The Reunion

His hands trembled as he anxiously tore open the envelope that had his name printed in capitals – ‘ABHAY MEHTA’. It had been a while since he received a letter from anyone and this one was from his college – the one he had left behind 45 years ago, taking with him memories of the best years of his life and a handful of friends for a lifetime. A sense of anticipation and excitement had engulfed him as he read the invite – a white card with a neat print in gold, inviting him to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the college….”You are cordially invited to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of College..”. His had been the first batch to join the college.

Age catches up, no matter what. And this came as a reminder of the 45 years that had elapsed since the time he left a slice of his life behind. Memories came gushing like waters from a dam whose floodgates had just been opened – the years of sheer abandon, light-heartedness and…..love. 45 years is a long time, a lifetime, actually. In that many years after graduating, people build a life, become grandparents, accumulate professional successes and a kitty of rewards that come with a life well lived. He had none of those…well, almost – a fruitful career, maybe, and some creature-comforts for the grey years of his life. Of course, not to forget the friends that walked along in his journey and in whose celebrations of success and achievements, he always partook.

He laid the card on the table and walked towards the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee when the ringing of the telephone beckoned him. Somehow, even the ring had a tone of excitement about it and he knew, instinctively, that it must be Rajiv. 

“Yes…”

“Sure”

The monosyllabic conversation with Rajiv was over. They were going to the Golden Jubilee!

Work had taken him to Mumbai (then, Bombay) many a time in the past, but he never felt either an urge or a desire to walk into his college. He would pass it by and look at it, his face lighting up with a smile, but never stopping to linger awhile even if to take a longer glimpse at the place that was his Alma Mater - five years of discovering the self, growing up carefree, oblivious to the harsh realities of the world outside and hardly ever giving the future a thought. The years drifted along and so did he. The gold medal that he secured for topping in the final year, that now found a place of pride alongside his many academic and professional awards on the shelf in his study, stood as testimony to the wonderful years he spent in the college. Also stood as testimony the pictures from those years, which lay tucked away in an album, faded and neglected at the bottom of a chest on the attic. 

As Rajiv and he boarded the flight, one was visibly excited at the prospect of meeting friends and classmates from decades ago, and the other quiet and sombre, containing his excitement within himself. Always known to be of a reserved demeanour, it was hard to tell what was churning within that brain. It seemed, in many ways, as if Abhay had built walls around himself to protect his vulnerabilities from the outside world. But, paradoxical as it may seem, it was that very vulnerability that was one of his most endearing traits! His eyes portrayed a gentleness just as his smile a warmth. Abhay was the smartest in class and also the quietest and many perceived him as being rather stoic. The only one who was allowed to get close enough to know him and be able read his mind was Rajiv.    

They checked into the hotel that was closest to the college, the venue of the celebrations. Over the years the two of them had become so close that Rajiv could listen to Abhay’s silences and make sense of it all. While Abhay was always the one to keep things in order, Rajiv was diametrically opposite, throwing things around and Abhay was often a witness to his wife, Seema’s displeasure. Once in the room they were to sharing during their stay, Abhay busied himself with unpacking - the dark blue suit found its place in the closet and the shoes tucked away too, the toiletries arranged immaculately on the dresser; all this while Rajiv didn’t feel the need to unpack “just for a couple of days”.

Being the ever social and friendly one, Rajiv tried to contact most of their batchmates and knew who to expect. As he busied himself contacting those who had already arrived and made plans for the evening, Abhay sat in the high backed chair, overlooking the expanse of the sea, book in hand but eyes lost to the images that floated from the mind’s memory. Suddenly he was not sure if coming down for the celebration was a good idea! It seemed like stoking memories that were left far behind in the narrow, neglected lanes of the past. After all, Life changes people!

The auditorium was overflowing with the most handsome, old men and the most beautiful, graceful, old women! The music was from the time of their years in college, wafting through the din, as batch-mates walked in in their finest double-breasts and the ladies sashayed away in lovely sarees. The elegance of the evening was breath-taking as wrinkled faces and grey heads celebrated the wonder of life!

Rajiv headed straight for the bar and, sure enough, found himself engaged with old friends and acquaintances from the past as Abhay perched himself on a bar-stool, making idle conversation with faces that only triggered a vague memory of being together once. His eyes occasionally gave the door a fleeting glance hoping that they would convey some pleasant news to his heart that was beating like that of a teenager, forgetting the long years that it had functioned.

