The friend.

At times, it’s seemed as though life contains an endless supply of days.
When I was younger, I thought this for sure. It didn’t matter how long I held a grudge, or how long I waited to do something I wanted—there would be an unlimited pool of other opportunities. At least that’s what I thought back then.
Maybe it’s a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood: the moment when you realize life happens now, and that’s all you’re guaranteed. It doesn’t really hit you when you merely know it intellectually.
It hits you when somehow you feel it. You lose something you love. A tragedy rocks your world. It isn’t until you realize that all life fades that you consider now a commodity and a scarce one at that.
The world of advertising is one of the toughest fields. One after another rejections of ideas, have made me sick or are enough to bring me down. Forgetting all those past disasters I am all set to rock for today’s presentation for a big tooth pest company.
Everyone is waiting for me in the presentation room. I stated with the caption, “Smile as much as you can” and started describing.
But the company executive cut me in the middle and said, “Stop!”
Then he says to my boss, “We chose your company because we heard that this is one of the good agencies of the country. But you have disappointed us.”

My boss said, “I'm so sorry sir. Please give me another chance. Am extremely sorry….”
When my boss is busy in convincing the company executive, I walk away from the place. It was feeling really uncomfortable there. I'm waiting for my termination letter; My boss comes out of the room and says, “What happened to you, Samantha? Don’t you need this job? Despite of your poor performances I gave you the chance. Trusted you. But you always let me down. Now listen, this is gonna be your last chance. Your next assignment , for the car company which is in the next month. So you go home, take rest, mental and physical both. Because this is gonna be your last chance to survive.”
In this a kind of situation you always search someone who  will play the role of a safety blanket. His touch of affection will kiss your pain away. So, I call Rob, the love of my life. He is one my colleagues. Today he went out door for an ad shot.
“Hello, Rob!”
“Hey Sam! How was the presentation?”
I'm silent. He says, “Don’t tell me…… Oh no not again!”



“Yeah Rob! I need you, desperately”.
“Sam! Listen, the problems and the failures and the feeling of insecurity and all that - these are your own headache. You have to face everything alone. No one has the time to be your “safety blanket” Hope you have got it! And Priti is giving me treat for her promotion today in the evening. She rocks. Okay babe, see ya!”

I’m totally screwed. Coming out of the office, I went to the sea beach. I don’t want to think about anything else. Only me and the beach. This is the only way to get rid of my worries and fears.The sea possesses a power over one's moods that have the effect of a will.The sea can hypnotize.Nature in general can do so.

 I know nothing is gonna be changed. I spend some cool hour there. From there, I went to a music store. Good music is the only thing which can make me chill.

When I was busy in choosing my favourite music CDs, someone says, “Samantha!Right?”
I turn back. It’s my childhood friend Vivek.
“Hey! Wassap? Long time, no see! Where are you?”

This is one of the toughest questions to me right now-“where are you?” The answer is “nowhere”… I said, “Ahhh..forget me, what about you?”
“I am cool. Working in an MNC here in Mumbai. In December I’m gonna tie up knot.”
“Oh wow! That’s great!”                                 
“Yeah indeed. You know Suresh is n Gwahati, he has become an IPS and Prakash is in Bengaluru, an IT professional?”
“Oh so you guys are in touch?”
“Yeah! I searched you in Face book but couldn’t find you.”
“Face book?”
“Don’t you have Face book?”
“Am afraid, no!”

“Then you should get an account there. This is the only way to stay in touch with the friends. Gotta go Sam! See ya!”

