Dated: 19th June, 1999
“I first saw her in a bus-stop. She was damn beautiful. Remember the time I told you how I wanted my wife to be? Medium height, slim, pretty face, sweet voice, blue eyes, silky hair? Well, she had it all, and she had more…
“The fact that I used to see her every day in the bus-stop made me attracted to her in quantum leaps. However, I had no opportunity to talk to her. But, I opportunity knocked on my door once when she left her purse in the bus-stop. I kept it and the next day was the first day I spoke to her. Boy, what a sweet voice she had. Soon, we got to know each other and the amazing thing is, she is from Bangalore too. She has lived here with her widow aunt for the last 12 years. And her name’s Sally.
“Each day, we met in the bus-stop on our way to our respective jobs, and we used to talk about each other. We became a little close and a few days later, we came to the bus-stop a few minutes earlier, so that we could talk more. I began telling her each and every minute detail of the things that happened in my life and even she did the same. We became very good friends. I liked her and her ways of leading life, and I could see her like me too. The thrill of seeing a girl and talking to her is something one has to experience to believe it. I guess she felt the same, too. The fact that she used to think about me even during the times of the her doing her job led to my concluding that there was, what I call, the Presence of Mind in both of us.
“One could easily see the apprehension and hesitation in her – the combined effect of the increased heartbeat and the shyness – when I first asked her out on a date. And guess what, she accepted! I took her to the Nirula’s and, boy, was I happy that day! The next day was to a movie. And the next to the Lotus mahal. And the next…oh! It went on and on and on.
“Being with her made me happy and forget all my problems and the same holds true for her, too, for, even she openly said it as I did. Its what I call, again, The Power of Love. I guess my heartbeat touched 100 when I first held her hand and said: “I like you” and 120, the next day, when I said: “I love you.” She just smiled on both the occasions, but the smile said it all.
“Once, she became ill and couldn’t come. I missed her and told her so, and imagine what? She said she missed me too! I am experiencing the best times in my life and I want it to continue till I die.
“Proposing to her wasn’t difficult, for I knew she’d accept. A simple “Will you marry me?” was more that enough and perhaps she was waiting all the time, for, immediately she replied: “Yes”. A simple marriage took place in the marriage registrar and we went to Simla, Darjeeling, Nainital and Mussoorie for our honeymoon. Wow, what a time I had. I never thought life would be so complete. I cant live without her now and I am sure she cant live without me, too. We both are too much attached to each other. Its as if we are in heaven.
“Sorry, I being your best friend, couldn’t call you or inform you about my marriage. I promise you a treat when I come there the next year, with my beautiful, wonderful wife. I wish you were here with me to share my happiness.
“Her infectious happiness, her irrepressible gaiety, her obvious delight in life were all of such intensity that even the brute of all species would never raise a word against her. Sometimes I wonder whether I deserve her, and I really cannot come up with an answer as to why she chose me when there are a hundred people who love her and will continue to do so until they die. I don’t think any of them grudged her to me, and I cant think of any of them who would have hesitated to kill me had I brought her to harm. To arouse feelings like that in people, you have to be something very special. That was Sally. Something very rare indeed. Her goodness surrounded her like a tangible and a visible magnetic field. Sally, oh, Sally is all my life.
“I forgot to ask. How are you? How about marriage? Oh! One more thing. My health’s not too good. That has been a major concern for her. But I think I am going to get alright. Atleast for her sake.
“Expecting your letter soon.
“Boy, the world is a great place to live.”
Nick closed the letter and wiped a tear off his face. He was so happy, for Harry, and for the girl.
The letter from Harry had come that day, but he had a fair idea what its contents were the moment it came. The call from Delhi had come a few days ago and he was overjoyed when he first heard the news. He hadn’t given away the information then and he meant it to be a surprise to both Harry and Sally. Harry hadn’t called. “The bastard. He never calls,” Nick said aloud and smiled.
That night, Nick called Harry and told him he received the letter. He congratulated him and wished him a happy married life. Lastly, he added, “Ah! One more thing. I want a favour from you.”
“What?”
“I believe you have told about me to your wife.”
“Obviously.”
“My request is, please don’t use my real name while telling her anything about me. Its too embarrassing. Only my family members and you, know it.”
“You thought I’d say it without your permission? I am sad you haven’t understood me properly. You are as much as she means to me. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks. And, by the way, I have got a surprise for both of you. And you will be overjoyed when you come to know of it.”
“What is it?”
“I will tell you on the day you give me your treat.”
“It’s a deal.”
* * *
Four months later, Nick received one more letter. The postman apologied that because of the mistake in entering the proper address by the sender, the letter had remained in the post office for the past 1 month and it had taken them in the post office the said time to decipher the proper address. The letter was from Harry. Nick had a fair idea what its contents were.
“Hi Nick! I have got bad news. No problem with Sally. She is as wonderful as she can ever be. Its my health. Its worsened. Remember what I told you in the last letter? ‘I am experiencing the best times in my life and I want it to continue till I die.’ Well, my wish is fulfilled. I experienced the best times of my life till my last with Sally
“I have cancer and its too late to be cured now. The doctor said I am going to die in 2 weeks time. I cant come there, so I hope you will visit me, before I leave this world. Sally doesn’t know this. Shes going to be heart-broken when I die. She might even take the Ultimate step. I want you to be with me when I go. I want you to take good care of my wife, the one wonderful person I know apart from you.
“Expecting your visit soon.
“Boy, the world is a sick place to live.”
Nick closed the letter. “The bastard. He never calls”, he said aloud and looked at a small photo on his table. “Why didn’t you call?” he asked the photo a hundredth time. He wiped a tear off from his face. He was so sad, for Harry, and for the girl.
A beautiful girl was smiling from the photo. The infectious happiness. Sally had succumbed to a massive heart attack at the same time and same day Harry had died.
The ‘surprise’ was left unsaid to Harry.
Sally had been Nick’s sister for the last 24 years.
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