Your character gets a call asking for David. Instead of
hanging up your character keeps talking and decide to meet that evening.
"Hello"
"Hi. Can I talk to David"
"I’m sorry, you have the wrong number."
"Uhm. Isn't this David Patel's number?"
"No. I am sorry"
"But David said it’s his number. And I checked with the number code. He lives in MG Road."
"Well. Actually I live in MG Road. But this isn't David Patel's number. I am sorry"
"Listen, don’t hang up yet. Just find David and ask him to call me?"
"Oh God. I don't know who this David is. Will you just hang up!!
By now Tanya had lost her temper. Why should she put her life on hold for someone she doesn’t even know. She should have just registered her name in the Do not call List.
"Look man. Today is not the day to drive me crazy. Just hang up. This is not David"
"But I need to talk to David. You don't understand. I need him to stop me"
"Stop you?"
"Yes. I think I might kill myself"
"What!!! You can't just call up and say you will kill yourself. Are you mad? Call up some shrink or something."
"I can't take this anymore. I’m not doing anything in life. It's just passing away in front of me. And I have not been able to achieve anything at all."
"No look, you should call up a professional"
"Please listen to me. Tell me what you think. I'm old. I can't have the patience or energy to go through this all."
"Look sir, I can’t help. How can I help". She was becoming desperate now. Though part of the agony aunt group in her college, Tanya never thought she would be talking to someone who wanted to take his life.
"But you can. I am ill. I can’t remember what is happening. I can’t remember my wife's name. Or my son's face. He is a software engineer, I think. We used to travel together on my Chetak".
"Oh. My dad had a Chetak too." She mumbled, remembering her dad riding, while she sat huddled in between him and her saree clad mother. She would pretend to be flying. Her mother would hold her with one hand, while the other would be casually flung around her father's shoulder. He father would, from time to time, check on the mirror and smile at Tanya.
"I don't remember how it was. But I remember that I felt happy. That I didn’t think he would grow up so soon. And I wanted to be that close to him for ever. Do you know what I mean?"
"Yes," she answered. She had grown away from her mother after her father's death. They never had as much fun without him around. And then, little by little, her mother became just another lady in the house. One she would give her school books to, or the one who would take her shopping when she thought her daughter had outgrown her dress.
"Why does this happen, do you know? That we grow apart so easily and so fast? When at one point of time everything seems like something which won’t change?"
"Im sorry it had to be that way for you sir. I am sure given a chance your son would also want to be with you right now," she said.
"I wish I could see him. I wish I could feel like a nice father again. You must really care for your old man, you know? You never know what will happen."
"Uh hmm."
"I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?"
"My dad passed away 5 years ago"
"I am sorry. Do you want to talk about it"
For some reason, Tanya wanted to talk to this man. This man who could not even remember his son's face. This man who would probably not understand what she is going through. And yet, this man. He would be the only one who would probably know how helpless one feels. Her helplessness. When she feels suffocated, just because she tries to remember how her dad scolded her and she can’t. She can’t remember his voice. And she is afraid, someday she won’t be able to remember his face, or his touch either.
"Yes, thank you"
That is the how their story began. The man who decided to let go, and the girl who wasn't ready to forget yet. The unlikely friendship grew after their first meeting that very night. And ever since then, they have been together. Supporting each other, holding on.
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