An Interview In The Dark

"Tell me not in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream.

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem".

Some lovely and meaningful lines from the beautiful creations of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "A Psalm of Life". He wants to convey a message that mourning over life's ups and downs and then saying life has given us nothing is just worthless. People doing so are not only hopeless but they are like a waste to themselves. Such people are worth nothing and their lives are in real haste. People, often get carried away by the struggles they face in their lives and surrender before anything could happen to them. They think that this is the only thing that is left in their lives, only struggles, pains and failures. It’s not that they don't know that they will have their chance to enjoy and be happy. They know that the darkness of their lives will be gone and a light of cheerfulness will surround them.

Nothing in life is permanent. One that is present will become past sometime. This includes sadness, sorrows and pains too. The only thing people should have is faith. One should not lose hope. Faith on themselves, faith on their lives will not keep them away from their success for long. Life will give them a second chance. Well, you might be thinking why I am telling such things. It’s because life too played with me once, not only played but plotted against me and I was trapped into it. It not only gave me ups and downs but also left me into hurricanes and turmoil of adverse situations. Situations, that took me from the world of utter brilliance and brightness into the deep cave of darkness and creepy dullness. Don't worry friends, you will get to know about this as we will move ahead.

I will never forget that day or I can say that day will never let me forget itself. It was the first day in my office and I am still left in dilemma of what that day had brought me. I was never in such a situation as I am in now and I hope that nobody in this world would come to such a situation. I had never wanted this then why is it that I and only I am, in this world of population, is in such a position in the journey of my life that neither can I turn back nor can I take a step ahead. Well you all, till now might have got into a thought that what has happened to this lady. Why is she saying all these stuffs and not detailing it? So, without any delay let me continue and take you all, to my first day in my office.

Early in the morning, having a plate of confidence and a glass full of enthusiasm in my breakfast, I reached my office, 'The Rising Sun', a local newspaper press of a small town near Shimla.

I wasn’t born there, instead I moved to that place after getting the job. I don’t know whether it was my job or my fate that brought me to that place. Seeing my experience and expertise, my boss gave me this project that washed away the entire glories and charms of my life and left me with sadness and pains. In one way, you can say that I wanted this project desperately. So, for whatever happened next cannot be blamed on anyone except me. It was all a master plan of the Almighty, flawlessly executed by fate. No wonder, you all might be thinking what the project was and what happened due to that. Before letting you to know about the project, you should know about this guy- Abhimanyu Singh.

Abhimanyu, a billionaire, owner of over 10 multi-national companies all over the world, one of the most leading successful business tycoons and no one in the entire world knows him. Surprised? You should be, but it’s as true as you and I and no one can deny that. I don’t know why, but I always had a keen interest in him. I always wanted to know about him. He had that influence on me and why shouldn’t I be influenced? I mean what kind of a guy with such luxurious success would not like to face the world? What kind of a person is he, who likes to remain behind the curtains when his play is fabulous! This made me think of him all the time and he was the only reason I moved to that town because I had a lead on him. It was that town where his journey began. It was that town where he started his business and in no time he reached to the heights of success. Well by this time now you all might have guessed what my project was. I was given a job to interview him anyhow.

Interviewing a businessman was not a tough task for me as I have interviewed a number of successful businessmen but this was a bit different and tough too. It was because no one knew him and if someone had tried to reach him somehow, he straightaway denied them. Well, I didn’t go this way because I didn’t want a denial. I investigated for all his activities like how he interacts with his employees around the world without coming in front of them. Undoubtedly, he left me with a surprise. He had never ever interacted directly to any of his employees, not even the CEO's of his companies. When asked to a CEO, we came to know that there is never a direct contact with him. Instead, during meetings, coming from his chair was only his voice. So, this investigation was a dead end for me and I was back again at the beginning.

After a score of days in frustration, came a little ray of hope when I got a thought of the employees. It was the day when I got my salary and with that, an important question. The question was how he pays his employees. This question showed me another path to reach to him. I inquired with the employees about their salaries. It wasn’t so easy, for people were not ready to reveal anything. I had to camouflage myself as a new employee of their company and showing my concern regarding my salary and what came next was another blow to my hard work. But this time, I wasn’t ready to lose and pushed harder into my investigation. Well, I got something but I wasn’t sure enough that whether it would help. But I was happy with it because I knew the value of it. Moreover, we all know that something is better than nothing. The information that I got, was the details of the bank that handled the payment of the employees across India.

