Journey in the wind....

Vinay was late for the train, he was instructing the auto driver to hurry up. The summer season had started to arrive in Chennai and he could feel the heat and perspiration. Vinay works for a IT firm in bangalore and as every other software professional once in a month he travels to chennai over the weekend to catch up with his parents. He kinda like this weekend travels as he gets to see the buzz around him everytime with people moving from one place to another, thier urgency, irritation and all the different emotions like a package in whole.

"We'd reach central in time na?" Vinay asked the driver

"Almost there sir..." driver said in a comforting tone

In the next 5 minutes there they were CHENNAI CENTRAL. The view he saw, he would have seen it atleast a 1000 times in various movies. the red building stood majesticly in front of him floodlit everywhere.

He paid the driver and started running towards thinkin ab out which platform he need to go. He could see in the display boards that his train was about to leave and was on platform 5. He hurried past all the crowd who kept coming towards him as if they were desperately trying to stop him from boarding. Finally he manged to get into his compartment S4, he quickly checked his name in the list and there it was "27 Vinay M 28". He was about to get in before his eyes stopped at another name in the list "29 Aditi F 26".

Vinay was smiling and thoughtnot a bad gift afterall for hurriedly making to this train. He went in and plced his backpack on his berth and looked around for any good looking girl. He could see a family already ready to retire on thier births.

That exact moment the train had started. Vinay was worried about the unknown unseen Aditi, "May be she cancelled her trip or may be she missed the train like i would have...". As he let his thought fly by he was brought back to this world by a voice

"Excuse me..."

"Ah! sorry.." he moved and in the process he could not see the face of the girl who crossed him and was facing the opposite direction towards the window. He could see her hair with gentle curls and nice pony tail.

Aditya then got into his upper birth and plugged his earphones and started browsing a book he had with him....

The train started taking pace and he could feel the cool air coming from outside and of course ilayaraja's soul stirring song all made him feel relaxed and he went to sleep.


An hour later, vinay was woken up suddenly and was sweating a bit. He thought may be a bad dream and turned around that's when he suddenly reminded of Aditi. In the darkness of the compartment he was searching for her, all he could find was an empty middle birth. He knew straight away that it was her berth and may be she had gone to the restroom. After a 15 minute impatient wait for the unseen beauty he got up and slowly got down from his berth and moved towards the door of his compartment, not forgetting to check if the restroom is engaged.They were not...

He stood there near the door for few minuutes, thinkin about this mysterious girl Aditi.


"Take care you might fall...." his thoughts were disturbed by the voice came from behind.

Vinay turned back to see this girl standing lookin at the passing lights...

"Thanks! but iam ok...." he responded

There was a silence....

"Iam vinay...do you work in bangalore?" He started the conversation thanking his luck for having got this opportunity

She was silent....

"Are you ok...." he asked

She turned back at him "yeah i work in bangalore...i am Aditi"

He could see her face in the dim light of the compartment. He felt the complete setting was perfect like a candle light dinner...where he was sitting opposite to her with her eyes glittering and her lips had that naughty smile...

".....ok bye" he could see her moving back to her seat.....

"Wow....whatta girl" he thought goin back to his seat.

He looked at the middle berth, much to his disappointment he saw her sleeping with blankets covering her completely.

Next morning, he got up at City junction and immediately saw the middle berth, she'd gone..left without a trace...

"she must have gotten down in Cantonment" he thought to himself and was thinking may be should have talked to her more the other night.

For the next few weeks his life went pretty normal until one fine day he saw Aditi with some guy in the forum mall near the PVR cinemas. He thought "there she is but this time with some guy...who could it be?"

while he was thinkin he could see her walking towards him, he thought she'd no way remember him and was acting as if he was not lookin at her.

"Hi vinay...do u remember me....Aditi ??" she spoke to him only....

"Aditi...hmm yeah....in the train..." he simulated a false recollection....

"yeah...this is Rohini and Ajay my friends....thot you'll not remember me" she seemed friendly

"For a sec i thot....anyways nice meeting yu guys...catchya me gotto go..." He didn't like to be around with she in the company of another guy....though there was another girl with them.