Rajiv made his way in the crowd, catching up with everyone, laughing away happily…being himself. Suddenly, he walked with  an urgency towards Abhay and signalled for him to ‘come along’. Abhay left rather reluctantly, having to give up the vantage point from where he could have caught a glimpse of everyone who came in past the door. He expressed his slight irritation as he was led by Rajiv through the crowds of faces that were once familiar.

Time stood still. And his aged heart skipped a beat as his eyes fell on her. The eyes welled up with tears, the glass of wine shaking in his hand and the lips concealing a joy that knew no bounds. She was there, alive and as graceful as he remembered her from 50 years back. Elegant in a dark blue saree, her grey hair pulled behind in a knot and a string of pearls caressing her still delicate neck. She stood beside her best friend, Rashmi, smiling gently as people came by to greet them. Abhay stood at the distance just soaking in the moments as Rajiv stood beside him, the silence between them at that moment conveying more than any spoken words could. Images from the past formed hazy pictures in the mind, as the lady he loved stood before his eyes, oblivious to his presence in the large hall that was like a hive of commotion.

Rashmi noticed Abhay taking small, almost baby steps, towards them. Her lips, almost instinctively curved to form a smile but she quickly stopped herself, though she was betrayed by her eyes. She held on to Lalita’s arm protectively as they continued to make their way through the crowds. Rajiv and Rashmi exchanged a warm embrace and exchanged notes, bringing each other upto speed on how they had experienced life; all this while Lalita stood beside her, her face exuding a kind warmth. 

As Abhay walked towards Lalita, it seemed like he was traversing half the globe; his steps small but sure, his gait confident and his eyes not blinking, scared that they’d miss a blinking-moment without seeing her.  As he walked closer and his eyes gave him a clearer vision of her, he was convinced he hadn’t ever seen a more beautiful woman than her. Just as he was about to greet Rashmi and Lalita, Rashmi gently lead Lalita away. Seeing the look of helplessness cloud the hope in Abhay’s eyes, Rajiv lead Rashmi away on the pretext of having her meet one of their friends.Rashmi whispered something into Lalita’s ears and she nodded as if in agreement. As their eyes met, Abhay thanked Rajiv, his face expressing gratitude. He held out his hand to greet Lalita who took it in her own as if it were a flower..

“Hello, nice to meet you”…!

Abhay was a bit surprised by her reaction; after all they were meeting after decades and he expected a more animated reaction from her.

She was the woman he loved; the only one he held in his heart for all these years. 

As they seated themselves away from the din, he found himself at a complete loss for words. He had planned on saying so much but didn’t know where to begin! They glanced at each other, and she asked him softly, “Do I know you?”

Puzzled, he introduced himself again, receiving only a warm smile in acknowledgement. That smile took him back years, when they first met as young students, still wet behind the ears. So much had changed since then and today Abhay had come more for himself than for her.

Every few minutes Lalita would notice Abhay seated next to her and ask him if she were supposed to know him. Though saddened that she had no recollection of him, each time Abhay responded with patience, trying to remind her that he was her classmate… She would smile in response and continue to behave as if it rang no bell at all. He began speaking to her slowly, gently cajoling her memory to any recollection she might have of him from the years when they were together.

Lalita seemed to be paying attention, sitting still, except for occasionally asking for Abhay to introduce himself. As Abhay tried to take her back half a century in time, he felt a sense of despair but her eyes, as gentle as they were, simply refused to respond to any of his attempts.

“ They dance so well!” she exclaimed.

Abhay turned towards her, smiling at her first expression of excitement. 

“Would you like to…”, he asked but he was interrupted by her.

“ No, no! I don’t know how to…”

“…you were a great dancer”, he said, in an attempt to complete his sentence.

As silence fell between them again, he was puzzled by her reaction. Had she no recollection of her passion for dance? He looked at her making absolutely no attempt at concealing his emotions, his eyes welling up as he tried to unravel the puzzle that the lovely lady had become.

Rashmi walked towards them, her steps as quick as her age could permit, with worry writ all over her face. Ignoring Abhay’s presence there, she spoke to Lalita and lead her away like a mother would her child. Abhay sat there not knowing how to react, his hands losing grip over the empty glass that shattered to the ground, breaking into a hundred small pieces that could never be put together again…

(to be continued...)