Insomnia

"There's some courier for you",my room-mate yelled,as I entered the flat,late-night,after
doing a 2nd shift.
"What is it?", I asked while removing my shoes,still weary from the day's work.
"Dont know",he said,not taking his eyes-off the TV."Have placed it on your bed.Had your
dinner?",he asked.
"Ya",I replied."Thnx,someone is bothered",I think,"That's the best part of having college-time buddies as roomies".

Immersed in these thoughts I went to my room and picked the bright-coloured envelope addressed to me."A marriage-invitation card?",i wondered.As I read the name of the
to-be-bride,my already broken heart shattered again.It was my college-time-crush turned
just-a-good-friend.Like all college-time-crushes,everyone in the college,except her,knew
that I had feelings for her.I knew that she was getting married and flying to Sydney;She was
the one who had called and chuckled,"You wont believe how happy I am...".


I was so caught-up in her that the sudden,chorus of Dil Chahta Hai's "Tanhayee..." almost swept me off my feet.It was the bunch of my 3 roomies,standing behind me."Stop it guyz", I shouted,sounding irritated and they burst out laughing.

"That's the problem when you have college-buddies as roomies",I murmured.My thoughts drift back to her,"Those hazel eyes!!I could have proposed her in college itself.Sid was right,I
would realise some day".Jaded and weary,I collapsed on the bed.Sid??Who was Sid?.."



2 yrs later....
I wake up in this hotel room.All travel yestrday made for a good night's sleep.It's been a year now,I am here in Australia.Though today's my first day at Sydney,Melbourne has been good to me in the last year.I admit,I miss my place at Pune at times.And those roomies.Lets see what Sydney has in store.

I need to report in the Sydney office today and meet some Mr. Steve."It was Steve,right?"Something tells me he would be an Indian!! Rubbish!!

After the first day's work at the Sydney office,I am already bugged.I get out of the office
and head to the tube-station.It has gone pretty late.The station is deserted;not a single
soul to be seen on the platform.I take a look at my watch,"Still 10 mins" and head to the
wash-room.

As I get out,I almost bump into this short,white guy,shabbily dressed,his breath stinking
cheap liquor.The bump almost knocked him down.I help him up.He moves his sights to my
sides,trying to look over me.I turn around and find a nicely-dressed,young lady,sitting on
the benches.She's trying hard to look in the other direction,nervously fidgeting the ring on
her finger.I can't see her face but going by the curly,black hair,I guess she's an Indian(???).I
get the matter.I turn to this drunk and look him straight in the eyes."She's with me.",I
declare.Amazed with what I just uttered,I ask "You know her?".He seems taken aback.So,am
I."No.No,...,I was....",he backs off and disappears."Phew!!!",I sigh."I have seen this all tube-station thing somewhere",I say to myself.

I go and seat myself next to her.She's still sitting crouched on the seat.Wait a minute,she
had curly hairs a couple of minutes back.It's all straight now!!How come?Man,there's
something weird here!!

"Relax.He's gone",I try to talk."Are you allright?",I ask.

Nodding in a YES,she looks up and I see the face.The eyes!!Those hazel eyes.It's her!!

"YOU",I scream.I feel my feet cold."How come you here,.......,i mean,yes,you were going to
Sydney,you told but here,........., and I never thought,I mean,this way,.... ".I kept
fumbling yet talking.
"Will you shut up??",she giggled,"Or you wanna miss the train?".
"So,how's Rohit doing?",I ask her as we settle down in our seats on the train."Rohit??""Yeah,your hubby,Rohit!!",I say,maintaining a smile."I actually dont want to know anything about that guy".'Your hubby',that hurts.
"You mean Ashish?",she asks.
"Ya,that"."How could I forget that name??I had been staring blankly at that
invitation-card,for like,2 weeks,after I received it.But why Rohit of all the names??Rohit??"
"He's fine",she says with a sigh and turns her face the other way.Something tells me all's
not fine.
"Where do you get down?",I ask,assuming she had a fight with Rohit,in the morning and I
should change topic.
"I get down at the next station",she tells."There's an Uncle of mine living nearby there.Am staying there".Somethings definitely wrong,I find my insides twisting.
"Uncle??And he's a photographer?",I ask."What made me say that??"
"No",she gives a Weirdo-you look."He's a doctor,retired.Why did you say a photographer?"
"I dont know.I think you had told me at the airport","what the hell am I saying???"
"At the airport??You need some wine.",she giggles again."There comes my station",she
reminds."Here",she hands over a business-card."Do give a call tomorrow."
She gets out and waves.I wave back and the train starts moving.I can't belive what's going on.Is it plain luck?destiny?meant to be toghether?Bullshit,I almost yell."And what was that photographer-uncle crap about?Airport??Gosh !!"



It's been 2 months since we met on that tube-station.And we are pretty much in an affair
now.As for her and Rohit,"Things din't work out between us",was all she offered in
explanation.And neither was I intersted in hearing anything about Rohit.(I can't help but
it's always Rohit rather than Ashish).

She's asked me to come to this coffee-shop.She said she 'needed to talk'.I discover,her parents have asked her to return to India and they are pestering her with marriage offers.She's going back to India tomorrow and once she's home,our story is nailed.
She asked me,if I would marry her.I say,"Of course".She says she meant "NOW?".I say to myself,"This is all happening too quick".

We go a local Krishna temple and put varmala on each other.There are a couple of friends of her photographer-uncle to stand witness for the legal acceptance of the marriage.Being still new in Sydney,I couldn't get someone to stand for me."Oh,I miss my ex-roomies,my friends so much at this moment. "
She needs to go to her Uncle's place;her flight to India is early in the morning;while I go
back to mine."Boy,this is all so unreal!!",I think,"but who's complaining!!".
If your love is true,it will find its way."The day you are in true love,you will realise this",Sid was right.Dreamy eyed,I collapse to bed."When did Sid say that?Sid??WHO IS SID??"



"Good morning,Sire.Have you quit work,after you are love-bitten?",I hear my pune-wala-roomie!!

This can't be happening,i mean,yes,i wanted these guyz to be around here but,how come.....;Alright,SHE must have informed them,quietly,to plan a surprise for me !! She had probably noticed that I was a bit upset for not having anyone around !! She is so caring.

I get the familiar aroma of Red-Label tea on the gas-stove.Oh God,I have been missing Tea so
badly.Smiling and still sleepy,I prefer not to open my eyes,and ask this guy,"What the hell are
you guyz doing here in Sydney?"
"SYDNEY??GUYS.....",he yelled,"You heard that??". He fell on the floor laughing.

"What the hell!!"I jerk my head and clasp my face in my palms.

Another one emerged from the other room.Another blast of laughter and there
were now 2 on the floor curling.
It all fits together now.I had watched Dil Chahta Hai,my favourite movie,for the umteenth time a couple of days back.All those Who-Sid,Sydney,an Indian with name Steve(Satyadev Mehta),the heroine with curly-hair,the photographer-uncle,Rohit and the scene at tube-station......
As I let-me-go the other guys,I hear the 3rd one humming from the kitchen,"Pyaar bekaar ki musibat hai....".More laughs.I go inside the bathroom and slam the door behind me.