A SWEET TALE

Shekhar is in a dejected mood today,well everyone of his friends is,there's nothing new in
that,and why not?Today is the last day of class XII.A good thick bunch of friends would be
separated after today.Shekhar is going for an engineering course,Niladri will be the doctor,so will Palash and Satyaki.To give Shekhar company there will be Sourish and Aveek.Among the
girls(they called them secret seven for their all time hush-hush gossiping),Amrita,Pritha and
Anasua will go for engineering,Ananya,Poulomi and Moumi will go for medical and standing apart from the crowd Nandini will go for Physics Honours.Well she's always like this,unique and
extremely unpredictable.When all went for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,she liked to skip the party and
read Bankim,and when everyone gobbled up their text books more vigorously than their Sidney Sheldons,she would go for a trecking tour to the Purulia Hills.Friends called her "pagli" but that
made her standout tall and straight.

Teachers called their gang "Unholy 13".A bunch of Hooligans,that they were,they always took
everyone by storm by their sheer presence.From breaking the faculty room glass to knocking on the door from outside,when the pricipal was taking class,and running away,they were the real pranksters.Shekhar smiled,as he was shaving,as he recollected,when Madhumita ma'm made him stand out,how all the other twelve refused to stay in the class.Result----an obvious mass guardian-teacher-student interaction session and there how all thirteen chirped their protests as though Shekhar was the was next to Jesus,and that chaos when.......well the list is unending.From the nursery till XII they have stuck together as a group.Shekhar remembered how they convinced Anasua's father why statistics is better than biology as an additional subject.It took almost three hours and finally he wasnt convinced,but gave up disgusted.Nevertheless their goal was fulfilled and the next day party at Bedouin had to be sponsored by Anasua herself.

The best thing about them is time didnt dig its dirty claws in their relationship,the various physical and mental changes were quite sportingly welcomed by others.How they bullied Satyaki as his moustache didnt come out in time and then........."Bunty,won't u get late?"It was his mother calling him by his pet-name.Quickly Shekhar came back to reality and hurriedly shaved and rushed school.

On his way he kept on thinking,among all of them he never had a bias on anyone,or did he?Nandini was not only his first friend in school life but his neighbour too.He remembered how they shared the same seat in the school bus and also in the classroom,and whenever her father came home from his voyage,it meant a month of free ride to the school in Nandini's ambassador car.Shekhar loved his marine engineer uncle not only for the car-ride,but also for the chocolates he bought for him.He used to pile on the chocolates in front of both of them on his day of return and told them to choose from the lot.Initially Shekhar was shy to allow Nandini to pick.But when all the big and colourful chocolate-bars slowly went into her share,he pounced on and chaos reigned supreme.Neither uncle nor aunty interfered even if anybody started crying.Sometimes uncle would even record it on his handycam.

Those were the days.Everything was going on fine till a distant ISD call from France ruined their family.Uncle's ship went down in a sea-storm and several including uncle went missing.Still today the search is on but they have more or less accepted the destiny's curse.That changed the whole life of Nandini.Overnight she became atleast five years more matured than the remaining pack.The playful,jovial Nandini was lost somewhere in the ocean deeps with his beloved father.Well,was it out of sheer sympathy that Shekhar was developing a soft corner for her.Noway as class III wasn't an age to understand these emotions.Shekhar remembered he had gone to their house on hearing about the mishap and gave her a packet of potato chips to cheer her up.So,no it wasn't sympathy.Actually what Shekhar liked most about her was the time she spent with him.It wasnt love from her side either,its the proximity of the two houses that made the extra time available for the two young hearts to stick together.Shekhar used to do the maths and english homework and give the copy to her,and she in turn gave the bengali homework copy.He remembered the thrashing they got in class VI for making the same mistake in Maths,but it didn't bring in the rift he dreaded of,in their friendship.Shekhar trusted her a lot,told her all the darkest secrets in his life to which she never yawned.She instead used her little grey matter to give him advices which in most cases were not the best(to put it softly).But still what Shekhar liked were the eyes of her when she listened to him.The wide spread eyes reflected the inner interest that made Shekhar surprised for the amount of time she had for him.We,the mortal human beings,always want to have someone who has all the time in the world for us alone,isn't it?

But the loveliest moments Shekhar remembered to have had shared with her were of class
IX.Shekhar was down with malaria just a month before the half-yearly exams.Everyday she came with either a chocolate or potato chips or flower and ofcourse,the classwork copies of all the subjects.She made him understand as far as she could and completed her homework in front of her so that he didn't miss that either.Then the same drama started everyday,his parents
wouldn't leave her unless she had the dinner to which she opposed and after a lot of fake anger
and persuation,she finally gave in,and Shekhar's father accompanied her home.While Shekhar
understood it wasnt possible for the other eleven to give him that much time but his heart
refused to listen to his brain.

