It was a hot summer day in Chennai and traffic in OMR was as
usual horrible. Vishnu was heading towards sholinganallur to his office. He was
late as usual and rushing in his Honda city. It has been two years since Vishnu
had joined Infosys after completing his MBA. He had a good run in the company,
travelling abroad twice and a good hike last month. Vishnu was staying in
Thiruvanmiyur with his college friend Arun, who also worked with him in the
same office.
They had to stop in the Tidal park signal. The traffic was
heavy.
“Macha, it would take another half an hour for us to reach”
Arun said in a sad tone.
Vishnu: “My boss had already called me twice da :-( “
They had no other go other than to sit and wait, listening
to fm.
The traffic on the other side had started moving. A private
company’s bus was passing by. Vishnu was looking at it and suddenly he noticed
someone. A beautiful girl in a Blue salwar, sitting near the window, wearing
earphones .The very moment Vishnu recognised her. Neethu!!!
Neethu was Vishnu’s College senior during MBA. Vishnu always
had a crush on her but never spoke much with her. They were not in touch over
the years. All he knew was she was working in Chennai.
“Oh my God!!!!
Neethu!!! “It looked like a dream to him. Everything around was happening in a
slow motion. He was staring at her without a blink of an eye.
‘ Eppo ivlo Alaghana ponna Maarina Neethu !!!”
“Un paarvaiyil Viluntha naal muthal, en
thunbangal maranthu ponathu…
Un kaiviral sera thudikithu anbae anbae” - song played in FM.
The bus had moved and yet Vishnu was still frozen to the
moment. Arun had to shake him to bring him back.
Arun: “Enna Macha??”
Vishnu:
(delighted tone)” Macha Neethu da…!!
Arun: “which
Neethu?”
Vishnu was not listening... Vishnu (looking outside the
windows): “Macha she has gone...”
He stepped out of the
car and started to run towards the divider. Arun was shocked to see this. The
traffic was cleared and vehicles had started to move. He moved quickly to the driver’s seat and took
a u- turn in the signal. Vishnu had jumped over the divider and crossed to the
other side but she had gone. He stopped an auto passing by and got into that
and asked the driver to follow the bus.
Arun couldn’t find him and so he called him to his mobile.
Vishnu was not picking up.
The auto followed the bus which went another 200 metres and
turned left into an office building.
Vishnu got down there looking at the bus moving inside the
gates.
“What am I doing here? .why did I come here? Why am I acting
so crazy??” Vishnu didn’t have answers to these questions. He was out of the
world.
“Azhago
Azhagu Aval Kannazhagu
Avalpol Illai Oru Paerazhagu”
Avalpol Illai Oru Paerazhagu”
He took his mobile and saw 5 missed calls from Arun. He
called back.
Arun: ” A******
where are you?
Vishnu: In front
of Sigma Systems.
Arun: “what are
you doing there?”
Vishnu: “come and
Pick me up “he had cut the call.
Arun reached there in 2 Mins. Vishnu got into the car. They
made a U turn again and were heading back towards their office. Vishnu was
explaining Arun about things that had happened.
Arun: Neethu!!
That senior girl? Adapaavi u never told me?
Vishnu: “I always
had a Crush on her da! In the one year she was there in our college I desperately
wanted to talk to her but didn’t have the courage to approach her. I never knew
I had missed her so much in life until the moment I saw her today. “
“Mutharkanavae… Mutharkanavae…
Marubadi
yaen Vanthai...
Nee marubadi yaen Vanthai “
Arun had to stop the car in the same signal and they could
see people crowded near the crossing area.
Arun: “looks like
an accident”
Vishnu:” Get down
let’s take a look”
They walked past the crowd and noticed a Girl lying
unconscious. People around had called
for an ambulance and there was another girl sitting close to her, may be her
friend.
Vishnu went around to see her face. He couldn’t believe what
he saw there.
It was the same Neethu!!!
‘But how did she?’
Vishnu:” Arun …
Its Neethu da.”
Arun: (totally
confused) “what?? “He moved in and could recognise her. There wasn’t any major
injury.
Vishnu: “What
happened to her?” He was asking the girl sitting near Neethu.
“She was hit by an auto while crossing the signal” she
replied and was almost in tears.
