The moment I got out of the over crowded station and set foot on the busy streets of Kolkata, I knew I had just began a new chapter of my life.
Parting was easier than I had anticipated. Probably because, for me it was just a measure of escape. Although, it was my mother's idea for me to leave home and pursue my career options from Kolkata, with the help of her brother ofcourse, but by the time I was out the door and shoving my luggage into the overly cramped back of an auto rickshaw, she was misty eyed and was constantly showering me with last minute advices. "Did you check the tickets? I've packed your dinner already. Its in the second last chain of the red bag. Don't eat anything from outside. Did you call Aabir uncle? Did you tell him to come to the station to pick you up? What time -" So on and so forth.
I listened to her half heartedly and tried to answer as many questions as I could. Then waving them goodbye, I got in and the auto began moving. Suddenly I felt a slight pang in my heart. Was it fear of the unknown I was treading towards? Or was it the sadness of leaving my family that was suddenly peaking within me? By the time I had began to contemplate an answer, we had already reached the station.
Half an hour later I found myself comfortably beside a window, my head resting against the iron grills, looking out at all the rushing people and listening to the announcements.
However, my mind kept going back to Kavya. I kept remembering her plea for meeting me one last time.
Should I have met her before leaving? Would that good bye have been as easier as all the rest? But try as I might, it wasn't possible. The reason for that was simple. I had lied to her. Probably for the last time in my life. She knew I was home for the whole of next week, but I was leaving the very next afternoon after the night we had that conversation over the phone. Why had I lied? I do not know. The answer, I feared would break my resolve and I knew, it would make me call her up. To hear her voice again. But I couldn't do that. I had made sure of it.
I knew she would try her best. Adamant as she was, she would end up coming to my home just to face the truth. It would crush her. The deception would prick in her heart and hopefully make it bleed with resentment. That way, it would be easier.
I shook my head hard, trying to forcefully force these thoughts away as the train began to move. It slowly made its way out the the long curved station and beyond its tin shed the sky suddenly opened itself. The cold wind blew my hair as I kept staing at the translucent shape of and early moon forming in the slowly darkening sky.
Twelve hours later, I found myself in Kolkata.
I stood there in the busy sidewalk basking myself with clear glance at the canvas of my future. They call it the "City of Joy". I began to feel, how alien I must be to the City.
"Lets go?" I heard Aabir uncle speak beside me.
"Yeah," I said and both of us left the sidewalk and made our way towards the adjoining taxi stand.
