now or never

Mrs. Gupta was sitting in her trademark bench waiting for Mrs. Ghosh and Mrs Sinha to join her when she saw Sophia walk by. Sophia smiled at her and just moved on. Her smile had a strange effect on any one who was on the receiving end. It filled up their mind with a strange warmth and light. Just like the golden sunrays after a thunderstorm.

Soon her chums joined her and they were about to start their gossip mongering when Mrs Sinha nudged Mrs Ghosh and they turned their faces to look at Ramesh. He was coming towards them, but they knew his destination, he will find out Sophia in the crowd of hundreds of people and silently sit somewhere nearby absorbing her presence with all his existence, and will leave after she has left. Without saying a single word, never trying to strike up a friendship. Not only that, they have seen Sophia trying to talk with him and his response was always the same silent stare.

Ramesh was not one of those so called good looking guys, he was dark, almost coal black with tribal features. He was a very gentle and well mannered guy liked by each and every person of the housing society and every one was waiting for the day when he will dare to propose Sophia and they will get married. Sophia’s friends have already told her about him, she said she was waiting for him to make the approach. Because if he loves her really deeply he will make the approach, or else she will wait and see if he moves on after his fascination withers away.

Just when Ramesh was about to cross them Mrs. Ghosh called out, Ramesh paused and they asked him to sit down for a while with them. He sat down with a disappointed look.

Mrs. Gupta directly faced him and asked him for how long will he shadow Sophia without letting her know his feelings.

Ramesh opened his mouth to say some thing but could not, he just stared at her for a few seconds and bowed down his head. He was too shy to discuss such things with elders.

Now it was Mrs. Ghosh’s turn, she said with a innocent expression that Sophia’s parents were desperate to get her married soon. She pretended as if she has not seen the way Ramesh flinched and continued to inform him that they are already being over-flooded with proposals.

Mrs. Sinha picked up the thread and told him that entire housing society knew about his true love for Sophia. Why does not he just proposes her so they can have the joy of attending their marriage.

Ramesh looked at them with deep pain in his eyes and said, “She will refuse me the moment I will propose to her, have you seen her looks and mine?”

He bowed down his head again and continued, “I will become a laughing stock of the entire society.”

Mrs. Gupta softly placed her palm on his hand and said, “Not every one goes by look, there are people who go by far more beautiful things than that, things like nature, character….”

Mrs. Ghosh added, “Being a man in Indian society Sophia will expect you to break the ice, to show interest, the eagerness of having her in your life, or else she may feel cheap, being a gentle girl herself she may feel she is chasing you.”

Mrs. Sinha joined, “Why don’t you buy a chocolate, a greeting and write in it your feelings for her. Directly ask her consent for marriage, because I think you have known each other enough to marry each other. For last three years you have been following her like a shadow.”

They were still talking when Sophia passed by, Mrs. Gupta called her, Sophia came towards them with eyes lowered, so very unlike her nature. She was one of those who always looked directly at people. This was the first time they were seeing her blushing and shifting uneasily.

She walked away after mumbling some silly words and the infamous trio attacked Ramesh, “How much more proof do you want?”, Mrs. Ghosh asked.

“Do you want her to put up a billboard outside your window?”, Mrs. Gupta joined in. “You better should propose her tomorrow..”.

Mrs. Sinha glared at him without saying any thing.

Ramesh stood up and asked for their permission to leave. He followed the path by which Sophia has walked away.

Next morning when the infamous trio met Mrs. Gupta asked the other two to follow her, they gently walked a few yards and saw Sophia and Ramesh sitting on the same bench silently. But there was a look of deep happiness and peace on both faces.

They softly came back to their trademark bench with moist eyes.