Shekhar went upstairs and shouted "Are you done with?I'm ready.Hurry up!",and there she was clad in a white sari with red border,her wet hair kissing her back,and the small red spot on her forehead completed the figure,which Shekhar took a few seconds to recognize."What are you staring at?Lets go."Shekhar came back from his trance and clearly stated "Wow,you look
great,whats up?Which fool is your target today?""You-------now let's get going",Shekhar was
spell-bound and followed her orders as though he was the loyal slave of this goddess for
ages."Mom,we are going",she shouted.Aunty came and as both of them touched her feet she
blessed both of them simultaneously,as she always did.The taxi was an easy-pick.On their
way,she talked about the past days,how she'll miss he school and her friends.To this Shekhar
exclaimed,"And me?""Aren't you included in my friends?"Shekhar suffered a setback.She's quite right.Then why is he thinking on that line.Why?Why?

They stepped down and walked towards the school.This part Shekhar hated the most.All the guys stared at his Nandini as though they had never ever seen a woman in their long lifetime.And this Nandini too,does she need to say "hi" to each and everyone?Can't she ignore them.Well she's always like this,ever-friendly,but a typical no-nonsense woman.What a thrashing Jyotirmoy got when he dared propose her.Neither did she shout nor slap nor go to any teacher,but her firm words were stronger than any of the above said actions.That's the woman Shekhar craved for,the ideal one who could balance all fronts equally.But why is he having this feeling today?"What's up?Lets move",Nandini pulled him by his wrist.

In the seminar hall,the full pack was waiting.As soon as they reached there the usual chaos
started.Snapshots,handshakes all over the place,and amongst them,a tiny soul floating on like
the paper boat in a flooded street,his lady love was busy with the others while he wanted her to
be beside him more than he had ever done."Hi Shekhar",it was Shreya.Their roll numbers were
consecutive in XI and XII,and Shekhar could never forget the help he received from her during
the four terminal exams.After every result,he would utter the same old words "I'll never ever
forget your help in my lifetime,had it not been for you.....",to which Shreya would laugh out loud
and say "Plz stop it.In no way you are like the filmy heroes.So better be yourself and give me a
treat of cold drink whenever you find yourself free from any of those common excuses of yours for not having money".But today he was in no mood to talk to her.Just a few formal greetings,a cold hug and some old stuff like "You are looking so pretty today" to which the obvious reply was "Stop flirting with me please" and that was the end.

Photos were taken of all groups and when the turn came for the "Unholy Thirteen" to face the
camera there was shrill and shouts of all kinds.Shekhar stood quietly on the right top row among the boys,but as luck would have it,the cameraman,Shubhro that is,was such a dumbo,that he
couldn't get them in one frame."Hey Shekhar,you come in front",he shouted.Ananya and Moumi almost dragged him in the forward barely giving him time to move on his own.He sat in front,next the girls,some held his ear,some his nose,some his hair,and lastly the other six boys.After the photo session as Shekhar sat up,Nandini came upto him and said "Trust me,I didn't pull anything."Needless,isn't it?Did I ask her?"--------Shekhar thought,but the simplicity and innocense in her voice touched his heart to the root.

At last it was the food-time.The packets were distributed and everyone slowly settled
down.Shekhar preferred to sit alone all by himself.He just uncovered the packet when he got a
gentle pat on his back.He turned around and to his surprise it was Nandini."What's wrong with
you?I'm watching from the morning that you are not the usual Shekhar you are""You are
watching me?""Not spying on you,just watching buddy,anyways that's not the point.The point is
what's wrong with you?Come on you can share with me.I promise I won't tell anyone.""Nothing of that sort,actually.......""Oh please Shekhar,no formalities,start straight away.""Nandini,actually what I meant to say is that.........""Nandini please come here",it was Anindita."Excuse me just for a minute,ok?In the meantime be ready with what you have to say.I'm coming just now",saying so Nandini left.

Shekhar munched his food and thought what a folly he was going to commit.Almost
fifteen years of friendship would have been blown away in a fraction of a second by a single
mistake of his.At least Nandini talks to him now and he could live his entire lifetime just hearing
her sweet words,far better than being an erosional fool and giving it all away in one sway.

