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- Love Is Blind
(Avijit
Misra)
Ranked
11 Out of 281 (Parallel League)
Final Challenger in Freelance Talents Championship
My name is Vishal. Born in a middle-class family, I
had an ordinary childhood.
After completing my studies, I got a government job
and after two years of service, one day I received a letter from my mother who
told me that I must come home as I was urgently needed there. I booked tickets
and rushed home wondering what problem would have occurred. My mother did not
mention my father in the letter. I was wondering whether he was ill.
I reached home and was relieved to see both of my
parents were in good health and happy. I wondered what was the urgent thing
that she was hinting in the letter. My mother told me that she had met the
parents of a girl whom she wanted me to marry. This felt as if I was trolled.
With my parents, I met the girl and her parents. I
saw her and she was good looking. I was mesmerized when I looked into her eyes.
She was beautiful. Her name was Vasundhara. I could see the depth of a sea in
her eyes. She had fair complexion, the basic requirement that Indian parents
want while choosing a daughter-in-law. Her lips were as beautiful as an English
Rose. Her hair were long, black, silky. Starting from head, they reached till
the upper back of Vasundhara. You will call me a pervert if I say that she had
a good figure but yes, she had. She just smiled when she looked at me.
Our families liked each other and so did we. We
exchanged numbers and the date for the engagement was fixed. Two weeks later,
we exchanged rings during engagement ceremony. The leave that I had taken from
office was about to get over. So I left the day after the engagement ceremony.
Now, I was always happy. Everyday Vasundhara and I
talked on phone. We never knew how close we grew while talking everyday. Every
day, while leaving for office, I called her. At lunch hour, she would call me.
In evening, while leaving for office, I would again call her. At night, she
would call me to say good night. Every conversation lasted for at least 25
minutes. Every day, we exchanged almost 50 text messages. Five months passed.
Suddenly Vasundhara stopped calling and she also
stopped responding to my calls or text messages. I was worried. I called my
mother and asked her what was going on. She told me that Vasundhara had
suffered kidney failure and had undergone a surgery. The phone fall from my
hand. I booked the next train ticket to my hometown. At home, the shock was waiting for me. My parents
were asking me to break my engagement with Vasundhara because of her illness. I
broke down and told them that I could not do that because I loved her. My
parents could not accept this engagement. I asked them, “If I suffer from a
problem like this, would you disown me? I know you would not! Because that
would be the time I would need you most! Similarly, now is the time Vasundhara
needs me most!” My parents were speechless. Then dad said, “We gave you birth!
Your logic would have been valid had you been married to her!” I told them, “I
am! Not in a ceremony but in my heart! The wedding ceremony will only be a
formality for both of us! I want your blessings! But I am anyways going ahead
with this marriage… with or without them!”
I went to Vasundhara‘s house and her parents were
shocked to see me. I told her parents, “What happened to Vasundhara can happen
to anyone! Her illness does not change anything! Please continue your wedding
preparations the way you were doing it earlier! And tell me if I can be of some
help in anyway!” With tears in his eyes Vasundhara‘s father Shivam Narayan
said, “Tum Dhanya ho beta! Naam ki tarah dil bhi Vishal hai tumhaara!”
[TRANSLATION: Bless you son! Like your name, your
heart is also Vishal (big)]
I went to hospital to meet Vasundhara and told her
everything. Holding her hand, I said, “Only you matter to me now!” Vasundhara
said, “With my condition, I will be a liability on you! You will never be able
to focus on your work! Your performance will hamper! You will never get
promotion!” I told her, “I will retire at this rank! As long as I have you,
nothing else matters to me! You will never be a liability on me! Your love will
be the biggest asset and the greatest wealth I can ever have!” A teary eyed Vasundhara hugged me. I felt as
if I received the greatest joy in my life. I met doctor to enquire about her condition. Doctor
told me, “You should reconsider your decision to marry her because given her
fragile condition; it would be dangerous for her to conceive a baby!” Hearing
this, Vasundhara broke down. Hugging me, she said, “Vishal! Nobody will call
you dad!” Crying myself, I consoled her saying, “I can live without child! But
I cannot live without you!”
