A language that only love understands

Why it is said that people fall in love, why not people get love, people find love, people rise in love. Because when you are in love, you leave aside your ego and self-importance, that person becomes most important to you even more than yourself. It is not a servant or mercy thing; it is far beyond that.

My thinking was not like this sometime before, when someone said things about love, I will simply laugh and say “it is only in words and books, have you seen anyone in true love in this real world, is this even exist? Why we are talking about things that do not exist.”

I am a writer for a Mumbai famous magazine “TIME”. Valentine day was approaching so my boss asked me to write a beautiful love story.

I was so angry with him, he knew very well how I hate love stories, even then he assigned this task to me.

But this time I would punch right in his face, so I accepted his challenge.

One of my friends, who is a radio jockey, advised me to search for any real story, there is no match for a real story, only problem is you have to find that real story.

So, I started roaming around the city, strolled many parks, restaurants, looking for that perfect connection.

Later in evening I thought to visit Juhu beach, in Mumbai it is a popular place for couples to hang out.

Juhu beach air that day somehow had a soothing effect, I thought “maybe I am so engrossed in this love story thing that beach is also showing its romantic mood.”

I sat there on a stone watching waves, hitting the stones and returning back.

That day I was able to see how a day is converted to night. And surprisingly I was finding it very pious. Night was crawling slowly and day was going to take rest. At a far distance i saw a couple, the boy was clicking the selfie, and after watching it in the phone, the girl was getting angry with him telling that “this is not good, click again, and this time I should look perfect”. As I was sitting away, you must be wondering how did I listen to them, I knew it because they were not talking like us, they were talking with their hands movement only, and I was sure by their face and body expressions, that they were talking as naturally as we would normally talk, they seemed to be so comfortable.

In a rush, I ran towards them.

I asked them panting, excuse me can I have a talk with both of you.

They both laughed and stared at me as if I am an alien.

I said” OK, you don’t understand English, which language you are comfortable, I am sorry, are you both deaf and dumb?”

The girl smiled, and it increased her beauty tenfold. She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen alive, she has a calmness, elegance and spark in her face which is so natural and it is very hard to keep your eyes away from her.

She motioned her hand and I understand it correct that she can’t listen and speak. I felt so sorry for her, why God has done so injustice with her. As I was looking at her in mercy, she showed an angry face to the boy and motioned him something.

I asked the boy, what she is saying to you.

The boy said” she is reminding me that I can listen and talk, so I should answer you”.

The boy laughed and continued” yes madam, what you want us to discuss and why you think that we will talk to you”.

I almost begged him, that “I need a love story for this valentines day for my magazine and I am so poor in this, I don’t know why people even love, for me love is only a selfish thing, like you do this for me, I will do this for you and we both will live together because it is difficult to live alone in this world. So I am looking for real stories around, and I has this feeling that you both are the one I am looking for, but now I think it is more than love, one of you can speak and other is deaf-dumb, even then you guys fell in love, please share me your love story, if you don’t want I will not publish your name.”

The boy said “you have landed at a wrong destination. We are not husband wife and we are not couple, we only come here to enjoy the evening.”

I was shocked as I said” this cant be true, you guys are in love, I almost sensed it with the ease you were talking, I am wrong, you were not even talking, you both were only making some hands and lips movement and your eyes were also talking.”

The girl laughed, the boy said” earlier you were saying you hate love stories, how come you gave a lecture on this and please let me warn you,” he said in my ear, “this girl can understand everything only with the lips movement, She is karate expert and she will kill both of us here only if one more time she will listen you saying that we both are in love.”

I was confused but I only needed a love story at any cost, I boldly replied” I am not afraid of anyone, if this is not a love story then tell me why a deaf-dumb girl and a perfect normal boy come daily to beach in evening, tell me everything from the time you guys met till today.”

They both looked in each other’s eyes and only God knows what they told, as they started going.

I followed them by my car, as first the girl was dropped at an orphanage, then boy rode the car so fast that I could not follow him very long.

Again, next day and for continuous one week, I went to the same spot daily in evening seeing them sitting not even talking, I also sat behind them not saying only joining my hands as a request when any one of them glanced in my side.

A made a quick note in a paper and threw towards them, the boy opened “tomorrow is the last day for submitting the story”.

Again, some talking with eyes and they smiled looking at me and I also understood only with eyes that they are ready to share their stories.

After the boy dropped her at the same place, I followed him by car, as he stopped at a café nearby and we both sat there. I signed with relief” Finally”.

First, I asked” Now she is not here, you can tell me frankly, is this true you both do not love each other”.

The man said” Well, all I know is I will do any humanly possible thing to make her happy. Initially I thought of proposing her, but I was afraid, that may be after sometime this feeling would vanish. I was sure that my family will never accept her, so it would again be a burden on her to handle this marriage thing. I found her satisfied with her life and I did not want to make it more complicated”.

I said”, tell me how you guys met?”

