The ‘Unforgettable’ Sunday: A Short Story!

It was first Sunday of June 2009. I had just completed a hectic year in TATA Motors after finishing my engineering. But I was enjoying my ‘not enough’ big salary. The people who believe in lavish spending have every weekend colourful and full of fun. So on one of those weekends I had decided to go for a movie with my girlfriend, friends and their girlfriends. We were four couples hanging out together from months. But tragedy happened a day before. I broke up. It was my third split (only) after school. Then also I went for movie because there was a rule that the weekend should not be spoiled at any cause.

We, a group of seven, reached to Raghuleela mall at Kandivali, a western suburb of Mumbai. We checked the movie list and decided by voting to go for ‘The Proposal’ for which my all friends voted yes except me. It was a romantic flick starring extra hot Sandra Bullock. We were waiting outside as our friend went to take tickets. That time I saw a girl (actually a woman) waving hand at me. First I looked back to search who was that lucky guy. But it was for me only. I froze at that place. My friends gave me a dirty look as if that lady was behind my break-up. She was coming towards me and still I stood there expressionless. She introduced herself. Her name was Vidya. I racked that section of my brain which is meant to store people, but it transmitted no reply. I recalled the names of all my friends and friends of my two (oh now three) exes. But there was no Vidya (Because all of my friends had modern names!). Then our introduction ceremony got over. We waited fifteen minutes to say her bye though we were getting late. But she never stopped talking. She was probably in early thirties. She had very astonishing figure. Definitely she had maintained it well. I thought of an option to hang out with her but that was impossible. After all I was only twenty three that time. Finally we went to box office again to buy her a ticket!

She sat next to me. That movie was nice. We were chatting in between the movie. She got a good humour. We had planned to go to Hard Rock Café to have some drinks and to enjoy some dance. But she asked me for a peaceful place somewhere. So my friends went to HRC and we headed towards Haji Ali rocks. We searched a comfortable rock to sit. Then I opened beer cans which we bought on the way. It was a most enjoyable weekend evening for me. We talked on every possible topic. She was the only woman I met when I really tasted the feeling of love. She felt safe with me. Then we had dinner at some stalls on the street. The street food in Mumbai is very tasty and popular, unhygienic though (but we don’t care). And then we were walking on the footpaths of Marine Drive when clock was showing the ending of our weekend. Suddenly a BMW passed nearby and Vidya called out loudly ‘Karim Chacha’. Surprisingly that BMW stopped and she got in it in such a hurry like I was going to kidnap her. And I froze second time that day with the same strange feeling.

Today it is a first Saturday of August, 2012. I was having my regular tea in morning with newspaper in one hand. And suddenly a report on front page got my attention. It was showing Vidya’s photo. Her real name was Sudha. Then why she lied to me! I read it further and got shocked on every line written in it. She was a wife of the owner of one of the most popular five star hotels in Mumbai. And she was suffering from severe psychological disorder from last five years. She was missing from the day we met. They just found her yesterday. I remember that Sunday very well. How can I forget that day! I never felt for a single moment that she was mentally imbalanced. I tried many times but could never find Vidya or Karim Chacha with BMW in Mumbai. What was she doing for three years then? She might have spent them with guys like me. If this is her way to live her life then what’s the imbalance in that. And a thought flashed into my mind. Tomorrow it is one another Sunday of my life. I headed quickly towards my phone to dial a number.

“Hello, Leelavati Mental Care?”