Mission O

Nehal is a new student in my class; contrary to the new students he is very talkative. In his college days he was in National Cadet Corps (NCC). And due to its training his confidence is very high. Even his grasping power is also good. But what I think his greatest ability is to communicate.

Once he told me about his collage days and his friend circle. How they enjoyed passing their total time in the canteen and loafing away time. These were the days he remembered the most after completing his collage. In their circle there was his friend and he loved one of the girls from the circle. It was a pair of something like made for each other. Their love culminated from the time they went to a picnic. Virendra was the boys name and girls name was Shivani. All the friends used to play games and sing songs and Vir used to play guitar. In the canteen also somebody was always ready to play the bill after seeing their pair. All the friends used to play pranks on each other but no one tried their pranks on Vir and Shivani and even if anyone teased them they were not aware of anything and always lost in each-other.

The college days were finally over and both Vir and Nehal both started their factories. While Vir inherited his dad’s business Nehal built his own business. So Vir had lot of time to expand his business and go on with his love for Shivani. Nehal was still working hard to improve his skills and to keep his business running. The love between Vir and Shivani went on unstopped even after they left the college even when they were not able to spend much time together. Of course they were always on mobile for hours. In short Vir has become very busy after collage and Shivani is totally free doing her house work and listening music and songs are the only work she does at present.

Then I asked to Nehal “Why don’t they get married?” Nehal replied “Their parents are against their marriage.” Why their parents are against their marriage, after all they belong to the same community, don’t they?” I asked again. “Oh yes, they belong to the same community” replied Nehal. “Then is there any problem of disparity of financial status or of respect?” I asked. “No, no, both the families are financially well and their status rating is also up to mark” he replied. I asked “Then what is the problem? “Well, the only problem is that Shivani’s family and particularly his father doesn’t believe in love marriage and their story is quiet famous, so they know about this relation between both of them”. “But this is no reason to stop them from getting tied in the eternal bond, and if Shivani’s family is so traditional and firm, then why don’t they just run away?” I asked out of curiosity. “Vir is ready to run away but Shivani thinks that it is no good to run away from everybody and it is like an act of timidity. So when she thinks like this how can Vir even ask her to run away with her?” Nehal replied. I left this topic as it was getting too personal and I was getting involved in this story without any reason.

I remember an interesting story about how he got his mobile in his collage days when it was not affordable for him to buy a mobile. Their group used to go to tuitions for accounting subject. The tutor teaching them was an expert in this subject. Even this subject is little difficult subject so normally all collage going students prefer to go for its tuition. Their tutor being expert was assigned the task of setting its paper by the university. This was kept secret by the tutor himself as he was a man of principles. If he would have told about the questions to the students, he could have attracted lot more students to his classes, but he was not of that type. So nobody knew about this until one day. Sir had left his class unattended for little time and gone out for some urgent work. He had forgotten his keys in cupboard itself. So Nehal out of curiosity unlocked the cupboard and to his surprise he could get that university paper after going through some papers. There was no time to copy it or get it Xeroxed. So he took Vir’s mobile and took its photographs by its camera. As usual Vir and Shivani did not know anything and were just lost. So it was easy for Nehal, as not questions of ethics came to him. That evening only Nehal copied the paper and prepared several copies of it and sold to his class mates at Rs. 100 per set. From that money he could easily buy the handset. And they also passed; we can think that it might be difficult for Vir and Shivani to pass. But when there are friends like Nehal around, everything is easy. Nehal also told me that he purposefully left out some questions so that no body doubts that this man knew the full paper before hand and thus have the reason to cut his marks.

After some time I again remembered Vir and Shivani and I was really interested to know what was happening in their life. So I inquired with Nehal to know about them. He said that now Shivani’s parents are in hurry to get her married. Nehal said “Last week only a boy came with his family to see Shivani”. I asked “Then what happened?” “Well, sir it’s a long story” said Nehal. I said “Go on, I have time.” So Nahal started “Shivani had told us that this boy is coming to see her. So Vir and I knew before hand how they were going to come, they travelled by train and I reached station before time and found a good taxi and gave its driver good money for renting his taxi for one hour, but on condition that I will self drive it. When that boy arrived with his family it was easy to identify him as Shivani had given me his photo. So I approached them and said that Shivani’s dad has sent me to receive you, they believed me when I showed that photo to them. Then I took them on a long drive and while chatting told the story about Vir and Shivani and also showed them their kiss which I had recorded on my mobile on the previous day. I told them that I wished their good only and told them that I have seen Vir and Shivani do many things together, but it is difficult for me to tell them as I had no words. They thought that I was driver to Shivani’s father and as it is the habit of drivers to keep a watch on everything I had recorded this kiss on the mobile. So this was it. They thanked me and gave a 100 rupee note for saving them. I took that note after refusing for several times. After all it was their contribution towards taxi fare. So I took them back to the station and they took earliest train to their home.  There at Shivani’s home everyone was waiting for their guest to arrive, so after long wait everyone thought that the boy will finally not come. The parents of the boy were also good. So when Shivani’s father called to ask the reason for their not coming, they answered that their son had found someone and will marry that girl and not Shivani. So the entire episode ended without raising any doubts. But Shivani’s father doubted that how come the boy and his family was ready to come till previous day and why and how they found a new girl in one day. But his father could not find any answers as boy’s family refused to further this matter. And thus Shivani is still at home.” I could think of Nehal acting as the saviour angel for Shivani and Vir. Truly I must say that the thinking power and daring of Nehal is great.

