The Lost...

The alarm jolted me out of my slumber. 9:10 am, 20th of March. My body wanted to hug the bed for a little while more; my mind told me – “Meeting with Sohail at 10:30am”, “The extra dialogues are to be dubbed,” “The reference music needs to be sorted,” “The ten composited scenes that came in last night need to be cross-checked with the animation versions,” and the “Synopsis for all the character’s to be written”! And I sat up straight in bed.

The sky high pile of CDs, DVDs, magazines, newspapers and books stared at me from the table that they were stacked on in front of the bed. I blinked and made a mental note, “Tomorrow – I will wake up early and clean the mess.”

I went about the house like a zombie, doing what I’m used to do – brush, clean the bed, shower, make breakfast, iron clothes, eat and then leave for office (not necessarily in the same order). While locking the door, the main latch gave away and fell down with a thud. I sighed, “Tomorrow I’ll ask Neela aunty to call the carpenter” and I climbed down the steps to greet a hot day face – to – face. As soon as I stepped out in the sun, I started to fish for my sunglassesd in my bag and I remembered, “Oh I lost them some days back, have to buy a new pair of glasses! God! I hate the sun! I’ll make sure that I buy them this evening.” Another mental note made, I walked on…

On the way, at the fifth cross the hoarding stared at me: “The Lost... Venue: Prithvi Theater. Time: 7:30pm. Date: 13th of March – 20th of March, 2009.” Ajay’s earnest face flashed in front of me as he said, “Paro! Do come! It’s my directorial debut…”  And I made a mental note, “I’ll finish all work by 7pm today, the target’s achievable! I have to see the play.”

After reaching office, I got busy in the grind of meeting deadlines… the morning turned to afternoon, the afternoon rolled in to evening, and the play was the last thing on my mind… And as the evening dived in to night… I got a chance to check my personal mails!

Checking the bulk of unread mails from friends and family members I jumped up in joy! “Woohoo! I still have so many friends! I’m blessed!” Then I ventured in to reading one of the scores of unopened mails. It was from my best friend from school; it read…

“Hey Paro!

It’s been so long that we had a word with each other! We keep so busy!

You know I’m not a mail person, but I had to write this mail to you – I have realized over the last few years that you are not a phone person! The only way to reach you would be through e-mails!

Paro, my dad expired two months back. It was a quite death, due to cerebral attack. He was in the ICU for 6 days, but finally succumbed to the internal injuries. He asked for you before he closed his eyes for the final time. So I tried to call you desperately, I wanted you to come for the funeral. Dad would have been pleased if he knew that you were to come… you know how fond he was of you!

But I couldn’t get through you. All our school friends were here for the funeral. So I had expected you to know of the demise and call as soon as you could! But it’s been two months now, and I haven’t heard from you. I asked Swati and Rahul about you the other day, but even they said that they couldn’t contact you!

No Paro, I’m not angry with you for not being there when I needed you the most. But I’m worried! Are you OK? Hope no harm’s come your  you! Hope everything is fine at your end.

Please call me as soon as you can dear. Get in touch with any one of us! Don’t keep us worried. We love you!

Take care, Ritu”

I stared at the monitor, not exactly sure that the mail was addressed to me. I couldn’t have been this irresponsible and cruel! How could I have slipped so badly from the happy paths of life?

My phone rang. Boss calling…

“Hey Po! Sachin’s taken very ill. There’s no one at the sound studio to supervise the mixing. Get there asap!”

“Sure Vikas, I’ll be there in the next ten minutes!”

I looked at my watch – 11:20pm. I dejectedly logged out of my account, shut down my computer, picked up my bag, lit a cigarette and drove.

On the way, for the seventh time in the week I reread the hoarding “The Lost... Venue: Prithvi Theatre. Time: 6:30pm. Dates: 13th of March – 20th of March, 2009.

I sighed.

And for the first time, in years, I saw what I have lost!

I drove on…