Love AND Hate

I was waiting for her. The last thirty minutes had been the most difficult of my life in a good way. They were restless but blissful moments; finally she had agreed to meet me and I was not certain if she would be there. I didn’t want to be stood up; I would have so hated it. In these thirty minutes, I had seen and experienced more then what I had in my lifetime. I had never been an observer and never cared how people look, how they talk, how they behave and how they react and moreover how vulnerable they are.

She had asked me to wait for her at this busy street corner. On my right was the tea shop, it was more of a stall with a patched up tarpaulin serving as a canopy and saving the tea lovers from the burning summer sun. The smell of the overcooked tea with ginger was awful and just behind was the stationary shop. I am not sure

why she picked this spot but I heard her say, 'I would see you there at 5 PM. 'Where there?' I said in a meek and shy tone. 'The street cornet near the tea stall' and she walked away smiling; she looked and sounded as happy as me. I gave my college lecture a miss and gave a slip to my friends and was there at 4.30 PM.

I looked at my watch it was 5 PM. My heart was beating fast and my mind racing faster then the subway train. My eyes searched for her in the crowd and while the eyes did the searching my mind practised and rehearsed and re rehearsed what I was to say and how I was to carry on with the conversation. I was happy and never had been in so high spirits.

Then it happened. I heard a deafening noise and the next moment I was on the ground and all I could hear was loud voices all around. I could see the blood gush out of my stomach but felt no pain. I passed out and never ever woke up.