One Rainy Afternoon

Monsoon in Calcutta is not a very formidable climate; people have their own ways of liking and disliking it in the city of joy. The young schoolboy was happy for missing his school and sat all day in the hope of playing indoor games. The workman was not happy because he would be even more late today, his boss would scowl at him; work was heaping on him; the muddy waterlogged streets would make it difficult to cross without getting dirty. The lovers were depressed because their plans of visiting the local park where lovebirds usually flock, was ruined by the ceaseless rain. The lonely lover was quite dreamy comparing her love's beauty with the rain ,sitting by the window thinking about telling about how much she feels about him. The mongrels in the market were cursing the rain of spoiling the day's business. The wife was smiling while cooking the lunch thinking that her husband shall make love to her tonight. Everything was in its own way but the rain poured down on the streets, the lush green fields, the small lakes causing ripples.

Deb was strolling carelessly along Esplanade with his dirty white umbrella pushing among the tide of people in the narrow lane outside the metro station, the lane was full of vendors on both sides, selling various merchandises like T-shirts, watches, books and all sorts of cheap wares. He was not interested in any of them because he had visited the place a numerous number of times. He did not have much money, he was here for his tuition class which was near Rabindra Sadan station only 3 more stations later. He had skipped his tuition class, which he was bored of attending the weekends in the afternoons and going back home at 9 pm. He did not quite like the way his life was, he was a student of 12th standard and his parents were busy trying to make him understand the importance of getting admitted in an engineering college due to which he was admitted in this coaching which took a handsome amount of money and promised his chances of getting admitted in the IITs.

He has lately got his first girlfriend only a year ago who was also his classmate and was now rather enjoying a nice nap back home. He took out his cellphone from the pocket while balancing the umbrella between his head and shoulder. He was disappointed to see no calls or sms. He once thought of calling her but then put it back, he kept on walking looking at the shops at the people. Along the road the cars speed-ed their way through and the sky above was hopelessly gray as his mind. He had no plans of returning back home so he continued his journey on foot, pushing the crowd, sometimes getting partially drenched. He had no idea where to go, he did not have enough money and also had to spend 7 hours alone. However he was smiling thinking about the cuteness of her face when she is asleep. This feeling was enough for him to keep loitering about any street of the world even among the restless rain. For this was the feeling of first love for a young schoolboy.

It was weekend and it was afternoon for Avantika, she was studying in a Bengali medium school in std 11.She lived in another part of the city. She was a lively girl and after her lunch was over she was sitting at the window listening to the tender sound of the rain droplets falling on the pond in front of her house. She was humming a Kishore Kumar song, it was her favorite season. She was born in this season. She was thinking of her boyfriend whom she loved ,though the various incident that urged a quarrel between the families because it was their age to study not to love. In typical middle class Bengali families it happens sometimes. But the charming part of it was the secret meetings and talking on the phone secretly even amongst the tightest surveillance of the parents. She knew whatever happens nothing can break her determination of her love for him. These things didn't matter to her, she was waiting for him to call her as soon after her parents would be asleep. This wait was more romantic than anything in the mind of a schoolgirl.

Then the city was different for them and they did not know each other and did not have the slightest hint of ever meeting. But as even the season changes so does the people. The monsoon went away from the life of both these people. But once again this year the skies are more darker than before, it seems the raining is going to be more stronger this year. Love like clouds seem to have captured the lives of all the passerby in Esplanade, this part of Calcutta seemed to be poured down more. No one knew why except the couple strolling down with the dirty white umbrella held high and pushing through the crowds of  people. Both were dreamy maybe thinking of themselves or maybe of the monsoon a couple of years ago when they were strangers.

Dev whispered in Avantika's ears "I love the rain it makes you look more beautiful."

She spoke slowly looking into his eyes "I love you too."

And somewhere among the crowds they disappeared but the grey sky did not disappear. It was raining now as it had rained for years, for centuries making people remember of afternoons they are not supposed to remember now.