The rendezvous hours of family discussion after a long period of two and half years and in-person interaction with Soumya stimulated my pensive heart as such it allayed the foot pressure on accelerator. Moving down the lane on the outskirts of Marwar, a couple seemed to be waving for lift but they didn't get on the buses moving ahead of me. The guy stayed back at the stand while the lady, on seeing me approaching towards her, waved for lift. I rested to enquire if they needed any help.
The Lady: Hi! Actually, we want a lift to Jaigarh. Can you help us, please?
The man rushed to ask lift for Devgarh. The couple, who wished to move apart to their parents, started to quarrel on who would take the lift. I figured out why the other buses didn't board them on.
Me: OK! Listen, I will drop you (the man) in Devgarh first then, I shall drop you (the lady) in Jaigarh wherever and whenever you wish!
The lady was vexed on hearing my flirtatious proposal.
The Lady: Cheap! No way! I can't trust any guy other than my husband. You may go away.
Hearing her say this, the man beheld at his wife passionately pondering on her violent aggression she poured on him few moments back. He smiled at her. I smiled at both of them. The man gently spoke to his wife, ''Love!Let us both go home together.''
She peeked at him and me too. She looked at the sky, her watch and back at her husband.
The Lady: Ok! Let's go then.
They both looked at me. I gestured them to get in. During the first fifteen minutes, their anomaly in conversation turned the page to a new chapter of spatial differences in their work life.
Me: Having priorities doesn't mean you should have disrespect for the subsequent.
The couple turned towards me and their perplexed faces suggested they didn't understand what I said.
The Couple: Excuse me!
Me: Yes. You are excused.
The Man: (queried) I mean you said something.
Me: Yes. I opined on the fact that earning wealth or contacts who celebrate us in their life or maybe both can be our priorities but it doesn't suggest that life behind the scenes has no worth. In fact, when you stage the audience revealing the best of your knowledge, you should then move behind the addressed to know how farther they stepped lively.
The Lady: (giggles) Oh c'mon! Nowadays, everyone gives lectures like a communist.
Me: Calculating what progress your followers have made on a subject you asked them to work on gives you the update on your accomplishment. It's a capitalists' theory who fakes his communist attitude and has the genius fools work for him/her.
The Manv (laughing) Nayra! He has said the same thing for both kind of thinkers.
The Lady: (found me astute) What do you do mister?
Me: Right now, I am just a driver who will take you to your destination. My job is to keep exploring the great minds and intellects who interpret the transforming Bharata and instruct the nee born to follow the ideology of Bharata.
The Man: Are you a student?
The Lady: Are you single?
Me: I am committed.
(But the paradoxical volitions they had in mind resisted to learn what I meant to say.)
The Lady: (opinion) Hmm. Once you get in work life, you have several commitments that one can fulfill on time. The workspace, family, marriage, children, friends, relatives, maybe shifting to new town, earning and expenses all have so much pressure to survive and if you will to be satisfied on each part, it's practically impossible. So, we have different volitions and thus, differences in opinion. You do not know all these for you have not experienced it yet.
Me: So, what meaning does the word Freedom have in your dictionary?
After a grave silence and bizzare perplexity on their faces, I felt she meant death.
Me: This silence defines you haven't put worth to your goals in reality. Freedom is not a fantasy my fellow travellers, it's your desires and dreams that you have not brought to your daily schedule.
The Man: (Putting an end to the suppressed voice) You seem to be in early twenties but your matured voice and clarity in speech suggests you are a young diplomat.
Me: Tell me about yourself too.
''I am Vinaya and she is my wife Nayra.'' The man introduced both of them as the descendants of Kharag family, whose traditional occupation was merchandising salt, however they worked as marketing analyst at Productive Lifecare Pharma in Uttaranchal and site supervisor at Orwell Builders in Maruvi (Gujarat) respectively. Their life started in the neighbouring districts but after their wedding, they left apart to two different states to live their career. However on mutual consent, their conjugal life didn't go as smooth as any of them had dreamt of. He said that sometimes there disputes led them to get divorced but luckily hitched back. Both of them wished to be independent with particular definitions but they never realised individuals on this planet are equitably interdependent on each other. So, it was to be understood on the argument that acceptance of interdependence of couples is joyous.
Me: Yet the thorns are ugly, everyone gets attracted to them for it's pledge to protect the beautiful rose.
The lady Nayra was all ears to me before she started feeling low and tired.
The Lady: I am feeling low and de-esteemed by your words. I am not able to discrete whether I behaved right or wrong to everyone but didn't hurt anyone willfully.