Without delaying any further, I reached the bank and inquired about it. It’s never so easy to gather information from a bank. I tried hard and gave every bit of my confidence that it won’t be leaked but of no use. At last with a sad mood and frowned face, I came out when I heard a call for me. I turned around and saw a mid aged man coming towards me.

He came to me and said, “The information you are seeking for, I can tell you something about it.”

Saying this, he stopped and I was waiting eagerly for him to say. After a few seconds of pause, I noticed his face and saw his crooked smile. I understood what he was seeking for and I had to do that for Abhimanyu. I took a thousand rupees note and handed it to him to which he replied that such accounts are handled only by Mr. Kunal Singh, the CEO of the bank and can be found in New Delhi.

Well this was an important lead and I had a feeling that time, that this is it. This is the only moment at which my wheels have begun to move towards him. Without delaying further, I took the latest train to New Delhi. The very next day, I went to the bank and requested to meet the CEO. No doubt, I had to wait a lot and speaking of precision, it was a lot. After a long wait, finally I met him. He welcomed me very nicely and apologized to me for making me wait but I didn’t care for it.

So I directly came to the point and said, “Thanks Mr. Kunal, for your concerns. I am here for something that is very important to me and to the whole world”.

Saying this, I stopped waiting for him to reply something.

But nothing as such came, instead taking a sip of coffee he said, “I’m listening”.

I continued, “I am here to know about Abhimanyu Singh, the business tycoon. I know all his funds and payments to his employers are done by this bank under special care of yours. I want to know everything about him.”

He, keeping his cup on the table, in a very relaxed voice said, “Miss Kashish, I can understand your feelings and your dedication towards your job but I am so sorry to say that whatever you came here seeking for, I cannot help you in that. First and foremost thing, none of us here knows anything about him and even if we would have known we wouldn’t have told you. It’s against the bank policies.” I said.

“But” and he interrupted in between and said, “I can only help you in one way by telling you this that we never contact him. At the time of payment, he calls with a number on one day only and orders to sanction the payments. That’s all we know about him.” On asking for that number, he denied and said he can’t share the number and moreover that number remains switched off all the time.

Hearing this, I was in great dissatisfaction and misery.

When he picked up my purse and handing it over to me, he said, ”Nice meeting you, miss Kashish!” and with that he bid me farewell.

But guys this was not it. Here’s something interesting that came to me shockingly and I am damn sure that after knowing this you all too will be exceptionally shocked. While handling over my purse to me, I noticed Mr. Kunal slipping something into my purse. I straightaway went out and rummaged my purse. It was a note by him that he put into my purse.

It said, “Meet me in The Secrets coffee shop in an hour.” It was a coffee shop some 3 kilometers from the bank and I reached there as soon as possible. In an hour or so he came and then came a shocking secret of Abhimanyu.

He came to me and sat down. We ordered our coffee and then I started, “Why did you call me here? What is it that you want to say and could not say in the bank?”

He said, “Calm down! There were eyes and ears on us in the bank. It would have created trouble for me if I would have said anything to you in there. You want to know about Abhimanyu, I will tell you. I am his uncle. He is my sister’s only son". This news was really shocking to me and then I realized how he manages his funds easily. It’s all because of his uncle.

He continued, “Truly speaking, I too don’t know much about him because he never meets anyone not even me. He always wants to remain alone. Being his uncle I too want him to be famous and people of this world should not only know his name but also him. He lives in a small town near Shimla. I’ll give you his number in a hope that you will do something because no other reporter has reached to me asking about him except you.”

Co-incidentally, it was the same town where he started his first business and where I moved in last month in search for him. I came back to town and the very first thing I did was of course call him. I was eager to hear his voice and as the ring started to ring, my heartbeat was increasing. I was waiting with my mobile held in my ears and waiting for somebody to answer. Well yes the voice came and truly speaking, listening to his voice gave me a soothing feel in my heart.

I started, “Mr. Abhimanyu, I am Kashish from The Rising Sun.” And before I could say anything further, I got the beep sound of the phone. Yes, he hung up the call and I was annoyed.

How dare he hang up the call?

After a minute of annoyance, I called him again because I was more desperate than annoyed at him.

This time before he could say anything I said, “Please don’t hang up the call.”

And this time he said, ”Who gave you this number. It is my uncle, right? I know if you have this number means you know about my uncle." I replied saying a 'yes'.

He said,”Ok! Tell me what you want?” Hearing to this, I felt like jumping and dancing but then I gathered myself and said, “Nothing much Mr. Abhimanyu, just a small interview.” He very politely said, “I am sorry!” and hung up the call.

