He was 26 and he looked like a 45 year old. The overgrown beard showed that it had not seen razor for a week. His pale eyes were bracketed by thick spectacles in an attempt to look at his inner blindness.
"Hello DP" he yelled.
Now..thats a little surprising. Only my close pals call me by this name and whenever someone calls me DP my memories go back to my school days. It was in those when an official "Divya Prasanna" got into a short and user-friendly "DP".
"Sorry I cant recognise you" I said looking deep into the sullen eyes of his.
He told his name which I cant mention here. To be frank, I didnt recognise him from his name. It was one of those common first names that you would come across in south India. But i didnt want to embarrass him.
"I know you did'nt get me by name, I know that" he said. His first smile revealed traces of nicotine on an ill-arranged teeth.
"I am sorry to say that. But you know all these days I am into lotta work.."
"You into Software.?" He asked. That was a blatant question.
"Yes. Kinda.."
My cellphoned beeped with a good evening message.
"So you should have a fat paycheck, a costly mobile, a credit card and cozy friends"
"So.. What do you try 2 say..?" I asked with a profound caution.
"Oh.. sorry I didnt try to offend you in anyway..Thanks for the talk" He said and lit a cigarette (without a filter).
"Hey.. Dude.. cool down.. what are you up to..? How come in Bangalore..?" I tried to break the unpleasant calm.
"I am up to nowhere.. I am in Bangalore because life took me here" He said as a thick cloud of smoke engulfed his face.
"You working here.. A BPO/An ITES...? Hey.. U look like a Journo.. workin in TOI..?" I asked.
"I did my M.A in English Literature. And life has already shown the harsh side of it..Life is not a
spectacle or feast; It is a predicament" He said.
"Yo.. stunning words yaar.. Predicament... That should be from word list 32 in Barrons" I said.
"Bar..What..? I've read only Byron"
"Leave it yaar.. I gave up preparing for any competitive exams.. It is not in my spectre anymore" I said.
"I feel a verse from Byron as I see your restlessness"
"Me.. Restless.. who said..? You callin me 'restless' guy.. How dare.." I was restless.
"Hmmm... Why I came here, I know not; where I shall go it is useless to inquire - in the midst of myriads of the living and the dead worlds, stars, systems, infinity, why should I be anxious about an atom"
"And Jill came trembling after.." I said.
Among other things.. I came to know that his childhood sweetheart, one Ms.Anandhi had left him and that he smoked 15 cigarettes a day. He spoke a lot about Byron and Shelly. He gave me a cold look when I asked about his job.
All throughout we meet a lot of people in the daily life and each of them carry a story behind them. Some crumble with weakness and sought for a premature ending for their life. Some stand brave and fight against distress who soon will reach the pinnacle. And in between them there are people like our young rebel.
We just reached an ATM as we walked talking with each other. I just excused to take some money for the weekend. My friend preferred to stay outside and enact a soliloquy with his filterless cigarette.
As I came out of the ATM counting my notes. He asked with a brisk tone "DP! Have you considered taking a Insurance?".
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