Nobody likes waiting and so do I, but unfortunately I always have to wait, whether i am standing in a line or meeting somebody. I always have to wait, the more I hate waiting the more, I have to face it. I don’t know why people make me wait for them. Sometimes I wonder why am I so unlucky? Whenever I stand in queue in a metro or canteen or anywhere
else , I noticed that whenever its my turn line stops or something happens and i have to wait. Sometimes computer fails or the person at the counter have something urgent to do and then he leaves and doesn't return, making me wait for him.Guess what I was waiting for someone on that day too. I was sitting on a white squashy sofa which was actually very comfortable and warm. I was waiting for Mr. Cain, Vice President of the bank, in the waiting room.
I wanted to meet Mr.Cain, but when it was my turn the same thing happened, line stopped and Mr Cain had some urgent matter to deal with. It was not unusual thing for me but it frustrated me a lot. "Aaah…. I hate
Waiting", I screamed in my mind. I was waiting for 35 minutes to meet him but when my turn came up ,unfortunately it was lunch time. Even though I was the last person in the line ,Mr Cain, an old man of about 50-55 with winter white hair and forked grey beard, wrinkled face wearing 90's straight pant and oversized blazer having weak and fragile voice, was not ready to meet me, as it was his Lunch Time!
The irony was that the bank's tagline says “we care for you” , but I was sitting there for so long but
nobody cared. That day at first I thought it was one of the worst day but it turned out to be something unforgettable. That day I forgot my phone and was getting extremely bored sitting in a small windowless stuffy and shabby waiting
room containing single white sofa with a brown modern circular table on which I had placed my documents, and the
single fan in the middle of the roof. Time was passing really slowly, I was feeling tired and sleepy staring at the old fan,wondering that the company might have stopped manufacturing this model. It looked like first model of the
company, really old with lots of dust on it . I wondered, rather than sitting there like an idiot I would have enjoyed my precious time with my friends in a café, discussing actually gossiping about other girls, having a piece of sweet luxurious dark chocolate cake with sprinkled frozen white chocolate and juicy tangy flavored cherry over its top, completing its look, making it more delicious, accompanied by sugary
cold coffee with lots of whipped cream and chocolate chips over its top and a crispy oreo cookie
completing its garnish. "Oh, It would have been heaven for me". Or I would have spent time with my family having lunch together, made by my mother which have a mesmerizing taste better than any restaurant.I would have enjoyed tea after lunch while watching a movie but unfortunately, I was sitting there all alone, hungry, wondering what would i have been doing if i didn't end up in this dull waiting room.
But suddenly I heard sound of somebody's footsteps. My face lit up as I thought that Mr Cain has returned but I was not disappointed by the person who came in. As I looked at the door, I noticed a very handsome and Charming boy with
brown colored curly hair, Aqua blue eyes and a sharp Jawline, with a perfectly build body was walking towards me. He was wearing a white shirt and denim blue jeans with a stripped cobalt blue tie and navy blue coat and was looking like a gentleman as he came in with sweet smile on his face. I realised that I was staring at him so I turned my gaze towards my documents on the table.He was really good-looking and attractive.I couldn't take my eyes off him.I could already guess that he belonged to a well to do family, by his aura and appearance.Then he politely asked me “can I sit here?”.
I move to the other side of the sofa without saying a word. He sat at other end, leaving a gap of one person in between. It was really
awkward sitting silently there while he was reading a newspaper.
Then suddenly he asked me, “ how long have you been are waiting here?”
I replied after checking the time, “It has been 35 min now”
he then asked, “when will the lunch time end?”
“at 3:30 I guess” I replied.
I realized that, He a started a conversation with me as he too must have felt awkward sitting there reading newspaper while other person was sitting idle . He continued “so why do you want to meet Mr Cain?”
“Oh…. I need his signature on some paper and you?”
“I had to discuss some business work with him and now I have to wait as it is his lunch time. He sighed and then resumed, "So are you a student?”
“Yes, I am a college student. What about you? I guess, we are of same age.”
He replied with a cute smile which almost melted me, "Yes, I am a student too, but side by side I manage business work ”.
“Oh, It must be hard for you, doing both the things at the same time.”
“Hmmm, I have to”, he replied.
“life is tough, nothing happens according to my plan."I sighed and bowed my head down in defeat. He didn't said anything, so I continued in a awkward tone “ It looks as if your life is on right track and you are happy with it.”I was staring at his limited edition watch.
He noticed that and replied, "It may appear like it, but it doesn’t mean my life is not tough. I have my own hardship and problems.I too have face loss in the business, family issues etc.A person may have luxurious items and servants to do his work but it doesn’t mean, he doesn't have miseries, pain, misfortunes and troubles in life." I observed that there was tinge of sadness on his face, as if something has been hurting him for so long.
I hesitantly said, “oh, I didn’t mean to offend you. It's just that we grow up listening if you have money then you can solve or buy anything with it. Everybody will respect you and you can have all the luxuries in life”.
He said in a low voice “yes, I understand people usually believe that if you have money then you can enjoy everything but the truth is money can't buy everything. It can't buy you happiness, talent, love, immortality nor it could give life to a death person." It seemed as if he had lost something precious in his life. I can feel the pain in his words, his face showed wistfulness and eyes were full of sadness, depicting the despair and agony in his heart. He seemed helpless and full of grief.
