17th Feb’2008. Café Coffee Day, Sahara Mall, Gurgaon.
“How you can be so mean Aman”.
“Hey sweetheart, now please don’t start here”. I pleaded her.
“Oho, it means again I am wrong. You said it on Valentines day also and today again, its my B’Day today, what the hell, how you can do this. Where is my gift?”
I met Richa around two years back at
“Just chill dear. Ok, what you will take?”
“Zahar” She blurted.
“Now, you are over reacting Richa. Listen I love you dear”
“You only love money and nothing else……. Bullshit”
Since the day I started dreaming, I always dreamed of becoming a rich man. Its not because of big cars or bungalows but its because of survival. My father never earned enough money for my education even. We were four siblings and I am eldest. At every step of life they taught me value of money. Unfortunately this made me a mean person when it comes to money. In last two years of relationship I rarely gave her any gift. Even most of the times our dating bills are paid by her and I just love that.
All I desired in life is Money!!!
“I can’t live with you anymore Aman. I am leaving. Please don’t call me or try to meet me.”
She left.
A tear rolled from my eyes and fell on my Fastrack watch, Richa gifted me on V-Day.
“Your Bill sir”. Asad said in a distressing voice.
To my surprise, this guy is looking very different today. I don’t remember exactly when I saw Asad first time but I knew him little bit know, at least by face and name. Whenever me and Richa used to visit this CCD, he always used to give us very enthusiastic smile and polite welcome and on most of the occasions he served us. He was always smiling face and jolly nature guy.
“Thanks Sir”, He kept the change on the table.
A tear fell from his eye on bill and it looked like exactly similar to one fell on my watch few minutes back. Curiosity is the next thing came to my mind.
“Asad, Are you OK?” First time I asked him something personal.
“Sir, why you let madam go. She is very sweet girl”.
Oh my god. This waiter is telling me about my girlfriend and how to behave with her. How he can be so bold and daring. I was about to bully him but few more tears came on the bill.
I examined his eyes, they were saying something. They were telling a story. I jumped….
I met Ameena in 2003 when I was in 10th class. We used to live in slums on bank of Yamuna river. My father was a mechanic and her father was an auto rickshaw driver. They were friends and she used to come to my house frequently. We used to play games, fight, read and eat together and I don’t know that when we started loving each other.
On that day we were very happy. I passed my 12th with 83% and I was first in that area to do so. I got admission for B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering in
“Asad, lets go to some secret place, I have a gift for you”. She whispered.
We went on to the top of under construction building. It was about a eigth storey building and almost half completed.
“Hey my sweetheart, come here”. She pulled me in to her arms and kissed me.
“That’s your gift, now lets go from here”.
“No, dear” Man in me came to action. I tried to catch her but she ran. We were moving on the roof of the building and playing hide and seek. I was about to get her hold but to escape she jumped and …………….
It was a government hospital and we waited 3 hours for Doctor. She was bleeding heavily. She was almost dead after falling from that building. Doctors took her to ICU and came after few hours.
“We have to give her blood. Please get some blood as early as possible otherwise she may die”. Doctors ordered.
Shokat uncle was too poor to get some blood for his daughter. These fucking government hospitals never have medicines or blood. We all in our families get our blood group checked but it didn’t match. We went to that slum and asked few people and two agreed. Their blood group matched but Shokat uncle was reluctant for Rajesh’s blood. He was a guy with all bad habits like alcohol, drugs, gals. But there was no time to think and they gave blood to Ameena. She came back to life.
“Just take her out from this hospital. We can’t treat her or even admit her”.
“But why”, Shokat uncle said, when he went to hospital after 4 months to get Ameena treated for serious fever and vomiting problems from last three weeks.
“She is HIV positive, do you understand that. Don’t waste your money. She will die soon”.
My world came to halt. All my dreams shattered. All my struggle in life is waste now. I don’t want to be an Engineer anymore.
I wanted to see Ameena with me as long as possible. I quit college and started working here and there just to get her medicines on time.
All I desired in life is love !!!
I came out of his eyes when my mobile phone rang for a SMS - ”I Love You”, it was Richa..
Even All she desired in life is Love !!!
But my question is still not answered. Why he is sad today.
“You are my last customer Sir, I resigned today from Job”. Asad mumbled again.
No way that can not be the reason for his tears.
I just saw a female bracelet on his wrist.
“Sir, its pure gold. Its her Valentines day gift from me. She always asked me for this”. He lifted his hand to show me that.
A waiter bought a gold bracelet for his girlfriend and me, A Senior Software Engineer in MNC cant buy one??.
It was not about money. It was all about desires.
Something pinched my heart, a current passed through my veins. My mind started burning.
“So, when you will give this to her??” I mumbled this time.
He tried to smile but his heart ditched him. He collected some energy to speak but his throat chocked. His body started crumbling.
“She died on 14th in same Goverr….mnt…. Hossspit……….”. Asad cried.
My heart and eyes ditched me this time. My mind exploded. I cried, cried and cried …...
Money can never bring back Ameena, Money can never make Asad Happy.
All I desire in life is love !!!
