Maria is Calling by Dr. Purnima

That was year 2008, a decade ago things were different. It was the era of Workout not Facebook. Our phones had 2G network. The greatest event during our College Days were nothing else but University Fest. So during these fest our visits to the shopping complex would increase. We wanted that perfect dress with that perfect shoes with the perfectly matching bags and then the make up would continue the whole night.

Fests were the real hook up point. Without Tinder it was difficult to find our Soulmate and at eighteen that was the greatest desire to find the right One. So there were ways boys would catch our attention. The girls had their groups and the boys had their gangs. They would follow you the moment they would spot you. They would escort you to your destination without saying a word for a few days.

This was the warm up session when a girl would make up her mind that she likes the guy or not and then gradually things would heat up. It was during those heated days that it rained and the smell of petrichor kindled all the latent romantic notions in my mind. “What sort of sweetheart might you want to have? ” ” Shruti, my adorable and pudgy flat mate asked me. I don’t know but he should be atleast 6 feet tall. Look, I am 5’7”.

I had the notion of tall, dark, handsome. As I told you those were the days of Nokia Express music so the guys around us would move in their bicycle. Sports bicycle was the most one could think of and so I turned up to Shruti and said, “He should have a bike.” : and he should be well-known dressed as a man should be. Shruti turned her round eyes at me “Forget it. Your demands are too high for the middle class surrounding we are living in. “ I sighed, she was right, there was no luck for me. I couldn’t just connect with anybody.

Finally, the day of the fest came and my lucky stars were all shining on me. So, the moment I stepped out of my hostel gate, I saw a tall, handsome guy standing on the gate. He was too good looking to take my eyes off him and yes he was riding a sports bike, even his presence gave butterflies in my stomach. J gathered my courage and stepped out avoiding looking at him.

J didn’t want to look a fool in front of him. I saw him again at the auditorium. Throughout the performance, he kept looking at me. If was too good a feeling. I couldn’t hide the sheepish smile on my face. Even my friends noticed that silent conversation between my and my Greek God’s eyes. His brown eyes were shining as if they were smiling.

At the end of the performance I expected him to come to me and express his feelings. But he just left the auditorium without a single word. J was heartbroken. Most of the girls were able to strike friendship with the boys who had been following them. For me it was my first encounter with my crush and I felt my heart crushing. It was such a crucial moment. We might never meet again after this day.

I didn’t know his name, his department, his faculty , I only knew those large brown eyes gazing at me. I git back to classes and sometimes the memory of the handsome hunk would come to me or occasionally Shruti would ask me have you found your Mr.Right, I would just evade her question. Perhaps I had found my Mr. Right but everything was so vague.

Finally, the day of the fest came and my lucky stars were all shining on me. So, the moment I stepped out of my hostel gate, I saw a tall, handsome guy standing on the gate. He was too good looking to take my eyes off him and yes he was riding a sports bike, even his presence gave butterflies in my stomach. J gathered my courage and stepped out avoiding looking at him. J didn’t want to look a fool in front of him.

I saw him again at the auditorium. Throughout the performance, he kept looking at me. If was too good a feeling. I couldn’t hide the sheepish smile on my face. Even my friends noticed that silent conversation between my and my Greek God’s eyes. His brown eyes were shining as if they were smiling.

At the end of the performance I expected him to come to me and express his feelings. But he just left the auditorium without a single word. J was heartbroken. Most of the girls were able to strike friendship with the boys who had been following them. For me it was my first encounter with my crush and I felt my heart crushing. It was such a crucial moment. We might never meet again after this day.

I didn’t know his name, his department, his faculty , I only knew those large brown eyes gazing at me. I git back to classes and sometimes the memory of the handsome hunk would come to me or occasionally Shruti would ask me have you found your Mr.Right, I would just evade her question. Perhaps I had found my Mr. Right but everything was so vague.

That day I was standing outside in my lobby watching the moon playing hide and seek with the clouds when a stylish girl came up to me. U suddenly realized, she was my super senior Arundhati Di. I was shocked at seeing her. I didn’t know her much except that she was our hottest super senior. Our campus was ragging free yet I started thinking what mistake I had made to offend my seniors.

Was I going to face ragging? Small droplets of sweat appeared in my face. Arundhati Di said,” Hey, you.” I looked at her. I suddenly felt I had grown shorter in front of her. May be dye to her high heels or my inner fears. She came to me held my hands and kept a crumpled paper in my hand.

The note read,

“The best young lady I have ever observed. I saw you first in the canteen. I wanted to talk to you but while I was quickly eating the dosa I had ordered you left. You went and sat on my bike but before I could approach you, you again left. I saw you on the day of fest at the hostel gate and the auditorium but I didn’t have the courage to talk to you. You looked strict. So I just wrote thus for you. I couldn’t tell it directly so I am sending it through my friend Arundhati. Hope you won’t mind calling me.

Yours,

Rajeev, 9889****61

I felt my heart pumping loudly in my mouth. U felt like calling him just then but something within me stopped me. Until the day that Shruti went out to watch movie with her boyfriend without even inviting me . I felt left out and lonely and saw the crumpled piece of paper on my table. J called the number and a romantic ringtone played. I asked, “ Hello,. Rajeev.”

There was a silence then the voice on the other side said, “ Wait, I am Rajeev’s friend. I waited . The seconds on the phone was moving fast. Then I heard the voice speak again,” Hey, Rajeev, It’s Maria.”

Before I could say anything a deeper, huskier voice took over the phone, “Hey, Maria where were you. I would wake up all night just for your call. On New Year everyone called but you didn’t call. I felt an emptiness. I have never celebrated a New Year without you since I have known you.”

I just couldn’t say anything. I kept listening as if I was dumb. Then he said,”Maria, say something. “ I gathered up all the strength I had ,”This is not Maria, this is Lekha, sorry to disturb.”

I heard him telling, “Hey, wait I thought it was Maria.”

I couldn’t say a word and kept the mobile phone in tears

 

by Dr. Purnima, Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya