Roshan Gupta

♥ TRUE LOVE ♥

Not written by me but by a guy named Roshan Gupta.. Loved it thought would share it with you guys.. Enjoy reading..

It had been a hot and sunny day and most of Bangalore seemed to have shy-ed away from the heat, except for a few of us in Cubbon Park. There I was resting on a tree smoking my fifth cigarette in the past ten minutes, anxious that I hadn’t met with success that day. First of all the blazing heat kept my prospective clients at bay and then, those around weren’t my material anyway. Before... you scratch your head crazy trying to figure out my line of work, I’ll spare you the agony. I’m a pick-pocketter. Yeah! You got it. I’m a thief. But this is not about me justifying myself in fact I don’t even care (the whole world is going to hell anyways). It’s about love and true love at that too.
I surveyed the area. There was a middle aged man screaming at someone over the phone, a kid munching on tobacco some distance away and this loner sitting on a bench who appeared to be crying.
“Sisi! How can a grown man cry?” I mocked him in my head. However he was a potential victim.
He was twenty something, fair, lean, clean shaven and in formals. He was frantically messaging someone on his mobile (the object of my interest) with tears rolling down his face. He would pause for a moment if his sobbing got too loud and would then resume after he had quietened down.
It must be heartbreak or something. Not that I was prejudiced but anyone who has been as long as me in the pick-pocketing business can almost read people correctly. Either way I could not give into emotion. His vulnerability was my advantage. The other two were too far to interfere. Not that I was going to wrestle him or something. You know the typical run in and “oh! I’m so sorry” gig while I get ample time for the pilferage. I had made other plans as well but whatever I would end up using, I had to be low key and there had to be no police.
Suddenly in a split second he jumped up and headed towards the exit where I was hoping to intercept his path. As pre-meditated, I did my lanky walk and appeared to be oblivious to him. Meanwhile he trotted off in a hurry muttering to himself, the perfect prey.
And so I made my move all careful and slow, waiting for the right time to bump into him. My heart beat faster with excitement. Even after five years of doing this I still felt like a newbie.
I hummed a tune as we neared each other and at the opportune moment I swung my left shoulder to slam against his but he moved away, like a reflex, and completely avoided me. Shit! Had he been on to me or was it just plain luck? Whatever it had been, it seemed to amuse that tobacco addict kid a lot. I glared at him and took a seat where my former catch had been. His handset looked decent enough. I could have at least bought my brunch. Darn! My luck!
Despondent I cursed myself. Not like‘s it’s never happened before, it’s just that I’d have other ventures as well. The kid seemed to be going insane. How I wished I could smack him there but soon two guys, teenagers actually, emerged from behind a bush trying to act cool as if all was well. They probably had to pee or something but that maniacal kid was getting even wilder. The man on the phone vanished from the scene and within moments I understood what had just transpired there.
Gays! My God! Even in broad daylight! Can’t they use a room a restroom even? I argued. I knew I wasn’t an authority on morality but it was just wrong. I had been in love before, many times actually and had gotten lucky too if you know what I mean. But Shalini stood out. She was a simple gal who worked in a dhaba cleaning tables. I liked her enough to have babies with her but she was too proud to… she kept calling me a purse stealer. Whatever it was, but it was still natural right?
Those shameless bast**rds strolled by hand in hand. Man! You could tell they were queer miles away with their ear studs, fluorescent T-shirts and coloured hair.
“What a waste!” I said out aloud to which one of them who was shorter and more punk looking blew me a kiss.
I squirmed with disgust trying to grab the bench in the hope of reducing the pain and then my left hand found something. I turned and lo! It was that dude’s mobile, a Nokia 3500c. I went crazy with happiness. He had forgotten it.
“Wow! It hadn’t been such a bad day after all.” I said to myself.
I decided on my next move. I’d go to Anoop’s store and sell it for two grand. He knows where I get my stuff from but that doesn’t bother him. The trend of using second hand things was much in vogue then. But first thing was first, I had to remove the SIM card. As I readied myself for doing it the device beeped. A text had just been delivered.
Being a bit curious I opened the message. It read- Roshan, I luv u. plz cum bck.
It was from some Kun. Kun…hmmm... couldn’t think of a chick’s name. kunti? No, never. Then came another one- Evn ur silence is music 2 ma hart.
The girl must really love him, I guessed.
