lipak
When the Universe Conspires!
June 2004
Ajay saw her for the first time in a train on his way to Khandala. He couldn't take his eyes off her. There she was like an angel, in the midst of all that chaos that typifies rail travel in India. He wanted to keep looking at her oblivious of the fact that there were other people around. But the aisle was crowded, and all he could manage were a few glimpses.
Soon came the Khandala station, and he so desperately wanted her to get down there with him. But she sat there lost in her thoughts. Sadly he got down and was beginning to move towards the station gate when it hit him. The train had started so he just dropped his luggage and ran towards the compartment door from where he had exited. People standing at the door thought he wanted to board the train and he saw hands reaching out towards him. He ran alongside the train for what seemed an eternity, at a speed which was much beyond what he deemed were his physical limits. But then he got to see what he wanted to and dropped the chase. The occupant of seat 34 according to that barely legible reservation chart beside the compartment door was F22 Priya J
March 2005
Many months had gone by and many work related trips along that route were taken, but he had never seen her again. The train journey to Pune was no longer a time to take a nap. Instead, his eyes remained wide open and searching, through countless reservation charts and train compartments. He was eligible for air travel - business class, but then in matters of the heart which he had hopelessly lost in that dingy train, there is no room for logic. There were times when Ajay really scolded himself for his behavior. It seemed silly, stupid, crazy whatever. But he didn't care. So be it. Should he have gone and talked to her at that time? But what would he have said!?
December 2005
Finally the day came when he was headed to Pune for his final client presentation. Henceforth, he would have no periodic excuse to go that route. But as fate would have it, excessive rains meant the trains that day got cancelled & the highways were also blocked. Since he had to make it on the same day, he decided to fly down. On his way to the airport, Ajay decided that he should take this as some kind of a ˜sign', and take her out of his mind.
He boarded the flight and switched on his laptop to fine tune the presentation. As he was working on what his recommendations would be, he heard the airhostess say ˜Apple or Lemon juice'. Ajay looked at her, and after about 2 seconds during which his face would have shown a multitude of emotions including disbelief and happiness, he said ˜Lemon juice please!Priya'.
June 2004
Ajay saw her for the first time in a train on his way to Khandala. He couldn't take his eyes off her. There she was like an angel, in the midst of all that chaos that typifies rail travel in India. He wanted to keep looking at her oblivious of the fact that there were other people around. But the aisle was crowded, and all he could manage were a few glimpses.
Soon came the Khandala station, and he so desperately wanted her to get down there with him. But she sat there lost in her thoughts. Sadly he got down and was beginning to move towards the station gate when it hit him. The train had started so he just dropped his luggage and ran towards the compartment door from where he had exited. People standing at the door thought he wanted to board the train and he saw hands reaching out towards him. He ran alongside the train for what seemed an eternity, at a speed which was much beyond what he deemed were his physical limits. But then he got to see what he wanted to and dropped the chase. The occupant of seat 34 according to that barely legible reservation chart beside the compartment door was F22 Priya J
March 2005
Many months had gone by and many work related trips along that route were taken, but he had never seen her again. The train journey to Pune was no longer a time to take a nap. Instead, his eyes remained wide open and searching, through countless reservation charts and train compartments. He was eligible for air travel - business class, but then in matters of the heart which he had hopelessly lost in that dingy train, there is no room for logic. There were times when Ajay really scolded himself for his behavior. It seemed silly, stupid, crazy whatever. But he didn't care. So be it. Should he have gone and talked to her at that time? But what would he have said!?
December 2005
Finally the day came when he was headed to Pune for his final client presentation. Henceforth, he would have no periodic excuse to go that route. But as fate would have it, excessive rains meant the trains that day got cancelled & the highways were also blocked. Since he had to make it on the same day, he decided to fly down. On his way to the airport, Ajay decided that he should take this as some kind of a ˜sign', and take her out of his mind.
He boarded the flight and switched on his laptop to fine tune the presentation. As he was working on what his recommendations would be, he heard the airhostess say ˜Apple or Lemon juice'. Ajay looked at her, and after about 2 seconds during which his face would have shown a multitude of emotions including disbelief and happiness, he said ˜Lemon juice please!Priya'.