A Guest Appearance

I was excited to leave the hostel and return to my home. This time was certainly a good one, a humorous inflicted and had several moot emotions winded up in one. “The phone call that I got, indicated all of us will be spending this Diwali together. I was a bit surprised at the beginning thinking it was some sort of a joke that they pulled on me, but I was wrong. Let’s begin with a general overview”, I said to her “first breathe, you idiot you need air “, she replied in her usual humor. I was so excited I packed half my stuff left half in my hostel room, called her as she had her home in the way, got my car and went straight driving. Anxiety, happiness, excitement, all the emotions came to me at once. The remotely located happiness found a way through my smile and I couldn’t stop my action. She was a ‘close’ friend from my college, I liked her a lot, though never had the courage to tell that to her. Passing in my elevated and uplifted mood I asked her, called her late at night,” I am leaving for home tomorrow, would you like to join me? “ “Sure, why not “, She said. It was like two for the price of none, I for sure was very excited to get home.

“So, now tell me what were you saying?”, she questioned. “All of my family is showing up for this Diwali at my home, all of them …”, I began “means the whole bunch !!?”, she said surprisingly “Yes, almost 14 in now as of yet, the rest are on their way…”, I stated. The excitement around festivals grows exponentially in India with a big population that loves the concept of affinity sharing. The jolly crowd cracking jokes, wit, and humor, the laughter is continuous even on the unheard jokes. Others laughing makes you want to smile, it is highly contagious. “You seem happy about it …”, She asked “I am, has been quite a while since we have all gathered up and this time it is not for any compulsory family function or event that most dislike, it is for celebrating a festival, lighting up the house…”, I explained.

The long wait was driving me crazy and I realized I am getting too excited and should control my emotions and my excitement. “It has been a long time since I had a messy home usually it is quiet and festivals are no fun until you have someone to celebrate and make you realize the happiness in life …”, I continued she nodded with a warm smile giving me confirmation that she understood the words and got those emotions. “I am excited again to see all my cousins, what they are doing … remember in school if you were made to stand alone or you are the only one that had not done the assignment, if some person else get along with you or stand with you, you feel a little-relaxed cause now it is two of you who hasn’t done something and the more is always merrier”, I at this time had no regards whether she is listening to me blabber.

“The unheard calls for dinner, the continuous chaos, children’s crying, some running around the whole house, people laughing and it is like a chain reaction one laughs and it spreads to the whole house … The upflowing energy the restless yet upbeat crowd and chaos get you nostalgic for no reason remind you of being a child and when you see those little faces, the mischief wrapped in angelic faces it reminds you of the importance of having a family!”

We reached halfway and closer to the destination I was just happy to sit beside her. A beautiful song enjoyed with her was peace and the journey through the lonely ways added to my happiness. She smiled to look at me blushing as I mentioned she was sitting beside me to my friends when they called. The last I can remember was 4years back. That was the time half of my family was up for this wedding and we enjoyed a lot, years passed by but, the memory remains intact. Accidently I hit the accelerator instead of the breaks in excitement. And whoop we went!! She a little frightened by the incident suggested she should drive instead. We laughed while switching places, she drove through the same ways as I in excitement told her everything. What I like, dislike, who was on the call and one thing lead to another resulting in I telling her that I liked her. She surprisingly stopped the car to look at me! Now I got uncomfortable in my own car and asked if I could sit in the backseat due to embarrassment. She smiled and replied affirmatively. This movement pumped me up so much my hands started to shiver and I on continuous breathing exercise couldn’t believe it all at once.

Now turn right and go straight for another 1 km the navigator buzzed. I realized that these ways lead to my home instead of her’s. “I am sorry! I lead you the wrong way!! “, I exclaimed “it’s fine, even I want to see your family now…” she said.