Waiting For Her To Return

Samarth picked up his landline phone as it rang. As he said hello into the receiver, he couldn't hear any voice from the other side. Maybe it is maya, he thought. She might have reached the station. I must go there.

Maya was his wife. Samarth loves her but she doesn't love him in return. Samarth hoped someday she will understand him and will return.

Samarth took his car from the parking lot. He wore a blue formal shirt with properly ironed black pants and had a silver watch on his wrist which showed that it was 10 o'clock at night. His car was an old Maruti in contrast with his young face which was riddled with small and shabby stubble. He sat down into the driving seat and had an urge to smoke for a while. He took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter but stopped himself in middle. I must not upset her today. She might be tired. I don't want her to diss me in that condition.


He drove his car through roads that were riddled with traffic until he reached the station. He saw himself in the mirror and said to himself, "This is what she doesn't want. I should have shaved. Here I am with the shabby face, waiting for my wife to come who doesn't like me anymore."

***

When he reached the station, he was a little uncomfortable standing at the platform. For the whole station was eerily quiet. He looked into his watch, it is 11:30pm now her train will come by one in the morning, he thought.

He found his seat and sat there opening his smartphone for a game of chess. He was highly engrossed in his game but after around ten minutes later, he felt a hand on his left shoulder. He turned his face to that direction and saw boy in his early 20s with a friendly smile sitting near him. He stared at him for a while and thought that he had seen him somewhere, but he couldn't recall where.

"Hi dost," the boy said. "What are you doing here?"

Samarth felt a close bond between him and the boy. I feel like I know him very well.

"Do I know you?" Samarth asked him politely.

"Yes we know each other very well," the boy said. "Don't think too much. Just tell me what you are doing here. That's it."

Samarth felt a calm presence around him. "I am waiting for my wife. She will arrive in a few hours."

"Do you think she will arrive in a few hours? Does she love you so much that she will tell you the truth?"

"Listen, boy, you are crossing the limit," Samarth said agitatedly."She might have fallen out of love with me but she is not a liar."

"OK, I won't probe into your married life," the boy said. "But tell me about your recent novel. What are you writing about?"

How the hell does he know that I am writing a novel? Is he a god or someone else?

"Look I will tell but promise me you won't spill the beans to my readers."

Samarth said in a hushed tone."It is about a man who loses his wife due to his irresponsible behavior and lacklustre love life."

"Good," the boy said. "Now tell me who was the inspiration behind it?"

"Boy, why you are interested so much in my love life?" Samarth retorted. "What the freaking point you are trying to make?"

"What is the point of waiting for someone who will not come anyways?" the boy asked with a certainty that shocked Samarth to the core.

"Who the hell are you?" Samarth asked. "Why don't you get the hell out of here? What do you want from me?"

"You don't recognize me?" the boy asked him. "Guess what, you will never recognize me until you get out of this failed marriage."

"Why? Why you are making such riddles? Why?," Samarth said sobbingly. ''I beg you. Please just tell me who you are and leave me alone."

"You will know," the boy said in a hoarse voice and disappeared. Suddenly Samarth woke up and found himself in his car which was still in the parking lot. He rubbed his wet eyes and wondered what he saw was a dream.

Why am I still here? Where is the station? 

He became quiet for two minutes and suddenly his eyes widened as if he has realized something.

She left me two months ago… Why… I am waiting for h-her…

What's the point… of taking an imaginary call… on a landline that is dead… and what's the point... of sitting in the car and going every weekend towards the station and… after realizing that she will not come, return to home?…



He saw himself in the mirror and recognized who the boy was in his dream. Then he got out of the car, opened a packet of cigarettes, removed one, switched on his lighter and smoked.