FOSLA Club

Love @ Wasseypur

It was August 17^th and my friend looked a bit confused and uncomfortable.  Today he was getting lot of phone call. It looks like people are wishing him something and he was thanking them. It cannot be his birthday, because I remember celebrating his birthday couple of months back. So what is going wrong with this guy? Curiosity is the mother of all modern day events. I’m curious to know what was wrong with my friend.  I took him for a drink. I just wanted to know what was worrying him. He started speaking his mind after the 2^nd peg.

This story happens in one of the best engineering college in East India (Near Wasseypur). The Hero of this story is Amit. He was an intelligent young engineering aspirant who just joined a reputed college. Best thing of this collage’s ragging was that they also trained you how to rag the next batch that comes in. This story is narrated in his words only.

The dress code which was a mandate during ragging for a Jangu (Junior) was so stupid that it would make anyone look dumb. 12 years before there was no T-shirt quote which suggested “99% girls are beautiful and rest 1% is in my college” but I still felt that was the condition in my college.  Our ragging season will end with Saraswati puja. We were all eagerly waiting for that special day. It was an unwritten rule of our institute that Saraswati Puja will be organized by freshers and that day will mark the end of ranging for the year. That is the day in which we can come out of our dress code. I never thought that day will be so beautiful.

All fresher girls where in Saree and one of them was so special. She was always my class mate and I never noticed her. Sayonara was looking awesomely beautiful.  Her eyes were sapphire blue that you were effortlessly mesmerized by, with long skinny eyelashes in the colour midnight that she flicked almost constantly. Her skin was slightly lighter than Ivory, with a metallic rose coloured tint to her cheeks. Her faultless dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders into skinny, slack curls. Her lips were like a frozen rose, dangerous but beautiful.

I had no idea what I was doing; I was almost staring at her like a statue till my friends got me back from my dreamland.  I still not remember what happened in that puja, but I only could recollect her beautiful image. By the time I reached my hostel room after the puja at least a dozen of my friends knows I was in love with my Sayonara. She had already become Bhabhi for all of them. They encouraged me to go ahead. That night was the best night of my life. I was thinking only about her beauty and she was in my dreams that whole night.

Next day in the class I was trying to get a glimpse of my Sayonara through the corner of my eyes. She was looking beautiful. I had no idea when the class started and when it got over.   That day I came to know that it was not only me who was hit by the cupid’s arrow. Her mesmerizing beauty had got her few other admirers also. Some one from chemical engineering had proposed to her. It was a relief for me to know that, she had rejected the proposal. That day we had a meeting in my room. There were 10 of my friends sitting on my bed and encouraging me to go and speak my mind to her. They told me that I was the batch opener of CSE branch or in fact the college opener (Top Rank holder to get admitted to the college). A chemical engineer had no chance in front of a Computer Engineer (This was before Y2K).

I was also motivated by the encouragement from my friends but never was able to make my mind so strong to go and express my feeling towards her. Days passed one by one and I never missed any opportunity to be near her and have a conversation. Our friendship was developing into a strong bond. I still have not developed courage to tell her how I feel for her. My friends used to update me about her other admirer’s. Till date she had rejected 15 proposals and we were almost convinced that she was rejecting all these proposals because of me.

Days flew away and it was the eve of Valentine’s Day. There was again a meeting in my room. This time my friends wanted me to convey my feeling to her. I was still not ready for the same and my friends were insisting me to give the Valentine’s Day card to her. They had already bought a card and I only had to write my initials on it. I denied doing the same. They had another option for me. If I didn’t send her a card they will send it on my behalf but instead of “Meri Pyari Sayonara” it will be “Meri Pyari Behan”. I was so pissed off right now and I said I’m not going to send any card.  They just called the boy who was working in the hostel mess and handed over the card and asked him to hand it over to Sayonara personally. I couldn’t handle anything above it. I pushed everyone out of my room and tried to sleep. I couldn’t sleep a bit. I was imagining what her reaction would be when she receives the letter.

