Its Raining Heavily...

This story is of “A” girl in her twenties. Good-looking, educated, smart, well-mannered, intelligent, wealthy, independent girl. Fortunately or unfortunately, this “A” girl represents 60% of educated WOMEN in Indian metros, who call themselves GIRLS, in the age of 25+ and they all have everything almost except the “REASON” of happiness.

This “A” girl is named after the writer NIKITA, except name the character doesn’t have any relevance or resemblance with the writer’s life.

8.00 A.M.

MOM: Are you going office today?

NIKITA: its raining heavily….

MOM: So, taking leave?

NIKITA: How can i? told you hundred times we have board meeting today, and I am on BOARD now, so please ….

MOM: Did you bump your car last night, when you were drunk and driving?

NIKITA: kya ho gaya hai subah subah?

MOM: No, just asking, general knowledge…

NIKITA: I do not drink alcohol, no accidents too, yes I am going office today, probably will return by 8.00 p.m. enough of the question- answer sessions?

MOM: I just wanted to tell you, like you don’t drink alcohol, this heavy rain cant make wholes in your car, to come in and great you with some real life experiences, besides your virtual life and temple run.

NIKITA: okay I will make arrangements to have my car’s roof multiply cracked so that I can feel some real life.

10.30 A.M.

(Due to overflow of water Nikita’s car could not be moved in opposite direction, she tried many times, and then decided to take a bus.)

NIKITA: (standing in bus, murmuring) this maddening rain, spoils all the day, don’t know when this rainy season will be over.

Lady: Most probably by September mid, as per weather forecasts.

NIKITA: (Turns to face the lady). Oh my god! its you Krishna!!! After such a long time. How are you? Since when you started travelling in this bus, tumhari to locals fav hai na?

KRISHNA: Don’t Ask! I had to left my car on road due to overflow of water, then took this bus. How come you in bus, saw on FB you also bought a new car na?

NIKITA: Arey pucho mat same story. So, how is life going?

KRISHNA: Same yaar, Parents are looking for groom, I have list of “n” number of “Xs”, I am bored of this life yaar, no excitement, no changes, same boring office –office. Tum Batao.

NIKITA: I am done with groom search.

KRISHNA: oh so when are you getting married.

NIKITA: NEVER, I tried all permutations and combinations in guys, all are same kind of psychos.

Ha ha ha ha…..

NIKITA: Chal mera stop aa gaya, catch you some other time.

KRISHNA: on Whatsapp

(They both started laughing on Krishna’s humor, Nikita’s office was behind the bus stop so, and finally she reached her office)

Mishra Ji, Meri Car raste me CCD k paas ban ho gayi hai, mere ghar waale turn pe hi, jara kisi ko bhej kar ghar bhijwa dijiyega.

P.A.: Good Morning Madam, Meeting is in conference room. Mr. Nayak and Mr. Singh are present trough video conference.

Nikita: Ok, lets finish it asap, please cancel all other meetings for the day, I will return home, directly after this meeting, you all also leave early today. It raining heavily.

6.00 P.M.

Nikita to her P.A.:  No Matter, even if you cancel all meetings, you couldn’t skip office and work that easily, I am leaving, you all can leave for the day, send an office e-mail to all the employees of this office only, and mark me in cc.

P.A.: Thank you Mam!

Nikita decided to take local from bandra then bus, she always had problem with travelling in bus, anyways it was just a walking distance both the ways either from bus stop or from station to home, office car can also drop her, but she always avoided such favours.

6.19 p.m. Bandra Local Station

Nikita was waiting for train on Platform, trains were late, but not much of crowd, may be because most of them would have left offices by the afternoon only. Opposite to the platform, slum was getting soaked in rain, on those teens, there were boys of 10-12 years, they were trying to cover their jhuggi with barsaties. They were wet and at times its seems that they will slip from the roof of the jhuggi.

That scene dragged Nikita to her childhood, when she use to play garib-garib with her friend Madhumita, they use to open umbrellas which was supposed to be their so called jhuggi/home, and they pretended that they don’t not have anything to eat and cant cook because due to the rain, they don’t have the construction work going on, so cant earn, thus no income no food. Moreover, at times they pretend to be loving and helping neighbors and Mdhumita use to share her food with Nikita. Alas, even in that child play, where being poor was so glorious, Nikita never share her food with Madhumita.

Last time when Nikita met Madhumita her husband had died in a train accident, she had a newly born baby. Madhumita was better in all the manners from Nikita but still she couldn’t become as successful and rich as she was, because of being over-emotional. She left job, when there were time to bear non-sense of her boss or where there was someone more needy than her and so many other situations, in which Nikita, reacted tactfully and survived.

Oh noooo…..The boy repairing his jhuggi fallen, Nikita started running towards the bridge to reach that jhuggi to see the boy.

Nikita: (After reaching the slum’s entry) Bhaiya, wo bachha jidhar gira wahan kaise pahuchenge?

Man: Madam ji, Sidhe ja ke, baye jaayiye fir akhir waale me mod me mud jaayiye, wahi pe akhiri jhuggi hai.

Nikita: Kya kar raha thaw o upar? Uthaya kya use? Kaisa hai?

Man: Arey Maa kaam pe gayi hai, Padhati hai kahin, Na jaane kya Karne Chadha tha.

Nikita reached that place, people were carrying the boy, they were saying he had some shock or current. They were taking him to hospital, Nikita called up her office’s Driver and ask him to come to bandra station, then took the boy to hospital.

Don’t know why but today she wanted to make sure that the boy is ok.

Woman: (crying on the counter) where is my son? He fell from jhuggi’s roof. Some lady has taken him to hospital.

Receptionist: Counter bed number 404, that lady is there, indicating to Nikita.

Nikita was shocked, how can such a poor lady talk in English, when she turned towards her, she couldn’t believe her eyes…

Nikita: Madhumita???

Madhumita: Nikita? How come you are here? How is my son?

Nikita: Doctors are treating him, I came by coincidence. But how can u….

(Nkita couldn’t come-up with the last lines)

Madhumita ran to her son, nurses were taking him to operation theater. Madhumita again ran to reception.

Madhumita to Reception: What will be the charges? How much I have to deposit in advance? How much time do I have to arrange the deposits.

Receptionist:   Madam has paid the advances.

Madhumita to Nikita: Hi Thanks! How much is the total cost? I cant afford much, I think  shall consult with the doctor and shift him to some other hospital.

Nikita: Madhumita its raining “Heavily”, today its my turn to share the food. Relax I have paid, Doctors said its some injuries in head, not much of expense, hope he get well soon.

Drained in rain water, Nikita was unable to bear the truths of life, she doesn’t know how to ask Madhumita that how she came in her current situations, she doesn’t have words to ask such a question of humanity, when she very well know how to ask questions on expense on social welfare expenses and the direct/ indirect benefits to the company from it. She don’t even know that updating her FB/Whatsapp status will make people feel what she is going through.

-By Nikita Singh-