When I Dated A Ghost

I could still feel the cool breeze as it touched my nostrils, the splendor of the evening sky, the streets which despite being crowded, contributed to the serenity of the atmosphere and there I stood on the pavement in front of a restaurant, wearing an overcoat and boots with a handbag in my hand. I was waiting anxiously for my boyfriend. I had never seen him but could imagine him to be a tall, fair and handsome man of twenty-three. Our love was quite different. It was like the old Bollywood movies where the actor and actress fall in love as they send letters to each other. His name was Rahul and he was the son of the most respected man in the town. In one of our letters, we decided to meet each other.

As I was standing, suddenly someone pats on my shoulder. There was a tall and handsome man standing by my side, brown eyes, fair complexion, shiny hair and wearing a black blazer and shoes.

'Kiara, right!!'

'Yes, but how do you know?'

'In one of the letters, you told me about your favorite blue Caprese purse, which you are carrying just now.'

'Oh!! Rahul.'

'Now you guessed right.'

I gave a warm handshake.

'How you've been?' I asked.

'Good as usual,' he said.

He took me to the restaurant in a very gentle manner and asked about my hobbies and likes and dislikes. The waiter gave us the menu. In a very polite manner, Rahul asked me to order something. I called the waiter and ordered him to bring two drinks and Italian food. The waiter looked puzzled and asked me, ' Ma'am, are you sure about the number of drinks?'

'Yes, Of course, I am,' I replied.

The waiter left and brought the ordered items. My eyes were fixed upon Rahul. Oh, how much I loved him!!

He told me about his family and how he and his father differed in their opinions. He said, that he wanted to pursue music but his father didn't allow.

'Yes, we think that our parents never understand us, but believe me, they really do. Tell your father about the importance of music and I am sure that he will understand you and if not, then he would have surely thought something great for you,' I advised.

'Nobody has given me such good advice,' he said.

'You are such a happy man, happy in your world,' I said.

'I believe that life is a one time experience and we should live it to the fullest. We never know, what will happen.'

Then finally he proposed to me but he forgot to bring the ring.

'I'm really sorry for the ring,' he apologized as we walked out of the restaurant.

'It doesn't matter, what matters for me is your love, which I already have.'

'But you'll surely get the ring.'

And then we decided to depart. While moving, he rephrased his words, 'Surely, you'll get the ring.'

Then, he disappeared in the fog.

As I was walking back to my house, I was stopped by a stranger.

'Are you Kiara?' he enquired.

'Yes.'

'I am Rahul's best friend, ' with tears in his eyes he continued, ' He met with an accident while coming to meet you and died a little later. He, when on his death bed, asked me to give this ring to you and to apologize that he couldn't make this meeting happen.'

I was startled on hearing this.

'May I have a picture of him?' I asked.

He gave me his best friend's picture and I was very much astonished when I saw the same man in the picture whom I had met earlier. I went back to the restaurant and asked the receptionist, 'Do you know the man, who accompanied me to this restaurant earlier?'

'There was no man with you, Ma'am,' was the reply.

Then suddenly I recalled the question of the waiter about the surety of the number of drinks.

Then I noticed the message 'I love you' printed on the ring. It was the first and last date of my life. Oh, how much the man loved me!! Even on his death bed, he sent me the ring, through his friend. Then I realized the promise that he made to me while leaving. The event brought tears to my eyes.

I went home with his picture, message and the ring, the ring, which I still wear in my hand. So, that was my date with a ghost.