The Unorthodox Lovestory

" I'm breaking up with you " she said that like it was so normal.

"But why ?"

" I don't know, I can't be with you "

" You're kidding right!? Even yesterday we were happy together! "

" You were happy .. I was not "

" Ok then, your wish "

We shook our hands, came out of the coffee shop and walked away from each other. I was trying to wake up , praying that it was just a dream. But I understood. it wasn't!

I was trying to figure out why that happened! According to me we were having a wonderful relationship!

Suddenly my phone rang !

"You ate anything? It's 3:00pm. Atleast in weekend you can stay at home and relax right?!"

"I'll come home soon maa, I already ate from outside. Don't worry. I have to go now, bye."

I hung the phone without waiting for her reply!

It was a hot Sunday and I came to my friend's home for chilling out and trying out his new playstation. Even though I'm 24, I will never get tired of games itseems. But I never expected was life was going to play with me today. Renu asked me to meet and said it was something urgent. We met in a coffee shop and rest you know already.

It was not my first breakup and by then I was used to it. Acting hard and matured while someone is ditching you. But it hurts the same way all the time. But we find ways to hide the pain. It has been 3 years since I met Renu and still I can't figure out why this happened!

I was walking along the footpath and I was in a weird situation. I haven't ate anything for lunch and I was so hungry. I saw a restaurant, so I decided that food is more important than breakup.

There was a family sitting in nearby table.A kid and their parents. He was playing with a rubix cube. I understood that he's new to that and was just turning that randomly and enjoying the changes in colours.

Suddenly a man showed up in the restaurant. It seemed like he was a beggar in his attire. But something was different in him. He came and sit down in a table.

Everyone in the hotel was disturbed by his presence. Waiter went to him and asked him to go away.

"Get lost from here you moron! This is not place for people like you"

"Brother... Please be calm.. I just want something to eat. I have money"

I felt that waiter was a person with humanity. He turned polite . The stranger ordered tea and some snacks.

It was teatime but I was so hungry so I had ordered biriyani which came by that time. I started eating without wasting any time.

But I couldn't keep my eyes off that stranger. He was looking so weird. Long hair and moustache. Almost 30 to 40 years old. Rugged sack like pants. Torn old shirt. But he was clean in nature. Like he bath everyday. Something differenciated him from beggars.

Suddenly the rubix cube which was in the kid's hand fell down and rolled near the table where the stranger was sitting. He took the cube and smiled at the kid.

"Here...take it" he turned his hand pointing the kid

The kid tried to get down the chair to take the cube from his hands but his dad pulled him back in chair.

"He'll kidnap you away, I'll buy you new one! Ok? "

I quite didn't understand why he behaved that way.

Maybe he thought that this person is carrying a lot of diseases with him.

Stranger just smiled at the kid and kept rubix cube In his table.

I was busy enjoying my chicken so I ignored the stranger for a while. He was also eating his snacks like he ate something last month.

I finished my biriyani and ordered a lime juice.

The stranger also finished his food and paid his money in the counter. I even thought that he'll run away after eating. He walked out of the restaurant.

I finished my lime and stud up from my table and walked to the counter.

I noticed that the rubix cube was still in the stranger's table.

Suddenly I saw that....

The rubix cube was solved. I suddenly went near that table and took the cube up to examine whether it was fully solved.. but it was fully solved! I was sure that the cube was not solved when stranger took it. But I was still in doubt!

I turned to the table where the family sat.

"You solved this cube? " I asked to the kid

"No" kid looked into his dad's face and I could easily see how shocked his dad was.

I gave that cube to the kid. This time his dad didn't show any reluctance.

I paid my money in the counter and rushed outside to see the stranger

I was sure he was not a beggar.

He was something I never seen before.

Or is he just an beggar who unknowingly solved the cube with born intelligence.

Something made me believe that he was not something simple.

Those eyes.. there was a story behind it......

It was a rusty junction. People running along the footpath. Everyone was busy in their world. And I was searching for that stranger. But he was no where to find.

I felt disappointed. I don't know why. It felt like a sign. Something always mentioned in paulo Coelho books. I tried to move on from his thoughts and started to walk to my home. I understood that I was not conserned about my breakup much even though it hurts.

After walking a while my heart again sinked to be the broken one. I was trying too hard to find where I did the mistake. It was around 5 by then and I was walking so slowly bcoz of my filled belly. As I was walking near an old park ,I found the person who I was searching a while ago..

He was sitting in a bench with his old white sack like bag. I didn't knew what to do. Should I ignore him and just go. Or should I speak with him? He doesn't know me and I should mind my own business. But I was already so much curious about him.

I went near the bench. And sat in one end of the bench. He turned to see my face and again turned back and kept on searching for something in his bag.

"Hii" I tried to start an conversation.

"Hii, do I know you?. I saw you few minutes back at the restaurant."

"Nope... I just felt talking to you!"

"Me? People feel awkward to even come near me."

"I felt something different in you. You look like a beggar or someone escaped from mental hospital but something different."

"I am a beggar by the way... Don't worry ..not someone escaped from mental hospital"

"Sorry.. I didn't mean that... I just felt that you are different"

"You had a worst day itseems"

I was surprised but didn't showed it to him. Ofcourse I was sad.

"People are too busy in thier own world Nowadays. They rarely get time or intrest to observe someone."

I also felt that he was right. If I met him yesterday I would have ignored his presence.

"So.. are you a saint. Seems like you are interested in philosophy"

"No... I don't beleive in God"

"Can I know more about you ? "

"But why? Why are you interested to know about a beggar"

"I don't know. Just curiosity to know about the beggar who just solved a rubix cube"

He smiled.

