|
|
|
|
Articles: Time Pass | On making of a story
- markata stewart
| |
She: Hey there. How are you today?
He: I am bored. I just don't know what to do.
She: awww! Sing a song or let us weave a story. What say you?
He: what kind of a story
She: you pick the theme
He: well, you pick it up as I could go wayward.
She: ok. Tragedy? Comedy? Love Story? General life? about an incident? Pick one
He: Anything. But it has to have us in it. So you get to choose.
She: hmm.. ok. It is about an incident then. Say we are in a bus.
She: ok. here I go.
She: I go to college in a bus no. 9 everyday.
He: ok
She: kya OK? Add something to the story.
He: well I didn't know you went in the same bus everyday. One day I had to go to SAC and I got into that bus and there were just 4 people on it.
He: continue
She: Today I got into the bus and it was almost empty.
She: I thought - what day is it?
She: (A look at my watch said it is Tuesday.) How come the bus is so empty? Ah! I see an old couple in this bus beside myself. That's not totally empty!
He: The driver was a black man. He was humming a tune.
He: It was raining so heavily outside. I am in this stupid bus with no one in here except an old couple and well, someone else too.
She: Oh this rain! Probably everyone is home enjoying some tea and snacks or rather as they say - 'snakes'.
She: grrr..this life!!
She: I ask the driver if he would stop at New Brunswick station. He said yes. I watch this old couple. They seem to have a conversation going on. They seem a cute couple.
He: I watch the old couple and wonder about the time when I would be that old.
She: This guy is reading something. The only sound in the bus is the rain tapping on the windowpanes and the driver's humming.
He: I had a bad day - missed classes, bad papers! So I decided to read Vivekananda.
She: what might he be reading? Oh! I wish someone talks to me. On second thoughts, I guess watching people is more fun. How old must he be? 25 - 27?
She: What if I go and ask him what he is reading so seriously.
He: and then I look up and my eyes wander.
She: He looks like an Indian. The old woman turns her face and smiles at me. I smile back at her. Her face shows a certain excitement. It is nice to see one excited face in all this seemingly immobile state.
He: The seats are all empty, newspapers read and strewn all over the place. The driver with his big mustache is driving seamlessly. The couple, with their wooden faces.
She: as I was about to get back to my musings I caught this reading-guy looking at me.
He: and then I see a smile on the face of the old lady. Whom was she smiling at?
He: and then I see this cute girl sitting at the corner of the bus with those big eyes and wavy hair. She was chubby but cute, probably going home after a tiring day.
He: I got back to reading. Life goes on..
She: Did he know I was thinking about him and his reading in this moment? Do thoughts travel?
He: In a moment of heightened curiosity I turn around to look at her and I am fluttered to see her staring at me.
She: what made him look at me when he is so immersed into his book!
He: I got back to reading, thinking why she was looking at me.
He: What could it be?
She: oh, I guess I better stop watching people. I'll smile at him when our eyes meet again.
He: well I had not shaven for weeks now. Probably that is why the stare!
She: and then I go back to watching the passing trees and the racing cars, admiring the roads and the discipline of the drivers.
She: these trees, the cars, we four on this rainy afternoon, 5 including the driver. This weather seemed to have no effect on his mood. He must be a patient man considering his smooth driving. Does driving depict a person's personality?
He: Should I look at her again, smile at her or keep turning the pages.
She: am I the only person lost in thoughts? I look again at the faces in the bus.
He: I turn on the page, a red signal ahead...we are motionless!
She: oh, he smiles. I smile back at him and say a hi
He: The old couple are immersed in their talk. What are they talking about? They look happy and excited. What are they so excited about in this weather? They might have met in this kind of weather in a bus. (haha) Is that an indication that I should strike a conversation with this girl? Oh no! what am I thinking now?!
He: Everything but the girl seems so normal
He: I turn around and look at her and my eyes look straight at hers
She: do I look fine? Why is he looking at me again and again?
He: I see the slight parting of her lips as she utters something. Was it a smile, a hint of recognition...
She: I push the strands of hair falling on my face behind my ear
He: I smile and get back to my book. I try to spy on her through the corner of my eye. I see her strapped sandals, her feet embracing each other.
She: The driver seemed to notice the silence and he raised his voice. The tune seems familiar.
He: should I look up? I get back to reading
She: what is he singing? oh this guy goes back to reading. I start humming something to myself in a very low voice trying my best to have a peek at the cover of the book. I turn my head in every possible angle but still can't see the cover of the book. Uh oh. Was it so visible? Now he looks at me with a question mark face!
She: ahaa! Something truth.
He: soooooooooooooooooo who is taking the first step
She: nobody
He: (smiles) ok
She: how do u want the story to be? pour in your ideas too
He: well, want it to go one forever
She: haha ok
She: ...truth? Is it my experiments with truth? Is he a Gandhian? Interesting.
He: I keep staring at her sandals, falling in love with her feet and the straps that cover it
She: I probably should start the conversation.
He: Should I shift places and go sit closer to her? That would be crazy with the bus being so empty.
