Between The Parallel Rails!

It's Time!

 

                       I

 

The trees have a way of moving. I mean, the trees wouldn’t move from their place, but the branches do, the leaves rustle, and the birds descend and ascend as if they would fall. Squirrels measure the tree’s breadth and length with their little legs. They don’t walk or climb, but just glide.

 

Sun hasn’t arrived yet, but there was light. If darkness had light this would be it. Early morning or f*g end of the night you may call it; it was 4 o’ clock in the morning. No humans to be seen.

 

Nature was alone. And happy!

 

I couldn’t get sleep and bravely defied the early-morning blanket warmth to take a stroll. I wouldn’t have gone a few paces before I happened up on the scene of nature having a good time.

 

I was walking barefoot and the grass bowed under my feet. The dew drops were invisible, but they did make their presence felt on my feet, cheeks, forehead and eyes. The cold breeze was fanning the trees and the trees laughed out aloud swinging their branches as they saw me standing alone.

 

There was a railway track tunneled in front of the trees and that was my favorite spot. I descended slowly on the tracks and started walking on one rail with arms spread wide for balance. The dew under my feet didn’t make things easy though. When I tried to pick up pace, it slipped; I was desperately clinging on flailing my arms to stay on track and almost succeeded when I heard the voice from nowhere…

 

“Careful!”

 

I fell.

 

The rocks by the track scraped a bit of skin and the cold made the burn sting. I sat up to see the most beautiful girl on earth. Well, at least she was the most beautiful girl in our village.

 

The first thing one would notice about her was her long hair. They flowed in no particular pattern and they were curly at places. And, By God, she had big thick eyebrows… Eyebrows like they were drawn by God. I mean, she looked like…

 

“Hey! What you staring at?” She asked.

 

“... you’re up so early? I stammered.

 

“Yes, I’m here for the 5:30 Island Train.”

 

“Oh! I just came for a walk… I couldn’t find sleep, you know?!” I said.

 

We were silent for a while.

 

“My father is a drunk!” she said abruptly.

 

“Uh, yeah, I know.” I knew that. He was a police constable who came home with a bottle. “It should be tough on you” I opined.

 

“Yes.., but he is a good man.” She mumbled.

 

“I don’t know; a person who drinks everyday that too at home and abuses everyone all night…I don’t know…” I thought aloud.

 

“My father is a GOOD man” she stressed.

 

Her nostrils flared with anger. It turned pink and reminded of a rose petal. A dew drop hit that pink spot within a nanosecond. It seemed as though nature was watching her every move.

 

I smiled.

 

           II

 

 

I have noticed her a few times when she rolled her cycle to school. I have never seen her ride a bicycle. I have never seen her walk with friends either. She was always alone. She was different from others. It was not easy to get near her, I mean, she always had this “don’t-mess-with-me” look and there was always an aura of dignity and “I-am-ready-any-minute” temper in her eyes. All that made her a forbidden fruit; therefore, more attractive and…. most wanted.

 

I used to chatter with her sometimes, but again only a few sentences almost a monologue. She responded less with words, but more with her eyes. Her body language was such that she could use a few subtle movements to answer almost every question. If one tries to flirt, her body would go stiff and would have a battle-ready position. Words weren’t needed and the boys would scoot. Her smile is something that makes her what she is…

B. E. A. U. T. I. F. U. L.

 

She was the only one for me. Don’t know why. I always dreamt of her. I always wanted to talk to her. I didn’t understand future nor did I remember the past, but for me the present is what I know and at present, all I had and wanted was… Her!

 

She was there alright, but not as mine. She never went out with a boy. Never went out with anyone either.

 

She didn’t have her mother and therefore extremely lonely.

 

We were sitting there for half an hour now and I didn’t want the time to move. I wanted the moment frozen. I was near her. Though she didn’t even consider my presence, I am fine with that.

 

Come to think of it, all I get to do is be with her just by her side but never does she consider me. I tried cracking jokes, she smiles once every five jokes and gives me a cold stare when I tell something stupid. Of course, that happens more than the smile as I couldn’t help being stupid.

