SOUL MATE

FICTION-MY SOUL MATE “Hi” I was reading a magazine in the Library, when I was surprised to hear a sweet voice from a lovely girl and looked up. I could not place her “Sir, Don’t you remember me? I am your student in the college. My name is Sunanda.” Slowly I remembered the vivacious girl, who was very talkative and I had to warn her often. She seemed to be wealthy and did not care for her studies. I wondered why she is here in the Library. She offered to give me lunch and we went to a restaurant. She was very talkative. I rarely opened my mouth. Afterwards, she took me home in her car. There was nobody at home. “My parents are doctors and come home very late”: she explained. Her room was full of photographs of film stars, cricket players etc. “Do you play cricket?” “No”, she said. “Don’t you have brothers and sisters?” “No; I am all alone. What about you, Sir?” “Oh, mine is a joint family in far away Keralam. I have all sorts od relatives-uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters, all living under the same roof.” “Wonderful. Wife?” “No. I am thirty four. They are pressing me to marry. “The girls are frightened by the population.” “I love to see your relatives. Here I get bored.” “We can go only in summer vacation.” In the meantime our friendship thickened. We toured in nearby places, unknown, aimlessly, to be moving, to escape from boredom. Often, we took snacks and tea in ramshackle tea shops, full of flies. “What will your doctor parents say, if we are seen here?” “I damn care. How do street children survive?” At last, the much awaited vacation came and we decided to go home in her car, driven by chauffer. We broke journey whenever we felt. I found that she was interested in temples and hills. “What do you pray?” : I asked. “To get a good husband”. After twenty days, we reached my home, on the bank of a river. “How enchanting! I love to stay here all my life.” She loved the orchard, full of mango trees, jack trees, etc, the cattle shed and almost everything there. She ate chips and ripe mangoes. She talked to all people, irrespective of their sex. Children were happy to get plenty of chocolates. Uncle never gives us anything- they complained about me. Sometimes, we went through the river, in a small canoe, made of mango tree. Village people looked at the lady in pants and made their own stories about us. One day we met my friend living on the bank of the river. He was very happy and gave us tender coconuts, with delicious juice. She had deliberately switched off her mobile phone. I contacted the college and found out that she has failed. “Who cares? I must learn to milk the cow here. That is more important.” “Why for?” “To help the people here.” “Are you going to stay here permanently?” “I talked to Maji. She is uncommitted.” “Here we do not marry, without seeing your horoscope.” “Are you supersticious?” “Not my opinion; my parents too must agree.” From her date of birth, a horoscope was made. It showed that I would die, if I married her. “In that case, I too will jump into the river.” I talked to Maji. We decided to consult her parents. When the college reopened, I flew to Delhi. Sunanda’s parents came to the college to see me. I explained the position thus: “We are good friends. She is stubborn and invariably I give in. About marriage, it is left to my parents; I do not like to disobey them.” They enquired about the route to my village and left. I used to hear from Suanda almost daily. It seems that she was born in America and the time of her birth has to be modified accordingly. So the objection did not exist. Will her parents agree for our marriage? I could not suffer the pangs of separation. To while away the time, I started writing about history, which was her subject. All my notes were e:mailed to her. She never replied, but phoned to me several times a day. She started borrowing books from the town library and completed my teaching notes. Then she flew to Delhi and we continued as before. Instead of blabbering like a child, now she asked questions about her subject. In the end, she passed her examination with good marks. This made a lasting impression on her mother. I met her for the first time. She was more beautiful than her daughter and almost my age. She hugged me and thanked me profusely for tutoring Sunanda. She hinted about her consent for our marriage. When we met the next time, we embraced and declared our love for each other!