Coming back home, I sit on the couch and close my eyes. My boss calls, “Hope you are working on the project”. I cut the phone. I know it is a kind of audacity of mine but at this moment I couldn’t find a better way to get rid of my pain. Don’t know, what happened to me but I immediately opened a Face book account. I heard a lot about this. There I added my old friends. I don’t know in which track I’m walking. Every single morning I wake up, open my PC and chat with friends and listen to music and drink wine. Wine seems to be better than ‘food”. That’s it! No work, no food just nothing! After a couple of days, some one sent me friend request there. I was little confused! Should I add a stranger or not??? But I’m sure nothing can be worse than this. I took the risk. Shrikant  Srivastav.
He wrote on my FB wall, “I’ve gone through your quotation- ‘When the time stands still, when the  princess of depression raises it’s both the hands to you, then your mind searches a  lonely corner and it keeps dreaming.’ Strange! You are just twenty five. A very young girl. How could you be so depressed? How could you fade up of everything so soon? Look at me! I am 55, though I enjoy every moment of my life! So why don’t you? Every human being has the right to live, smile and enjoy!”
His “lectures” seem to be so irritating to me!  Its hard to indulge something like this right now. I once again fill wine in my glass and start drinking. After few hours the guy once again wrote on my wall, “You didn’t answer me, young lady”.
Oh man! This man sucks! I replied, “Leave me alone!”
He replied, “I won’t! You have to tell me the reason why?”

“None of your business”.
He messaged me, “Can we meet?”
This really weird! Why should I meet a stranger? Don’t know what the hell does he want????
He said, “I know what you are thinking? Why should u meet a stranger? Yeah quite obvious! But I’m requesting you to meet! Just give me a chance!”
This guy is playing with my mind. I thought a lot! Yeah, nothing can be worse than this. So I replied, “Okay! I’m ready.”
“Okay then, see you today at 4 o’clock at the beach!”

At 4 o’clock I reached there.
“Samantha!”
 I look back. His voice is great. He could try his luck in the radio. He is 55 though he looks so young and dashing! His wrinkles and gray hair are telling about all the experiences of his life.
“Hello Samantha! Thanks for keeping my  request!”
“Could you please tell me, what the hell do you want?”
“Just nothing! I want you to sit here and just relax.”
Once again I keep his request...Don't know why?
He says, “Take a deep breath.”
“What?!”
“You ask so many questions! Take a deep breadth! It will relax your senses. Give a try....come on!!!!!!!!!”.
 I don’t believe this! It really works. It actually relaxes my senses!
“Good! So you drink in the afternoon!”
“I drink every time. I don’t need any fixed time for that.”
“This is the reason of the dark circles under the eyes and dull skin and your broken health if I am not wrong!”
“I am asking once again what the hell you want.”
“I want to know about you.”
“What do you want to know? Nothing to know about me! I work in an advertising agency! Shortly I’m gonna get fired after the next presentation. My boy friend doesn’t love me because I’m a looser.  Living a meaningless life! Happy? Do you want to know anything else about me?”
He starts laughing! I loose my cool! “What’s so funny about it?”
“It is funny! Life is meaningless only if we allow it to be. Each of us has the power to give life meaning, to make our time and our bodies and our words into instruments of love and hope. You think your life is going to get finished after your termination? What do you think life is so easy that a termination letter can finish it? And about love......, My dear, true love begins when nothing is looked for in return. Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of the other's person-hood. It doesn’t matter whether you are successful or not because love is unconditional and in the time of crisis, it holds your hand tighter. To love someone you don't need a reason, 'love' the word is enough.”

“What do you mean? And who are you? Why you are interested in me, only? There are billions of people in the world....Why me??”
“I’m Srikant Sivastav and this is enough about me”.
He makes me feel so secure. This is weird that I’m feeling so comfortable with a stranger that I had never felt before. We spend about three hours together.  He shared his experiences of life. After the end of our conversation he says, “go home and lie down in your bed, close your eyes and sleep.”
“What?”
“It works. And from now, say no to wine!”
“Why should I listen to you?’
He smiles and says, “Go home and relax your senses. When you will wake up, it will be a new world to you.

Before leaving, he turns back, smiles and says, 

“Give wings to your imagination.”

