Dear Pari,
I hope you are in the pink of health. It has been a very long time since our last queer, eccentric meet on a high road and the last word you uttered, ‘Wait’, still reverberates in my mind.
Today is 8th of January, probably the day that hadn’t held any importance to me till a few years ago. But now, it is a red letter day. Yes. It is your birthday. Happy birthday, Pari.
Do you remember our first encounter? Yes, you don’t as there hasn’t been any importance of mine in your life, but I remember. It is engraved on the ruined walls of my heart.
It was the autumn of 2011. Nature had unfolded the golden blanket on the ‘Land of Beauty’. It was twilight and I was enjoying the sunset on the edge of my verandah. It was quite dark outside and I went inside after a few minutes to warm myself. But in the meantime, electricity said ‘Goodbye’, which is a common occurrence.
So, I thought I was in hell. Only I could hear the horrible amalgam of words being yelled by the people around. Everyone had started inquiry about the whereabouts of the lantern. There was this alone soul waiting for someone to light up his dark, horrid world. A few moments later, I felt some movement. Someone was approaching me. I could hear the music of the person’s walk. A candle was lit up and all I could see was a comely visage like a moon without any blot — an angel, I can say, and it was you, ‘Pari’.
Curly, short hair, inky eyebrows, earrings dangling from the ears and a pulchritudinous smile — only I could notice. I thought I was in heaven as I had found ‘Hoor’ right in front of me. The first thought that popped up in my mind was that if you were the only gardener, who would grow flowers of love on the deserted land of my heart. Alas! I couldn’t say a word as you bade farewell and went to your home. Pertinent to mention, the entry to my heart was sealed and none was allowed to enter. But you made a grand entry as the first visitor and of course, a resident as you made your nest there.
We met again, but unfortunately, it was at a funeral. At that time, I couldn’t resist myself, so the words I uttered in front of you were ‘Your Dad is calling you’. At this, it seemed the whole planet had come to a halt The filthy noises had stopped and all I could hear was the musical sound of my heart, ‘lub-dub, lub-dub’.
After that day, whenever I would come across you, I would hear your sweetest sound and feel your aroma. Unluckily, we couldn’t stay together. You said ‘Goodbye’ again. Probably just a word of four alphabets for others, but for me, it was like twisting a knife into my heart that you have never felt and I guess you never will.
Our last meeting was during a hot, cruel summer, but with your presence, there was serenity and coolness everywhere. We had some happy moments together and there, I said those three magical words to you, expecting the same from you. But there was that ‘No’ you uttered. A word of distress, separation, pangs and agony. It came as a bolt out of the blue. You did not give a single thought about all those joyful moments we had spent together under the starlight.
A decade has passed since we met unexpectedly in a dark room that was lightened up by your beautiful smile, not by the candle. I am here to say to you that I have always respected you and your decision. There wasn’t any force — neither from your side nor from mine — but remember that ‘nest’ you had once made on the broken branch of my heart. And those flowers — they are still waiting for their gardener to water them so that they can bloom.
Last but not the least, I am not a rude guy. Haha!
Have a happy belated birthday.
Best wishes,
No one in your life.