LIFE

A short story with a message!

Situation (In Black)

Boy Thinking (In Blue - Italics)

Girl Thinking (in RED - Italics)

Girl Talking (in RED)

Boy Talking (in Blue)

Phone Ringing – Unknown number on a Friday evening

Time: 7:00 PM

Boy in Office Campus wrapping up the work on a Friday evening!

Girl in Terrace

Boy:  Hello

Girl:  Hello, how are you?

Boy: I am good, who is this?

Girl: My name is Radha

Boy: Do I know someone named Radha – Pause – NO

Boy: Sorry, I did not get who is this…

Girl: Do not act, you know me

Boy: Seriously I do not remember

Boy: Do I know her? No

Girl: Do not try fooling by saying you have never heard my name!

Boy: Girl, I have not heard your name

Girl: You are a close friend of Krishna right?

Boy: Friend yes, close friend – you can call it that way

Girl: Does he not work with you and you both were roommates right?

Boy: Yes, that is true

Girl: Have you ever heard my name from him?

Boy: He keeps taking lot of girl’s names, I do not remember this name though

Girl: And you call such a person as friend, what kind of person are you?

Boy: Look girl, I do not know who you are and how can you even comment about my character and personality!

Girl: You want to talk about character and defend yourself and your friend on this?

Boy: Is this a crank call – it cannot be since she is quoting names that I know.  Let us see, the voice is good ;-)

Boy: Can I know why you called me since this is going nowhere?

Girl: So you want to know why I called you?

Boy: Yes obviously

Girl: Did you pay 25,000 to your friend Krishna 3 months back?

Boy: Yes, that is between me and him

Boy: Is she going to ask for money on loan? I do not even know who this is, I should check with Krishna on this..

Girl: Do you know why he needed that money so urgently?

Boy: I do not ask why my friend’s need money, I just give if I trust them and if I have it. And he returned the money as well..

Girl: So, they can ask money for anything and you will give! <<Voice raised>>

Boy: Girl, I do not know who you are and I have no clue why you are asking such questions and becoming emotional!

Girl: Oh, you want to know why I am emotional! <>

Boy: Up to you to tell or not tell, I want to know why you called me?

Girl: Let me tell you what that money did which you so open heartedly gave it to your “friend”!

Boy: Please enlighten me <>

Girl: It was used to pay for an abortion for a girl whose innocence he used and destroyed!

Boy: Hmm..

Boy: Really, that is not good – should I ask more info on this, may be not.  How should I respond and how do I react!

Girl: Are you wondering why I called you?

Boy: Yes <> <>

Girl: Krishna quoted you as one of his best friend and he is the one who gave me your number for Emergency..

Boy: Really, why did this idiot do this!

Girl: He also obviously told me who gave him the money in that urgency.  <>

Boy: Something is not right…

Girl: And I called you to let you know that I am currently in Fourth floor of my PG.

Boy: OK!

Girl: I wanted to tell you that I am going to jump from here to relieve myself.. <>

Boy: What the F…. Why me…What should I do now..Should I cut the call? No, I cannot – I will probably be the last person whom she has spoken.  Police will catch me for no fault of mine. 

Boy starts sweating, picks up a Cigarette and lights.  Nobody around in the smoking zone – Looks for someone to talk and get guidance.

Can he cut the call – NO!

Should he continue – NO!

How did this happen – NO IDEA!

Why did she call him – NO CLUE!

What should he do next – ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE!

Does he know her – NO!

Should he get involved – NO!

Should he not get involved – NO CHOICE!

Starts Panting heavily, pulls in the Cigarette with higher intensity.  The Phone line is still on.  Girl is crying on the other side <> Boy got engaged a week back, what will happen to that if he gets associated with such a thing?

Boy:  Look girl, I am getting a call.  I need to take this call and will call you back as soon as I have cut that call. I need to be sure that call back will be picked up and by you – Do we have a deal?

Girl: <<Still crying>>

Boy: Do we have a deal?

Girl: Yes and only if you call me in 5 mins. After that, I cannot guarantee that I will pick up!

Boy takes care of the other call from his fiancé and lets her know that he will talk to her tomorrow. He is in a priority issue which he needs to take care immediately…Obviously he cannot explain much!

Boy starts calling Radha It is only 2 mins, she should pick up – Will she pick up, Please pick up!!!!

Girl: Hello <>

Boy: Hey <> Plan B for the boy, if the girl does not pick up the call – he needs to call Police!

Girl: Tell me

Boy: Girl, so you have made up your mind to jump and lose your life?

Girl: What do you think, I have not decided?

Boy: I do not think so!

Girl: Hmm…now you will tell me what to do? <>

Boy: Do we have an agreement that I have no clue what happened between you and Krishna?

