One Rupee Coin

A Story by Ayushi Singh

Motivational story of two friends with contrast personalities, Rohan and Vijay !

" Ticket-Ticket-Ticket ! Bhaiya Chaubees Rupay",roared the bus conductor! I dug into my pocket and pulled out a properly folded fifty rupee note ! The conductor returned me a twenty rupee currency and a Five rupee coin , I felt reluctant yet asked for my one rupee change. The ticked collector smiled with apology for not having the change money, however I was adamant and kept asking for the same. He promised to return it the next morning, still I was not convinced. At last he requested the bus driver to lend him a coin so that he can give it to me.

It was really a hot day and the argument made me even more tired. While I was opening the lock of my room, my mobile phone rang flashing ‘JAMES Calling’ on the screen.

“Hi Rohan, Where are you ? We all are going to celebrate Vijay’s Birthday! I hope you remember ”Shouted a hoarse electronic voice from inside.

“No James, I cannot come today, I am busy ! Actually my Land Lord is not fine and he wants me to accompany him to the City Hospital, I hope you can understand ! Consider it my justification and inform others”

“But Rohan…Shreya is also coming and….you know Vijay will feel embarrassed if you will not show up….I hope you remember, he did a lot for you on your birthday…” James voice was fading.

“I never asked anyone to do anything on my birthday James, so now please stop it, I have many tasks pending. Bye”, and I hung the phone.

My father was always right, when you dream big, you will face many obstacles. My friends were the BIGGEST . I was a very systematic and organised person. I never used to waste my time on issues that were NOT fruitful. With the aspiration to crack the I.A.S exam, rigorous hard work and sacrifices were always on the highest priority.This was my ULTIMATE GOAL. I read an interview of J,Mr Jagan Bhutani , the first Ranker of Indian Administrative Services Examination. And from then onward he became my Ideal. I was following him with the spec and hope to attain success.Twelve hours of study and six hours of sleep was my loop.

Vijay was in contrast,a lazy techie boy, with multiple girlfriends and a hassled life. I still never understood why he made friends with me. He liked me a lot although we knew , I was not ‘HIS TYPE’.I was a hard worker and he was a weak ,rather insincere student. No future planing, no savings and no ambition . We were never compatible with each other. Or may be ....I never liked him. That’s why I always tried to stay away from him. People like him always took life lightly. Life is definitely not a joke.

On the forth morning from that day, my door bell ranged at 6:30 am. This never happened before except once when my neighbor met with an accident. I was surprised as first time my alarm lost the race of time and my door bell won. I peeped into the eyepiece and saw a trimmed,vibrant and skinny face of Vijay, smirking .

“Oh come on Rohan, I know you have seen me.….now don't stress your brain to make any SILLY reason for not opening the DOOR…”

A strange shiver of fear ran in my veins. I looked at my timetable which stared me back with a stern look !

“D****t, so much suffocation in your room. At least stop torturing the walls...with MAPS and PICTURES.....few things look beautiful if they are uncovered” , Vijay gave a wicked smile and entered my room lazily.

“This is my way of Living , please do not interrupt . Tell me why you are here ?” I roared.

“Go and get ready, I am getting married today ! You are going to attend a Court Marriage.”

“What the hell....I mean with whom and......”

“Do not argue…just get ready…FAST! ”

I was not able to understand what he meant, and I had no reason to decline. He was at my place this time. Aptitude Practice, G.K Revision and Science IQ, were all at stake today. Vijay was very unpredictable and this irritated me the most.

I wore my best set of shirt and pants and accompanied him ….without knowing where.I was still unable to accept he was marrying that day.

On the way he bought two cups of coffee, handed me one and drove near the beach.I took out my share of money, but he declined.He parked his vehicle .I was still trying to frame out what was going in his mind.

“Rohan, come sit down !”, Vijay waved.

“Will you shut up ? What the hell you are up to ? I am wearing my best sets. And I cannot spoil it....why you have brought me here ? Is it your foolish PRANK? ” I was really mad at him.

“Rohan, calm down idiot, let me explain….sit down” He pulled me towards the sandy ground.I sat, not wishing to. I understood he lied to me about marriage.He just wanted to waste my time.

