Bansi viewed outside the window, it was dark. He paused for a moment, gazing upward and thought, "What would I do there ? But I can't even deny. I even told Jatin not to include me in the guest's list but he never listens.....he shouldn't have insisted for a visit, after all, I have paid my contribution and now it should only be obligatory on one's part,"
Then his phone rang...it was Jatin. He picked it.
Hi Jatin, I was just thinking about you !
Nice timing ! Now just get up, I am waiting outside, replied Jatin.
Is it necessary ? Bansi almost pleaded.
,"Off course..sir," Jatin insisted a little on 'sir'......"don't you know there couldn't be any party without you ?." said Jatin and continued....."are you coming down or I come up?,"
,"Ok...wait," replied Bansi
Bansi came out and found Jatin strolling eagerly near the entrance. The moment they saw each other, Jatin rushed to him with open hands and hugged him.
,"You know we can't do without you, don't you?," Jatin said.
,"I..in fact....," but Jatin interrupted Bansi before he could complete his sentence...,"are you not interested in your friends? Its Ravi's farewell and he wanted you to be there. He might have requested you personally too,"
,"Yes, he did," Bansi replied with a long sigh.
Till now they both had entered into the car. Jatin started the car and drove towards the main road.
,"Is it at Collision?," It was Bansi.
Jatin nodded in affirmative, "Yes, and everybody has come except two of us,"
Bansi was thinking,"Is it the only way to celebrate? They always keep looking for the excuses to indulge," His thoughts came to a halt when Jatin pulled in before the venue and exclaimed ,"Here we are, see, Ravi is at the entrance itself,"
Bansi came out of the car and moved towards Ravi while Jatin parked his car in the parking lot.
,"Congratulations!, after all, you have got your dream destination," Bansi greeted Ravi.
,"Thanks brother, its all with the blessings and wishes of well wishers like you," Ravi replied and hugged Bansi. ,"Come on in," he took hold of Bansi by arm and pulled him inside.
Once inside, Bansi assessed the atmosphere at a glance. ,"Collision..., even the name is negative," He told himself.
Music was on and most of the seats were occupied. Snacks and drinks were on serve.
'Collision', was sort of a motel with not so big a lawn draped with lush green grass where 7-8 round tables were placed with accommodating chairs. Each table could accommodate 6-7 persons but the number of chairs could, and would often, increase up to 10 or even 11, after the party being organized reached at its youth where the guests only cared to be together in a herd after sufficient booze. And then Bansi gazed at the single storey structure across the lawn. It was sort of a dormitory with a huge hedge in front that separated it from the lawn. It had more than 20 single beds on each floor. An almost transparent sheath of curtains separated each bed from those beside it. And that was what they loved to come here for.
A wide smile appeared on his face when a thought about his last visit here erupted in his mind. ,"Have you seen this ? It belongs to my mom," Radha was swaying a pair of scissors in front of Bansi,....that day. ,"And what are you going to do with it?," Bansi asked. ,"I will cut your damn xxxx into pieces," Radha replied, though she kept her smile all the way but Bansi knew that smile was only pretentious and she was indeed raging inside. Well, he could convince her after immense persuasion that he didn't commit anything wrong. She verified it herself too. But then, a new trouble began. Now she wanted to know the full details of everybody present there. ,"Oh My God, I know none of them...except Jatin,.. and he was with me all the time.....dear!," He hold Radha's arm which she violently shrugged aside. ,"Ooooh... you mean you were blind folded before entry.....hmm..my foot," she said, fluctuating on her legs. ,"And then you were dropped at your home. Don't tell me !," She almost screamed.
Bansi was lost in thoughts when Jatin came and caught hold of his hand while pulling him towards a table. While moving towards the table he was being escorted to by Jatin, something struck Bansi. He noticed a familiar face sitting at the same table. Though all the faces were well acquainted but this was a face he only recognized and not have met in person. He pressed his mind and he almost faltered in an attempt to stop in a jerk. ,"OMG ! its Vipin, Neha's hubby,". He recognized him. ,"What to do?," Questions bombarded inside...,"He might take me as one of them.....Hey Govind, unto you," He chanted holy name, semi-audibly.
,"What's up," Jatin uttered and balanced Bansi.
,"Nothing....," Bansi replied and murmured ,"You bloody, I will kill you some day, you take it for sure,"
,"What..you said something?," Jatin asked.
,"N..no..its okay," Bansi delivered without looking at Jatin.
Seated there, other than Vipin, were Rohan, John and Samar. Jatin introdued Vipin to Bansi,"The trio, you already know, and this is Vipin, our new companion...a wise man indeed,". ,"And Vipin, here with us..Bansi," Jatin said aloud. ,"Hey guys keep going...and here's your Guava juice...dear Bansi Sir," Jatin insisted on 'Sir'. Bansi took juice from him with a smile on his face but the very next moment, thought of Vipin again emerged.
Jatin took an about turn and screamed,"Jai Bansi Wale Ki,". Everybody, including Bansi turned surprisingly towards him. But he didn't care and moved on.
,"Hi Vipin...actually, Jatin is my childhood friend and we are very close....but we are way different too," Bansi spoke with extreme caution as if walking on a minefield where a single wrong step could have proved fatal.
As Bansi was sipping out of his glass, a waiter came and placed a small, square, colorfully bright pouch in front of him.
The impressions that surfaced on Vipin's face were strange, as if he witnessed a corpse walking. ,"Jatin told me that you are not into.....," perhaps he couldn't dare finish what he started or he was indeed speechless.
Bansi noticed that and smiled but suddenly laughed out loud and said ,"O my child....I in fact, am not into what you wanna say but ...," Vipin interrupted him saying ,"then, of what use it is to you?," ,"Do you use it at home...with spouse?,". Bansi smiled again and replied ,"No dear, I don't need it at all....never,". He took another mouthful of his juice, flipping the pouch in other hand, still smiling and his eyes on Vipin. It was apparent that Vipin had lost mental balance. ,"Resale...," he hardly had said when Bansi replied,"well..that's an offence..isn't it?," Vipin couldn't reply but only nodded in affirmative.
,"See," Bansi started..,"Taking it home, to me, is sort of coming back home with no less than a medal,". Though Vipin was fully baffled, he managed a response ,"I can't get you, please...medals are for some victory or so,".
,"I express my gratitude towards the Goddess of Love i.e. Venus or the Kamadeva aka Cupid for being merciful enough on me,". Bansi was looking Vipin into eyes but his head was moving in negative.
,"See, not as a sign of victory or achievement but for letting me escape unscathed out of this whirlpool of senselessness,". ,"It's an act of gratitude, nothing else,".
,"How come you never found it required? Is it useless?," Vipin asked.
,"Neither useless nor harmful, as a medicine,". ,"It depends on what do you expect from it..better say..what should you expect,". ,"It may prove miraculous when used mindfully,"
vinxn2003
Continued
:)
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