Elated Vibes

It was raining...the downpour was very heavy. It happens in mountains. The weather is unpredictable. It was a large group of tourists who had come to this picturesque hill station to enjoy the scenic beauty and to escape the scorching heat of plains for a few days.

That day Eddie hadn't joined the group for their long morning walks. He was one of a few who remained confined to their respective rooms and enjoy the view from room-windows. He could see vast stretch of valley surrounded by high mountains. Sitting in the room balcony he saw a group of girls walking fast in rains. All of them were without umbrellas or raincoats. They were walking hurriedly to reach their destination. Eddie could watch them from his room farthermost till they disappeared in the woods. Even in that heavy downpour he could recognise one girl whom he had heard laughing loudly and freely echoing all corners of the valley a day before when she alongwith her group of friends was perhaps sharing some jokes

He was dumbfounded at her laughter...how can one be so carefree to enjoy such joyful laughter! She with her ecstatic laughter was registered in his mind. Now in this heavy downpour she was walking briskly, quietly and looking so vulnerable! Then she was also lost in the woods alongwith the group. It had stopped raining and the weather had cleared. 

In hill stations same people keep bumping into one another in one locale or the other. It's not difficult to find out about any person if one desires so. Taking a leisure walk in the evening, Eddie again came across same group of girls enjoying snacks in open coffee shop. This was the nearest hill station from the native city of Eddie. He was a frequent visitor to the place. So his was a familiar face to the natives of the hill station. His curiosity to know more about the girls' group took him to the same coffee-shop. Overhearing their conversation he could make out that they were on college camp tour. That was their last day of the camp. They had gone for early morning walk and how they had enjoyed playing hide and seek with unpredictable weather. They were students of the girls college of the same nearby city to which Eddie belonged. This was enough information for him. He came out of the coffee shop and resumed his leisure walk. He could watch rising flames of bonfire in the late evening from his room-window. He couldn't resist the temptation of watching the bonfire activity. 

The sky was absolutely clear with shining stars. It was a moonlit night. There was no hint of any cloud or rains. The whole environment seemed compatible with the enjoyment of girls. There was quite a large number of tourists gathered and were watching the bonfire activity from a distance. Loud singing, dancing, laughing around the bonfire was echoing in otherwise silent valley. Eddie couldn't miss the ringing laughter of same damsel who looked like a fairy who had descended to make the whole world happy and carefree like her. He didn't know her name but for his convenience he named her Fairy. Night became colder and colder. Almost all the tourists had gone back to their respective hotels and lodges. Eddie remained there watching Fairy enjoying herself up to hilt. He could not help wondering again and again at her happy-go-lucky attitude. He hung on till the last flame of bonfire extinguished. He came back to his room filled with strange satisfaction. Next morning he got up very late. His group of friends was ready to explore more. He also went with the group hoping to see Fairy again but college camp was over, the students were gone and obviously Fairy was also gone alongwith them.

Eddie and his friends stayed at the hill station for a few more days and then returned back. His friends went back to their respective cities. Eddie also got busy with his post graduate studies. It was neither a cosmopolitan city nor a very small city. It was not difficult to find the whereabouts of anyone if one wanted. Fairy was unaware of any impression she had made in Eddie's mind and heart. She didn't know Eddie at all. So there was no question of finding about Eddie by her and Eddie's fixation about Fairy was a very beautiful, mesmerizing image. He was holding on to that and didn't want to dig more. Living in same city, many a time he would see her from a distance and he would get those vibes of happy-go-lucky. In a rainy day in ensuing winter he was surprisingly overjoyed to see her with friends taking shelter under the canopy of his house gate. He immediately invited them to make use of protective verandah of his house. All the friends gigging made themselves comfortable there.

He treated them over hot cup of coffee and snacks without trying to interfere in their conversation. He was just happy to find Fairy so close who with her chirpy, cheerful self who seemed totally oblivious of his presence. Her unconcern was insignificant to him. The rain subsided after about an hour or so and all of them left after thanking him profusely. He smiled and waived without looking at anyone particularly. That day also he couldn't know her name. Meeting Fairy in his house even though for an hour or so that too with her friends was a blessing from rain God...he felt elated at his thought again feeling the vibes of jovial attitude. 

After a few weeks Eddie left for abroad for higher studies. He joined a well reputed company and got married also there. Eventually he was blessed with an adorable daughter. One fine day he alongwith his family decided to visit his native place. He wanted to show his family his ancestral home. His wife and daughter were also keen to meet his family. Once in the native place, he took them to the same nearest hill station. The picturesque beauty was as captivating as ever. Much development of the area had taken place. The whole family had checked in the best lodge. They intended to spend some days in serene surroundings. He was totally relaxed in his familiar atmosphere. The whole family was happy to remain in the lodge enjoy the beautiful surroundings and feel comfortable with the facilities available.

At the most they would just go for a leisure walk in the old market area which had extended more. On last day of their stay, Eddie's wife wanted to purchase some locally made item as a token of their visit to the place. It didn't take them much time in the small shipping area to make choice. Gossiping and playing catch-catch with their daughter, Eddie felt elated. This was a familiar feeling of getting vibes of happy-go-lucky attitude. This was how he used to feel whenever he saw Fairy. Her laughing image was intact in his mind as ever. He looked for Fairy here and there but she was nowhere to be seen. Only his daughter was running around merrily laughingly and Eddie's wife had also joined their daughter in her playful mood. Reaching their lodge they found some activity in the next lodge. Some family had checked in there. Eddie family became busy in packing their stuff as they were to leave next morning. They had thoroughly enjoyed their stay in the hill station. 

Next day when Eddie family was just to start for journey back home, they heard a loud laughter mixed with a child's laughter which rang bell to Eddie. He looked towards that lodge and found a woman and a small boy playing hide and seek outside their lodge. A male voice asking the woman Sally and the small boy affectionately to lower down their volume The familiar laughter was echoing all the corners of the serene surroundings. Undoubtedly that woman was Fairy whom he recognised from a distance and whose happy-go-lucky laughter was imbibed in his psyche. Her real name was Sally which he heard and who was enjoying with her husband and son. On his journey back home, smiling to himself and sharing lighter moments with his family, he felt same elated vibes when he looked at his daughter's cheery face laughing loudly with happy-go-lucky attitude.

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