My friends understood my situation and that card was never delivered. It all became normal and we continued to be friends. Her rejecting proposals had not become an event now. The count was at 19. It’s been some time now we are friends and I need to express my feeling for her. My friends as usual gave me encouragement to me to speak my mind. They even told me this the season of love and girls also need some one to mate. I was asked to make use of the advantage and express my feeling for her. I had no idea how to do the same and my friends came with me to the telephone booth. It was a seen to watch. 10 of my friends were accompanying me to the telephone booth to make a call. There were no mobile phone during that time and couples used the single landline which was there in the girls’ hostel and that phone was always busy. My friends stopped the guy who was already making a call to the girls’ hostel and handed over the receiver to me.

I dialled the number and waited for it to get answered. My heart beats were rising.  When a female voice picked up the phone I went speechless. My friends were standing around me and were asking me to speak up. I slowly opened my mouth and asked for Saloni. My friends were confused and asked me why I was calling Saloni instead of Sayonara. I told them, that I cannot speak to Sayonara directly and will ask Saloni to do the needful. When Saloni said hello from the other end I went speech less.  I slowly started with small talks and then slowly came to the point. The moment I finished asking her to convey my feeling to Sayonara, Saloni exploded like anything. What is wrong with you all guys? If you don’t have the courage to tell your feeling directly to a girl, how can you expect she will ever accept your proposal? She continued her lecture for next 3 minutes and I didn’t speak a word.

By the time I reached the hostel, the news had spread like wild fire. There were long queues of people who came and conveyed their condolence. Even if I was not unhappy about what happened, these people made sure that I would not be happy for at lease next two days. They had already given me a new name, No. 21. How can I be 21? The last update I had was 19. May be I should not get into all these mathematics now. Then there was this guy from chemical batch who came in and welcomed me to FOSLA Club. I was wondering what that was and he expanded it to me.  “Frustrated One Sided Lovers’ Association”

I was an automatic recruit to the FOSLA club. My friends may forget my birthday but will remember 17^th August, which was her birthday. I had to get bumped on her birthday. Not only have me but 20 others also get bumps that day. My friends still call her bhabhi. They used to shout my name when she passes by my friends. We arrived at a general consensus that she was not interested in love and BF stuff. She broke all our assumptions when she started dating her senior. The last I herd about her was that, she is in a live-in relationship with her senior in Chennai.

This is all old stories, but what is troubling you now? He took a quick sip of his drink and spoke. FOSLA club celebrates get-together on every 17^th August. Today we have the party and Sayonara is in town and is expected to attend the party today.  I asked him to be cool and attend the party and it’s been quite sometime now. Relax and be cool in the party. His phone ringed and he started speaking to his wife and promised her he will not drink too much and will be home by 12. I told him that it was worth let go Sayonara, that is the reason you got such a loving wife. What is Bhabi’s name?

He just finished his drink in a hurry and told me, "Let’s move fast I need to reach the party venue in 20 mins. And I’m not married. I’m in a Live-in relationship and her name is Saloni."

I had lot of questions in my mind. Is this the same Saloni whom he asked to convey his feeling to Sayonara? How come they became a couple? As if he read my mind he told me that, he will tell him the more about his life when we have a drink next time. He walked out, giving me a wicked smile. :P

I had lot of questions inside my mind about Saloni. But I wanted answer for one question very badly so I ran behind Amit and stopped him. “Amit, it is still not a reason for your mood off from this morning. Amit took a deep breath and placed his left hand over my shoulder and started speaking.

Today morning Saloni told me those age old dialogue from bollywood hits. I still looked at his eyes with confused look. He took a pause and continued, “Mai Tumha Bachche ki Maa Banne wali hoon” 

This could be a reason for worry. I couldn't speak a word and just looked at him walking away.