Vinaya: (affirmative) Nayra, In our avarice of wealth, we could never estimate of the pain of all those persons who, more or less, helped in our journey. We are guilty of ignorance for each other.
We entered into the HQ of Devgarh district and within next ten minutes, I dropped them home. Vinaya's parents came out to receive their children. His mom had a disappointing face for she believed her son and daughter-in-law wished to live separated forever. Nayra rushed to her mother-in-law, hugged her with tears rolling down her eyes. She apologized for whatever mistakes had she done earlier and hurt her family. Vinaya, too, bowed down to his dad and begged sorry for hurting them. Their parents faced each other, perplexed of what changed their children's mood. I blowed the horn to ask leave. Vinaya's dad came forward trying to recall where he had seen me before.
Vinaya' dad: I have seen you on TV. But, I am not able to recall you exactly.
(His mom, too, approached towards me and recognised at once.)
Vinaya's mom: We saw him on Republic Day on DDE Channel when the program 'Cultural Codes of Bharata' was aired. He sang 'Kamalapuri' so beautifully. But I forgot your name, son!
Me: Mohini-putra Agastya!
Vinaya and Nayra were awestruck on hearing her.
The Couple: Papa! Mummy! Do you know who he is? He is the one who has us understood the worth of life and all its sectors. He is the one who brought us back together in union.
Their parents were glad to know I had resolved their pique and acrimony. They welcomed me home and offered guest services. The memories hanging on the wall spoke of the healthy and happy life they had in past. One of the pictures depicted Vinaya's dad had earned the first certification of iodised salt in the district. The clock hanging by its side ticked six and half in the evening.
Me: I am honoured by your guest services. God bless all of you. I want your pardon to let me go.
Vinaya's parents: Oh! What are you doing son? Despite a few hours, but we are grateful to have you in our life. Thank you so much Agastya. God bless you!
(They blessed me to achieve what I dreamt for Bharata. And I left.)
Wherever we go and whoever we meet, It's our duty to be part of it and/or s/he and let oneself to do things merciful. Life should be open to all the possibilities that come in it's way.
Exiting from Devgarh municipality, I had a call from Mr. Jayavardhan. He said that he was on the way to Jaigarh, out of Devgarh, on a seminar organized to have discussions over the rising number of boneheads with the advent of technology.
Mr. Jayavardhan: While the speedy network connections provided great services in almost every divisions of work whether private or public, the government still lagged behind in formulating regulations for a prioritised goal. On the contrary, the hackers and MIMTs believe it a better career opportunity.
The device tracker application showed he was moving a hundred and ten metres ahead of me. He wanted me to join the seminar with him and work with the committee that would promulgate policies and volunteer the functions to build up an easy and efficient IT learning hub for common netizens.
Me: Sir, when is it scheduled to be conducted?
Mr. Jayavardhan: 11th of April to 17th of April. It's week long seminar of IT professors, IT technicians of various tech firms, a team from the State Government and some others will chair the programme. I have been invited as a guest advisor to the seminar. I wish you to be a part of it with me.
Me: That's truly a nice subject. I will definitely join you Sir. Thank you!
I reached exactly behind his car and signalled the driver to let me overtake. As he let the side, I gestured Sir Jayavardhan my willingness to go with him. He was glad and surprised to see me around. I raced up as it was half past seven by then. Dad called me to ask if I had reached Jaigarh. I reached at quarter past eight when the night started growing darker.
As soon as I reached the door, Bhanu opened it for me.
Me: How did you know I have returned?
Bhanu: My heartbeat goes faster when I near you anytime.
Me: Uh-uh, don't be so romantic now. I am hungry and tired too.
Bhanu: (sarcasm) You went to meet your family. You must be energized. Then, why this tiredness?
Me: It's travel fatigue my dear love. Now, please serve me some food.
She served me her handmade roti, curry of green beans and mixed pickle. Mom had sent me a box of gulab jamun. We had one each after dinner. I slept while Bhanu continued her studies for more two hours.
It was 2:33 a.m. when I woke up. I loved watching Bhanu sleep. I had a sudden urge in mind to kiss her. She was sleeping to my left on the edge of the bed. As I neared, she woke up and for the first time, I kissed her lips. That kiss meant a complete hookup with her. I can still remember how our heartbeats matched and run faster as the kiss longed. The increased levels of oxytocin then calmed us both and it was something like we both missed the whole life. Just like an struggling guy feels bliss when entering the home he has built on his own, I too had such a feeling that said, ''Welcome Home!''