And then a third- I hav died everyday waitin 4 u. Darling don b afraid, I hav luvd u 4 a thousnd yrs. I’d luv u 4 a thousnd more…
“Man! Who was this bird? She was really head over heels for this fellow. Did he get her pregnant or something?” I wondered. But getting back to my original plan: SIM card out money in, into my pocket i.e.
But would you believe it I couldn’t come around to doing it. Not that I was a solution to her problems then. But being overwhelmed by sympathy or stupidity (I’m not sure what) I replied.
-hw r u?
-am gud. Didn thin u wud respnd. I luv u, I always hav an wil nvr stop.
Now what could I say to that except- I’m busy.
-u always r. R u foolin around wid sum1? it’s ok. I’l take u bck. Sx is nt luv so stop screwing ‘em bit***s…
Woh! Was she some despo or something?
-Rembr hw we frst met a yr ago. Afta months of chatting, Fate brot us 2gether on a train and I gave myself 2 u.
Oh my Fish! They did it on a train!
-I only went thru wid it coz I wantd u 2 knw dat I was serious abt u…I am and always have been. Plz give me a try. I’l keep u safe and treat u rt.
That gal had been hit, hard. I had never been pounded with so much emotion all at once. I needed some time to think so I typed- will msg latr. Plz wait.
Wait for what? Could I even help? I could just let that poor wrench deliver on a train or something but I just couldn’t drive myself to breaking off contact with her.
I settled with the idea of selling the memory card and getting a couple of hundred bucks, enough for a day’s grub. I looked up at the ever darkening sky and I realised that I was alone. A cool gentle breeze had begun to blow and I could smell the sweet earth. So I hurried to Anoop’s store.
“Not a phone this time?” he enquired, “you like it?” he asked sarcastically.
“No. I’ve fallen for a girl who’s been texting me for the past two hours” I joked.
He didn’t get it and I didn’t give a care. I just took my money and proceeded to have some roti and curry. I thought there would be a respite but the smses kept pouring in. -I luv u.
-I want to b wid u.
-what can I do to make u luv me?
To which I didn’t reply, ‘cause honestly I was scared. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Lunch done I headed for my shanty. The ceiling was low so I crept in and lay on a sheet of plastic, my bed. That was my home.
As I gazed at the clouds through the tears in my canvas roof, I tried to imagine Kun. She must be well educated (at least 10th pass), smart and beautiful. All I could conjure up was Shalini in some M.G. road avatar which was even weirder if not ludicrous. Funny the SIM had not been deactivated till then. He must have been very busy because it had been four hours since I had picked it. Naveen, my mentor taught me the importance of removing the SIM card but here I felt like making contact with Kun. I typed- y do u feel so sure abt us?
A minute passed and the phone buzzed- b’coz from da time I’ve known u I realised dat der cud b no othr. I undastnd dat v driftd apart but I was blinded by ma ignorance and pride. I’ve accepted da truth and I knw Deep down dat u feel dat way also. Don’t push me away.
What could I say to that? So I typed- I hav 2 thnk dis ovr.
-well u hav till 2moro 11am ven my train leaves for Kolkata from yeshvanthpur station. My folks r getting me married off. How wil I liv widout u?
My mind drifted away and thoughts about Shalini crept in. I wished it had been her all along. Tears flowed, then some wishful thinking, followed ultimately by sweet slumber.
I awoke to drops of rain water caressing my face. For a minute it all felt like a dream until a rooster crowed and I knew that it would be morning soon. I checked the phone but it was dead. I wasn’t surprised (it was expected), just a bit saddened. So that was the end of it. But a part of me begged to do something. But there are ways to communicate…email etc. I argued with myself.
After an hour spent in should I s and could I s, it dawned on me that I had to try for Kun’s sake at least. But I couldn’t recall her phone number and only Roshan’s number came to my mind. He would have got a duplicate SIM by then. But at that hour who would help me? Only Shalini could. I jumped out of my crib being careful not to bring it down. After placing an old and empty ice cream cup under the leaking roof and having had a cat’s wash, I dashed for Deep’s Dhaba.
Though it was five in the morning the Dhaba was lively as ever. People were cleaning tables, cutting vegetables and boiling tea. I spotted Shalini and called her aside.
“What do you want from me now?” she asked angrily with her clothes drenched in sweat.
“Did you even sleep at night?” I asked concerned.
“At least I work for a living. What is it?”
“I need to use you phone for some time.”
“No way!” She retorted.
“Please, it’s for a good cause.” I begged.