He walked away and around the corner of the fllor he slowly turned back and looked at her...there she was looking at him. Her look did something in him at the same time he was little embarassed that he was caught looking at her.

The next 3 days went in her thoughts and he wanted to know more about her, though he was constantly reminded of Rohit. That morning he was leaving for the office waiting for an auto...."Auto" he put his hands firmly before the coming auto.

The auto driver pulled up and Vinay saw the auto occupied and hence was looking for the next one.

"Vinay...watta surprise?? wanna join me for a ride?" Voice seemed familiar by now for him...it was Aditi...

'Hey....it's ok..."

"Come on where do yu wanna go ?" She asked almost instantly..

"Richmond circle" he slowly said

"I am goin to St.Marks road..hop in" she pulled him in...

Vinay did not know how to react for this extra friendly girl.....just got into the auto...they were discussing generally abt thier companies, where they stay etc etc...

"9886425362" my number....she gave

"Thanks..." he gave a missed call to her mobile

"9886111130 calling.... " the number flashed on her screen

"hey yu have hutch too ?" she seemed happy...

"yeah..gotto leave now bye" he got down

"Call me sometime...." Se waved goodbye..

Vinay was confused not knowing how to take this whole thing...is she really a nice girl ? is she really friendly or is she some kind of conwoman tryin to make friend and then trap me??" "or is it that she likes me..otherwise why would someone remember an acquaintance in a train journey and come this close" all kinds of thought were goin through him....

Vinay liked the feeling of thinking that she likes him....

That evening he got a call "Aditi calling..."

"hello..."

"hi Vinay..u free? thot of speakin to you..."

"Go on..."

"when would you leave the office ? can we go together? my roomie said she'd be late today so can you join me for dinner...feelin bored to eat alone" She was spontaneous

"err..sure..i'd love to.." he could get the words...

"Ok same place where i left yu in the morning...sharp 7:30" she hung up


"Wow..." Vinay could not believe his luck..he thought why would she want to have dinner with me when she has other friends...i am sure she likes me...

At 7:30 he was waiting for her in the corner....she came there in a bike with Ajay, who dropped her and waved good bye to both and left...

"Ajay is not joining us ?" vinay asked...

"No, i didn't tell him we're goin for dinner..." she seemed not interested in talking about him.

"Oh! ok..." "She wants to have dinner with me and not him.." Vinay was in a state of bliss...

They both walked to three quarter chinese restaurant and sat on a corner table...

"What would you start with ?" he asked...

"Anything of your choice.." she smiled back....

"How do i know what you like..." he asked her..

"Anything you get me i'd like..." she shot back...

"this is working..." he thought in his mind and ordered for a few starters and main course...

While they were talking he could not miss her looking at his smile, his mannerisms, his antics...

He decided she is my girl....should i tell her now what i feel ? he was askin himself....

"I'll pay..it's on me.." she brought him back..


"No way..i would take this opportunity to treat a sweet charming girl.." he said not sure from where these dialogues comes to him...

"No..but...i called you" she was reluctant..

"He gave his card tothe bearer and said forget it...whats in who pays...." and pushed her hands so that she could not give her card..

They both walked to the corner of the street took an auto and he got down at koramangala...while she left to her place...

Vinay was thinkin, this was the best day in his life..he found his girl....or may be just a crush? "No no.." he was trying to be strong.

the next week was very busy for him at the office, neither did he call Aditi nor he received any calls from her...but he wanted to talk to her,see her...he didn't call her thiking if i call her often she might think iam desperate.

Eight days later he felt little relaxed and thought he'd call her and talk, he dialled her number...some guy answered...

"Hello can i talk to Aditi?"

"Aditi...evaru...wrong number..." the other end went dead...

"Wrong number?? how could it be ? i spoke with her the other day...." He was confused and worried as well...


Vinay tried calling many times in vain and was desperate to find Aditi...

He was growing impatient and was tellin to himself

"may be i need to search in cantonment station... no no St.Marks road... or may be three quarter chinese...."

"Auto..yes i need to catch auto...."

that's when Vinay's old father came to him and held his son in a consoling way and said "dont worry my son we will...we will.." and gave him the tablets he needed to take in such situations...


Tears rolled down from his dad's eyes looking at his son who was suffering from schizophrenia.....