He hypnotized me. I go to my house and sleep. After waking up, I feel really fresh! Yeah! Don’t know how many days I didn’t sleep. I feel thirsty and hungry as well. But this time I don’t touch the wine bottle. I got a message in Face book. “Hope you are feeling fresh after waking up.”
I don’t know why I trust this guy? How can I trust him? He makes me feel so secure and cool though. His every single word was magical. Everyday he sends me messages. Those were enough to  motivate  me.  The day before my presentation he messaged me, “Go for it! You can do it!”
And The day of my presentation which is gonna be the last one. But I remember whatever Srikant said, “Don’t worry about anything. Forget the future. Live in present.” I left a message before leaving, "I wish I could hug you".
I enter into the presentation room and start. I end with the caption, “Give wings to your imagination”.
There was pin drop silence. The executive of the car company says, “Wow! Excellent!”
I am just shocked and ask, “Do you mean it?”
“Yeah! This is awesome. ‘Give wings to your imagination!’ Fantastic!”
Everyone in the office including my boss are praising me today. This is unbelievable! For the next three months my schedule is so tight.
In the crowd there is some one else. He comes and hugs  me and says, “I knew it! You are the best! So how about a date tonight?”
I smile and say, “Date? If my "problems", "failures" ,"feeling of insecurity" and all that are only my headache, then my success should be only my “headache as well. Isn't it? What do you think?"I smile and continue, "Love is unconditional Rob and in crisis it holds you hand tighter.” I walk away from there.
I come back home and message Srikant, “I’ve done it! Thank you so much. You are an angle to me. I want to meet you today. Same time same place.”
I go to the beach.There I wait for him hours and hours but he didn’t come.
I come back. Today he didn’t message me.
His silence gives me a reason to worry. It has been three weeks! He gave me his visiting card. I never called him though but this time I called. But his phone was switched off.

I couldn’t control myself and reach to his flat. But the door was locked. Someone from the neighborhood comes out,
“May I help you?”
“I’m looking for Mr. Srikant Srivastav”.
“Oh you mean Dr. Srivastav?”
“What?”
“Yeah, his name was Dr.Srikant Srivastav or I should say, Late Dr.Srivastav.”
I lost my foothold!
“What do you mean by ‘late?’”
“He passed away few weeks ago.”
I wasn’t in that situation to say anything.
“Are you Samantha?”
My voice is trembling! “Yes!”
Please come. He takes me to his flat and gives me a glass of water.
“I am Colonel Sarkar. He was one of my best friends. A great human being! He told me about you. He gave me a letter to give you. He was a patient of blood cancer. He fought a big battle. But the brave soldier lost the fight. But he kept fighting till his last breadth. He lived every moment of his life. The disease couldn’t defeat him but he defeated the disease. In my thirty years' career in the Indian Army, I came across so many brave soldiers. But I've never met such a brave man like him. He was hospitalized on the day of your presentation. That day he died.”
I start reading the letter-
“Dearest Samantha,
 I’m far away from you right now but so close to your heart though. I’m right now in a very safe place which is away from all the chaos, worries and every evil of the world. But do you know what the toughest job is? Living….. Yeah! You’ve to be a big fighter to live. You have to be brave. Always remember, every day can’t be perfect! You, by yourself have to make it perfect. You can’t put the blame on the others. Or wine can never be a solution.

You always ask me, “Why I’m interested in you only!” Well, the reason is, when I first saw you, I thought I got my Pinky back! Her eyes were just like you. If she was alive; she would be exactly like you. She was my one and only daughter whom I lost when she was only ten in a car accident. When I saw such depressing quotation of you, I thought my Pinky was in pain! Sorry for all the inconveniences caused by me to you. I was searching my child in you.
I’m far away though I want you to look forward. Never loose hope because life is beautiful! Nothing can stop it……
Wishing you luck for your life.

Give wings to your imagination.

Yours truly,
Srikant.”