Kya Pyar Hai. Kya hai nahin?

He clicked on the red submit button. After 2 weeks of brain storming (his own brain being the only contributor), he came to the conclusion that he can’t make it to Priya’s birthday this year.

He would have to take 3 days leave to do that. He was saving that for the upcoming Andaman tour that he and the gang had been planning since last March. Andaman was a dream vacation, which he never wanted to miss. Once the fresh leaves get credited, he can visit Priya in next quarter. May be he can ask Priya to come to Hyderabad. Priya would understand. To make up for it, he has sent 2 extra bouquets to her.

‘This online transaction thing really rocks’, he said to himself. ‘No need to be in Delhi to celebrate her birthday. I can send cakes, bouquets and card to her, sitting here in my room in Hyderabad. She likes balloons a lot. I shall send some balloons too.’

1st Feb 2009

‘Hi Babes, Happy Birthday. Many many many many happy returns of the day.’

‘Thanks, Purab.’

‘Sorry I could not call last night. I came very late from office. I had no strength left in me. So hit the bed straight away. I slept at 11 PM itself you see’.

‘Its OK, Purab.’

‘Kya hua? You seem upset. Achha tell me, you got the cake, bouquet & stuff’.

‘Haan, I got them all. Thanks again’.

‘No I can guess the disappointment in your tone. What’s the matter? Tell me do you want anything else. I knew I had to give you something real. Don’t worry. I shall buy you something expensive, when we meet. You know how much I love you’

‘And when will that be?’

‘Offo. I don’t know baba. You see, this new manager depends on me a lot. He would not give me a leave. Why don’t you come to Hyderabad?’

‘You know I have a job too. Since last April, I have taken 8 days leave to meet you. How many leaves have you taken to come to Delhi? Do you realize that I also have a family & some friends? I need leaves to meet them. Have you ever realized that?’

‘Shhhhhhh. Quiet babes. I understand. I try all the times. But yaar yeh manager. Ab mein kya karun?’

‘Manager maar dalega kya? Agle saal humari shaadi hai. Tab bhi yehi bologe? Purab do you love me or not?’

‘I love you babes. Do you even have to ask that? And please don’t cry.’

‘hmmmm. Achha mere ghar se call aa raha hai. Talk to you later. Bye.’

Purab was taken aback by this. He had seen priya crying on small things, but she never cut a call just like that. ‘She must be really mad. I might lose her if I go on like this. I love her so much. I will have to do something. But kya karun? She needs me to come to her. I will go to Delhi. But then What about Andaman? well to hell with Andaman. I can visit it any time. But right now, all i should do is to meet her. I can do anything to make her happy.’

4th Feb 2009

‘Hi Sandeep. Good Morning. ‘

‘Hi Purab. Good Morning. Come in’.

‘Boss, I need leave from office from 13th Feb to 16th Feb. I have to visit my uncle, who is not feeling well.’

‘Ohh. See Purab. You know, how much work is pending on you. You were on leave last Thursday too.’

“Boss, I have already done my work and updated you yesterday. Remember?’

‘No no. More work is round the corner. Client is sitting on my head. You don’t know how much I have to listen from the client’.

‘Boss, this is important. I shall complete everything before I go. That a promise’.

‘Ok. I will approve your leave. But keep in mind that you have to finish every piece of work before you leave. Otherwise chutti canceled.’

‘Thanks Boss. Sure. I shall finish everything. I will get back to my seat and start working right away then. Thanks a lot’

‘Purab. Just a sec. Tell your uncle, ‘Happy Valentines day’.

‘You are a genius, boss’.

12th Feb 2009

‘Abe kya raat bhar kaam karega. Go home buddy. This bloody company does not pay any overtime either’.

‘Who is working for the company? I am working to save my ass. Yaar chutti hai 14th se. kal tak yeh kaam khatam karna hai. Man, I have been slugging day and night since the last 10 days. Still I am nowhere near the completion. Too much work. Upar se manager har kaam mere pe laad deta hai.’

‘Can I help?’

‘No buddy. Go home. Enjoy your evening. I will complete it’.

‘Chalo. Cya then’.

13th Feb 2009 (5.30 PM)

‘Bhaiya. Sarojini eye hospital pata hai kahan hai mehndipatnam mein’.

‘Haan. 150 lagega.’

’150? Meter se to 50 rupye se jyada nahin hoga?’

‘Meter kharab hai. Jana hai to bolo. Airport jaa rahe ho naa? 5000 ki flight ticket le sakte ho, humein 150 rupye nahin de sakte’.