He said” I am Rohan, a simple boy, who only believed that life is all about friends and fun. I never took anything in life seriously, be it studies, sports or relation except the friendship with Reena, I use the word friendship, because I don’t know the proper English word for our relationship, you can modify in your story if you want”.

I smirked as he continued.

“It was last day of my school, we all friends were having a party that day, and while we were returning, we stopped at Juhu beach to have some more fun.

We started playing truth and dare game, in that same place, Reena was also sitting, I was assigned a dare task to go and propose to her and returned with a reply Yes or No.

So, I went to her and I said from Behind “excuse me, I love you”. I expected her to look back, but she did not, I said again but no response.

I went in front of her and looked towards her face, no words came out of my mouth, as I was awestruck by her beauty and grace, I saw my friends looking at me with eager eyes.

I simply moved my lips to say” I love you”. She did not show any expression and I realized “I can’t win in this game.”

All were making fun of me but I was recalling her beauty and face expression, when I proposed her for only one time in my life.

I had no interest in further studies so I started taking interest in my father’s garment business.

Some months passed, my mother registered me for a Marathon, as I was doing no physical activity, so she wanted me to at least jog daily.

As I was struggling to finish my marathon last two km, I saw a girl taking over me and running with ease, I easily recalled her from the back side, she was Reena only. She was jogging while I was crawling, but instantly some energy rose within me, (only boys can understand this) and I started following her.

I said her trying to hide my soundful breaths” I am sorry for that day”.

Naturally she did not respond.

I tried my best and managed another km but for the last one km I gave up hope, but she was running with a maintained pace and in no time, she was nowhere to be seen.

I was left hopeless and exhausted.

When prizes were getting distributed to winners, intuitively I saw towards the stage and once again I saw her. Then I knew she is under special category, as she can’t listen and speak.

I felt so guilty that day, I observed, she was looking at lips movement of the people closely, and she was getting everything what others were saying.

As she got down from stage, I ran towards her to say something, but she quickly went towards parking with a man. I hired a taxi there and asked driver to follow their car.

They stopped at an orphanage, I went inside and saw that same man sitting in a hall, but she already went inside.

I said to that man “Hello, I am Rahul and I want to talk to that girl who was with you, only for a while.”

He asked “Why she should talk to you?”.

I said” By mistake I proposed her, I just want to say sorry”.

He smirked “She can talk only when you understand her language”.

I asked “And what is that language?”

He answered “It is called sign language, which deaf-dumb people use to convey their messages.”

I came back from the orphanage.

I started taking classes for that language, I had to make lots of effort to pretend that I can’t speak or listen.

After three months, once again I went there, this time I told him via the new language I have learned.

He was laughing so loudly, that Reena came outside to check, asking what is the matter.

He told to Reena, “I told you about this guy.”

I said in my new language to Reena” I just want to say sorry to you”.

She smiled and moved her hands and lips to say” Come inside, I will show you around here”.

She showed me her home which was that orphanage, she also told me that “she was dumped by her parents here when she was only six months old, Ramu uncle whom you met in the hall manages everything here, he raised me like his own daughter. She teaches kids here all the subjects”.

“She has completed her graduation from English literature and Basket ball is her favourite game.”

I felt so proud of her, in spite of her disability, she was living life far better than most of us. She had a beautiful life with no chaos of this world around.

These talks continued, once in a while, I would go there and we would have snacks and endless chats. I started enjoying going there and spending the time with Reena and other kids.

Life moved on, I took over Papa’s business and it was a constant nudge from mother, that I should marry.

I was not sure about my feelings towards Reena, she was living a satisfactory life, last thing I want to see is sadness on her face, and this marriage and social life in my family will complicate her life.

So, I complied my mother’s choice, with whom I shall be going to spend my rest of life.

I told Reena about my marriage, for a second I saw something in her face, but I was not able to understand, as she congratulated me and a small party was organized quickly with all the kids to celebrate this moment.

At that moment, I felt something in my stomach, I listened my heart which was shouting” I like this place more than my home, I want to make this place my home”.

I avoided that thing and I was happy to see her on my wedding day.

I noticed she was looking wonderful.

I tried everything to keep my marriage alive, except one thing, I could not stop myself going to that orphanage at least once in a month, it was not to meet Reena, it was about how I felt when I was among those children.

But we were divorced within one year of marriage. I did not tell about this to Reena, thinking that she will be sad, and I wanted her to be happy always.

One day I was feeling restless at home, I thought of going to orphanage but it was too late, so I went to Juhu beach.

Naturally I started going towards the direction where I first proposed Reena, I was surprised, no I was happy, to see Reena there.

I did not even ask her why she is here.

Because there are somethings that we cannot convey with any language, so better be it.

We sat there for a while, and I noticed that I also stopped listening the waves sound, as I was only feeling it coming and going back.

I told Reena about my marriage.

And now it’s a routine for us to go there almost daily. We never discuss what time we will be going, somehow, we always end up meeting, maybe we keep on sitting until we find each other.

I was in tears, as I listened Rahul carefully.

All I could say was “Now I believe, that true love really exists, and you guys talk in a language that only love understands”.