"Ohkk... That's why you followed me"

Actually I didn't followed him. But I didn't corrected him.

"I'm Deepak. My home town is Thanjavur. I arrived in this city last week. Now I spend my night in this park. Day, all around this town."

"I can understand about your present by just looking at your attire. But what I am interested is about your past"

"I come from a small village. My parent's did intercaste marriage, so they were kept away from their relatives. My dad died when I was 10 in an accident. After that my mom raised me. She raised me well. I completed my BTech from IITM 8 years ago..."

"Wait... You said IIT... You're not joking right"

"Why should I ?"

I also expected a buisness man who was tired of his luxurious life. But this was totally unexpected.

"I felt strange about you when I saw you first time. But this made things even more weird. What made you lead such a life now. Tired of earning money or what?."

I laughed at him in an harmless manner. But suddenly I saw that his eyes were silent.

"I completed my BTech and got placement in a MNC. But only did that job for 1 year. Me and my mom lived in a rented home. We sold our home for my education purposes. I got job and everything seemed perfect. I went to canada because I got hired in Montreal. I had applied for an home loan and asked my mom to look after the construction progress. I never had any friends anywhere. NERD in some compact way."

He stopped for a while

"What happened then?" I couldn't bear the small moment of silence

"I was enjoying my life at that moment. Money ,friends ,women and the bliss of Canadian life style. After 1 year I had become someone opposite of introvert. As my life was progressing smoothly... One day everything changed. I got a call from my head office in India saying that I should return back to India as soon as possible. I just thought it was some office emergency so I took the next flight and came to India"

My heartbeat was running without any sync at that moment.

"A car was waiting for me at the airport. A office representative, a beautiful women was waiting for me. She politely invited me to join her in the car. We got in the car and driver started the car. I asked her where are we going first. Also I inquired whether I can go to home which was in same city but a few kilometres away from our office. I was exicted for the fact that I can spend some time with my mom. I haven't spoke with her for last few weeks. I thought to give her a surprise visit. She said for now I can stay in the office guest room and after an important meeting I can go and visit my home"

"She must been missing you soo much" I interupted him.

"Yes... She was.. Our car reached its Destination and I stepped out of car. The woman accompanied me came out of the car and came near me. Her face was pale and I felt something strange.

'Sir, your mom has passed away two weeks before. We are terribly sorry for your lose. We got to know about this day before yesterday and decided not to disclose to you since the scenario was critical to hear and we decided to keep it disclosed until you reach here.'

I remember that moment...

I was stuck...

I didn't speak anything...

I couldn't blink my eyes...

Ask her anything...

My whole body was struck by something..."

"What? But how? What exactly happened?" Actually I had lost the curiosity in hearing his story. But I felt sad for a stranger.

"Things were terrible than I thought. She got heart attack and no one was there with her at that point. No one heard any sound. She laid in the kitchen for more than one week. Then Neighbours noticed the decay smell rising out of the kitchen."

I was in a different state of mind. Even thoughts of my ignorance about my own mom came. And when I imagined my mom in that position.I closed my eyes for a second to erase my thoughts. I felt afraid.

He continued his words. But I could see a blank eyes and expression. Not any sadness. I understood that he relived the incident so much time so that he started to live inside his reality.

"I used to call my mom daily when I went to canada. But gradually it turned twice in a week then once in two weeks. I had 1 month leave after two months. My mom was dreaming about my arrival. But she was not there when I arrived."

"I'm so sorry for your lose."

"I felt pitty for myself. While studying only thing I wished was to take care of my mom like a queen. I expect that she was happy for me . Living my life. She hid all her sadness for me. I sent more than half of my salary to her. Asked her to enjoy her life. But I forgot the fact that I was her happiness.

But what do you think about my present scenario? My mom would have liked this? Her sacrifice for me became worthless right?"

I was not expecting a question and I felt so unmatured to reply to that question.

"I don't know."

"We all are chained to a false rhythm. From running behind money to running behind fame and acceptance. After that incident I couldn't sleep at night. Every night I'll think about her. Her decayed .....

When I was thinking about my job. I understood that I was not happy everyday. I ran behind money everyday and hid behind luxurious drinks, Namesake friends and women in weekends. My happiness was that my mom is living her life because of my hardwork.....

At last... Nothing made any sense...

Now...I'm here .infront of you!

I guess you can guess rest of the story."

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't be sympathetic. Because I feel sympathetic about everyone because I observe everyone."

We sat there and I my heart was heavy. After a while I stood up.I understood that my presence is making him more worse every second since he was reliving the moments he almost forgot.

"I'll leave now. It's getting late."

He didn't said anything. He kept on staring at something in space.

"You were right... I was sad today... My gf broke up with me...And I didn't know the reason" I tried to change the topic

"She was happy with you?"

"Yes... But No according to her... No"

"You have people who are happy with you right?"

"Yes..I have" I was thinking about my mom and dad. And many faces flashed around me. People who stood with me. Stood for me...

Even I was happy with them!

I walked away from there saying anything more.

I was back on footpath and it was already dark by then. While walking in the footpath , I felt so different. I didn't had a broken heart. Instead I was happy for my life.

Suddenly my phone rang..

"Will you come home tonight for dinner or as usual you'll come at midnight?. I'm making something special for dinner"

"I'm coming!"

There was a moment of silence.

She never expected that...

"Ok ma... We'll be waiting"

I hung up the phone and started walking to home.

Moon and the stars were shinning brighter than usual. They were witnessing a story of love. About the meaning of life.