‘arre baba to pura ticket ka paisa hi le loge kya.’

‘Jana hai to bolo’.

‘Achha chalo’.

13th Feb 2009 (6.00 PM)

‘Bhaiya. Yeh airport keliye express bus kab jayega.’

‘ek abhi nikla. Ek fir adhe ghante baad 6:30 ko’.

‘adha ghanta? Mera flight hai 7:30 ka’.

‘to pehle aana tha na’.

‘Please kuch help karo. Mein time pe kaise pahunchunga’.

‘abhi kuch nahin ho sakta. Aap bologe to mein auto buladunga. Taxi keliye rukoge to aur der ho jayegi.’

‘thik hai. Bulado.’

‘abey abdul. Saab airport jayenge. Le jaa.’

‘chaliye saab’.

‘ruko. Kitna paisa loge airport tak ka. Meter se chaloge naa’.

‘saab time se phuncha dunga. Jo samajh mein aaye de dena.’

‘nahin thik se bolo kitna loge’.

‘saab, har koi 400 deta hai. Aap bhi utna hi de dena. Ek rupya jyada nahin maang raha hun’.

‘Sigh. Thik hai. Chalo’.

13th Feb 2009 (6:30 PM)

‘Chalo auto se utro. Bags kholke dikhao’.

‘Hawaldar saab. Kis chiz ki checking chal rahi hai. Dekhiye meri flight hai 7 baje ki, miss ho jayegi, please jaane dijiye’.

‘nahin nahin. Kuch bahana nahin. Kholke dikhao bags.’

‘chaliye, le lijiye talashi. Meri flight miss hui to aap pe case kar dunga’.

‘haan haan. Kar lena case’.

13th Feb 2009 (7.05 PM)

‘Excuse me. Boarding pass please.’

‘Ohh. Haan. Here it is.’

‘Is there any liquid in the bag?’

‘No. my perfume may be.’

‘Sorry sir. Not allowed. Please take it out. You can not take it as part of baggage.’

‘ohh my God. Do I look like some terrorist? It’s just a perfume’.

‘Sorry sir’. You will have to take it out’. ‘OK. Hmmmph.’

13th Feb 2009 (11 PM)

‘Bhaiya ji. GK jana hai. Jhik jhik aur mat karna. Mera dimaag kharab ho chuka hai. Jitna lena hai lelo. Bas 12 baje se pehle pahuncha dena.’

13th Feb 2009 (11 :58 PM)

Tring. Tring. Trrrring. Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring.

‘Who is that?’

No response.

‘Who is that? If you are here to deliver some cake, then go back. I don’t want any cake, bouquet. I want nothing. Just go back’.

‘Priya’.

‘Yeah its Priya and I don’t want anything’.

‘Priya it’s me.’

‘Purab. Is that you?’ opens the door. ‘what….what…how?’

‘Wait a sec. yeah. 12 baj gaye. Happy Valentines Day babes’.

‘But how?’

‘Kyun chutti sirf tumhe milti hai mujhe nahin’.

‘Maarungi. Tumne rula diya mujhe. You didn’t want to come here. Isn’t it? Your boss needs you all the time’.

‘Yeah may be I wouldn’t have come. May be I never bothered to come to Delhi. Because I thought that you love me and you would come anyways. I would meet you then. Till then I would be happy with my office, my work and my friends. But that day your words touched me. I had never realized how much you mean to me. I had always thought you as an important part of my life. But may be at some point, I had started taking you for granted. I had started expecting everything from you, without thinking about giving anything in return.

This trip has helped in me in understanding how much you have to go through each time to reach me. I had never appreciated that. Aaj who saari baton keliye maafi mangta hun.

That day, after talking to you, something else happened. For the first time in my life, I felt that I might lose you. Then I realized that I can’t think about a life without you. 2 weeks back I was very happy with myself that I have fulfilled my duties as a boyfriend by sending you some cakes, bouquets. But I never understood that the gift of being with you is the greatest gift I could ever give you. I assure you, I shall be always there for you, jab tak meri saans mein saans hai.’

‘ek minute ruko, main abhi aati hun’.

‘kahan jaa rahi ho? Meri baat sunke emotional ho gayi kya?’

‘ek minute’.

After few seconds, Priya is back with a box in hand:-

‘Yeh kya hai’.

‘These are all the cards and gifts which you have sent to me from Hyderabad. Milke dekhen?’