THE RAIN THERAPY

 Monday was a Holiday from office and it was raining heavily. I thought what a waste of day it would be. All my plans for going to a movie with friends were ruined, as none of them wanted to get soaked and end up in trouble. "I hate rain", I cried aloud." All it brings is dirt, cold and fever. How could anyone like them?" I was so annoyed that I thought to spend the remaining day within my close bound room and sulk in front of my laptop. I had just started a movie when my phone rang raucously. It was from work." “Would any one let me spend a day alone", I yelled.

"Hey Abhinav, Its 10 o' clock"

"Yes Prabhat, I have a watch as well."

He screeched," Do I have to tell you everything Mr.Bhatia. Didn’t we discuss yesterday that we have strict deadlines to meet and we have to commit our code, and start with the unit testing. There is a last patch tomorrow for this release and we must test the code today and send it tomorrow."

"Prabhat, but yesterday was Sunday."

"See, that’s the problem, you don’t come on Sundays either and when there is a holiday, you don’t come as well. When will you realize your responsibilities? Grow up Abhinav. And I very well told you on Friday that there can be a possibility to come on Monday. But you seem to be lost in your own world"

“I was busy in coding then. And perhaps you said that there is only a possibility. You never confirmed that."

"This is IT industry Mr Bhatia where you have to grab every possibility. Now come fast and don’t waste my time in arguing. And perhaps it’s raining heavily. You'll get your cab. I have booked a cab for 12 pm." Now move your butt and start moving. I should see you here in an hour. You know I have been here since Friday evening. I also have my home and responsibilities. It’s PGL. And i know it’s critical. So i know my duties. But u..."

I didn’t want to listen to any of his flak so I hooked up the phone and let out many expletives at him to let out my anger. This was Hell that I was in. Just when my mind was busy musing over the events; the rain spoiling the day, the movie outing getting cancelled - my phone vibrated twice.

It was a message from him," Don’t even thing of hanging up on me. Don’t want to argue on that. If you don’t come now you'll have a good day tomorrow and I will assure that.

I threw the phone away in anger and went to take a shower. "I hate rain. All is happening because of it. It always does something bad. My friends were mocking at my fate; Office on a holiday and that too on a rainy day." WHY ME" I cried.

I got ready, dressed up in tie and full sleeves. I never thought that I would wear that on Monday, but as Prabhat says, Rules are rules and anyone who breaks them will get the title of a fool."

My cab came on time. I started at 11:30 as I had to reach at 12. Now the drizzle was converted to a heavy rainstorm. The wipers were mopping at full speed. I tried to open the window but couldn’t as the water was coming inside and was dousing my shirt. I don’t know how the driver was driving the car.

There was one thing that I was enjoying doing that time. Saying the dirtiest thing I have ever listened to in my life to my boss.

But my so called list of expletives was soon ended by a sudden jolt.

“What happened bhaiya. “ I queried.

“I don’t know. May be the car has broken. I’ll see what I can do”

Not again. What was happening that day? Was it a bad dream that I was in. I wanted to wake up if so. Everything was going against me. I release a huge roar at myself and started sulking.

But suddenly I heard a knock on my window pane. I thought it to be the driver fixing the jammed window pane. So I didn’t pay much attention. But soon it repeated again, this time with a greater force.

I moved the glass down and a girl with an oval face, hair tied with a band and eyes wearing round Spectacles dressed in a green salwar kameez, having a bit of astonishment on her face showed up. She was all drenched with water and was not even carrying an umbrella. My eyes were scanning her body from top to down as she just appeared out of nowhere. She was indeed pretty and my eyes were almost transfixed. I realized then what I have done and decided to turn my eyes away when she spoke ,”Hi, actually it’s raining heavily and my auto rickshaw just broke I have to catch a movie with friends. Do you mind giving me a lift?

I was speechless. The very fact that Prabhat was there at office waiting for the code to get committed didn’t get in my head.Everything went blank.

