It was the day of my son's XII results and I was so tensed. I sat beside
him while he logged on the website with his registration no.
" Ma" , he screamed in excitement," I scored 1191, with centum in 4
subjects.
I cant believe it. "
I kinda became numb in my excitement. My eyes became wet. I kissed him
on his forehead and smiled. Soon we realized that he stood first in the
state.
Oh,
my joy knew no bounds when Reporters and media persons soon swamped my
house for interviews and photos. I was so honored to join him in the
snaps.
I wanted to call my "wrong-number-friend to tell him the news......I was
so excited.
He was someone whom I have known for more than 20 years.
I still do not remember when we became friends, but certainly cannot
forget the first day he called me when I blasted him for giving me so
many wrong calls.....after that he had called up a week later asking
apology, for he had now got the right no of his friend whom he wanted to
talk to .We spoke for an hour that day...even without knowing each
other's names.Though he kept pestering me to reveal my name I never did
and so he kept a name...Sweety. I used to get so shy whenever he called
me 'Sweety'. I was doing first year of BSc. Maths then, and he was a
Computer Engineering student.
From then he used to call me very often . We almost discussed everything
....
By the final year of my college, we probably we were in love, but I had
been cautious. I was in a dilemma whether to tell him. But what if he
was of a different religion? Do I have the courage to talk to my parents
about it?
..........all these questions ran through my mind.
I decided I'll not talk to him thereafter. When he called next time I
lied to h im I that I was going to Delhi for my post graduation. He gave
me his office number and asked me to ring him up once I reach there. I
never called .......
A couple of months later my marriage got fixed with a guy of my parent's
choice. I was not happy but I did not complain; rather accepted it as an
obedient daughter. At times I felt I missed my wrong-
number-friend.......
My hubby was a moody person; I have hardly spent any good time with
him-but he was genuine indeed and never bothered my personal space.
After 2 years we had a boy...Yet,I was not very happy with my married
life...One day I happened to browse through my diary and found I still
had my old friend's office phone no that he had given me. I dialed it
and spoke with him.
He said
he was married and got a kid too. I was happy for him though in the
bottom of the heart I felt bad that I could not marry him.
From then I used to occasionally call him on that number. I ne ver gave
him mine as I felt that would put me in trouble... And till today I
almost shared everything with him including my relationship with my
hubby.....today I was so happy and I wanted to call him.
Just then I got a call. "Your husband met with an accident and died on
the spot" I banged the phone down. I broke. I did not call my
friend.....I somehow started feeling guilty. I have never tried to talk
to him properly when he was alive or moved close with him....
I felt I had been a bad wife........
A couple of years passed and one day my son brought home a Bengali girl
and said they wanted to get married. I got them married as I did not
want my son to go through what I did.
I decided to give my son his father's room and started clearing it.
There was
a phone book. I gently opened it to find, " Wrong no Sweety -26538887"
"God always puts the right numbers together. Its we who interpret it
wrong"
