SMS

Three single-seater sofas are arranged, one along each side of the rectangular teapoy, in the middle of main hall, in a single bedroom flat.

Sandeep came with a laptop, sat in one sofa and kept his phone there on teapoy.

Avinash came, sat in another sofa, took the newspaper on teapoy and started reading it seriously. Hemanth entered with a guitar, occupied the third one and started playing guitar.

Each one is busy doing their work. 15 minutes later phone on the teapoy ringed with a message tone. For two minutes none of them responded. Again another message ring came.

“Sandeep, a message came.” said avinash.

“Yeah” sandeep picked up phone.

“Wat r u doing darling. Dis is sireesha. My new number.”

“Sweety, reply karo.”

These 2 messages appeared from an unknown number on sandeep’s phone. He smiled looking at them and put the phone back on teapoy and started working in laptop.

Few minutes later another message ring came. Avinash flipped the newspaper and looked first at phone on the teapoy and then at sandeep.

“Arey, who is it?” asked avinash.

“Nothing yar.” sandeep picked up phone and left the place silently and smilingly.

Watching this, hemanth stopped playing guitar and chuckled at avinash “Girl friend uh?”

“Seems so. Sir is smiling into phone.” said avinash.

Both squinted at sandeep as he was leaving the room looking into phone, texting with hand and smile on face.

“Hai sireesha.” sandeep replied to that unknown number.

“Is this sandeep?” reply came from unknown.

“Yes I am.” replied sandeep.

“You’re calling me sireesha?” reply came from unknown.

Sandeep thought “Oh, how do I reply now…c’mon god, give me a thought.”

“That’s your name…” replied sandeep.

“Ok baby. U can call me as u wish. But I like ‘siri’ only. Anyways, wat is the plan today?” reply came from unknown number.

Sandeep thought “Thank god. You’re great.” and replied  “Plan?”

“O my god. Wat hapend 2 u today. Y r u talking newly. Forgot our sunday plan? U don’t want to see me?”

“Yeah. Where shall we meet?” sandeep proceeded ahead with a guess and said to himself “Seems interesting. Lets play a game today.”

“Diamond park, 11 O’clock sharp. I’ve to leave within 10 mins.” reply came from unknown.

“Sure. I’ll be there on time.” replied sandeep without second thought.

“Dis is our first time meeting na, how will u identify me?”

Seeing this message sandeep was excited very much and curiosity increased. He wanted to continue the chat, but confused as to how to reply to that message.

Very cautiously and very intelligently sandeep replied “How many days happened since we started talking?”

“From the first day onwards when I opened fb account.” reply came from unknown.

Sandeep laughed and understood the matter “The number was a girl’s and a facebook friend. God, you’re great again.”

“I don’t remember that date.” cleverly replied sandeep.

“Exactly one year back same date as today. So I asked u in last chat to meet today at 11.” unknown replied.

Sandeep thought “C’mon, this is crazy. What a morning today I’ve. Thank god. Please help me proceed further.” and replied “Oh. Dats great. Let’s meet at 11 in the park. I’ll get ready. Bye.”

In half an hour sandeep got ready and started to leave the home. Avinash and hemanth are still there in the hall reading newspaper and playing guitar.

“Where are you going sandeep?” asked Avinash.

“Have a small work outside. I’ll be back in an hour.” said sandeep with a glowing face.

“Dressed very stylish, a perfume, goggles in hand… where are you going? Meeting a girl friend?” hemanth asked sandeep very casually..

“Nothing like that dude. Just like that…Fresh morning, nice weather… just a ride and will buy some fruits and eatables.” said sandeep very enthusiastically.

“Hmm. Go ahead.” replied avinash.

As soon as sandeep reached the park a message came from unknown “Sorry sandy. My uncle took me to shopping. I cant come nw darling ;-(.”

Sandeep was upset and replied “Its ok. V vl meet nxt time.”

He was dull and sat on a bench in the park thinking who she would be, what she would look like etc.

“We r at cake plaza.” a message came again from unknown.

“Y” replied sandeep.

“Tmrw is frndship day na, we r plng a big party tonight in my hstl.”

“Wow, dats great dear.”

“Hmm yes, this is our last sem in btech na, we want to celebrate grandly.”

Sandeep thought, “God, you’re answering every question in my mind. Wow, what a day it is. I’m getting all the information that I wanted.” and replied “I wish u a very happy frndshp day to u all. enjoy a lot.”

“thnk u dear. btw, wat r ur plans? r u nt partying wid ur rum mats?” reply came from unknown.

“No darling. V didnt plan anythng.”

“then do 1 thing. Give a surprise party to ur rum mats tonight.”

“Surprise? wat can i give?”

“wat do ur rum mats like most?”

“They r all drunkards. They dont like anythng.”

“No sandy. Dont tell like dat. U told u like ur frnds a lot. U said u’ll do anythng for them na.”

