Love Is Blind

Love Is
Blind

Copyright
Kimaya Mathews 2013

Published at
Smashwords

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Discover other titles by Kimaya:

Love Through Cobra’s Eye 1

Love Through Cobra’s Eye 2

Love Through Cobra’s Eye 3

Love Through Cobra’s Eye 4

Love Through Cobra’s Eye 5

*********************************************

Eyes closed, head bowed with lips moving, I muttered my
prayer. Christmas time in Nainital is always like this, cold, snowy
and chilling to the core. Though the inside of the church is all
quiet and calm, still a sudden restlessness had spread in my entire
system. Done with my evening prayer, opening my eyes, searching for
my walking stick which always is by my side, taking it in my firm
grip, I made my way out of the cathedral. Life is not fair,
somebody had said once and in the situations like these, I cannot
doubt on those words. As a cold stingy wind caressed my cheek, I
tucked myself deeper in my leather jacket. One of the main
disadvantages of being blind is, apart from not seeing anything;
you are depended on others even for your most miniature work! I had
taken another step when someone took me by my hand, and started
directing my way. “Ruhi,” I said, as if confirming the identity of
the person. “Yes,” she said, “it is me honey, you alright?” “Yes,”
I exhaled, “I am fine. Tired, though” “And why won’t you be, pray?”
she asked, “You have not rested from yesterday, not even taken a
nap or something. What with all those gifts distribution to the
orphans? You are all over yourself over those kids.” “They have no
one in this world, Ru” I said,” At least by doing this, I am giving
them some hope to live. “I am over with these do-gooder things of
yours,” she said, the end of discussion.

Sonam Campbell, it is me! A prostitutes daughter with an
unknown father, whose only fault is being a girl, a blind girl!
Kanpur’s red light area, where the brothels in their days of glory
flourished, where even if the sombre person entered, then he too is
considered a kind of pimp, is the area where my unknown mother had
mated with so many of her customers. When she became pregnant, she
herself had no idea regarding the identity of the
breeder.

Then one day, when the destruction spread and police raided
the area capturing and hand-cuffing many of the “Suppliers, call
girls and their so-called, customers”, my mother took off with some
rich businessman and left me to my fate. Of course, I had no idea
how and when I came to St. Mary’s Orphanage Nainital, but as I am
being told by Sister Catherine. One of the cop sympathised on my
condition and immediately took me under his guardianship, in other
words, humanity had not being swiped off completely from the face
of the earth! But because, man himself had a family to take care
of, signing as my guardian is a big deal. He could not fully take
my responsibility and so he left me in the care of these
Holy-sisters’s, who gave me a name, a religion and a life to
cherish. Being a blind girl, I was given a special education but I
know of just one area where I actually could use my talent, music.
Today, along with the season of Christmas, it was my birthday too.
The person walking next to me was my friend, Ruhi Kamra. I had no
idea about her appearance but this, she was the first person in the
whole college, who had actually walked up to me and registered me
in her best friend list. Ruhi is the only child in her entire
family. Her dad is the only living parent. Mom had died long ago,
probably cancer being the reason. After walking for some minutes in
silence, I felt something being folded in my palms as she said, “Oh
well, before I forget, happy birthday.” “What-what is this?” I
asked, as I fumbled my both hands together and came in contact with
something soft and furry. “It is a shawl. I remember you telling me
about the last one, which had lost its shiny and furry qualities.
So, I thought to get this one for you.” “Thanks,” I smiled as I
touched it again. Ruhi always knows what I want.

***********************************************************

I was sleeping in a deep slumber when, out of nowhere, a
sudden sound, which sounded like my ringtone, woke me up. Searching
around, my hand came in contact with a hard metal thing. Guessing
my way on the answering button again, as I had done so many times
before, finally I pressed and held it to my ear, “Hello,” my voice
still raw as the cobwebs of fuzziness still cling to my brain. Who
is calling at such a late hour? “Mita,” said the speaker, “I love
you, I do. Talk to me once, please” “Excuse me,” I said, getting
confused, “I am sorry, this is the wrong number you have dialled.”I
hit the red button and went back to my sleep, five minutes later
the phone rang again. I picked it and heard that voice again, “I
know you are ignoring me. You did not even come to meet me today.
At least tell me where does my fault lie? Mita, don’t do this to me
sweetheart, tell me. How can you do this to your Bobby, girl…?”
Truth be told, till that time my patience level had left me. In
utter rage, I said, “Listen Mr Bobby, I am not your Mita, nor do I
know any Mita. I am telling you again and again this is the wrong
number but, it seems, you are not paying any attention to me. This
is wrong number.” I was going to cut the line when, something in
the voice halted me. “Don’t cut the phone, you hear me. If you do
that, you will regret.” “Oh please,” I said, and without thinking
further, snapped my phone shut, this time switching it off. People
like these. They have no other work but to play pranks like these
with the world, at such a wrong time.

**************************************************

One of the perks of being a teacher is you feel the utmost
satisfaction when you are guiding the future generation. You are
helping them in becoming someone, you will be proud of. I was a
story teller teacher, in my class. My students were like me, unable
to see the world and painting it in the colours of black! My only
job was to teach them good songs, tell them moralistic stories
which had been taught to me in my childhood. Once I had thought to
choose the path of sisterhood. But, when I came to know the
difficulties which lay in the path of mine, I dropped the idea. I
am a great admirer of holy bible. Sister Kusum had recorded every
psalm, every gospel in a mini tape for my hearing. Christian music
is my favourite genre. So, in my usual routine way, I was busy
telling one of the stories from the bible, when a knock from the
door side halted me in my tracks. “May I come in mam?” “Yes,” I
smiled recognising Ruhi’s voice at once. Class greeted her, as she
entered. “Sit down,” she said, and then turned to me. “Can I have
some of your precious time? I need you to accompany me somewhere,”
she whispered near my ear. She sounded so serious and worried too.
Class had started murmuring in them, having their normal children
talk.” What is it?” I asked, “Everything’s alright,” “No,” she
said, “Come with me outside. I will explain everything.”

