A walk to the past

This was a big day in Riya’s life.

 She had looked forward to this day for so many years now. She had lived this day as she had watched others before her live their day. She had lived this day a multiple times imagining the sequence of events, how she would look like , what photos she would take and what she would speak. She had seen herself stand in front of an audience and  heard her voice a multiple number of times as she delivered her speech in her mind. She almost knew the speech by heart.

It was the same last night.

 No. Maybe even better, or was it worse?

She so much wanted and needed the beauty sleep and look good the next day , but sleep was a hundred miles away. She had not a  wink of it. Every now and then she would switch off the light only to switch it on again, get up and try the gown again, wear her shoes and stand in front of the mirror.  Finally , resolutely she got into bed pulled the quilt over her head and fell asleep. In her sleep she had not moved far away from this day. She saw herself with her friends laughing and joking about the events of the day. Someone mimicked someone and everyone burst into laughter. She woke up to her own voice  and found that it was morning already.

After a quick shower and breakfast she packed her gown in a bag and left. Her mother would join her soon.

When Riya reached the venue and entered the dressing room she was confronted with the noise and the chaos that lay inside. A cloud of fluttering gowns, caps and tassels , combs and clips, sashes and shoes added to the sights and sounds of the mayhem behind the scene.

Finally in the hall!

The Picture was different. All sombre and serene, yet excitement and anticipation palpable in the air. Eyes searching and moist with pride on spotting their dear ones.

Riya saw her mother sitting at the third row . Their eyes met and Riya could tell the warm affection and pride on her mother’s face. She could read her mother’s lips and hear her wishes even though they were not spoken. Riya gestured a thank you and sat with the rest.

The academicians came, all in the regalia of beautiful gowns and decorations.Speeches, conferring degrees, recounting achievements, photo sessions , tossing of the hats , everything happened so fast and was over so quick, just like in her dreams, it almost seemed unreal. Parents, grandparents , siblings, friends thronged the place, exchanging greetings ,sharing numbers, taking selfies and the like.

 Riya lost count of the number of people who congratulated her for her wonderful speech. But one amongst them was different. He appeared more happy and proud than anyone else.

Slowly, the crowd started thinning. People left as families or friends left in hoards to  an extended celebration. Riya led her mother to one of the open-air tables laid out at the school canteen.

 “One last time, eating at the school canteen” she said aloud and both mother and daughter laughed. As they approached the table Riya saw Simon . On impulse she invited him to join them.

Once they settled she spoke aloud. “ I can’t believe I am passing out of school” she said.

“So ,what’s your future plan ? “ asked Simon.

 “I am going to college and I am planning to study History and…..”

“If you want to be in the soccer team, go for it” said Simon.

“ Yes , I want to be in the college soccer team” Riya answered. As she spoke those words she looked at the school soccer field. She knew she was going to miss this place. She was going to miss all her friends and her teachers.

The conversation moved from future plans to nostalgic talk of the school . She talked of her History teacher and her football coach.

“ I am going to miss this place“ she said. “But I am glad I am done with school” she laughed.

That night, she lay in bed both happy and sad at the end of an exciting but tiring day. 

‘So , that was my Graduation Day. I had dreamt about it so many days and now it’s all over’.

She  ran through the events of the day and only now she could see herself marching in slow parade, only now she could hear her own voice deliver her speech, only now could she hear ‘Abide with me …’ playing softly in the background , and only now she could feel her heavy heart as the bells tolled in the hymn.

Suddenly, she recalled the words that Simon spoke at the table. How did he know that she wanted to be in the college soccer team, she wondered. She felt she had heard those words before. Someone had spoken those words to her. She had vague memories of someone telling her  ‘if you want to be in the soccer team, go for it’. Yes, they were the same words. The words kept ringing in her mind as if from a distant place , a distant time. Riya tried to recall the soccer games she played, for the school and in school.  She remembered the first time she played in school, the first match she played, some matches her team won and some they  lost. Memories of sounds and sights, disappointments and joys , cheers and screams came rushing to her mind. In the flood of the memories that ran through her mind, she saw a face . A man shouting out “ If you want to be in the soccer team , go for it”.

 Riya sat up in bed.

She switched on the lights and reached out for her phone. She scrolled through the numbers and found Simon’s number. They had exchanged numbers when they were  at the school canteen. She realized  that he was alone. She realized that there was no one with him for who he had come to the ceremony nor did he talk about anyone. She felt there was something to it. She needed to talk to him.

She called him up . “ I wanted to thank you for spending your time with us today “ she told him.

“ Mama wants to thank you too” she said . “I will give the phone to her, just hang on” she said. As she spoke , Riya went to her mother’s room. “Simon”, she said and gave the phone to her mother. She left the room and returned to collect it after about  twenty minutes.

Next day she called up Simon and asked if he would like to meet her at the park in the evening. Simon happily agreed.

It was Sunday. Riya and her mother went for a walk to the park, like they always do every Sunday. As they entered the park Riya saw Simon sitting on a bench. She needed no further explanation. She had not told him which park, but he was there.

 ‘That explains all. He knows us too well. He knows all about our lives’ she thought.

 Simon came forward to greet them. They walked together admiring the trees and the flowers , commenting on the water lilies in the artificial lake , watching the fish from the wooden bridge over the lake.  

Riya led them to a sitting area carved out of wooden logs ,asked if they could sit for some time . Once settled and the conversation drifted from the park to the Graduation Ceremony , Riya took out her phone and put on play. 

Her mother’s voice poured out , “Simon I don’t’ want you in our lives. I don’t want you near Riya. It was good you came to her graduation today. But now leave us.  Leave us alone.”

“ Ana , please listen to me for one last time. Please believe me for once.” Simon’s voice came pleading. “I was not involved at all”

Simon looked shocked. Ana looked like she saw a ghost. They looked at each other and then at Riya.

“Why would they put you behind bars if you were not involved ?" argued Ana from the phone.

 “It was my misfortune. My bad luck that on that day when I had gone to the bank ,I had worn the same brand and the same color of hoodie as them. They took me away at gunpoint just as they took away the muggers. No body listened to my pleadings ." He said.

“I have tried to explain to you so many times . I have been punished for no fault of mine. You have punished me for so many years for no fault of mine. Please believe me. Let us put an end to this. Let me be the father of my daughter. Let me be the father that Riya deserves. Let us not pretend any more that we don’t know each other”.

Riya switched off the phone and as she did, she recalled how when she introduced Simon to her mother the previous day ,neither showed any signs of knowing the other.