While looking at him, I could feel a pain in my chest. My heartbeat was very fast and I didn’t knew what to say or do but I couldn't just remain silent, so I asked him “Is there anything hurting you?, You can tell me if you want.I am willing to listen to you."
His gaze met my eyes and it looked like he broke a wall in his heart as he said, “My whole life is a mess. Since when I was born and till now, my life has been full of miseries, my childhood was bad but my teenage was even worse, I never imagined my life could be this disastrous.
I lost my mom when I was 4. She was the only person who loved me whole-heartedly. Just after 3 day’s of my mother’s death, my father decided to marry again and after 1 week he brought a step mother for me.
He often said that he decided to remarry because of me, so that I wouldn't miss my real
mother.I was a child so I believed him. He never loved me nor my mother.
I was a burden for him. My life would have been better if he didn't brought that woman in our house. My stepmom use to treat me like a servant and she use beat me a lot everyday, with or without a mistake, I don’t know why.
I didn’t have a single good memory of my childhood. I use to cry a lot, but my dad never asked me if i was happy or not, if i needed something or not. She used to lie to my dad that i was playing trick on her all day. She always pretended to cry infront of him and then my dad use to scold me for my behaviour. Despite of having parents, I
grew up as an orphan. I believed things will change soon.They changed but got worse than ever.
In my school I use to get bullied. Those senior boy treated me as if I was a not god’s creature or I didn’t got hurt or have feelings. They use to hit me with bats and hockey's and nobody stopped them. I wasn't that strong to fight back. I was too native , I didn’t knew how cruel this world was but despite of all
this, I fell in love with a girl. She was the only one in my life who gave a little attention to my emotions, thats why I fell for her. I approached her and she agreed. Everything was going well. I was
really in love with her but she changed. I found out that she was cheating on me. Despite being in relationship for two years, she cheated on me.The one I
loved whole heartedly, betrayed me, just like everyone else in my life”. He stopped for while, I was staring at him, there was intense pain in his eyes, I didn’t interrupt him.
He continued "I thought she also loved me but…In my entire life, I have only suffered.There was no one in my life who really cared for me.It has been 6 months now , I couldn’t forget her till now as if she is a part of me. You might be thinking this is normal everybody have to face hardship/problem in life. It might look normal for you, to face a loss, or get bullied or get cheated by someone he/she love. But only the one who have to face it, know how it feels. These things still hurt me, I just can’t forget these thing." He was staring at floor blankly and resumed,
"Growing up in this kind of atmosphere, I always wondered I should die. My death will ease my pain but, I was not that
strong to kill myself . I tried but I couldn't. I am alone in this world. Everybody is busy in their life, nobody care for anyone. People often say that, they are there for you but when troubles showed up, they run away as if they don't know you. People shouldn't say they care if they actually don’t .’ He was in tears crying badly, I didn’t knew what should I do, I wonder should I Console him ?or not?. I was frozen after seeing him like this. A person who met me with a sweet cute smile, is now in tears. He was in so much pain but he looked at me and smiled. I could feel the pain in that smile. “I know man’s shouldn’t cry" them he paused and said "Excuse me” and he got up, hiding his face with his handkerchief and walked out of the room.
For few seconds, I was not in my senses, an unknown guy shared story of his life with me .After 5 minutes, a peon informed me, “Ma’am, Sir won't come now, it is already 5 pm and the person who was sitting here with you, asked me to hand this to you.”
It was a small piece of paper.
“ Sorry for wasting your time and thank you for listening”.
After reading that letter , I walked out of the room and asked peon about him, but it was too
late. He had already left the bank. I too walked out of the bank, and came back home. I went straight to my room and sat on my bed, thinking about today. A stranger revealed his whole life in front of someone he hardly knew. How lonely he might be, how badly he wanted to share his pain, that even though we were nobody to each other, he shared his story with me.
How painful his voice was, I still remember. I don’t know how and when formal conversation turned
to his personal life. This incident changed me, my perspective and my life. Waiting , the thing I
hate, refashioned my life. I never imagined, life could be changed in a waiting room.
This incident made me realized what I am meant for. That night I decided to become a psychologist so that I could help people who are in need, who are depressed and has been suffering in their lives.
But you know the funny part of this incident was I still don’t know the name of the person who
changed my life.
I wish I could meet him again, on that day I couldn’t say a word to him but if we met again, I may try to know him more and will try to console him.
In the end I would say it looks fake and stupid, how can somebody tell story of his life to a stranger
but this incident is true, when a person is all alone in this world of 7.8 billion people, he can share his
pain with a stranger. However it is better to share your pain with a stranger who wouldn’t judge you rather than with someone who always judge you.
You never know when you are going to meet someone who need someone.
“So children, this chapter is taken from the Autobiography of M.G.fira, one of the well known psychologist, 'My journey to death'. Hope you liked it. This is it for today. You must think about what you learned from this chapter. Now you can pack your bags. bell is about to ring”. All Children shouted, “Okay ma’am”.
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