***********************************************************

After some minutes of our conversation, I seated myself in her
car and felt the vehicle speeding up on the smooth hilly road. The
news she had delivered was a grave one. One of her friend had tried
to commit suicide and had been admitted to the hospital. Sir
Vishwanath Makhija, the attorney of the Nainital district was
Ruhi’s family-friend. Ruhi and his son, someone named Suraj, are
childhood buddies, as she told me. Some years ago, this boy named
Suraj fell in love with one of his college friend, Kiran. Both of
them were known to be the most happening and a glorious couple of
the college. Their relationship went on for two successful years,
but as they say that sometimes too much of happiness also, cannot
be taken in by the lord almighty. As fate may have it, just before
the day when the two people were about to get bonded in the eternal
knot of marriage, Kiran’s car went colliding with a loading truck,
thereby resulting in her death! Everyone went in a shock, but
wounded one was Suraj! He was completely, shattered by the whole
incident. “He went in the state of comatose, for two months. He had
lost every hope of living. Nobody, not even his own dad, could
re-kindle the fire back in his soul. Losing his first love was too
hard for him to take in. “Especially, when like me, he too had lost
his mother before he had even said the word ‘mom’” she said, and I
could feel her weeping for the boy. Of course, I thought, this
explains everything. Losing his lady-love must have instigated the
boy to take the terrible step of ending his own life. I still was
reeling in my own thoughts when Ruhi spoke again,

“
But you know, what the worst thing is? Suraj still thinks that
Kiran is alive, as in, physically alive and not just in his heart.”
“What!” I nearly shouted. Ok, that was kind of freaky. I mean kind
of psychic person! I shivered, from tip to toe. “He is still in
that trance state, you know. Not able to digest the news of the
crash, so easily.” “It will take time,” I said, “It’s
Ok.”

*************************************************

Till the time, Ruhi met with her friend, I passed my time by
sitting outside of the room and thinking on various matters, all of
them which centred on mysterious phone call I had got last night,
from the anonymous caller who called himself Bobby. It was
something in that voice of the person but what exactly; I could not
keep my finger on it. “Hello,” a whispery voice intruded on my
train of thoughts. “Who is this?” I asked, as I searched for the
speaker by spreading my hands. “Sorry, are you Ruhi’s friend?
Sonam?” “Yes,” I said but kept on searching with my hand. An old
wrinkled hand curled up around mine and I heard the tone
again,

“
I am Vishwanath Makhija, Suraj’s father, the person who is…”
“Lying inside the ICU?” I smiled, and said, “It’s alright uncle.
Ruhi told me everything about him, His love, Kiran…” I went silent.
Shit, I should not have said anything! “It’s Ok, kid.” He said, “I
know about both of them. I think Ruhi told you about it.” “Yes,” I
bit down on my lower lip. God, I looked so dumb right
now.

“
So,” he spoke again, “You are blind, ha?” “Unfortunately,
Yes.” I said, with no sadness in my voice. Somehow blindness felt
like a boon to me rather than being a curse. I think many people
will call this a silly notion on my part but, I believe, that it
had helped me in being safe from all the vices and the sins of the
world. I could not see which had helped in making my other senses
extra attentive to my surrounding activities. As I delved in these
thoughts of mine, the old man continued, “Suraj is my only child,
Sonam. I tried to be his mother and father both, from his childhood
but, now it seems, as if I have failed on both accounts. When
Sumitra, his mother passed away, it appeared as if every kind of
happiness had left our household.

Kiran entered Suraj’s life, lightening it in the ways I had
never thought. She was his morning sun, the bright sunshine in my
poor boy’s life. Now, when she too, has left him, he is doomed,
literally.” “How many years passed since the accident took place?”
I didn’t want to ask this question but, the man was so open,I could
not resist the question. “Two years, exactly” he said, having
distant sound in his voice. “He is blessed with a father like you,
uncle.” I said, as I wrapped my other hand around his, “There are
many kids like me in this cruel world, who are not just physically
handicapped but are also unwanted by their own parents. I have more
reasons with me to grieve but, as Sister Kusum say, if we keep on
mourning about our past then we won’t be able to live in our
future. A man who will keep on regretting the things he did in his
past, he will never be happy and one should keep on searching for
the reasons to be happy because so few of them actually, exists in
today’s world.” I paused, thinking that I have started with my
preaching of bible teaching’s again! “You are a wise girl, Sonam.”
I heard some amusement in his voice. “Can you tell those things to
him too?” he asked, “Who?” I felt my brows creasing in frown,
“Suraj,” he said. On cue, someone tapped on my shoulder, “Sonu, why
don’t you go inside and sit near Suraj? He is sleeping right now,
but hopefully will be awake soon.” “Ru,” I said, as I got up from
my seat, with her hand around my arm. “Sure, I will. Leave me till
the room, ok and do keep uncle accompanied.” “Yes, mam” came some
chuckling on her part as she led me to the direction of the ICU.
Taking me inside the room, I heard a small creaking sound from the
chair on which I sat, as she whispered in my ear, “Sit here, OK. I
will order some refreshment from canteen, alright.” “How will I get
to know, if he is waking up or not?” “You will come to know,”
saying that, she left me.