She: I think I should just go to him and introduce myself
He: maybe say hello or something and not just keep ogling at her
She: I go to him and say hello,
He: and there she gets up. The bus stop has not yet come what is she up to?
He: I get back to reading and my heart beats a little faster.
She: I got up and see the surprised look on his face. Is this a bad move?
He: well there she is standing right across me with that smile and a warm hi
He: how do I respond
She: oh no, he buries his head into that truth book again. What truth is he searching for anyway!!
He: I smile back but she looks a little nervous. I get back to reading and she sits right across me and keeps looking at the passing cars and the pouring rain.
She: aah, good a warm response
He: I get back to staring at her feet and the black sandals
He: and then I hear a cell phone ringing
She: I smile at my own thoughts. Isn't THIS the truth? NOW..this minute? should I ask him what truth are you looking for in the books ignoring what is happening around you!
He: I guess I missed it! Shouldn't have I said something to her or atleast kept looking at her expecting her to talk.
She: and then I hear a ringing sound
He: I get back to reading. The bus stops ...the old couple disembark...the driver looks at us the only survivors of this journey and starts his engine and the tune once again.
She: oh I was in my seat and not opposite to him?
She: did I doze off? Who could be calling me now?
He: the last stop is a few mins away. It's the station.
He: Would it be the end of it all?
She: and where is the old couple. Only we two left and the driver's tune!
He: would we just part with a smile
He: too many decisions to make. so less a time. Should I ask her for something like a number or name or ask her out or should I let it go and keep searching for that smile forever.
He: well if destiny has its ways I'll find her again sometime. If not, we just move on. But what if destiny wants us to get to know each other right now.
She: I talk to the person on the phone and I notice that this truth guy is still reading. should I go to him and talk something?
She: ok. Let me move from this place and decide while I walk
He: What if she doesn't want to talk to me. what if its just time playing on our minds. The bus reaches the stop....
She: anyway, the bus stop is almost near. it wouldn't be prominently visible even if I walk towards him.
She: I slowly got up and started walking with my heart thudding and I pass by him giving him a smile.
He: the driver slides the door open...I let her get down first....she smiles as she passes by. I look at her a full view though it is from the back.
He: she thanks the driver goes down the steps ...I keep looking at her. She is beautiful
Her dress embraces her bones seamlessly. She walks like fire on water.
She: probably this is all what is needed to be done for today. Just a smile and some amount of thought.
He: but its all over. What did I do? Should I have let it all go
He: she is gone... I follow her out of the bus, thank the driver who tells me to have a great day.
She: I feel somebody's stare and I turn back and see the truth guy watching me
He: I don't know what to do, what is in store for me. I stand on the pavement below the bridge as she walks away. I light a cigarette n watch her go to the ticket booth. Would she turn? Would she want me to look at her?
She: I give my huge smile to him and walk away...should I have talked to him? why did I not talk? would I think so much, if he had sat beside me from the beginning he boarded the bus? probably not.
She: Is it the ego that stopped me from talking to him? Is that all?
He: she turns and smiles! I am lost!!
He: am I nervous or am I unsure or am too sure. Is it all an illusion?
She: let me buy this ticket and if he is still around we might exchange a couple of words.
She: I buy the ticket to Trenton and turn back and lo! he is still here
She: urgh!!! he smokes
He: I see her punching the numbers, getting her ticket as her long wavy hair settles down on her face.
He: I follow her up to the ticketing machine. I am on my way to the city.
He: where is she heading to?? are we going to end up traveling together? then I would surely break the ice. she smiles as she passes me
She: Isn't he quite young to smoke. He looks like a professor with his eyeglasses and that huge book.
He: I take my ticket wishing she didn't cross the bridge. she walks past me...so pretty so pure so stunning to look at.
He: she takes slow steps and across the bridge she goes ..her feet slowly moving away from me. what do I do now!
She: probably he is a serious kind of person and might not like if strangers say a - hello, to him. I think I would just go..oh, he is buying a ticket too. would he come towards Trenton?
He: I can feel myself breathing hard...I really want to know her I won't want to lose this stranger
She: you know, I just had this silly thought.
He: what is it?
She: nevermind. lets continue..
He: what??
She: kahaani mein bataaungi.
He: ok
She: I walk like a snail, with small steps ... watching from the corner of my eye if he stays or walks behind me to take the train to Trenton.
She: oh no. he stopped. oh. so we aren't making this journey together. should I turn back and say hi and give my email address or something?
She: I look at the watch and see that I hardly have time for that and I got to go home and cook and read that stuff I got today.
He: I decide to go talk to her. I don't think I would let this end here
She: I almost run to the other platform and by the time I reached, the train is almost there. I hopped onto the train.
He: and I run after her...
He: but the train has almost started.
She: and I see him on the other side of the rails
She: I eat a dentyne ice and blow air on the window of the train and write my number there. I see him noting down the number :))
He: and I smile at her as the train goes by
She: hehe. End of this episode :P
| Read 11 Comment(s) posted so far on this Article!
| |
|
|
|
 |
| Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
| Advertisements |
|