In heart of hearts I felt she would never do me a favour after what I had done to her, but then something was different about her.
“My mind refuses to believe you but you’ve never had this look in your eyes before.”
What! Was I mirroring her expression?
She sighed and said, “Take it.”
I grabbed it ecstatically.
“You know, there’s a vacancy here and if you want I could…”
Was she offering me a job? Oh my goodness!
She broke off and that soft side of hers disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared.
“Get it back by 1 pm. I have to call home if I am going to be late.” She said tersely and resumed her duties.
Women! They are too confusing. Anyways, having got what I wanted I waited till 6 am and then rung up Roshan.
“Hello, who’s this?” he asked in a sleepy voice.
What was I to say? Tell him that Kun was leaving Bangalore for good…that she was crazy about him and was being forced to go?
Instead I blurted out in a hoarse voice- I have pictures of you and Kun together. If you value yourself come and meet me at Yeshvantpur Railway station at 10 30 am today or I’ll…you know what I can do.”
What was I doing…blackmail?
“Wait. Hold on. Listen let’s be rational. Who’s this?”
“Just do as I say.”
“Oh…Oh k k k. but how will I recognise you?”
“Don’t worry I will find you…and one more thing get your ATM card.”
I had to demand something to make him take me seriously. He agreed. I couldn’t believe what I had done. I had become an extortionist.
After a quick snack of idlis I arrived at the fixed venue. From the enquiry office I learned that the train was on platform 3. I informed Roshan. I rushed there but that’s when it hit me- how would I make out Kun? I didn’t even know her number. Well, I had an image of what she could look like in my head. Maybe she was a thin, sweet looking female? But no one fitted the description. No worries, at least I knew what Roshan looked like so I stayed near the overhead bridge.
I had decided that enough was enough. I’d spill the beans. I’d tell him- Kun loves you and she is being compelled to leave you. Stop her! Or something like that. Cut me some slack. I’ve never played Cupid before. My heart raced and my hands got sweaty with anticipation. Finally Roshan arrived. He looked right through me, not remembering me from the previous day. He walked past hurriedly down the platform. The poor guy was tensed and all because of me. I tailed him through the crowd of vendors, porters and travellers attempting to speak with him.
I had to put him out of his misery. But just as I was about to call out to him, he stopped in his tracks and appeared to be staring at someone. Had he found her? I looked on anxiously wanting to check Kun out. But there was not a hot chick in sight anywhere, until they hugged, Roshan and Kun.
KUN WAS A DUDE!
Fish! They were a gay couple. This had to be a joke.
“I knew you would come.” Came Kun.
“What are you doing here?” asked Roshan.
For a minute disgust overcame me and being within earshot of them I felt like I had had enough. What was I thinking re-uniting two homosexual lovers?
“We can’t be together.” Admitted Roshan, “I love you too but we don’t have a future.”
“All I know is that we are happy together.”
Her (sorry I had gotten so used to thinking that Kun was a girl) words got to me. I recalled my strange meeting with Shalini that day. She was so sweet without her ‘attitude’. Maybe all was not lost for us? So why don’t I help these two hapless lovers? Until then I had been rooting for their patch up and then just because they were gay I would change my mind? I had felt Kun’s pain. It was real and so was his (not her) love.
I mastered the courage to speak and uttered- Excuse me…mm. It was I who called you here.
“What? “Asked Roshan, as he turned around to look at me.
“I don’t know you…Do I know you?” He was puzzled.
Kun slapped him lightly on his cheek saying- Shameless! one of your flings, huh?
“No, I swear I’ve never seen him before in my life.”
“Believe him Kun. He’s telling you the truth.” I began and then followed my short narration of what I had been up to. By the way kun is kun Al. They were both speechless as they heard my tale.
“Wow! You did this for me?” asked kun.
“…for both of you…and here’s your phone.” I said as I handed it to him, “Look I know I don’t have the right to tell you anything but I’ve seen gay guys before and it’s always been about one-night stands and quickies in the park but I feel you share something special so just give your love another chance.”
That was the best I could do. Then it was left to them. I shook hands with them and said- be happy. They were still lost for words. Taking a deep breath I was about to leave until Roshan called- Wait, who are you? Raphael?
“Who? Is that even a name?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s an angel’s name, an angel of those seeking their true love.” Said Kun Al with tears in his eyes.
I looked back and saw two young men holding hands and I understood. Love always wins.