 

It started drizzling.

 

And she smiled. Wow! Nature’s happy tears I guess. This girl can dry the drought!

 

The drizzle stayed a drizzle and the cold drops mingled with the dew drops created a shower that bathed the world.

 

You wanna know the most beautiful sight ever?! … Take a peek…

 

She had one leg folded and had her chin on the knee, the curly hair piled on the right side of her shoulders leaving the face tilted towards me. She didn’t wipe her face off the raindrops that settled on her face. The beads of water that were sprinkled on her hair glowed in myriad colors from the light beaming through from somewhere. She opened and closed her eyes to shield her eyes from the stinging drops of water and occasionally parted her lips for a smile when the grass under her feet nuzzled her with love. She was Mother Nature’s favorite girl; a portrait with life just in front of my eyes.

 

I wished I died that moment!

 

 

           III

 

“Why are you smiling?” she asked.

 

“Well, I don’t know… hmm... how about a poem?”

 

“You write poems?!!” she exclaimed.

 

“Yeah, I scribble a bit”

 

“Tell me, tell me…” eyes wide, she became a child.

 

I started, “okay, here we go…

 

 

“Woke up in the morning,

Saw nothing, saluted Good Morning

Thought you were there,

Felt like a fool early in the morning,

All because of you My Love, Do love me!

 

Breakfast table.

Mom queried, “How’s the coffee?”

“Salt-less” I retorted.

Termed a fool at the breakfast table,

All because of you My Love, Do love me!

 

Never did I see the mirror,

Didn’t see what I like,

Wanted the best for you, One Good face,

Inferiority complex peeping in the morning,

All because of you My Love, Do love me!

 

All day thinking about you,

Tired to the core, hit the bed

Tried to sleep, but where to?

Seated on my eyes, poking through it, lost my sleep,

All because of you My Love, Do love me!

 

Before I do propose, I will pass the message to You

Through my friend, and bury myself in the grave

Come over, if it’s gonna be an YES,

Yes, My Love, I will leap out and hold You in My arms,

If it’s a NO, please do close my eyes,

Let me get some sleep!”

 

I sat there breathless awaiting her response. She stared hard at me and then said,

 

“Horrible… horrible. That’s not a poem.” She said at last.

 

I was shattered. Bad idea. I messed it up, again!

 

“Okay, who’s the girl?” she asked.

 

“Nobody, I jus’ made it up…”

 

“Oh!”

 

“Okay, you always come for the 5:30 Island Train?” I asked.

 

 

“No usually, the 7:15 Express train, but today, felt like coming early..” She said.

 

Trains are our only connect to the world outside the village and the trains pass our tracks once a week. It’s an occasion, sometimes a celebration. Mind you, they don’t stop here and we used to wait for hours just to wave at the people who are aboard the train.

 

I cursed myself for not coming often. If I had I would’ve had more chances to meet up with her.

 

“I have noticed you staring at me when I go to school.” She said abruptly.

 

“Yeah… you know, I like you.”

 

“I guessed as much.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

“Why, because I look good… I got a good body?”

 

“That was cheap…”

 

“Well, then what else do you like about me?”

 

….

 

“See, I told you… you don’t know anything about me…”

 

…..

 

“Just like all other guys…”

 

“Shutttt Uppp!” I screamed.

 

“Well,…”

 

“I like your silence… I have seen you walking; I have seen your eyes. I have seen them for years now. They look at things that are not there. You don’t care about this world or anybody in it, do you?”

 

“…..”

 

“I have seen you smile, not at a joke or something pleasant, but a blank smile. I don’t know the reason, but I know I smile when you do. I don’t know why. Of course, you are beautiful, you look good, I like that too. I wouldn’t lie. I like you for reasons I don’t know about. I never knew why I liked you, but I know I would for my entire life. If I had a chance or choice, I would be with you forever, just like this, sitting beside you and wait for you to talk. Talk about anything. I would tell you thousand bad poems and stupid jokes. It doesn’t matter as long as I can make you smile. You don’t know what your smile means to me…”

 

“Do you dance?”