“Yes yes. Bt I dont knw wat to surprise them and how to..”

“Ok. they r drunkards. Surprise them with drink party then.”

“Drink party? They vl drink a lot. Those drinks r costly. I can’t afford.”

“No sandy. Dis is frndshp day. Wen u like ur frnds very much, give them wat they wanted.”

“Ok darling. Jst bcoz u said, i’l give dem drink party. alright?”

“So sweeeeeeet of u darling.”

“Thanq. I’m leaving park now. Bye.”

“Bye sandy.”

Sandeep thought “Drink party to my friends? Oh my god. There can’t be a bigger foolish thing than this. Last time they drank and made me a fool talking nonsense about my new friend swathi . They made fun of me and her. Unfortunately I lost her friendship because of these rascals. I have got a girlfriend now. I’ll teach them a lesson by introducing siri to them. They will shut their mouths and stop joking. I’ll not give them drink party till then. I am not a fool.”

By the time he reached home lunch was made ready by Avinash and Hemanth. The trio ate very happily and talked their daily casual things. Throughout the afternoon and evening sandeep continued chatting with unknown number. This time he got more and more information about her – her likes, dislikes, tastes etc. He created an image of her in his mind and fantasized himself. It was 11 O’clock in the night.

Avinash said “Sandeep, tomorrow is friendship day. We will have a party at 12. What do you say?”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s party and enjoy tonight..” said sandeep very jovially.

“You’re rocking the entire day with full energy, aren’t you?” interjected hemanth.

“Of course. We are friends. Friendship day tomorrow. Let’s rock together tonight.” said sandeep.

“Ok, me and hemanth will go and bring something for party. You take care of the room.” said avinash. Hemanth patted sandeep on his shoulder and left the place.

A message ring came again to sandeep.

“Darling, wat abt ur surprise to ur frnds?”

“Is it really necessary to give them drink party siri?”

“of course dal. Friend in need is a friend indeed. And u knw wat, i’m gng to cake plaza to collect my cake.Will u come nw?”

“ok, don’t go sentimental. I’ll give party. I’ll surprise them tonight. Dats a gud news frm u. I’ll come there in few mins.”

:”Arey sandeep, I am shouting here about party. Can’t you hear? Have you gone mad with that phone? Is that your lover-cum-friend swathi?” questioned avinash very sarcastically laughed loudly..

“Hey avinash, cool dude. I’ve got work with a friend of mine I gotta go outside to meet him now.” said sandeep.

“Friend? Meeting at this hour outside?” questioned avinash.

“Old friend dude. I gotta go. Bye.” sandeep left the place swiftly without answering further. He took the bike and rushed to cake plaza shop. As he reached there a message came again from unknown.

“Sry sandy, my frnds also came wid me. So couldnt msg u. I’ve gone back.”

“Oh noo… I’m upset once again darling.”

“Next time ther shal b no failure. We vl meet definitly.”

“Ok dals.”

“Btw, u bought drinks 4 ur frnds?”

“nt yet”

“y”

“I’m at cake plaza. Bar is in other street.”

“Den hav a cake party also. U dnt like it?”

“Hmm, i’ll do as u wish. U r my dear.”

“cho chweeeeeeeeeeeet of u darling.”

“same 2 u darling…”

In another half an hour sandeep reached home with cake and drinks. He was full energetic with images of Sireesha in mind and was hoping to impress her by giving party to his friends as she directed. As he entered home, avinash and hemanth were already sitting there on the chairs looking at him as if they were waiting for him.

“Guys, see what have I brought for you tonight. Cake and drinks. Lets party tonight.” said sandeep rushing towards the teapoy in an excited state.

“Thank you dude. You’re so great.” said hemanth.

“You’re so kind.” said avinash.

“You’re so nice.” said hemanth.

“You’re so loving” said avinash.

“Arey, stop it. I know all that. Don’t be sentimental. Let’s enjoy first.” said sandeep and opened three bottles.

“Cheers!!!” the trio started drinking.

Immediately sandeep took his phone and tried to call sireesha to wish her a happy friendship day. Meanwhile hemanth and avinash were drinking bears.

A phone is ringing on the teapoy.

“Arey hemanth, phone is ringing here.” said sandeep and turned his head away.

Hemanth watched the phone on teapoy, took it and had thrown it to avinash. Avinash cut the call and thrown it back to hemanth again..

“Oh, she cut my first phone call. Bad.” said sandeep.

“Who is she?” asked avinash.

“Nothing.” said sandeep and started calling again. This time phone rang in hemanth’s hand. Sandeep saw this and cut the call. Ring stopped in hemanth’s hand.

“Sireesha’s phone ringing at you?” asked sandeep looking very doubtly at hemanth.

“Yes, Sireesha, facebook, party… that’s my new number. Save it dude. Happy friendship day.” said Avinash and gave a big high-five to hemanth.

__END__