Girl: You are claiming that…

Boy: Do you believe me or not?

Girl: I do not believe anyone after what I have gone through…

Boy: Look, I have explained you and my surprise from your call is genuine.  Did you even get any other thought from what I have spoken till now?

Girl: No, but how does that matter?

Boy: Are you willing to listen to me?

Girl: For some reason YES..

Boy: <> I cannot keep this phone down in any case.  Let me make her talk while I think!

Being Genuine and Confidence in the tone always helps!

Boy: I am seriously naïve to your relationship which you know by now.  I know it is difficult, but can you please talk me through on when you met Krishna. How this happened and how did you end up like this?

Girl: Are you trying to kill time by going through something which I do not want to talk?

Boy: You have anyway decided to commit suicide, what difference will it make by extending by 5 mins?

Girl: Hmm..

Boy: I will at least know what kind of friend I have and more about him.

Girl: I met him through FB, we got to know each other well enough to meet in person.  Once we met in person, we started hanging out together.  We met in coffee shops initially then went for a movie.  You can call it dating.  I felt something for him and I believed it was the same for him considering the amount of time he spent with me in person as well as on phone!

Boy: Really, you can get close to people like this…In India really! Dude, get back to thinking – You do not have lot of time.  This is not customer call where you can buy time….

Girl: He asked if we can go out to Coorg for 3 days so that we get to know each other more. Initially I hesitated, but I agreed.

Boy: You agreed?

Girl: Yes I agreed since I trusted him….

Boy: You trusted him without knowing anything about him?

Girl: Yes!!! Now you are saying it is my fault?

Boy: No, I am just surprised how you can trust someone without knowing about him.  I cannot!

Girl: I am not you!!!

Boy: Do not take it wrong, but TRUST is a very big word to associate with someone whom you hardly know!

Girl: Yes, I realize now.  But, what is the point?

Boy: Hmm…And then what happened?  Did you go?

Girl: Yes we went and that is when all non-sense happened?

Boy: You mean the mistake?

Girl: Yes

Boy: Girl, where are you from?

Girl: North India, Why?

Boy: Down south and being from South, It is difficult to imagine..hence the question

Girl: Oh, now you want to generalize what I did based on the part of India?

Boy: No, all I said is – I cannot imagine.

Girl: It is the same everywhere in India

Boy: Hmm…after that did you break up?

Girl: NO, we did not.  We continued the relationship.  He was good until I asked him to get married.

Boy: You asked him to get married?  What did you know about him to get married?

Girl: What is wrong in asking to get married?

Boy: Nothing wrong.  I do not know how you look, but I know he is smart.

Girl: Should I send you my pic?

Boy: Yes, that is the last thing I will need on my mobile!  I already have an incoming call for more than 30 mins and an outgoing call now going on.  Knowing the fact that you are going to commit suicide, I am thinking what will happen to my future.  All I will need is a photo of you in my mobile so that I do not have any defense when Police catches me.

Girl: I did not realize!

Boy: Yeah, why will you realize? You are going to anyway die, you will need other people also to suffer when you die right?

Girl: No, that is not the intent.

Boy: Then, what do you think is your calling me going to serve?

Girl: Hey, I did not realize this will happen..

Boy: Leave it, you do not realize anything.  Otherwise, why would you be in such a situation?

Girl: What do you mean?

Boy: Do not trigger me, you will not have answers to the questions I ask.

Girl: Go on, let me try them…consider it as a dying woman’s wish!

Boy: Yeah, it will help in making my outgoing call longer.  Nothing else will happen.

Girl: I can call you back

Boy: As if that will help!

Girl: Go ahead and ask your questions.  Who knows you might not get a second opportunity?

Q1 Boy: OK, why did you call me?

Girl: To tell you what happened and how “good” a friend you have

Q2 Boy: Do I know you or do you know me?

Girl: We do not know each other

Q3 Boy: Now going back to Q1, why did you call me?

Girl: I wanted to tell someone who knows him that he is bad.  Hence, I called you.

Q4 Boy: Once that is done, what did you expect from me?

Girl: To tell people what he is

Q5 Boy: Did you think a close friend will go around telling everyone how bad his friend is?

Girl: Any logical person would..

Q6 Boy: How do you think someone will trust a completely unknown person (like you) against his friend?

Girl: You will know once I die…

Q7 Boy: And how will that help anyone?

Girl: I did not call to help someone

Q8 Boy: Back to Q1, why did you call me?

Girl: I have already explained

Q9 Boy: No, you have not..why did you call me?

Girl: OK, it was a mistake that I called you!!!

Boy: Now, that is something to work on….