 

“I have around 800 left feet” I said matter-of-factly.

 

She smiled.

 

“See, see, now look at you… how good you look when you smile.”

 

She lowered her eyes, “Shut up, shut up, will you?”

 

“Come here… yeah, just hold my hands like this… yes, right, right hand on the hip… wait, I will break your hand if you held it tight…hmm… better! Now, just move with me… don’t you stamp on my leg… walk with the rhythm, okay now… Sing!”

 

“What?”

 

“Sing anything!”

 

“I don’t know… I don’t sing”

 

“I said, SINGGGGGGG”

 

Cleared my throat, “Happy Birthday to you… Happy Birthday to you… Happy Birthday to dear…”

 

She didn’t smile, but held my hands tight and pulled me into a whirlwind dance roaring with laughter. She laughed so hard that she had tears in her eyes.

 

We settled down after a while.

 

We sat by each other.

 

“Thanks” she said.

 

“Thank You” I smiled.

 

 

 

IV

 

“My father’s a good man.”  She said again.

 

“Ok”

 

“I mean, really, he’s a police constable, he faces all those thieves and criminals. It’s always a bad day at the office. Someone is killing someone, someone is cheating on someone, someone is stealing from someone, abuses, rape, riots… how much can a man can take?”

 

“hmm…”

 

“He finds refuge in the bottle… my mother died when I was born, and he has been lonely since then.”

 

“But, he has you” I said.

 

“Yeah… he does.” She said softly.

 

“Does he beat you up?” I asked.

 

“No”

 

“Never?”

 

“Never.”

 

“Okay, you know what, I am gonna be an engineer. It will take another four years and then I will find a job, I may even build a dam for our village you know. Every second year our village gets flooded right, I will stop that. I will build such a strong dam that we can route the water for irrigation instead of destruction” I proudly said.

 

“Good.”

 

“And, if you can wait five years… you will be 22 and I will be 22, and we can… you know…”

 

“We can… what?” she raised her eyebrows.

 

“Get married!”

 

“Dreams!”

 

“Why, you don’t like me?”

 

“I don’t know what it is to like or to be liked.”

 

She was silent again.

 

It was 5 o clock already and half an hour to go. I felt that familiar tingle inside, started sweating… she is gonna leave in sometime. My advances are leading nowhere.

 

“Do you really love me?” she asked.

 

“Yes. I do.” I said.

 

“You know, you are a nice person. You should follow your dreams. You should become an engineer as you wish and build that damn dam. You should get married too. You will make a real good husband. Have a lot of kids” she smiled.

 

“…..”

 

“I love kids. I really do. I mean, they are so small and cute, they have this tiny feet and soft hair. They listen to you…whatever you say they would listen. They will talk to you with their babble. And they s**t and stink with such innocence that you wouldn’t feel disgusted for a minute. I wish I had kids.” She said.

 

“Of course, you could you know. Jus’ that I wish it has your beauty and my…. Well, on second thoughts, there is nothing special about me… let it have your beauty and your everything.” I said.

 

“I never knew I could talk so much” she smiled.

 

“Can I ask you something… why is there always a painful expression in your eyes?”

 

“Never mind”

 

“Okay”

 

 

                                                V

 

“It’s not easy being a girl you know?” she said.

 

“Okay”

 

“Really, it gets to you. I go to school, read things and about the great personalities. I understand all that. But, what am I? what can I do in life? Why is life so cruel? Why is there no one to understand… why isn’t anyone… why should it happen to me… oh my god!” She started crying.

I was taken aback. She was crying like a river. I didn’t know what to do. I could hear the 5:30 Island train approaching. It’s long whistle could be heard.

 

I moved near her.

 

“Listen, I am here. I am here for you. I swear that you can be whatever you want. I will do all that I can and more to get you whatever you wanted.” I was visibly shaking.

