Coincidences

Rahul was still thinking as he boarded the flight. He located his seat, stuffed hand baggage into the overhead compartment and made himself cozy. He pulled out the newspaper and flipped the pages non-chalantly.

“Excuse me. This is my seat”

He reacted instinctively to the female voice. What he saw was a beautiful face. An Indian Face! In a flash he lit up.

“Hello. I am talking to you,” she repeated.

“Oh.. Yeah. Sorry. I mistook it for mine.” he said. He shifted to the neighboring seat and made way for the lady.

She sat down gracefully and buried her face into the Mills and Boon novel. He tried to concentrate on the newspaper, but failed to do so.

“I don’t know why they are delaying the take off” he whispered.

She lowered the novel and asked, “Are you talking to me?”

All he could see were her eyes. They were big, beautiful and sparkling. “Yes ma’am. You happen to be in the seat next to mine. So I have no choice but to talk to you.” He smiled.

“Oh. How unfortunate. I don’t speak to strangers.” The book was back to its original place.

“But I do. I am Rahul.” He said and extended his hand.

“Mister. Don’t you get the message? I don’t talk to strangers,” she said on impulse.

This was humiliating. He quickly returned back to the newspaper. In some time the flight took off and they were on their way. Some time passed by. He was deeply engrossed in an interesting article when he heard muffled sobs. She was crying.

“Excuse me. If I can ask, is there some problem?”

Silence.

“Hello. I am asking you ma’am. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Mind your own business. Stay out” she blurted out.

This was the last straw. He was only trying to help. He looked away and buried his face into the newspaper again. But he couldn’t concentrate.

“Sorry.”

He looked at her. She was looking at him. Her beautiful eyes were red now. “Are you talking to me?” he asked.

“Yes. Sorry for being rude.” She said innocently.

“No issues. It happens to all of us at some point of time or the other.” He smiled.

“I am Reema.” She said wiping of the tears with a paper napkin.

“Oh. I thought you don’t speak with strangers.” He said mockingly.

“I do. Sometimes.” She forced a smile.

“Oh. So you smile too. That’s great. By the way is there a problem?”

“No. Its nothing.” She said as tears welled up in her eyes again.

“Are you sure? If you a problem with me, I could get my seat exchanged… with that old Texan there.” He said pointing out to a large fat guy with a big moustache who was snoring loudly.

She laughed. She looked beautiful when she laughed.

The airhostess came by and asked, “Would like to have tea or coffee?”

“Coffee, black, without sugar” he replied.

“Tea for me.” She said.

Once the airhostess was gone, he resumed the conversation. “So, going to Delhi?”

“Yes. My parents stay there. I was here on a project. I work for TCS.”

“Tata Consultancy. That’s cool. One of my cousin’s works there. His name is Rohit. Do you know him?”

“TCS has over 70k employees. It’s difficult to know everyone. Besides there might be at least hundred Rohit’s there.”

“Oh. That’s right. But what’s the harm in asking. By the way, I am employed with Citigroup, UK. I have been here for four years now.”

“I was here only for six months” she said.

“OK. Did you like the place?”

“Yeah, kind of. But I like India better. India is India.”

“That’s true. Wherever we go, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani. We tend to come back to India.I also plan to go back to India and settle after four-five years.”

“Hmm. But this time I am not at all excited to go home.” She said sadly.

“Why? I am always excited to go home.” He could already imagine himself at home with his parents.

“My parents want me to get married. It seems they have arranged for me to see a guy. I don’t want to get married to someone I don’t know.”

“Hmm..Is that the reason you were sad some time back. You wont believe this, but I am going home to get married too.” he said.

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes. In fact while boarding I was also contemplating what would be in store for me. Even I don’t appreciate arranged marriages. But I haven’t been lucky to fall in love. So there is no other option.” He said and shrugged.

“Same with me. But arranged marriages are more difficult for females. You are treated as a showpiece. Yuck.” She said making a face.

He laughed and said “But eventually you have to get married. There is no escaping that. I trust my parents and to an extent my instincts too.”

“Good luck to you. I am feeling sad for myself. I had never imagined myself getting into all this arranged marriage jhanjhat. I don’t know how I will cope with all this.” She said.

He liked this girl. She was lively and innocent. Whatever she spoke came straight from her heart. He was attracted to her innocence and straightforwardness. “Good luck to you too.”

“I cannot leave my parents and I cannot get married to a stranger. I am in a fix.” She said. There was sorrow in her voice.

“Ok, tell me what kind of a guy do you want to get married to?” he asked.

“Hmm..He should be my type. He should stand by me always, know how to make me laugh and love me. That’s all I want.”

“That is cool.” He was very much the kind of guy she wanted. He smiled.

“What kind of a girl do you want?” she asked.

“I want a girl who will gel with me and my family. She should be modern but still value traditions and customs.” he replied. He had never thought about this, but somehow it was always there hidden away somewhere in his mind. He had just found out what he wanted.

“Hmm..” she said thoughtfully.

He could clearly see that she was placing herself into the role he had just defined. “Did she like him? He liked her. Should I tell her? No ways. This is insanity. Four hours into a flight and I am in love. I have been waiting for love to happen for so many years. It happens to me when my parents run out of patience. Its crazy.”

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“Nothing.” He lied.

The announcement was suddenly made. They were to land in ten minutes. It was do or die. “But it sounds so foolish. Idiotic. What will she think?”

“Did you say anything?” she asked.

“Huh.. No. Finally we have reached.” He said.

“Yes. God help us.” She winked.

The flight finally landed. The other passengers started queuing for the exit. Rahul and Reema were still seated waiting for the crowd to thin out. Finally they made their way out.

“Bye Rahul. I had a great time with you in the flight.” She said and smiled.

“Bye. Me too. All the best” He had decided not to tell her.

“All the best to you too.” She said and disappeared into the crowd.

He saw his parents waving out to him. He waved back, rushed towards them and hugged them. After a tearful reunion his dad said, “Beta, you know what, the girl we want you to see is in the same flight as yours.”

His heart skipped a beat. His pulse raced. “Her name is Reema”, his mom added.

He was overjoyed. It couldn’t be true. It would be the greatest coincidence of his life.

“They are to meet us at the exit. Lets go.” His dad said already moving towards the gate.

“There they are.” His mom said. He looked towards her pointed finger. He could see an elderly couple and a girl. The girl’s back was towards him.

As she turned around, he closed his eyes and prayed.

He opened his eyes. It was not she. Though it was a coincidence, it wasn’t a good one for him.

With sad steps he trudged ahead.


Note: In this story, Rahul met the right Reema in his journey, but still ended up with the wrong one. Do you think he did the right thing? What would you have done in the same situation. Comments invited!