Boy: Do you know your one mistake is costing your LIFE now – that is if you commit suicide

Girl: There is no doubt in that

Q10 Boy: So now your second mistake is going to cost someone else’s LIFE. Do you realize that?

Girl: Yes Krishna’s and that is what I want

Q11 Boy: How do you think it will impact his LIFE?

Girl: Because Police is going to catch him

Q12 Boy: Yeah right, they will catch him.  How will they know him?

Girl: Because you are going to tell him…

Q13 Boy: Vow, so just to be a messenger of your voice.  I need to get caught in all these.  That is the price I am going to pay for a friend in need! Do you think this is correct?

Girl: It is not, but I am not in mood of thinking what is right and what is wrong…

Q14 Boy: Do you know there are other ways to do this right?

Girl: Like not jump from building? Now, you are going to advise on how I should die? <<Sarcastic>>

Boy: No, I am not experienced on that to tell you about options. 

Girl: Then?

Boy: You could have created your case before you die without calling me.

Girl: Like?

Q15 Boy: You could have written a death note, Have you thought about it?

Girl: Do you think I had time to decide what to do before I die?  You are talking as if this is an event! <>

Boy: No, but this is the biggest and irreplaceable event of your LIFE.  You should have planned it better!

Girl: You are taking this as a joke, right?

Boy: No, I am not..probably you are.  Definitely not me, since I am shit scared about what is going to happen if you die… <>

Girl: Yeah, I am joking! <>

Boy: Sorry, I need to talk about a proverb here.

Girl: Hmm..

Boy: Can you clap with one hand?

Girl: No, I need two hands

Boy: If you cannot clap with one hand, how did all these in your LIFE happen.  Don’t you think you were the other hand in assisting the clap?

Girl: I know where this is heading…<>

Q16 Boy: May be, but I still do not understand how it is one person’s fault when two people must be involved to create the problem?

Girl: He can cheat and the person who is cheated and is a victim becomes equally responsible?

Boy: The way I look at it, you allowed him to cheat.  Knowingly or unknowingly – Only you know.  Who am I to judge?

Girl: Good Dude.  You think you are good at this right?

Boy: About what?

Girl: About talking people through and protecting your friends?

Boy: No, concepts without logic does not convince me.  Hence digging into it!

Girl: I am not a case study!

Boy: Who said you are not? I am an optimist, I see opportunity in every trouble.  Unlike you, I see LIFE in and after every trouble.

Girl: I am not as great as you are <>

Boy: I agree to this point!

Girl: Well at least you agree to something!

Boy: As I said earlier, I agree to logic…<>

Girl: Hmm..you are egoistic aren’t you?

Boy: Well, people call me confident, perfectionist, Humorous.  This is the first time someone has called me Egoistic!

Girl: You are, you cannot agree to someone else.

Boy: I just agreed to your point since it made sense.

Girl: Yeah, that is right <>

Boy: Let me tell you the reason why you called me since you could not answer me?

Girl: Yes, go ahead…

Boy: You were not sure on what to do in your LIFE.  You wanted to talk to a stranger who does not know you but knows Krishna. 

Girl: Hmm..Hmm..And then? <>

Boy: I do not think you are going to commit suicide, do you know why I think like that?

Girl: Really, you think that way!

Boy: Yes, someone planning to commit suicide does not plan. They die unlike you who is calling me to yell out your frustration.

Girl: Is that what you think?

Boy: It is not what I think, this is what is going through your mind. Do you know it requires utmost guts to commit suicide and that guts do not sustain for more than few seconds?  You either commit suicide in those seconds, else you will not.

Girl:  Is this an attempt to convince me not to die?

Boy: What do you think I will gain or lose if you die or not die?

Girl: Maybe you will not get caught with Police and save your close friend as well

Boy: Even if I get caught with Police, I guess I have enough proof to claim that I do not know you.  Considering what will happen to Krishna, why do you think I will care?  I do not even think what will happen to you! You said Egoistic, I will tell you what other people tell me- They tell me I am selfish.

Girl: So, you do not care even if a girl dies because of your friend?

Boy: I do if I know her.  I should if she is my relative. I will break apart if she is my sister or daughter. What is my relationship with you?

Girl: Hmm..<>

Boy: Are you thinking about your parents?

Girl: Hmm..<>

Boy: Did you talk to them before you called me or are you planning to talk to them after this call?

Girl: I did speak to them

Boy: Did you tell them what happened or give any hint that they will not have you in their LIFE from tomorrow?

Girl: No, NO, NO, NO

Boy: Have you even imagined what will happen to them and what they will go through if you do what you are planning to do?