Well this was not done as I am more stubborn than him so I called him repeatedly but of no use. He always denied and each time with more politeness than the previous denial. Doing so every day was irritating me and was taking me into frustration. But one day I don’t know what happened I got a call and to my surprise it was him. Mr. Abhimanyu Singh was calling me.

I picked up the call in no time and before I could say anything he said, “Why do you want to interview me?”

I replied, “Sir, it’s because I want to know you and not only me but the whole world wants to know you.” He remained silent for half a minute and then said, “Ok, I’m ready for the interview but on one condition.”

Hearing to this I was so excited that I said that I agree to all your conditions. Then he said, “Whatever but listen to it first. I will not show my face to you. You will be talking to me but will not be able to see me.” This took away the smile from my face but still in a hope of knowing him, I agreed. Then he said to reach at the oldest villa in the town at 10 o’ clock.

Well, my excitement took me to the place an hour earlier and to my surprise he too was there. He was sitting in the dark room. The reason he called me there was that no one visits that place and that place is real dark. Lights never care to pass by there.

As I reached there, he said, “I knew your anxiety will bring you here before time. So now shall we begin? Ask me what you want to ask?”

Believe me guys you will not move ahead without laughing at my question that I asked him. The very first question I threw at him was “Are you for real or are you a ghost?”

I told you guys you will laugh at my question. Well he too laughed at it and then he said, “Miss Kashish is desperately tracking down a ghost for an interview. I doubt!”

And with this our conversation began. But it was hardly an hour of our conversation when he all of a sudden said, “That’s enough for today. We will continue with this tomorrow at same place and same time.”

Saying this he vanished in the dark. But I wasn’t satisfied as I wanted more information from him. But we met another day and he again went away in an hour. Still I liked it because whatever might be his conditions I was getting answers.

Well friends, before moving ahead I would like to share one secret that was growing within me. I was always influenced by him. His name always attracted me towards him. There was this infatuation that kept me into getting to know him. I always had this soft corner for him within my heart and truly speaking folks I didn’t know why. My anxiousness, my eagerness towards knowing him was all because of this reason. And with the past conversations and all the time spent with him, I had started to love him. Without seeing him, I loved him secretly.

But friends, I don’t know why that day was giving me fears. That day I decided to ask him about his love life and that feared me. But anyhow I had to ask him and that day I asked. He remained silent to this question and all the time he was quiet, my heart was beating drums. Then after a long pause he started laughing. I was pretty confused why he is doing that.

Then he said, ”It’s all due to her that I am here today.” Hearing this, my heart sunk but then he said, “There was a girl once whom I loved a lot and still I do but she is no more with me.”

I asked,”Why sir, what happened?”

He said, “She thinks I am a bad guy and doesn’t deserve her.”

I replied, “Then sir, she might have not known you nicely. She is such a poor girl to miss such a guy. If I would have been at her place I would have never left you.”

Listening to this, he again laughed and then said,” Please don’t say anything to her. She is the love of my life".

“I beg your pardon sir. She might be a fool to reject you but I agree to this fact too that she is very lucky that you love her”, I said.

To this he said, “Miss Kashish, can I ask you something?” I agreed, to which he said,”It’s been so long we are talking to each other but you have never said me anything about you. I know it’s my interview but still I would like to know about you as a friend to friend. I hope you treat me as a friend.”

I said, “What kind of a friend will not show his face?”

He laughed listening to this and then said, “We will get to that level later but as of now I want to know about you.”

“Well sir, there is nothing so great in my life to know but still if you insist, I will tell. I was born and brought up in New Delhi and we were happy. I was enjoying everything in life as my father was a successful businessman. My parents raised me perfectly. I was like a princess to them. But this didn’t last long and then came a day that brought disaster to my family. It was my father’s business that went down. The markets collapsed and our business crashed due to which we were bankrupted. Our house was ceased by the bank which later was auctioned. My father couldn’t bear this and had a heart attack and died and my mother went insane. Within no time, my entire world turned into ashes.”

“That is unfortunate. I am so sorry. Life seems a bit unfair to you”, He said.

“It’s alright sir. I have already moved on and that has become a past.”

Then he said, “Ok so let’s get on with your love life. Do you have, or had a boyfriend?”

For this, I was not ready and coming all of a sudden from him was making me nervous. “Well sir” I continued, “I had a boyfriend once but he is no more in my life. He too is nothing to me but a past.”

He then very politely said, “Don’t take me wrong but can I ask you what happened? Why is he no more in your life?”

I didn’t want to discuss this with him but I don’t know why, when he asked me this I couldn’t help myself resisting it.

