The other day, I happened to meet one of my friends, I
hadn't seen for many years. We talked for a while and exchanged our mobile
numbers. The following week I called my friend, Vinoth for a get together with
our friends. He shared the story of his first love which happened some 6 years
back.
Vinoth had just completed his graduation and was waiting for
his results. Some of his friends from Bangalore came to Chennai during holidays
and Vinoth was very happy to receive them. They said they were going to stay
for a week in Chennai at a friend's apartment. The next day they planned to
visit the rock temples at Mahabalipuram in the East Coast Road. It was only 3
guys apart from Vinoth and so he thought of booking a Tata Indica call taxi.
However his friends wanted to take a Toyota Innova, an 8 seater SUV. Vinoth was
wondering why they wanted an 8 seater SUV for just 4 guys. However he got the
answer in no time. Within few minutes the vehicle stopped at a nearby place and
3 girls got into the SUV. Vinoth was again wondering what was happening.
The friends then introduced the girls to Vinoth. Two of the
girls in the gang were the lady love of two in the guys gang. In the next few
seconds the cab started to move to the destination. Everybody started to chat
with each other and soon Vinoth mingled with the group. In a couple of hours
they reached the tiger cave which is few kms before Mahabalipuram. The two
couples ran towards seashore and started playing around. The third girl's name
is Catherine, a final year graduate. She felt a bit inconvenient as her friends
left her alone. The third guy was also busy with his mobile phone and slowly
distanced himself from Vinoth and Catherine.
Vinoth sneak peeked at Catherine a couple of times but she was
busy watching the sea. She looked gorgeous in her dark brown cotton saree. She
was wearing it single fleet and looked cute in her slim physique. She let her
hair loose and held the pallu of the saree in her left hand. The sea breeze
flew through her hair and touched his face. Vinoth inhaled the fragrance of
rose flower and felt like flying with her. It was a couple of minutes before
Vinoth broke the silence. He looked at her, "Your name sounds
foreign!" She was smiling, "Yes, I belong to the Anglo-Indian
community". She continued, "I have heard about this place but never
had a chance to visit, what it so special about this place is?" Vinoth was
happy that she was starting to open up.
He explained, "Mahabalipuram is a remarkable work of
the Pallavas, it was said that the shore temples where built during the 7th
century AD, this is a place full of art and culture." Catherine looked at
him and said, "I don't find this place attractive apart from the
seashore". Vinoth immediately answered, " I know you don't like this
place, I am not blaming you but most if the teenagers don't like either, its a
place of our tradition, culture, history, I come here all the time, sad or
happy, this is the place which gives me inner peace". He continued,
"Don't look it as a rock temple, touch and feel the rocks, these same
rocks were carved into fine sculptors thousands of years back, imagine yourself
in the past, a thousand years back, touching these rocks". Catherine
realized that Vinoth is not an ordinary guy but a great lover of art and
culture.
Vinoth realized that he was talking too much and said, “I am
really sorry!" Catherine asked, "Why?" Vinoth answered,
"You came here to enjoy the day, but I started boring you". Catherine
looked at him and said, "No, not at all, you are sweet, I can feel these
rocks, I mean it." Vinoth was very happy, "Really, that's
great!" She looked at the others but everyone was busy placing in the
seashore. Vinoth asked her, "Will you walk with me?" She did not show
any feelings but said, "hmm, okay, but promise me that you would explain
more about this place". He was very happy and said, "Oh sure, come
let's move".
After a couple of hours all the other friends came back to
the cab but then noticed Vinoth and Catherine missing. They waited almost an
hour before Vinoth and Catherine reached the cab. The other girls were laughing
and started to cheer her. To Vinoth's surprise Catherine did not utter a word
nor did she show any emotions. Rest of the trip was not much fun as everybody
else was tired. While leaving the girls at their apartment, Vinoth looked at
Catherine and asked, "Do you have any plans tomorrow?" She said,
"Yes, I am going to visit few of my relatives here in Chennai". So
with heavy heart he bid adieu to her.
In the following day his thoughts were occupied by
Catherine. After a long time thinking, Vinoth made a decision that he would
propose Catherine before she was leaving to Bangalore that weekend. He was
unclear on how or where to propose. He kept it confidential and did not even
reveal the matter to his friends. Vinoth finally decided that he would propose Catherine
on Saturday evening at the railway station.
It was Saturday night and Vinoth was rushing to the railway
station to see Catherine. He reached the station and searched for his friends.
At distance they waved their hands and Vinoth reached them within the next few
seconds. After bidding adieu to all his friends, he searched for Catherine, but
she was not there. One of his friends, after seeing him restless asked, "Are
you okay buddy?” Vinoth looked at him and asked, "Yep, no problem, where
is Catherine?" His friend answered, "Oh, she left yesterday, she had
some personal work, and she left early." Vinoth was shattered and thought,
"She did not even have the courtesy to tell me". After his friends
left Chennai, he came back to his apartment and spent a sleepless night.
The next day he felt he needed some break and decided to go
to Mahabalipuram. He reached there around 10am in the morning and there was
none at the seashore. He sat in the seashore, hands on his knees and looked at
the calm sea. The cool sea breeze pacified his soul. He closed his eyes and
took a deep breath. Slowly he felt a fragrance of rose flower in his breath and
thought to himself, "Catherine, how can you leave me like this?" He
opened his eyes and turned towards his left. Catherine was sitting next to him
looking at him. He was shocked and thought, "Am I dreaming, is she real,
or is it my thoughts". Catherine enjoyed his silence and finally burst out
in laugh.
He was still confused and asked, "I was told that you
left a couple of days back, I am confused". Catherine smiled and said,
"I will answer that later, I knew that you came to see me at the station,
I also knew that you were upset you did not see me". He answered,
"Yes, I can't stop thinking about you, when I close my eyes I see you,
only you.” After a moment of silence Catherine asked, "Do you know the
story of 15th Pallava King?" He thought to himself, "Is she playing
with my emotions, I am proposing my love and she is talking about a Pallava
king". But he answered, "Nope, to my knowledge there were 14 Pallava
kings associated with Mahabalipuram, I really don't know."
Catherine smiled and said, "This 15th Pallava king sat
in this same place and proposed his love to his ladylove, and she accepted his
proposal". Vinoth was confused as to what this story has to do with his
proposal. Catherine lowered her head looking at the sand and said, "The
15th Pallava King's name is Vinoth and her ladylove is Catherine".
Vinoth's heart pounded heavily, he felt like he was
projected to unreached heights of the sky, he felt like he was flying. He stood
up and looked at the calm sea. He felt the sea was smiling at him. Catherine
stood next to him still looking at the sand. Vinoth slid his hands into hers
and asked, "Look into my eyes, this is the moment of my life, will you
walk with me?” She looked into his eyes and said, "Yes, my King, I will
walk with your wherever you go!". They both laughed and started walking by
the seashore.
The King and Queen lived happily ever after!
