Once Upon a Time

Reshmi sits in a chair on the veranda. Her son is at school—she enrolled him just this year. Her husband is at the office. Sitting there in that chair, she feels the heartbeat of a new self stirring within her.

From the veranda she watches the city's relentless busyness. She too was once caught up like that. She never quite noticed when those golden, silvery days slipped away and vanished. Of course, beautiful moments are said to pass like that—swift and fleeting. Lost in thought, Reshmi drifts back to her college days. It feels like just yesterday. And yet—ten years have passed!

In college, she flitted from branch to branch like a restless bird. So many friends, so much wandering about together. She was brilliant at her studies, which made her parents boundless in their pride, and so everyone forgave her endless pranks without complaint. No one ever scolded her. Girls are usually raised under strict watch, but Reshmi had known nothing of that. Those days were beautifully, perfectly arranged.

She never imagined she would become such a devoted housewife. Now she rather enjoys walking about with keys jingling at her waist. Reshmi savors this housewifely identity of hers.

Through the grille of the veranda railing, pale sunlight filters in. Suddenly, a deep voice echoes in her memory.

"Reshmi, I'll buy you silk bangles. Will you wear them? You're just like silk bangles yourself—I just want to touch you, to see you."

"Listen, one day we won't have to go back to separate rooms. In a few years we'll come back to the same room together."

"Let's go to Parliament House today. I'll bring you krishnachura flowers."

"We'll skip class today. Books and notebooks get a holiday from us!"

Reshmi wonders to herself—how is *he* doing? His name... no, no, she mustn't say it. Walls have ears, after all. What if Arafat finds out? Her mind is churning with a thousand thoughts at once.

But why did his memory suddenly surface? I wasn't even thinking of him. Why can't I think of anything else now? It's only his voice and his face that keep coming back to me. I can see it all so clearly! Those deep eyes, that face so full of tenderness.

That past is so many years behind me—why is it all rushing back like this? Everything was fine, settled. Why does it suddenly feel new again...? Perhaps the past is never truly a friend to anyone. It just waves from a distance, pretending to be a friend, and then suddenly, without warning, it drags you far back into itself.