By Sanjit Singh Dang 

The set-up is that of Punjab University, Chandigarh. He was a studious boy and would always be disinterested in girls. College life, according to him, was meant for shaping out one’s career. Setting an aim in studies, concentrating solely on it, putting efforts for it, and achieving it, had become his way of life. 

He had never approached any girl in his three and a half year stay in Chandigarh, but waited to find the ‘right’ companion. And he knew that he won’t get this by searching; nature would endow on him on its own. One day, the time came. He saw her for the first time in the University market. The glow on her face was simply divine. His eyes zeroed on her, followed her throughout the market lane until she took the turn for her hostel. “Yes! Here’s your moon!’’, yelled his heart and the brain in unison. He couldn’t control himself. He was flying high at his find. He wanted to reach the horizon. That day, he returned to his hostel with eyes gleaming and heart bubbling. 

The earth revolved and he remained in this state. His heart was all the time bounding. But the brain doubted, ‘‘It may just be an infatuation!’’ ‘‘No! Not at all!’’, said the heart instantly, ‘‘It is continuing even without a single sight of her and that also for many days. It has increased my beat rate. I feel something different; something felt never before. An infatuation might yield the same feeling in the first stage, but evaporates completely within days.’’ This logical nod from the heart quenched all the budding doubts in the brain. ‘‘But what next? You have got to act fast. It’s just over three months left for you in the University’’, cautioned the brain. ‘‘Ok!’’, came the reply. 

He started searching her again. He would sit for hours at her hostel gate, wait for her in the same market after his classes, and what not! Days passed before the Lady Luck finally showered her light, recognising his immense dedication and sincerity. It was Ghulam Ali’s nite. As he entered the hall, his eyes shot at the girls stationed in the gallery above. And yes! there she was – sitting majestically on the floor with her ‘jeany’ legs suspended in the air below. His dejected look transformed into a broad smile. After all, it was his first love. He sat on the stairs below and kept his eyes fixed on her while Ali saheb trashed. For those two hours, he just basked in her glow. 

Thereafter, he would come to the market each day just to have one sight of her. It continued for some days. One day, brain told him, ‘‘Find out her particulars.’’ That very moment, he went to her hostel. She was around. Lady Luck smiled at him again and he met somebody who knew the girl. ‘‘Yes, I know her very well,’’ he was told, ‘‘She is intelligent, matured and very cool.’’ He was proud of his discovery. ‘‘But there is no use trying her; she is engaged!” ‘‘Oh! No’’, said the brain, pitying the poor heart. It was like an exploding bombshell or a thousand serpents crawling on his body. He was totally shaken. 

Only he knew how he restrained himself. He returned to his hostel in despair. Everything around wore a sullen look. He didn’t relish his favourite dish. His all-time buddy – the beautiful starry night – looked like a million-eyed monster ready to engulf him in its flames. ‘‘I didn’t even expect such a possibility,’’ said the heart. Seeing its deep dip, the brain said, ‘‘Wake up, dear! You have a brilliant career waiting for you in the US. Utilise the rest of the months here to gain more knowledge which will prove fruitful there. This plight is not going to yield anything. Come out of this entangle. She’s engaged, meaning thereby that her mind is fixed on somebody else.’’ 

‘‘But I didn’t know of it when I loved her’’, said the heart. ‘‘Fine! I don’t blame you for it. But now, since you know better, don’t trouble her anymore. She is also aware of your being after her. ‘‘Ok!’’, said the heavy heart, which had never dared to trespass the brain’s principles. ‘‘But I will like to lighten myself to regain my lost concentration in studies. For that, I want to talk to her once – first and the last time. I will pour all my inside and also tell her that since she is engaged, I won’t be after her anymore’’, said the heart. ‘‘Go ahead’’, signalled the brain, noticing the braveness of the heart by not shedding even a single tear in the whole episode. 

With this crystal-clear backdrop, he went to her hostel. Being an innately courageous boy, he didn’t need to muster any more courage. He walked to the calling counter and just uttered her name – nothing else. As he walked back, her name echoed in the microphone, tearing apart the serene atmosphere of the late noon. He waited for her. 

Within a couple of minutes, she appeared in the balcony above (akin to the one in Ali saheb’s nite), saw him, and went inside immediately. He wondered what was encircling her mind. He waited for her to climb down the stairs. But no, she didn’t. ‘‘How coward of her to have done so! And you were told she is matured! At least, she should have listened to you. The worst I had envisaged was that she would come down and just say “ I don’t want to talk to you’’, said the intelligent brain. The heart felt that its simple, pure, and down-to-earth love had been thrashed. ‘‘Let’s get back now. Enough of it!’’, the brain suggested authoritatively. 

‘‘One more chance’’, requested the broken heart. ‘‘If you call her again, you will be sacrificing your most valuable possession – self-respect’’, warned the brain. ‘‘Doesn’t matter! Love is life’’, the demented heart replied and the feet walked off towards the calling counter. This time, by mistake of the announcer, the word ‘telephone’ was suffixed to her name in the call. He came back to regain his earlier position. A few more minutes passed. 

Then she did come down. Not finding her telephone call, she peeped out of the door grill to check for him. Seeing him, she disappeared within a flash. The disgraced feet walked back to his hostel. ‘‘Sorry’’, said the heart and it reunified with the brain.