My Lost Purse

I had forgotten that I had a purse once and that it had been lost. Out of my sight was like out of my mind. It was not a significant part of my life so it did not matter if I remembered it or not. But it was definitely a good possession as it was a gifted item. It was gifted to me probably on one of my many birthday celebrations over the years. But natural after the aura of the new gift once over, I completely forgot about it and about who the donor was.

Many years have passed after the event of receiving the gift. Where did I put it, I had forgotten.

Now I have grown much older and well past middle age. There have been ups and downs in my life in between. There have been many illogical decisions in the past for which I have had to pay the price and for some I'm still paying.

More of the errors have been on the financial side and for which I am still clearing old dues. But not all the decisions have been bad. Some of them have been good too which are giving back rich dividends.

I have been able to give quality education to my daughter. She now is a responsible executive in a blue chip company and financially in a healthy condition. 

A recent development in my life has been that I have decided to give my daughter in marriage. The groom has been selected by my daughter herself. He is her classmate from Management batch. My daughter's groom is himself financially sound working in a new age company. 

At one side I was overjoyed for myself reaching this stage in my life when my daughter is going to be settled in life and myself completing my responsibility. On the other side I was worried to arrange the finances. An Indian marriage involves huge funding depending upon the economic position of the family and it's social status. 

One major expense involves the food arrangements for the invitees. The other significant expense is the cost of hiring the venue of the marriage and it's decor. 

Fortunately, one another very important expense had been taken of that is the gold and jewellery of the bride and groom and the cost of their apparel. 

So, I was in a position of great worry. But my worry could not alter any event from taking place. 

The arrangements were being made according to the then finances available with me. Our house was being cleaned from top to bottom. For many years our house was not cleaned. Renovation had also been put on hold due to my weak finances. Even whitewashing had not been done. 

But due to the marriage, my wife was adamant that this time we will not overlook anything for want of finances. 

An agency was hired for the renovation of the house and it's colour and painting. This made them to clean all the nook and corner of the house. No unwanted article was left behind but disposed off in the garbage. 

While cleaning activities was in full swing, one labour of the agency came to me with a cobweb layered object. I instructed to clean and dust the article and then come back to me. 

Little later, I was looking at a very old leather p

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urse. It had become discoloured due to age. I rang my memory bell and taxed my brain cells to give me feedback on this new find. 

Slowly, I could recollect a little later that this was a long lost leather purse gifted to me on one of my birthday celebrations. 

I touched and caressed the purse with curiosity and love. On scrutiny of the contents I found nothing except two hand written chits folded in one of the pockets. After opening the chits I found two numbers. On further ruminating on the figure I concluded that they were two probable telephone numbers of the land lines. Those days mobile phone was not yet available to common public. The available means of communication was through the fixed land lines. 

I was about to throw away the piece of papers but some intuition from within abstained me from chucking them away. 

An invisible force from within compelled me to try out the numbers and dial them. 

To my utter surprise, I found the numbers to be active and responsive. 

One number responded as Pravin. We quickly exchanged our mutual introduction. Immediately, Pravin said, 'Bipin how are you doing? After so many years you fail to recognise me your school friend.,' blurted out Pravin with emotion. I scratched my head trying to recall Pravin and slowly could remember him as a childhood friend of mine. Then finally when I could dust the dirt from my memory and recognise Pravin, I was very happy with excitement. 

Our conversation continued for sometime and the talk of marriage came up. 

Pravin said something which surprised me. He had been in business through out. Now he had got the access of a big house through inheritance. He was thinking of using it as a marriage hall. When he heard about my daughter's marriage, he immediately enquired if I was in need of a hall to uphold the ceremony and entertain his guests. 

An even more surprise awaited me. He told me that being his first customer he wanted to use his marriage hall as a first marriage event for my daughter for a token money to test the waters. He would then advertise this hall for future marriage events in the wedding season. This news was a wind fall welcome offer for me. I didn't know whom to thank more, Pravin or my family God. It was such a blessing for me in my present strained finances.

 Pravin then gave me another surprise. He said a friend of his Abhay was in the business of decorating marriage halls and into catering business. Pravin was dialling the number when I read him the other number on the small chit of paper. He confirmed that it was Abhay's number. Abhay was then engaged to do the decor and arrange for the catering of food for the guests. 

I was much relieved to find that all my commitments could me met with a lighter burden on my pocket. 

My lost Purse proved to be a valuable find after so many years. But how could those contact numbers had come to me and why I had kept them in the purse I was puzzled. 

Some questions in life are never answered.