I N T O X I C A T E D

Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away.
-Hitch.
It was one of the moments when she asked me“What are you READING?”
Sometimes the question itself makes you comfortable with a stranger but this time it was that euphonious voice too. It was dense and addictive that you cannot thwart. In a notion to reply her (and also to have a glimpse of the girl), I took my eyes out of that deeply indulging novel.
Slowly I turned to her side and there I was presented with a gift of disappointment as she was covering herself with a Burka. I can only see her exquisite eyes waiting for an answer and it really took me moment to get back to the reality and i replied her by showing the cover of Dan Brown’s “Inferno”.
“Proficient blend of science and religion.” she told me.
I just nodded with a smile.
“Think you have a great reader in you!”
I was searching for words to continue the conversation and suddenly there came another person in Burka, most probably her mother and sighed her to come. She had left without saying anything and I could feel the fearful face inside the burka.
And there I was sitting desperately alone in the centre of the public park in the wooden bench with my coffee getting cold in one hand and Inferno in another, Watching her walking beside her mother in dismay.
I returned home after I have completed my novel . When I shelved my book, I can see my mom rattling inside the house talking to someone in the phone. I don’t want to involve into that stuff and I went into my room and locked myself. I laid in my bed letting my mind to be occupied with her. I consolidated my thoughts to see her enticing eyes, hypnotic voice and she felt enchanting and ravishing more than before. Then the fear in her face materialised before me and I can’t resist it either.
At the dinner table my mom was seriously discussing with my dad about something and it seemed that they don’t want me in their conversation and I quickly left the dinner table to let them have their brainstorming about the next Space X project. I don’t like their attitude of alienating me as a kid ,even the government can allow me to exercise my right to vote when I was 18 and now I was three years ahead of their limits.
Next day I hurried to the park hoping that she would be there with a much interesting book but sadly she’s not. And I dubiously started flipping the pages of my book and this time it was not the voice which took me out of my book but it was her thoughts.
Days went by, but the thought of her was getting inflated in my mind and I was not immune enough to resist it.I waited all the day in the park longing for a minute with her.I know I was not the same guy who used to drug myself with a cup of coffee and get plunged into my own fictional world of thrillers.I felt like I was mad at her for nothing. It is stupid to think about a girl whom with you have exchanged only a few words and know nothing about her except that captivating eyes and a crisp voice of elegance.
My genre towards novels were changing from thrillers to romance and slowly I convinced myself to accept the reality that I was in LOVE. A love towards a girl whom I had seen only once in my lifetime hoping that I would see her again . Maybe if she had asked me another question than “ what are you READING?” things may not be the same.
It was a fine Sunday morning to dream about her for a long time in my bed. I heard my mom yelling at me to get out of my bed to take her to some marriage reception as dad had to deal with some office work. She slammed the door open and started to stare at me with a fiery eyes and I was left with no choice than to get out of my bed. Finally we were ready and I can see her reluctantly sitting in the car while we were on the road and I didn’t make a fuss about it. When we entered the marriage hall I can see that it was an inter-religion marriage between Hindu and Muslim and I got the answer for my mom’s mood. We went near the bridegroom for wishing them .While I was in the stage I could see the familiar eyes pointing directly towards me. I know it was her. It was the same beautiful eyes.
FINALLY !!! It was the moment I was waiting for and I could feel the adrenaline rushing through the entire system.”This time I will definitely make a good conversation” I told myself.
And there she was standing in-front of me. The ANGEL wrapped in a burka. For her the black burka seemed more colourful. This time I brought out the courage to start the conversation,
“Can I see your face?”
Thought that I should be more polite but it was too late.
She lifted her burka in the face with a alluring SMILE. It was a heaven.
“How’s the novel?” she asked.
“Brilliant!”
“Why haven’t you came there then?” I asked in a rush to make the conversation going.
“Thought that you would already know”
“How am I supposed to know? Have you left me with a note?”
“ It was simple though. Do you know why the people in this place are not happy?”she asked in a elderly way.
I then rounded my eyes in the entire hall and i felt so odd as all were struck in their chairs looking strange and dejected as they were attending a funeral. I can’t figure out anything.
“It was the religion.” She stopped abruptly.

“What?!!!” I yelled and I had just seen my mom sitting in the crowd of bizarre people who are the saviours of the stupid tradition and blindly following them. They deny the voices of heart by hearing the echoes of the voices of their ancestors.

She shushed me and said hesitantly “This was the same reason that my mom.......”

I interrupted her in a desperate anger “Do you believe in this nonsense?”

“Of course not but you have to cope up with the society”

“You told me that Inferno was a fusion of science and religion.Life is no different from that fiction.But you are playing only the religious part. Why you people are shying away from considering the scientific part?” I said in an acrimony.

“It is what the society is and so do I.”she said diffidently.

“Don’t be so sheepish to follow the herd” I don’t want to be so philanthropic to make this a confabulation and so I veered her by asking ”when do you come to the park then ?”
She took a moment to reply which was the most dreadful in our conversation and deliberately said “OFTEN” with an extravagant smile.
Now she accepted the scientific part that I guessed so and relaxed myself.
I saw a moment of hurry in her face to leave and I held out my hands to make an end to this beautiful conversation which I never wish to and she held out back.

She waved a goodbye for me and I waved back with a confidence that I would meet her soon and often.
When I returned home I got some beautiful moments about her to feed my heart and serious thought about the society to feed my brain.
It was clear that my heart was intoxicated with the love for her and our society with witless traditions both of which can’t be unyoked.
The next day I was waiting in the park bench with two cups of coffee and another interesting novel “Origin” for my girl.
And there she was... Without burka , wearing that killing smile :)