I just flinched and riposted,” Yup sure, I am going there only.”

“Isn’t this the Infosys cab, and why are you hanging your id card around your neck.”

I don’t know what was happening to me. Suddenly, all the good excuses were coming to my mind and I was just becoming the glib liar.

I replied,”Actually I was just returning back from the office. Actually I too have to catch a movie.”

“Ok cool so can I hop in”

“Ya sure”

The driver was back as soon as she entered. I was cursing the driver for his timing like that of a villain in the film.

She was sitting just next to me, drying her up with a small bandanna she had. I offered her mine as an act of chivalry. She took it and replied,” Ohh thanks a lot. And sorry for getting your car all messed up.”

“No its o.k . It’s not mine can do anything to it.”

She laughed on the last part and then continued her drying. I wanted to look back at her. Gaze her. As that was the only nice thing that happened that day.

She was looking outside the glass towards the hills and a cute smile was being portrayed on her face. She then murmured to herself, “I love rain”

I couldn’t resist my ego of not talking and riposted,” Even when it caused so much trouble to you.”

“Why trouble. Don’t you think it’s a blessing from God to show how much he love us and want to save us from the scorching heat?”

Well she had a point. But a man is a man. He cannot loose in a war and that too with a girl. So my male ego made me say,” What! How ridiculous does it sound and what does it brings anyway; Cold, fever and dirt. Do you like that?”

“See, fever, dirt and what did you say, yes cold. It’s all up here in your brain. And besides, the joy which I get in rain surpasses all these side effects. I just love the smell of the sand after the rain, the light cold sprinkling droplets of water pelting upon your body. That’s why I never carry an umbrella with me. I might lose an opportunity to feel the rain when there is one.”

That girl was indeed right. I also used to like that smell when I was a kid, but over a period of time, frustrations with life grew so much that I used to get irritated on small things and used to put the blame on rain, or weather, or pollution and sometimes on Obama as well.

She continued,” Tell me something. When was the last time you were completely drenched.”

I replied, “I don’t remember. I normally don’t come out of the house when it is raining like any other sensible human being.”

“See that’s the problem with you. You have problems, but when God provides you with solutions you tend to neglect them.”

Was she a preacher or a nun who used to sing Hare Rama Hare Krishna at Iscon temple. I then queried her,” You think that being in the rain is the solution.”

“See being in rain is not but neglecting something because of the rain, or putting blame on the nature is wrong. “

Was she reading my mind? It was true indeed. If I hadn’t had blamed rain for all my troubles I would have known the real rationale behind them and would have tackled them properly, but I never cared. I just played the blame game. I was feeling so relaxed as if an epiphany had struck me.

That euphoric feeling was soon interrupted by the halting of the car. The cab driver squeaked,” Sir we have arrived at Infosys.”

“What aren’t you going to the movie?” She sounded confused.

I don’t know how but what I did next changed everything. I looked at Infosys, smiled at my building, looked back at her astonished face and then just told the driver,” Bhaiya aaj mood nhi hai , I don’t work on holidays and told him to take a U turn.”

I then looked back at her, put a grin and asked, “Sorry but I didn’t get you name.”

“ ummm… I am Disha and do I deserve to know what’s going on”

“ Hi Disha, I am Abhinav and yes now you deserve to know the truth. You see Disha, I am a loser. I kept running after girls trying to please them, I kept running after my job trying to please the boss, but instead of running after my problems to defeat them I used to run away from them by playing the blame game. But today I don’t know how you did it, or is it the rain that I have finally realized that I Love…..“

A huge pause followed. “The rain”. A blushing smile appeared on her face and on mine too. I then told her the entire true story since morning and asked her,” So is it ok with you if I join you in the movie. Would that be ok?”

And she said ,” Only if you let yourself be fully drenched in rain give me a movie treat afterwards for changing you. You see I too have charge fees for this Rain treatment.”

“Anything for you Madam.”