Girl: No and I do not want to imagine

Boy: You should.  You have time to think and decide on your LIFE because of someone whom you know for 1 year.  But, You will not think about your parents who have brought you into this world and gave your LIFE?

Girl: Hmm..<>

Boy:  They have every right to be given time.  They own your LIFE since they gave you this.

Girl: Hmm..

Boy: Do you think you will not have anyone else in your LIFE and I do not think the mistake that has happened needs this big price to be paid?  May be for you, but not for your parents. Your attempt for making Krishna pay the price might be far less than the price that your parents and people close to you have to pay.

Girl: Do not make me feel guilty

Boy: You have to

Girl: Hmm..

Boy: Dying is not your wish, it is wish of someone else.  Do not make hasty decisions because of which many people close to you will have to suffer.

Girl:  I agree

Boy: Vow, Did I really manage this? I still need to continue and convince her completely..

Boy: Good, do you trust your parents?

Girl: Yes

Boy: Do you think they will agree to what you are trying to do?

Girl: Which parents will agree?

Boy: Why do you think they will not agree?

Girl: Because they LOVE me

Boy: Exactly, do you think you LOVE Krishna more than parents’ LOVE for you?

Girl: NO, it is not even comparable

Boy: All I am requesting you to do is – Rethink what you are doing

Girl: Hmm..Yes

Boy: There is LIFE after every setback and mistake. That is LIFE. It is Hope, Dream, Love, people – mix of all.

Girl: I agree

Boy: Everybody does mistakes, they learn, they correct and the LIFE is good if you do not repeat.

Girl: I am confident that I will not go through this again

Boy: Ever?

Girl: Yes

Boy: Do you trust me?

Girl: Yes, will you still be a friend of Krishna after what I have told you?

Boy: Listen, the word Krishna should not come out of your mouth and should not exist in your brain or heart anymore. 

Girl: Hmm..

Boy: Look ahead, look at people who care for you, who matter for you.  Do not look at people who does not qualify to this.

Girl: Yes

Boy: Again, do you want to still commit suicide?

Girl: No, I do not want to ..

Boy: Will you ever change your mind again? What will you do if you get this thinking again?

Girl: I will not change my mind.  Even if it happens, I will call you

Boy: NOOOO, I cannot go through the POLICE stuff again!

Girl: Sorry

Boy: You can obviously call me, but if you get this thinking again – You need to think about people close to you.  Parents, Close friends, Siblings etc..

Girl: Agree

Boy: Did you notice you are now talking in a normal tone?

Girl: Yes

Boy: Are you still in the terrace?

Girl: Yes, do you want me to go down?

Boy: No, It is October month.  It is cool and breezy in Bangalore -  Do you feel it?

Girl: Yes, now I do.

Boy: Enjoy the surroundings, look at things and feel things that makes a positive difference.

Girl: Agree

Boy: Can I tell you something to be very honest?

Girl: What is that?

Boy: I was shit scared when we started the call.  I had no clue what to do and I was actually cursing my fate on this.

Girl: Haha <>

Boy: You have such a good laugh, I will tell you another honest thing..

Girl: What is that?

Boy: Your voice is very sweet, which is the first thing that came to my mind when you called me.

Girl: Are you flirting with me?

Boy: No way, I am getting engaged next week which is why I was more scared and that is the emergency call I had to make!

Girl: Really, I am sorry – I did this to you.  Please apologize to her on my behalf.

Boy: Sure will do <>

Girl: Will you invite me for your wedding?

Boy: If you are still alive, YES

Girl: Now that is a bad joke

Boy: I am glad that you called it a joke.  Do you know what time it is?

Girl: Around 10 PM, why?

Boy: Did you have dinner?

Girl: No

Boy: Foolish question I guess, somebody who wants to die – why will they eat?

Girl: We are not joking on this topic anymore…

Boy: Sorry, Sorry. I have not had my dinner and my parents are waiting at home.

Girl: Where are you?

Boy: In office, I was about to leave.  But …

Girl: Apologize again!

Boy: No problem, it was worth the time spent. 

Girl: Big Thank You for bearing with me and for getting me out of this foolishness..

Boy: I am glad, I had this opportunity.

Girl: Yeah right, you look at every challenge as opportunity.

Boy: Yes and that is how everyone should look at challenges

Girl: Will you meet me tomorrow for coffee?

Boy: No, my priority is to meet my fiancé

Girl: Oh yeah, carry on.

Boy: Can I now confidently keep the phone?

Girl: Yes you can.

Boy: I would still read the morning newspaper and watch morning news..

Girl: Oye

Boy: Sorry…Bye

Girl: Bye

Boy: All the Best

Girl: Wish you the same.

Thoughts, Quotes, Learnings…