“Rohan, three days back was NOT my birthday. I just wanted to celebrate my life with you all”

“See....And you lied today too” I shouted.

Vijay Laughed .“ By the way I met Mr. Shergill today . While he was unpacking his luggage, he told me that his FAMILY TRIP to Shimla was a memorable one” I was speechless as he caught my lie about my landlord. I thought he will be annoyed,however he was continuously laughing, as if he was mocking at me. His glare was so sharp that it forced me to look into the infinity of sea.

“Nice try .....! By the way.....I confess that I lied to you too Rohan, but with a good intention.....", Vijay's voice started fading.

There was a deep silence ...only the waves were making noise.

"Rohan, My father is a business man, monetarily we are very strong. But I lost the best part of my life at a very young age, my MOTHER. She was suffering from depression however dad never noticed it. He was busy accumulating wealth and prosperity......he was so busy that he never even understood the reason of her depression .Doctors claim that it was because of ISOLATION and LONELINESS...... ! You are ruining your life bud. This is wrong. I can see it in your eyes, you are struggling. The anger and frustration for no reason speaks a lot in itself. Tell me honestly, are you enjoying or loving what you do ?”

“Enjoying ? Why will I enjoy... ? I am studying, I am working hard to achieve what I want…and definitely life is not easy”

“Who said this? ...Life is a fun..learn to love it...answer me ....Are you really liking what you are pursuing ?”

"Vijay...I totally understand your emotions, and felt really sorry for your mother.But tell me ....who are you to judge me...how can you judge me ? "

“Shreya’s Brother,….I don’t know about you but I can tell she has fallen for you. She tried calling you multiple times but you never answered. She is not happy to go to London.”

“What London ?”, I was startled .

“Okay I will make it all clear…Rohan, we are moving back to London next week...forever….back to our ancestral home. And this was the reason I lied twice. I knew if I would have told you the truth you would have never come. I don’t know your feelings towards me but I really love you my friend and I cannot see you trapped and tricked. Today my words might sound futile but you will realize it one day. I don't want 'THAT ONE DAY' to look at you with pity and you are totally shattered ! Take this…this is my card…whenever you feel you need me, just ring me here ! “

We sipped the coffee together...in the midst of silence.

“Life is not lived with budgets and perfections, its lived with heart and soul. I know it is very hard for you, but if you will keep living like this, you will start considering yourself the victim of all flaws that happened or will happen in your life. If life was too predefined, then death date would also have been certain. But its not. Dad would have saved my mother.but he realized it when it was too late.

You know I have read it somewhere:

‘Stay loose, keep loose…the harder you grip….easily it will slip !

Life is a swing…. life is a wind, when will fall you cannot find’ …..umm…

And something more…I cannot remember, very subtle lines….. let things happen the way they want to happen…you choose the path you desire. Believe me you will get more than you deserve…Re analyse yourself, you are not following you...you are following ...umm..some...Mr. Bhutani."

That was my last conversation with Vijay. I lost his card and I never tried to search for him after then.....maybe I was afraid, maybe I was full of guilt or maybe because he was right and I was wrong.

Today I am sitting in my study and preparing a timetable for students,Yes I ended as a Professor. Or , as Vijay would say , "Started living as a Professor"I was not good at administration, and hence those doors never opened for me. I was meant to be a Teacher. A Teacher who was once a GOOD STUDENT BUT A WEAK HUMAN. Vijay turned me into a HUMAN I meant to be.I lost a friend and my beloved because I following the path of someone else. If that day my door bell would have lost the race with my alarm clock, I would have ended up as a frustrated,failure Rohan. But today somewhere I am contented and happy. Yes , I did realize , although quite late. He justified his name...Vijay,the Victorious.

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock

And my alarm bell blared 5:30 am. I had to get ready .

“Chabbiss Rupayee Sahib”

I handed him three ten rupee currency. He returned me a five rupee coin.

“Bhaiya , But I don’t have one rupee coin” I said to the bus conductor.

“The Conductor smiled and said…its only one rupee sir, keep it !”

……I miss you Vijay !