Thanks,Rajesh!

Rajesh

This is my last week here. My parents want me to look at this girl’s photo. I told them I am not interested. I do not want to give the girl’s family false hope by asking for the photo. I don’t understand why I should even look at that photo?

Why don’t they understand? I don’t want to complicate things this week. I just want to be alone.

But then why am I hesitating? Why don’t I want to do this? I just need to look at the photo. How difficult can that be?

“Amma! Where is that photo?”

“We are not compelling you da kanna! We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to do it. But we don’t want to make that decision for you. It is up to you. The photo is on the television shelf. ”

Ok. Now where is it?

There!

This girl is cute! She has a nice warm smile. And she looks innocent. And she probably IS innocent. I can’t believe that she is…

But then it’s all up to me. The girl probably has no say in the matter. Do I want to do this? Or not?

I don’t understand why it is so difficult to decide for me. After all…

But then something about this girl want to make this commitment. What the hell? What have I got to lose?

“Whats her name,ma?”

Rajesh’s parents

“I am so happy that he decided to do this. The photo probably changed his mind about the whole deal. You were right.”

“He has always listened to us and he has always been reasonable. Sooner or later he would have realized that it would make him feel better.”

“Well anyway he will have one thing off his mind now. Maybe he will want to see her. Let’s see. Let’s give him some more time to think this through!”

“I wish he could be with us for more time”

“He does not like to discuss about that. Let’s not bring it up.”

“Ok OK! So where is he now?”

“He said he has some catching up to do with his close friends. He said he has to let his friends know about why he is leaving the country this week. I told him not to talk about this proposal.”

“Will he be back for dinner? Should he be eating outside so much? Seriously am I the only one who gets to eat your dinner. Please don’t try anything new on me. Just make what you do well. I have to stop paying for cable. All those food shows! And I have to suffer for it.”

“Careful there! Or you won’t get any dinner at all”

“Sorry, Madam. I will eat whatever you make.( to himself) what choice do I have?”

“What was that?”

“Nothing,ma. Nothing”

The Meeting

“I showed Rajesh the photo of your daughter. Something about her made him think and he agreed to it. We came to tell you the good news.”

“That really is good news. I don’t know what to say. Our daughter is lucky! We have been searching for a suitable match for a long time. When Rajesh’s name was suggested we were not sure how you would react if we approached you given that you were totally from a different background. We are not really the socializing type. But lately for the sake of our daughter we have been doing it. We really had no choice. This is something very important in her life and we wanted it to be right.”

“We understand. And I am sure you did not expect us to be so easy about this. I am sure you were surprised we responded so soon. But it took us sometime to convince him but the photo did the trick. There never was a doubt that he would agree after he sees her. She is an angel. We also showed him her family albums on Picasa. He spent some time looking at all her photos. He especially liked her fourth standard photos, in that pink frock.”

“We are keeping it a surprise for her. We are planning to tell her later. Thanks a lot.”

“You don’t have to thank us for this. We are going to be related soon.”

“That’s true.”

“So when is Rajesh leaving on this tour?”

“This weekend. For a month or so. He is taking one of his friends along. So he will constantly update his status.”

“So do you want to have dinner now or..”

Few months later…

Priya

“Hello Uncle! I am Priya! I came to see Rajesh. And sorry to call him by name. My parents said it was ok as me and him are same to you. I don’t know what that means. My parents dropped me off here and have gone for temple. They have said they will pick me up later.”

“Priya ah? Come Come, ma. Come inside. Raji! Raji! Look who is here? We have seen you in photo before but seeing you in person for the first time. I heard you had an eye infection last week. Is that ok now? You are alright, right?”

“Yes, uncle. Doctor said its ok now. Actually appa said I will be meeting Rajesh today. He said he is an extraordinary person.”

“ Actually in a way you will be meeting him. Yes. But before we get into that do you want to have anything? Ice cream? Or Rose milk?”

“Rose milk.”

“Raji! Bring some Rose milk,ma.”

“Coming.”

“So let me get this over with. Rajesh is not with us. I don’t know how to tell you. Have you studied about leukaemia? Or have you watched A Walk to Remember? You have seen. So you know what leukaemia is,right? Ya . Now, Rajesh was a terminal patient. He was suffering from leukaemia. When we learnt about you he had gone through his final Chemo. Chemo is a treatment for this. You will learn about it later. You are in seventh right? So you will learn about it. But the thing is at that time Billroth referred your parents to Rajesh. Of all possible matches his was the best match for you. He was not really keen to do it at the beginning but afterwards he saw a picture of you. Then he changed his mind. But before he could do it he wanted to enjoy the little time he had. He went on a trip around the world. From which he never intended to return. Of course we did not tell your parents at that time because we did not want to alarm them. So he started from india and went on to Singapore,Malaysia and Japan. He wanted to go as much as his body would permit. In Melbourne he became really sick. At that point he said he felt he a sudden urge to communicate his feelings to you. So he made a tape. Subsequently he was admitted in a hospital there and only a bag and a freezer returned back. We wanted to show you the tape because it was for you.”

The Tape

“Hi! I was told your name was Priya! I don’t know what you will be doing when you watch this. Exams or fancy dress or birthday or what not. But I only wish you are able to WATCH me. I have never been a good Samaritan or somebody who does things like this. If I told my friends few years back that I was going to donate something after my death they would have laughed at me. Even I would have if somebody had suggested it to me. But God had a different plan for me. I killed myself with two fingers. Yeah! That’s what it takes to hold a cigarette! And I was doomed. I had only myself to blame. I am causing so much pain to my parents but they told me that they would like to see some part of to me live rather then losing me totally! They consulted doctors about it and their wish was probable. They only wanted my permission. Who am I to tell them I won’t do it when I have wasted the life they gave me totally? I was not keen though. But when I saw your photo I saw innocence. Here I was someone who had wasted the gift of life and on the other hand, there was you, who could not see all the beauty in this world, things which I never had time to see. It was then that I decided that you would see the world through my eyes. But I wanted it to be special! I had read somewhere that the things which a person sees last before his death get imprinted on his retina forever. I do not know whether it is true. But I did not want to donate the eyes of a sinner. But I decided the things I see before I die will only be beautiful and at the same time I wanted to distance my parents from the pain I undergo. That is why I took this trip! I assure you I have only seen the most wonderful stuff I possibly can. I want you to thank my parents for this and the nurse who is with me shooting this. She does not even know how to hold a camera. I hope she is shooting it properly because I don’t think I can do it again. Everything has been quite fuzzy for the last few days! I wish I had given my parents more happiness! Goodbye guys! I love you! Goodbye Priya! Study well! Take care of your parents! Ok that’s it. Shut it off. What? You don’t know how to shut it off. Just press that red power button on the top…….”