The young man's POV:
'I was glowering at the dark,empty screen in front of me,when Puyol patted me on my back pulling me out of my trance.
"Always serious huh?"he chortled,"relax man,its your birthday."
"Don't say that,this is the worst birthday i've ever had."i denounced.
"You complain like a child"he said.
"May be because i didn't have a childhood"i retaliated brusquely.
"What do you mean?"he asked amused.
"Ah,its nothing"
"Come on man,its not nothing.Your nostrils flared when you said that"he said humorously.
I sighed and said,"I had an accident and lost my childhood memories."
"Accident!? When?",he inquired.
"At 12" i replied.
"12?but you still had some time of childhood left,right?"
"No,i shut myself up after that.I was quite abnormal for a long time,i could not be social and it look a long time for me to rehabilitate.Don't pity me please."
He stiffened his face and said,
"I didn't.I never knew that,K."he said gently.
"Nobody here knows"i said.
"Oh,alright.The project is done,buddy and please don't thank me."he teased.
He handed me the laptop and i went through the project,he had done an amazing work with decorations that were really attractive.I stood up and said,
"I can't thank you,but let me hug you".
I hugged him and he said,"Run!,the frog's back from the meeting."
I entered the boss's cabin.He looked up at me in a condescending manner.He had totally forgotten our previous meet.And when i announced the purpose of my visit,he sighed languidly.I propped up the laptop and handed it over to him.
And some ten minutes later,i came out crestfallen.After going through my work quietly,he had said,
"I am not in the mood to comment on it right now.Bring it back tomorrow."
"But,sir you told me that this project has to be handed over today" i said smoothly.
"Did i?" He asked cocking an eyebrow,"never mind,bring it back tomorrow."And he shooed me with the wave of his hand.
I was dejected was an understatement.I was in despair that no success could touch me today and prided myself in a paranoid way.I made my way back evasively not to get caught in Poyal's sight.
I left for home early that day.The evening was plain and mundane.Nothing distracted me from the long,disheartening day.I got a call from Jegan,my best buddy.For a fleeting moment I thought he was going to wish me for my birthday,instead he requested for a favour and beckoned me to his house.
I thought may be some work could improve my mood.Lazily,i took a shower and changed my clothes.He did not mention what he needed done,i thought it must something regarding his computer.Musingly,i kick started my bike and drove off.
The sun had set and it was quite gloomy at his neighborhood.The place was packed with houses with no free space,the houses were chained to one another.I suddenly halted some distance from his house.I saw several bikes parked outside his home which was very queer.Then it hit me,Jegan's family had gone for a long holiday.And my friends were giving me a surprise party!.That's what we did for Navin's birthday!.
But it did nothing to improve my spirits.I put on an impassive expression then,i myself knew.Reluctantly,i started the engine and drove ahead.I slowed down as i approached Jegan's house.But then i didn't know what came over me,i drove past the house.I just drove about without a destination.The ride kind of helped me recover a bit.I drove through the busy traffic,constantly honking the horn.The horn for the first time seemed less irritating.
The smell of the sea hit my nostrils as i approached the beach.I parked my bike and strode along the stone path.The pompous waves hit the shore mightily.The incense of the beach was intoxicating and it gradually redeemed my sprirts.I limped over to the deserted part of the beach and sat crosslegged on the sand.I watched as the wavy brine pecked the shore gently and wondered how mighty these quiescent waves could become at times.The serene environment helped me reflect.
'May be this is not such a bad day at all'I thought'Had i not expected, this day would have been much better.Too much expectation right from the start'i cursed.
And there was a ring from my pocket,i took out my phone and glared at it,it was from Jegan.Warily,i switched off my phone and put it back again.
'I might now be enjoying at Jegan's house.They are all probably waiting but i cannot go there,i cannot bear to see all the happy faces at once.As i enter,they will beam at me and i have to put on a fake smile which is very difficult under the current situation'.I was galled by the thoughts.
I mused still further,"I shouldn't have assumed that they would have called me last night-that was the initial upset.I was greedy enough to have wanted to win over the frog,had i not wished that this is one splendid day where i had no work to be done in office.I should have been more thankful to Poyal for helping me out.I should have ordered something else when that dish was not available,the empty stomach was yet another reason for de-spiritedness.I didn't expect to meet Karina but i did and she had gifted me.Were i in a good mood,that would itself have been great enough for the day,Also i shouldn't have let her leave like that.'Then i considered what would she have gifted me but then realised that i didn't even know where i had left the gift.
'May be it's all like she said,i lacked 'empathy'.I had only thought of myself,i had been too selfish.Even today,i had expected things to happen as i wished,as i fancied.May be it's all because i did not have a childhood,I'm being a child or probably yearning to be a kid.'
A tiny drop pecked my cheek and another,then another.I gaped around,it had started to drizzle and people were leaving the beach to find themselves a shelter.I barely moved neither any muscle twitched.And eventually i swivelled back into my reverie.
'Too stupid i'd been i should have gone to the party.They have all cared for me unlike me.Just going there irrespective of my melancholic apathy would have done justice.And moreover,Karina might have come'.I remembered her saying 'see you later'when she left.'May be she had meant she would meet me at the party.How foolish of me?' I sweared.
The rain had gained momentum and it splashed against my face,but i did not quiver although my extricate hands and feet shivered and shuddered.
' All these nonsense,all these madness,i've been despicable,all these because i had expected too much.It is amazing how scathingly disappointment can affect you mentally.It demolishes your complementarily expected joy and pushes you in to a gloomy and grim unexpected catenation of events'.I despised the thought and made a grimace.
'The only solution to thwart disappointment is by not expecting.But one cannot dwell without expecting,expectations are part of typical humanity,though i should try not be greedy.And when you expect,one should be cautious of the vast alternate dreadful possibilities,so that disappointments can't hurt too much.'
Assured thus,i stood up and strode proudly.Cleared of all the intricate perplexity but sagged from head to toe,i stumbled through the sandy beach exhausted yet proud.'
