Clad in a rustic
brown salwaar, yellow shawl fell on her shoulder like a U, face dry and pale, with
a cluster of acnes, hair covered in oil, lips dark and lifeless, eyes big and
deep, nose long and pierced, body short and slim, she sat there dunk in a bunch
of files ..as usual...up until papers from one of her file flew right on to my
table and floor .
Yes, she was my
next desk colleague (when I was working in India in an accounting firm) ,who
was almost absent for everyone. Neither anyone noticed her nor did she care. Some
called her boring, some called her a total stranger.
However, that day
I did notice her because she talked to me. She said slowly, "I am sorry, can
I've that paper please?".
I was
flabbergasted and at the same time very happy. Imagine sitting next to someone
who I guess thought smiling was a sin and talking, an invitation to trouble .Left
me gasping for some fresh air always. I even thought of changing the cubicle we
were sharing .Moreover no one wanted to share space with her.
With a big grin
on my face, I gave her all the papers and it was almost lunch time. I asked her to
join me for lunch. She hesitated first, I insisted and then she agreed.
She was nervous
as if she was on a blind date. I cracked the ice and began the chit chats which
started as an interview. I was stunned that she was gradually opening up. She
was just like any other girl I felt and she even smiled. Then came the biggest surprise,
that she lived somewhere near by my house - not next door, few miles away. That
means we took the same blue-cream colored bus to and fro (Office to home and
vice versa).That also meant we started to spend lots of time together. I started to like
her gradually .She was a fragile flower. Likewise, she started trusting me.
I told her how I
was getting all the marriage proposals and how I wished I had a love marriage
which my parents would never allow by all means .She interrupted for the first time.
She said (or better to say,she narrated her story/her painful past), "I am a divorcee". "It was a love marriage to my childhood
sweetheart, “R”.” “It was a dream come true for me.” “I was the happiest girl
of this world then".
Everything was
hale and hearty till the honeymoon. Later, everything started to fade.
R's parents were
against the marriage initially as they were more financially sound than us. When R
insisted, they put forward a high demand of dowry as a compromise. He saw a ray
of hope.
"My parents
didn't have that type of cash but were willing to go to any extent just to see
me smile throughout my life without any regrets .I was their only daughter, apple
of their eye." They agreed.
It was like a
princess wedding. No one were left unsatisfied. Everyone burped, blessed and
bid goodbye to the newly wedded couple.
Days passed and
she became the target of her new so called mother and father (in-laws was a
word she didn't believe in) .They taunted her for the remaining amount of dowry
.R being the pampered and obedient only son, pretended he didn't hear. R
consoled me saying they are old people and advised me to ignore it as well.
Months went by, years
flew ..my life became harder and harder...I couldn't conceive...this time even
R was on the brink of giving up on me ....I became the target of each and every member of this
family....Everyone had their own reason to blame me directly or indirectly...I
never felt this helpless. People started pouring advise unasked ...I silently
obliged to all...R and I were in and out of the hospitals and also temples far
and wide...Finally, my prayers were answered & I felt a miracle happened, I
became pregnant ...When I thought that would make everyone happy & my life peaceful,
it didn't!...R's parents fell short of one of the reason to prick me...the
strongest of the lots !..
R sighed and was
happy. Unfortunately, our hard earned happiness was short lived. I miscarried.
The biggest blow was just waiting around the corner. The doctor said,” I would
never become a mother again."
My life became
topsy turvy! Or say my days became so!! My father who was otherwise up and
healthy person, passed away .He had a silent heart attack. I couldn't tolerate
it .I felt guilty. I felt he sacrificed his life to see me happy. My mother
couldn't bear it as well. She remained bed-ridden. I tried to stay beside her
as much as I can. But that didn't go will with R's parents and R himself. They
got another reason to make my life more miserable.
Eventually, they
allowed me to stay with my ailing mother FOREVER, R asked for a divorce. I
agreed without any tears or words. I didn’t have any left anyways.
I didn't have a
job to support my ailing mother. Relatives knew this could become a burden in
many ways. So, they shunned us for good. We were alone and financially broke.
The house was on collateral due to the dowry pay-off. I got my mother our house
back using the money I got back after the divorce.
With the little remaining
,I was preparing for competitive exams and applying for any job that called for 0 experience,
which was not many or paid nothing.
God felt pity for
me, I got a job in a brand new Law firm because of my outstanding qualifications
and achievements, which I almost thought were valueless or people from my past
made me believe so.My self-esteem was jittery and fragile.However,now I didn’t
have any option to remain so, I started to retrain and rebuild myself. My job
paid me suffice enough for me and my mother to survive. I worked for two years
until they changed their location which was too far away from my location. So,I
started looking for another one and this time I started taking coaching for
competitive examinations as well.
That's how I
joined this accounting firm, XYZ with a better salary and perks. Next month
I'll be leaving, I got appointed as an officer, SBI Probationary officer. YES,
last week I got a selection in the Bank PO examination. She smiled, this time
proudly.
I was also
smiling and so happy for her. My doubts came true. Now I knew the reason why
she became like this.
The man of her
dreams who left her midway ,whom she trusted to be her life long partner ,his
parents ,she believed to be her mother and father were after all IN-LAWS, new
people/relatives around she accepted as her own were always strangers, the pressure she
went through to calm all the societal norms, the measures she took to make
everyone around her happy, peaceful and satisfying forgetting herself, the
parent who did their best to make her smile and had a peace less death, the
parent who couldn't stand it anymore fell helpless, She was indeed a broken soul.
One who took breath but was lifeless, one who was hiding behind an ugly ,don't-see-me mask,
hurt and afraid to trust again, love again, live again, and smile again.
When people are
busy judging others, such people cannot exist. They are always a stranger.
PERIOD.
I am happy that
all my values and morals are today re-enforced because I learned, "Don't
judge the book by the cover." I learned to lend an ear, give a smile, look
for goodness, and be kinder than necessary.
I introduced her
to one of my friend's cousin who lost his wife in an accident and had a year
old daughter (gem of a person) ,G,they met, dated (yes dated) for a year and
now she is married and she is a mother too and she is a living example that to
be a mother, you don't necessarily need a womb ,but a heart filled with
unconditional love !!
Today on the eve
of "Navaratri, which is the victory of good over evil." I am proud to
say that she is happily married ever after...She is smiling, giving love, receiving
love, she is living her life to the fullest.
I am proud to say
that, today she is my best friend, more like an elder sister I look up to. She
is my inspiration in many ways.
All this happened,”
When I met a stranger". !
Lesson
re-imprinted on my heart - When you look at a person, any person, remember that
everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed
them.."..Let us be kinder than necessary...!
She is not a
stranger anymore, I proudly introduce my best-est friend to you all,her name is Jeeva.(for privacy purpose,not her real name)
Yes, “Strangers
can become best friends just as easy best friends can become strangers.”
Thanks for reading ,
P.S. (This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.)
UPDATE:Received a Blogadda badge...Yuhoooo..
