Romantic Short Story – WITNESS
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
(Note: Image does not illustrate or has any resemblance with characters depicted in the story)
From the day I left my job I became clueless of what exactly I wanted to do. Nothing was regular and proper except me going to Gokulam Park every evening. Like every park in the town it was so isolated and calm, being on the edge of the busiest road it was much polluted, noisy and not so green, hence nobody liked to come to the park except few workaholic parents who bring their kids to play while they spend all their time talking to their stupid boss over phone. The park was semicircular, had a separate small playground which kept the kids busy. In the centre there was a mini fake mountain set and falls. There was a old tree near the falls which shed yellow flowers in the evening. The tree was so big, grey and handsome.There was a sit-out exactly between the falls and the tree, it became my private lounge.
One more clueless day, I went to the park, had a crime novel “Nemesis” by Agatha Cristie. I’ve been carrying it around for quite a while and I’ve no idea when I’d complete reading it. As a routine I did my first job of counting the yellow flowers. The place opposite to me was empty and near it was a trash-can that often reminded me how lonely and waste I’m, hence I purposely avoided looking at it. I took a break for every two pages. The thing I hate about Agatha is she wants us to remember so many names and situations, I wonder she never knew that her books would be read by fools like me. So reading her book was tiring yet challenging for me. For the first time in my life I badly wanted to complete this book…
During the break I used to recollect the names and characters….Mr. Rafel Stopkins the doctor…Miss Jane Marple the detective….and Mr. Arthur….I’m not sure about one name..that carpenter’s name…Arthur Jackson or Arthur Johnson…!!! UFFF…It’s really tough, believe me. I looked around and my eyes got stuck by seeing a girl coming in through the main entrance. She is in, now there was a boy behind her, he was calling her and she did’nt respond, since it was happening at a distance it was not audible, so let us imagine he called her “Viji”.
Viji was so simple yet elegant. She was wearing a black salwar. Her twisted eyebrows and not so well done makeup and pedicures suggests me that she is really very young probably in her teens. The boy behind her was wearing a green t-shirt and blue jeans. Viji walked across me and sat in the empty space near the trash-can. The boy also sat next to her. Viji looks pretty much tensed and the amount of nails she bit and threw shows she is angry too. I’ve this habit of looking at people’s hands and their gestures, somehow I feel their hands spoke more than the eyes. Coming back to Viji’s hands, she was busy rotating a pen but the pen seems to be happy in her hands which was obvious. She looked everywhere except the boy, her eyes even crossed me twice.
Both acted so naive, never shared eye contact. The boy carefully started talking, I bet he has made some homework. Instantly it showed that they are in love, b’cos in love men are more active and attentive. The boy seems to be very stubborn and never stopped talking. I’ve forgotten everything..the yellow flowers, falls, trash can, Agatha Cristie and I think even my phone rang twice. I gazed upon them wondering what did the boy do to make her terribly desperate. Lovers have so many problems that are customized and unpredictable. I guess nothing is more important to the boy than pacifying his lady love.
Now, Viji is seriously leaving and the boy is running behind her. I somehow managed to go behind them. Viji took her bicycle, she put her books in the front basket. The boy was standing infront of her not allowing her to leave; now the great thing is that I was able to hear their conversation…
Viji : I’ve to go
Boy : Please Kavi please…..Finally her name is not Viji.
Kavi : I dont want to see you anymore
Boy : Please Kavi I will not do it anymore…..I wish I’ve shouted to the boy saying girls don’t like pleases, they actually like more love yous and sorrys.
Boy : Sorry Kavi…I love you so much…(Guess he had heard my mind voice)
And finally Kavi stopped crying and gave the cycle to the boy, while he took it from her hand and she gave two slaps and said “Love you too”. After that he started riding the cycle and she sat on the back, They both turned back looked at me and smiled…Till the cycle became invisible I stood there as a witness for their love. Love is a kind of wonderful feeling its unconditional, illogical, divine….
And by the way it was Mr. Arthur Johnson not Jackson…
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