As the time is passing I am becoming more and more involved in their story and after hearing Nehal the last time I had begun to sort of enjoy the story. So I again asked Nehal as what happened next. So Nehal started “One more time Shivani’s parents had invited a boy to see her, but this time her dad had made arrangements to receive them from the station. Finally they reached the house and were served hot tea, specially made by Shivani for them. Actually tea was Shivani’s speciality and we all had enjoyed that tea during our collage time. But at present the story was different. Then the chance of boy came to talk alone with Shivani, both were excited as boy was eager to talk, Shivani was nervous on other hand with the fear that the boy make like her instantly. The fear was right, for Shivani is really beautiful and has lot of qualities. The introductory questions went on quiet well. Then the boy asked “Do you know to cook?” Shivani replied “Yes, and I cook very delicious chicken”, the boy was shocked. Actually both the families were completely vegetarian. Then the questions started misfiring. Lastly Shivani lied about the tea also. She said “The tea which you all really enjoyed was made by Shanta bai and not me, for I can’t make good tea and even my mother can’t make. My dad everytime drinks tea made by Shanta bai only”. So the talk ended. The result was obviously negative. Boy’s family refused on phone when Shivani’s dad asked. On being asked the reason they told everything. Shivani’s dad tried to explain everything but it failed as they understood that even if all these things were wrong, it meant that the girl was not ready to marry their son and was in love with someone else. So this episode ended and Shivani’s dad was very angry on her. But he could not do anything as he knew about Shivani and Vir.” Thus Nehal satisfied my curiosity.

Now even Nehal knows that I am positively curious in knowing their story so whenever something new happens. He normally tells me. So that day Nehal started to tell me “One another boy came to see Shivani. Everything was arranged and her father was prepared that the old mistakes are not repeated again. So he didn’t allow Shivani and that boy to talk alone by telling that it was not in their tradition that boy and girl can talk alone before engagement. So all went well and that boy said yes instantly for Shivani. That night Vir was in much tension and told me to do something. So we took that boys number from Shivani and called him to say that there was an affair was going on between Shivani and Vir. But the boy was very broad minded, so he said its ok and any way it will certainly end after marriage. Then I also contacted his parents and said this story to them too and to make my point stronger I told them falsely that Shivani had once even got pregnant by Vir and she had done abortion. This was very shocking thing for them. But they refused to believe me and said that they will go on with the plan of engagement with Shivani and they cut off the phone. Then I decided to do some thing concrete to make them believe everything. So I went to a gynaecologist and told him the story of Vir and Shivani and urged him to save their love story. The doctor was very good and agreed to give abortion certificate without taking any money in spite of our urging to take any amount of money he liked. I faxed that certi instantly to the parents of the lucky boy. The result was as expected and all the plans of Shivani’s father failed.”

Nehal was absent for couple of days after telling me this incident. I was all praises for presence of mind of Nehal. He came back with a sad looking face and general uninterest in his work. Something like this was unbelievable for Nehal for he was always cheerful and confident. So I asked him what the reason was. He told it was again about Vir and Shivani. I asked what it was. He blurted “Shivani ran away”. I said “It is very good news, it was you who always wanted them together” he said “that’s right, but I wanted that she runs away with Vir”, I was shocked and taken aback “Then with whom she ran away?” I asked. “With the gynec” was his reply. “What!” I was shocked to hear that. “Are you sure about this?” I asked. Nehal replied “Shivani had called me to inform.” If the doctor is very attractive and young, why did you both made her meet him?” I asked again. Nehal said “The doctor is 45 years old and he has a daughter of 16 years, and his wife has died before 5 years”. I said “Tell me exactly what Shivani told you”. Nehal replied “She said she has married after seeing his love and compassion and she said she is very happy with him. She called me just to inform this as I was very much involved in this”. “Tell me how they met and how their love started” I asked. Nehal replied “Shivani had gone to the doc for her some problem. In fact I had recommended her to him for he is the same doc who gave us abortion certi. She told me that doc met her like he knew her very well. And said her everything I had done. He also remarked that it was derogatory for a girl. If she really loved why doesn’t she run away? To this Shivani suddenly realized that Vir was not her man but the doc clicked and they just ran away after 2-3 visits. She also said that they had married and will return after her father’s anger subsides.”  “What about Vir?” I asked. Nehal replied from first only he is busy in his business, now he has thought of getting more busy and working hard. And for the first time in his life he is concentrating on something.”

“When both of them are happy, why are you so troubled and sad?” I asked. Nehal said “I am sad on my foolishness, Vir has never done anything worth while to save this relation, and it was I who was doing everything. If I had not intervened, the story would have finished with the first boy only. Actually I was more worried than they themselves. Why did I help them when they only were not clear about what they wanted?” I consoled Nehal and told him that he had done his duty of being a good friend of both Vir and Shivani.