I said, “It was during that time when we were declared bankrupt. I loved him a lot. But that day was never meant for my good. My father remained in his study all the day because he was tensed. My mother could not help in anything so she remained worried. I was left with only one person in my life to which I could share my worries. It was very hard for me to see my parents like this and I really needed a support. But when I needed him the most he left me because he never loved me. I was just a fling to him and that day when our house was going to be auctioned, I came to know about his illegal works. He was into drugs trafficking so I made him arrested and went away.”

“How did you come to know about his works?”

This was the very next question that came quickly from him. I replied, “My friend told me that she saw him delivering a packet to some person who was a drug mafia later caught the same day he delivered.”

With this, I said, “That’s it sir, now no more me and only you.”

“What happened in your love life sir? What happened that she left you thinking a bad guy?”

To this question a reply came that took away everything from me. I was no more alive.

He said, “It’s because some idiot friend of hers said her something to which she believed and instead of having faith on me, she left me. And truly speaking my love, she not only left me but treated me as a criminal and made me to spend my life in jail for 2 years.”

Saying this he came out in light and all that I saw next was a disaster to me. It was him, my boyfriend Animesh who was arrested for drugs trafficking and that too because of me.

How come Animesh and Abhimanyu are same?

How is it that he created his own business empire around the world and has become a business tycoon?

These were the questions that were hitting my mind at that moment. I was speechless thinking over these when he said, “Oh dear Kashish! Why did you do this? You should have asked me once, at least once. I think I deserved a chance to explain. What happened to our love and faith?” He was asking these questions to me and I was all left with nothing but tears. To his questions, I couldn’t answer but my eyes answered with tears and my tongue with silence.

But this didn’t stop him for he continued, “Do you remember that day Kashish when you were crying in front of me with your head against my shoulder all because of your father’s bankruptcy? It was not only you who was crying. My heart too cried seeing you like that. This was the reason I left you that very moment. Only because I couldn’t see you crying. I left as I wanted to help. The urgency of money led me to a guy who said he will help instead of that I had to work for him as a delivery boy for his courier company for next 5 years. I was ready to do anything for you and I agreed. I never knew that the courier company was fake and instead they were supplying drugs.”

It was all his words and my tears at that place that very moment. His words continued, “This is the reason why I kept myself hidden, I changed my name, my identity everything only because I love you and will love you forever. I never wanted this for you. Whatever I said about the girl, the love of my life, it was all about you and I meant it. I couldn’t see you in tears then and I cannot see you now too. Believe me Kashish, at present the person I hate the most is me. I hate myself for giving you such a pain. Why did you come here Kashish? Why? Everything was going on good and most important you were happy, then why did you come here? I never wanted this interview to happen but it was your voice that brought me here. I couldn’t help myself to resist seeing you.”

With this he held me, wiped my tears and continued, “Why are you so beautiful that my eyes cannot stop seeing you? Why are you so charming that my heart cannot stop loving you? Oh Kashish! You shouldn’t have come here. You shouldn’t have met me. I cannot see you like this. Please forgive me.”

Saying this he turned around and vanished into dark. I kept crying and crying and later when I came into senses, I couldn’t find him as he was long gone.

Remember folks in the very beginning, I said that I was left with darkness. This was it. As he vanished into darkness my life was gradually moving to darkness and was left meaningless. My heart was tossed between the feelings that I had for Abhimanyu and Animesh. Though they were the same person but my heart differentiated between their personalities. I don’t know what to do because be it Abhimanyu or Animesh, both went away as one and with them went away my love. This was the master plan of the Almighty that was flawlessly executed by my fate to bring a disastrous hazard in my life. I was left all alone on an island not surrounded with water but with lava of pains and fire of sorrows.

I love Abhimanyu but cannot be with him because Animesh would never like to be with me. Once he is revealed out, Abhimanyu will be no longer be alive and moreover, I would be insulted to be with a criminal. An innocent criminal. And he would never allow this to happen. He can let Abhimanyu die at a cost of my dignity and pride. No! He would never do that and this is what is now hurting me the most. No one knew Abhimanyu before and the girl who knew was again left blank. She went back to the same place where she started. The only difference is now she knows the real identity of Abhimanyu, alias Animesh. And that girl is me.

I know I am in pain and you too are not living peacefully. Let fates plot against us till the uttermost extent and I will be in search of you till my last breath, because whether we be together or not in this life but I know that even if I am dying and it’s in your arms, I will accept it with a smile so that even my death does not give you suffering and pain.

Wherever you are, finally I am saying this. I love you a lot till the afterlife!