 

I spread my arms and beckoned her, “come here, come into my arms.” I moved to her and touched her shoulders… she pushed me hard, shoved me away and back pedaled a few paces in a haphazard manner. Her hair had all messed up now, the tears soaking the strands of hair that fell on her face and she had this fierce glow in her eyes and her whole body was shaking with fear and daring me to go near her.

 

She looked like a hunter and prey at the same time.

 

I didn’t know what to do.

 

She closed her eyes a bit and head down, her lips gave way to these words… “All I need is sleep. A good night sleep. A shoulder to lie on and a heart beat to hear…just by my ear. A hand to hold on to whenever I feel the fear. Nothing more, nothing less. A good night sleep on a shoulder that holds me near and dear… “ She raised her head, “Is it too much to ask?”

 

“No, not at all, I am there… I am that shoulder for you… you can hold onto me for life…. I promise” I was close to tears myself.

 

“I wish, I really wish………” her voice trailed off.

 

“But why, why… you have me” I shouted over the sound of the approaching train.

 

She looked straight into my eyes… “I’m the woman of the house… the only one…. For my father…. I wanted his shoulder… rolled over one night…. Never understood what he did, I didn’t even scream… he didn’t remember the next morning….. I deserve nothing no more.”

 

She jumped at the last instant. The engine hoisted her high toward the trees. The squirrels ran helter-skelter and her lifeless eyes stared wide open from the space and then she fell with a loud thud. She didn’t have a scratch. Even God didn’t dare.

 

She was pure!

 

The rail track was still warm from the heat generated the wheels… I comfortably set myself between the tracks…

 

7:15 Express train should be on its way.

 

                      -Aravind Kumar Rajendran

Author's Note

I dont know if I achieved what I set out to write. Tell me, if you like it or dont.

Reviews

[Silent Kim aka mizmetap..]

What a tragic story you told, so well written. You painted a clear picture and gave a surprise ending. Your characters were beliveable and you gave them unique personalities. I really enjoye this story, it flows nicely and contains all the elments to story telling. Excellent work.

Sorry it took me so long to read.

[Imperfection]

This is such a well written story. Just a single encounter between two people and you have managed to put life into it.
Sad story but each scene unfolds slowly and cautiously - not giving much away and yet making the reader want to know what happens next. The characters are well sketched out too. I love the paragraph where you describe the girl sitting by the track, dewdrops in her hair and all of that.

Everything about this story is great - content, narration, description..
Even the title seems so much meaningful - now that I have gone through the whole piece.
This is truly a good piece of writing.

[Rick Puetter]

Dear Raja,

A very fine piece, like all your others. You have a wonderful candid writing style that is very
captivating. The subject matter of your pieces, too, are the very stuff of life, something
that everyone can relate to. The abupt ending of the piece leaves us in new understanding,
but without resolution, just as we see over and over again in life. The poignancy of the
piece is tangible and deeply felt.

A wonderful write.

Best regards,

Rick

[Bill Grimes Jr.]

I like it indeed..........It took me on a journey that was both delightful and interesting......I agree with Bonnie on the ending.....Bummer.........but, such is the twist of a great story.....

Peace my friend,

Bill :-)

[Bonnie]

Poignant

You packed a lot of information and emotion into one conversation.

The dialog and imagery are well done. Such a sad ending though!

[T]

What I enjoy about your writing, Raja, is you take me there with your vivid imagery. I felt as though I was there listening in on the conversation as well as witnessing her facial expressions, hiding the pain behind her eyes. I felt there was more than what she was willing to admit between her and her father and she was trying to convince herself that he is a good man. I loved the humor side, the tenderness, the compassion but sadden by what happened, that stole more than her happiness ... Wonderfully written, Raja ... hugs

[TL Boehm]

I found it humorous that she didn't like the poem. This has a snapshot feel to it - as though viewing each frame seperately as still motion pictures - nicely done dialogue.

[Alana Zombie]

I loved it (:
It's simply a conversation, nothing more, yet it has so much character and description. Very deep writing, in my opinion. You really got into the rolls.