red attire. Most of them were discussing about leaving early to spend evening with their partners. I silently continued to have my lunch thinking this year again I am single on Valentine’s Day. “Such a waste I am, I have wasted 25 vdays” I said to myself. 

After having lunch, I usually go for walk with my friends without fail. Actually no! we don't go for walk but for talk. We just take one round of the garden and go and sit somewhere and talk and talk. But that day due to some reason both my girls were busy so I didn't go for walk. I was already feeling a bit low, you know it's really  a torture to be single on valentine's day. Heart shaped balloons, chocolates and gifts....oh every girl wants that, admit it, even I wanted it. I said to myself  "so what I am single? I love myself and I will get chocolate for myself." I got up from my desk and moved towards Phase 1 cafeteria  to buy myself chocolates.

Near Phase 1 cafe, our office guys have placed TT table which is always occupied. I rarely see it empty, I wonder people come to office for working or playing TT. I bought myself a big Dairy Milk, happily I took the first bite standing near TT table. When I saw around TT table, it was the same "angry man" from phase 3 cafe waiting for his turn to play TT. That very moment cupid's arrow hit my heart very hard. He turned to me and our eyes met. He smiled at me, I smiled at him back. My heart started racing, my palm was sweating. I felt as if everything around me has disappeared, only one left around me is him. I tried to take off my eyes from him, oh ghosh, my eyes were not ready to listen to my command. Thankfully I came back to my senses and said to myself  "Sandy move your ass from here or else you'll mess up everything" and I came back to my desk.

I was sitting on my desk physically but mentally I was still near TT table. I felt as if I lost something over there, what was it? my peace of mind, my sleep or my heart?  I felt as if a background music is going on in my mind "Tujhe dekha toh yeh jaana sanam...pyaar hota hai deewana sanam". Hey hold on, who was he, I didn't even knew what his name was? How could I fall for someone at first sight. Frankly speaking I never believed in love at first sight till that day. I always felt it is very important to know a person very well or may be only after spending sometime with the person one can fall in love. But I proved myself wrong.

That night I couldn't sleep properly I kept thinking about him.  My condition was exactly like that song by A.R.Rehman "Kehna hi kya yeh nain ek anjaan se jo mile, woh hamse hamse unse kabhi na mile kaise mile dil na jaane"

I immediately texted my bestie about my new crush. She replied "Hahaha...One more crush...but Yadav hai kya woh?". I don't know why but my bestie doesn't approve my crushes if they are not Yadav. I replied her "I don't even know what his name is....tu surname pe pahuch gayi..and I don't care woh Yadav hai ya nahi." Now, My next target was to find out his name? But How? I was new to this place I didn't knew anyone, who would help me out here. I was clueless. Next day when I met my girls at post lunch walk, I told them about the entire scene. They suggested me few tips and tricks to find information about him. Like every evening my girls and guy (only guy left in our group) went down to have some tea. While returning, I saw him at one of tapris, I immediately signaled my girls and guy that its him. I must say my girls are very notorious. They told me, "Hey sandy lets hide behind that bus and see what he is doing." We did the same, as soon as he started moving towards our office building we pretended as if we were also going in the same direction. Basically we were stalking him.

The more I would see him in cafeteria or in office premises more I would fall for him. I was desperate to know his name. By Now, I had managed to figure out his typical time when he preferred playing TT. I would reach to see him play. I would pretend as if I am texting someone and from the corner of my eyes would check him out. One fine day while doing same, I heard someone calling "D**, throw ball here". I looked up and saw he was standing with one more guy. I got confused whether he is d** or person standing near him.
That was enough for me to find his information from facebook. I went home and searched with name "D** and my company's name" from thousands of search results, I saw one profile having his profile picture. When I opened his profile, I was surprised to see his full name "D**** Yadav" I was like woah....I found him.

                                                                                                                .................to be continued



P.S:All characters appearing in this work is purely fictitious, any resemblance to real person living or dead is purely coincidental.