"Yaa tell me",Nandini returned."What happened?""Sayantan and Urmi had quarelled again.So
silly isn't it?They themselves know very well that they can't live without each ohter,still they
quarrel at the minutest opportunity.""So you played the Cupid?""Stop it Shekhar,I just did it as I didn't want another scene to be created today atleast,anyways you continue,why are you so
grim-faced?"Oh God,why does this girl never forgets anything,Shekhar thought to himself and
started,"I was thinking that all of us would be sticking together only you would be taking a
different course.Why don't you........""Shekhar we had enough discussion on this and secondly
you can't help it.You need to move on in life.As we were taught,nothing is permanent but
change.Right?""But won't you miss me?""Of course I'll.Why won't I?Even you'll miss me.Isn't
it?""Please God,don't put my emotions to this vigorous test,I'm holding on to the brink with extreme difficulty,please don't push me further",Shekhar murmured."Shekhar this habbit of yours to whisper to your own self is an extremely bad habbit.Either say it aloud or keep quiet.Bye,I'm leaving.""Hey stop stop,I was just pulling your leg",Shekhar quickly recovered himself,in the same manner he had been doing for so many years,"Ofcourse I"ll miss you,I was just thinking who would listen to my trash when you won't be there.Tell me one thing,why would you like to study Physics anyway?""I want to be like......""Yaa yaa I know,Partha-sir,right?""Whats the harm in it?Why do you people always look doown on him like that?""He thinks himself to be Buddha II,the new social reformer,why what's the need?Let the professors be from other schools.We are meant to be engineers and doctors.""That's what other students think about us.We don't have it in us to become professors and scholars.That's why I want to prove them wrong.""But why do you have to prove anything to anybody?We know you are and what you are.""But the whole world doesn't.Shekhar take it easy.Ok fine,a teacher will be needed to teach all the children of my doctor and engineer friends.Isn't it?That's what I'm doing to ensure our friendship remains forever.""Exactly,and how you are doing it?By isolating yourself from the whole group!Fine""Please don't be angry Shekhar,but I have my own goals.Everyone has.Please understand.""Of course,I've never ever won against you in argument.How can I expect the tables to be turned on the last day?""Wow,you look damn handsome when you are angry",saying so she burst out into a pure spree of laughter.Shekhar kept looking at her-------so pretty,so fresh just like a fountain flowing fast down the mountain slopes."Hey stop glaring,I'm not Adrita that I'll be frightened off."Shekhar remembered in class II,Adrita had picked up a sandwich from Shekhar's tiffin-box as soon as he opened it.Shekhar just stared at her with big eyes for a few seconds and she kept it back,went back to her place and started crying.Adrita went away to Ahmedabad when they were in class VI.Amazing,isn't it?Shekhar had long forgotten the incident,but Nandini!It seems she just can't forget anything about him."Hey Nandini",this was Somsuvra."Coming",she shouted."Wait,I'm coming back soon",she whispered to Shekhar.

It seemed to Shekhar that the minutes were passing by too quickly.At least that's what his wrist-watch suggested.According to him it was hardly two hours that they had come but the watch already showed it was quarter to six.

The day,he had waited for so long to come,came and went away too.The crowd was already thin by now,those who remained still were at the last phase----exchanging phone numbers and hand shakes and hugs,some even cried,some warned others never to forget to keep in touch,some took it easy as they would meet again soon.

Amidst this,Shekhar was watching Nandini.She was with her "Secret Seven" bunch,doing what they were best at----that same old hush hush thing followed by loud roars of laughter.Shekhar hated this very much but today even this act seemed to be so very soothing to feast upon with his eyes.Again the "Unholy Thirteen" united,hugged each other.Nandini gave him a light hug and said,"we'll keep on meeting in the streets right?""Why,won't you allow me in?""Only if you have time to come",and then she smiled again."Where are you going?",Shekhar asked."What's wrong with you?Today's Amartya Sir's tution.Everytime I go there in Atreyee's car.How did u
forget?Hmmmm I can very well understand what the situation will be like later.Ok bye!"

And she went away.Shekhar watched her taking her tiny footsteps which slowly but surely took
her away from him.He prayed to God----Oh God,please in every race of life,in any field,just make this girl a winner.Just like she's moving ever so confidently and steadily so ahead of all of us,just
ensure she keeps doing that in whichever path she trudges.

Shekhar kept on looking till she disappeared into the car.The black window of the car prohibited Shekhar to get a final glimpse of his sweetheart.The car sped away leaving behind white smoke of burnt petrol and dust,in which several images kept coming in front of Shekhar,from chocolates to mathematics homework,from tiffin sharing to her walking upto him today morning in a sari,all the pictures just refused to fade away.Shekhar didn't want that either.Many wanted to accompany him but he gave some excuse or the other to them and chose to tread the long way back home alone.