A Valentine Story

I was standing at a florist in Bangalore on one valentine day, some years back. I saw a very familiar face there, but could not figure out who he was. He was busy in selecting some rose buds. I could guess to an extent, and took the initiative


“Aren’t you Mr.Rasheed?”

He looked at me like a stranger, but slowly a smiled in recognition. “Yes, I am Rasheed”.

I enquired what he was doing in Bangalore and he said he was working in Bangalore those days.

We sat together in a nearby coffee shop just refresh our acquaintance.

I was very happy to see Rasheed after a long time, that too away from our native village.

Rasheed was my junior in the school & we hailed from the same village.

It so happened that a new family bought a house near Rasheed’s house those days. It was a small family with an elderly couple & two teenaged daughters. The girls were pretty & they mingled with the local children quite effortlessly. Their father was nearing retirement & was very reserved sort of character. Their mother was a lady who took strong pride on her aristocratic Hindu family back ground.

The elderly girl started taking tuitions as she was good in mathematics. Soon, Rasheed became a student of her and a regular visitor to their house. Instead learning Mathematics, Rasheed started learning the lessons of love & sooner the teacher & student became passionate lovers.

The love affair between these teens did not bode with the families, especially with the girl’s. Rasheed was from a poor Muslim family while Raji was from an aristocratic Hindu family.

But for Rasheed & Raji, it was no holds barred. They were meeting quite frequently amid strict warnings by both families. One day as things hot up, the love birds decided to fly to their own world, away from all the detractors. As they were found missing, the entire village was on an alert. People were searching all possible places, but could not trace them. It was already night and most of the places were under the carpet of darkness. All of a sudden some one had heard a feeble cry from a thick bush of shrubs. Rasheed & Raji had emerged from that, and Rasheed pleading for help. Raji had been bitten by a snake, while they were trying to hide in the bush!

The commotion had given way to compassion, and she was immediately taken to the hospital. As she was given medical assistance on time, she was declared out of danger by the doctor. Every one was relieved, but their anger did not subside. Rasheed was caught and badly beaten up. No body was ready to listen to his version. Later on Rasheed was sent to one of his relative’s house in a distant place.Raji was subsequently married to another guy and sent to the boy's place.

I have not seen Rasheed afterwards, but I knew that the girl was later married to another boy, and they had settled down in his place.

I had asked Rasheed “Do you still cherish your love to your ex girlfriend?”

Rasheed said “Only in my memories. I buy a bunch of roses on Valentine’s Day and leave them to her memories.”

He had no complaints now, and felt it was by gone dream.