Vishnu: “I Know
her. Neethu was my College mate. Can you help me in getting her into my car,
the hospital is nearby” he was rushing.
They lifted her and placed her in the back seat and Vishnu
started to drive to Lifeline Hospital which was a km away.
Vishnu: “Btw am
Vishnu, Neethu’s junior During MBA“
“I’m Suja, I Work with her in Sigma. “
Vishnu: “What was
she doing in the signal?”
Suja: “I don’t
know. All of a sudden she got down from the bus and started to walk towards the
signal to cross. Seeing her I got down and saw her hit by an auto”
They had reached the Hospital. Vishnu rushed in to get a
wheel chair. Placed her on it and moved towards the emergency ward.
One hour later:
Neethu was admitted in a room at 3rd floor. She was alright
except for few scratches. She had become unconscious due to the shock .The
Doctor said she could be discharged the same day.
Suja was sitting near her.
Suja: “Neethu!! How
do you feel now?”
Neethu: “What
happened? “
Suja: “Just a
small accident. U ran into an auto while crossing the signal. Thank god your
friends were there to get to you to the hospital”
Neethu:
“Friends?? Who?”
“Hi Neethu” Arun
answered entering the room.
Neethu was surprised to see Arun.
Neethu: “Arun? …
How r you? Been a long time “
Arun: “Yeah am
doing fine J “
Neethu: ”You’re
working here in Chennai?”
Arun: “Yeah,
Infosys… btw what were you doing in the signal?”
Neethu: “I …. I….
“After a pause... “I saw one of my friends on the other side. So just got down
to meet”
Vishnu: “Who’s
that friend? He entered the room with
big smile holding a Water bottle and Medicine.
Neethu was shocked to the core. She was frozen.
“Idiot it’s you!!! Never thought I would see you here in
Chennai today. I saw you sitting in the car waiting in the signal. Immediately
got down from the bus and walked towards the signal to catch you. Thought I
could act as if I met u accidently while crossing the road. All this mad rush
was to see you da.
But why did I do that????
What happened with me? Why did I act s crazy today? Yes I always had a crush on him but never told
him. I haven’t heard from him for past two years and today all of a sudden he
appears before me and I do all this to meet him!!! Enga Iruntha da ivlo naala??? “ Neethu was talking to herself…
When
Vishnu saw her bus moving he stepped out of the car and crossed the divider and
started to chase the bus while at the same time Neethu had got down from the
bus and walked towards the signal to see him and both didn’t meet, being at the
same place at same time. Fate?
Vishnu:”Neethu
are you alright? “
Neethu: “Vishhhnu!!!
“ Her Voice was stammering.
They were chatting for an hour, both excited and happy.
Arun: “Vishnu!
Your Boss has been calling for a long time now I think we have to leave”
Vishnu: (He
wanted to kill him right away for spoiling but had no choice but to leave) “Ya...
Let’s go!”-
Vishnu: “Alright Neethu,
Take rest. I got go now, I can come in the evening and drop you at home.”
Suja: ” Don’t
worry Vishnu. I’ll take her, our office
car would be here soon”
Vishnu: (another
kill???) “Oh ok suja.” See you then …Bye Neethu Take care.
Vishnu and Arun reached the parking lot.
Arun:”
Macha!!! May be she got down to meet you.
Just like you... :-) “
Vishnu looked above towards the window in Neethu’s room. She
was lying there looking at him. She looked at him as if she never wanted him to
leave. That very moment Vishnu knew it... ‘ Enna ponnu da iva !!! ‘
Vishnu:”
Macha!!!!! …. I’m in Love …...!!! “
“Enakkena Yaerkanavae…… Pirandhaval Ivalo
Idhayathai Kayiru katti…… IzhuthavaL ivalo
Oli sindhum iru kangaL ….Uyir vaangum Siru Idhazhgal
ennullae ennullae ….yaedhaedho seigiradhae”
Idhayathai Kayiru katti…… IzhuthavaL ivalo
Oli sindhum iru kangaL ….Uyir vaangum Siru Idhazhgal
ennullae ennullae ….yaedhaedho seigiradhae”
But what did really happen in their college days????
-To
be continued.
Comments
Expecting the next part eagerly...