MEMORIES

Is that you? You finally noticed that I was there. It was getting rather lonely here. I am so glad you returned. Please don’t ever leave again.
It is wonderful to see you smile; I almost started believing that those tears were painted on your cheek with permanent tones; I had thought that the nervous chin and the downcast eyes would forever be you. I had thought that I would reflect your deepest pains and lost passions forever.
But now, look at you! The brightness, the colour and the hope! Come closer...you know these old eyes. I don’t see too well these days.
You want to hear stories?
Ah! A treat for my ears. Sit. Let me entertain you.
You remember when you were small? When you were too pleased with the new crayons in school and you did not notice the shriek in the bedroom? It wasn’t the neighbor. It was your father hitting your mother for the hundredth time.
You remember the next day? Your father told you that your mother had gone for a long holiday. He lied. She had killed herself that night.
You remember your sister? She ran away from home because she hated you for being the most loved.
You remember the first boy you fell in love with? Did you know that he cheated on you the very night he promised to marry you?
Your convocation? Ah! The best! Did you know that you didn’t get the best student award because your best friend lied to the faculty?
Did you know that you were adopted and till date your father loves you and yet hates you the most?
And do you know that these stories about you are stuff of fairytales?
Don’t you remember your first boss? He used you unfairly and yet gave the promotion to his prodigal nephew? Do you recall the first pitch you lost? The first insult that was hurled towards you? The first desolate moment of heart ache?
You don’t remember?!?
My beloved, now you do! You must forgive this old mind...there are so many things one tends to forget.
But I am happy for your smile. For the steadily diminishing glint in your eyes and the vanishing colour of your cheeks. You are so beautiful this way.
I am happy for your present and the future but you must remember.
You are going?
No! Wait!!No...
Why must you pick up that paper weight?
Are you going to...NO...STOP...NOT ME...

The coloured paperweight crashed through the silvered glass and the mirror lay broken in a million pieces at my feet.
The memories were dead.
So I turned and walked away.


(This was written for a story writing competition in the annual festival of our school.)