Four days later, Vasundhara was discharged from
hospital. I brought her to the home of
her parents. During my teen years, guitar was my hobby. I played it and sung
the song “And Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica for Vasundhara.
I left next day, promising to come back three months
later when our wedding was scheduled. After reaching Banglore, the city where I
was working as a government employee, I watched a movie called, “A Walk To
Remember”. In the movie, Mandy Moore suffers from cancer and the ambiguous
climax shows that she dies. After watching it, I decided, “I will not let this
happen to Vasundhara!” Three months later, our marriage happened as
planned. My parents had accepted my decision and blessed both of us along with
Vasundhara‘s parents. I left my hometown with Vasundhara and now we lived
together in one house in Bangalore. I was not accepting postings to smaller
towns as medical facilities there were not as good as they were in Bangalore.
Thus, chances of promotion were dim for me.
Vasundhara and I were happy. Then tragedy occurred
when she needed another surgery. I got her admitted to hospital. I took a
salary cut so that I would be allowed to work half-day in office and spend the
remaining day in hospital. Surgery was successful. Doctor called me in his
office and told me that Vasundhara will not live more than three years. I was
devastated. Doctor gave me a list of medicines that were necessary for
Vasundhara. I was on bike, driving to drug store still thinking
that Vasundhara would die in 3 years. I was not aware that I caused an accident
with my bike hitting two men on another bike. I fall with my bike. The men on
the other bike got up and started hitting me on the skull, black and blue. I
apologized to them but they went on and on. Suddenly, my senior in the office
Mr. Prakash Raj appeared out of nowhere and saved me. He stopped both of them.
He reasoned with them and later they left. Mr. Prakash told me to be careful
with my bike and take care of Vasundhara. I got the medicines. Vasundhara would live for only 3 years. I had
decided to make these 3 years, the best years of her life. I visited her in
hospital everyday, not telling her what doctor said. She asked me, “Are you
hiding something from me?” I asked her, “You really think I can hide something
from you!” “No!” she replied.
My office had 5-day week. Thus, after her discharge
from hospital, I could dedicate Saturday and Sunday to her. Every weekend, we
went somewhere. Sometimes movies, sometimes shopping and sometimes amusement
park. Often her condition caused us to leave midway but it did not bother me at
all. Being music lovers, we watched music videos on VH-1 together. Songs of
Ne-Yo and Bruno Mars appealed to Vasundhara. I got a book THE SECRET by Rhonda Byrne. I read and
learnt how to stay positive. I indulged myself in everything that made me
happy. Life was beautiful now. Suddenly, I got a promotion. I was surprised as
well shocked. Mr. Prakash Raj told me that he recommended me for promotion
after seeing my record that before any problem in my life, I was one of the
best. I thanked him. Vasundhara was happy with my promotion, finally
understanding that I could be happy without it and she was not a hindrance in
my progress. I purchased the DVDs of many comedy movies and TV
shows like Mr. Bean that Vasundhara could watch when I was not at home. I also started
purchasing the favorite novels of her favorite authors. This was the best way
to keep her cheerful in my absence. Vasundhara was always happy and I was happy
to see her happy. It was a miracle that her condition slightly improved.
So happy to have each other, we never noticed how
time flew and when three years passed. Today, seven years have passed.
Vasundhara is still alive and happy. I don‘t care how long she lives. As long
as she lives, I just want her to be happy. She asks me to adopt a baby. I
refuse as I do not want to divide my love and attention with anyone. She is all
I ever wanted. Some people will find this weird but I think my life is good. It
is true that love is blind. And it feels good to be blinded by love.
Rating - 75/100
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