Waves and Ice Cream

We sat there by the lake, watching the sun set, observing the tiny waves hit the embankment, whisk up a white foam and then roll back, giving way for a new set of waves to reconstruct the visual treat. A sea of people floated around us but both of us were oblivious to any other presence. We didn’t talk much to each other either but we were quietly basking in each other’s company. It was our first meeting in 2 years.

We had known each other for years. We used to live in the same neighbourhood. We would have crossed each others paths over a thousand times on the street. We acknowledged each others presence but we never spoke to each other. Wait….. We did talk once. “Here’s your kerchief”, I said, returning the one she’d dropped. She just smiled back. Just like she always did.

Then my family had to relocate to another town. We moved. A year flew by. Then suddenly, one day, out of the blue, I found a familiar sounding name in my inbox. I hurried to look at the contents.

Hi,
I hope you do remember me. It would be great to get back in touch.
Yours,
X.

My heart almost skipped a beat. Where did she get my address from? “It would be great to get back in touch”, she had said. Did she think we had been in touch?

But I was genuinely touched by the warmth and the sincerity of that cute lil’ mail. I was surprised but I liked it that she remembered me. What pains would she have gone through to get back in touch with me.

I replied back. And, so it began. We mailed each other frequently. The size of the mails increased exponentially with time. She listened to all my drivel, she advised me on most matters, she comforted me when I was blue and she heard me, no matter what I spoke about. She became the bearer of my secrets. She didn’t blabber as much as I did, but the introvert that she was, I knew she spoke minimum. Mails flew thick and fast. Before we knew what hit us, we progressed from being virtual strangers to being best buddies. She often kept telling me how lucky she was to have me as a friend. I reciprocated.

Then one day, I was to go to her town on some work. She insisted on meeting. I was excited. I thought of a 1000 things to do when I’d meet her. I could have made a list.

I suggested the lake. And there we were, having shared all our emotions on a virtual platform, unable to express ourselves as we faced each other. How Ironic it felt!!! Nothing from my list materialised. Still, it was very memorable.

We had an ice cream. She loved Butterscotch. I remembered. She smiled that I remembered.

Time flew that day. Or so it felt. It was time to bid goodbye. The heart was getting heavy. I was secretly wishing for time to come to a standstill. But then all things have to end. And so we parted ways.

We would have talked about that meeting a hundred times again -- whenever we met online. It was to be our moment of madness and also our fall back point -- The memento of our relationship. I savoured it truly. I think she did too.

Then, One day, as I was chatting with her, she told me she got engaged. I couldn’t react. I did not know how to react. I wished her the best and with her permission, I logged out. It took some time to sink in. Did that mean we could no longer be friends? It all seemed to be getting strange. Every thought of mine complicated my thinking further.

The next time I met her online, it all appeared Platonic. “Hi”, I said. “Hi”, she replied. A long bout of silence ensued. We chatted a few times after that. But we never got anywhere. Things had changed.

Nowadays, when I come online, I search for her name on my list. Just a Matter of Habit.

We cross each others paths online these days. I acknowledge her presence. I secretly hope she does too. We haven’t spoken since.

Life comes a Full Circle, I heard. Pearls of Wisdom. Take my word for it.


P.S: Thanx are due to TwilightFairy, whose posts inspire me.

P.P.S: As I reread what I've written, I have a sense of deja vu. Do I happen to have read something similar? Does it sound too cliched? Anyways, Cheers to my First Shot at Short Stories.