The Stranger

I looked behind. There he was, standing. I knew him from the days when he was not a stranger to me, I knew the exact count of his breath in a day. Not much time has passed but he looks like a stranger now. I am still the same, his face hasn't changed either but there is a peculiar uniqueness to it. Time has changed. The old times are getting older I realized. Letters and photographs can be buried but how to fix up the memories. And I still meet him alone at the back of my mind. I meet him every day but today this is not him but a stranger standing before me.

He queried " how are you?" and shook hands with me.

I suddenly went back in time when he had hugged me and I thought about the love he had for me but somewhere deep inside my heart, I heard him saying "don't go away" and not "stay here with me". That made the difference. The feeling lacked in love but was filled with caution and fear. My mind absconded for hours and days trying to find out the answer "does he really love me?".

There he said again: "how the things have been with you?"

I tried to control the big tides inside me and said " it’s a pleasure to see you here. Thanks I am doing good, how are you?"

He smiled. but the smile, the smile was still somewhere same that I loved to see the most on his face along with some sparkle, I believe, I left to him to help him live and not fear.

He asked "what are you doing these days? still enjoying your life or have gotten yourself into some serious stuff?"

I remember the last time when I tried hard to agree on everything he said and put great effort to make all my "No" into "yes". He tried same as well. But this is not a sketchbook where one can paint everything as one wishes to. And hence even if we looked alike, we were different from each other. And we both understand this well now.

I smiled back, and said: "I still enjoy Laughing badly and crying easily." we both laughed together.

"I am getting late for somewhere. I have to rush now." I uttered. The words spoken were less but their burden inside was much. Nothing much was said and done.

I walked away but fell at a distance, he suddenly moved his foot forward but a stranger helped me in getting up. He turned back and walked away and I took my way.

Tonight, while lying on bed, I realized I was living in an era passed way back. It is the time and the destiny that make people meet and leave, that create gap and fill it as well. A person who was so dear to me before, looked a total stranger today and a stranger seemed more friendly. The pillow is still wet, but I let the tears fall down forever!

Every end is not unhappy, this is the right time to move on...