was not her dream. Others may have escaped into the realms of dreams and imagination, but she
never forgot the hardships of reality and reality never obstructed her dreams and plans. She knew
that she had to harness talent more precisely to pursue her dreams.
"She wanted to join NASA. She won a scholarship for an aerospace department in Texas,
and made her way smoothly. I knew she would hit her target one day. It was not amazing for me
when she was selected as aeronautical engineer in NASA"
Professor looked again into the sea, where the seagull was still diving to catch the fish.
"Did you express your love, Ramnath?" I said, presenting a cigarette to him.
"No, never, beauty of love does not lie in expression; it lies in hidden words. As you know
`Unheard Melodies are sweeter.' But I got one thing very real from her. That was mystic escape - mystic escape which converted me from nonexistent to existent.
"I still remember the sad evening of her departure from India. Something in me was
telling me that she would never return, because such people never come back; they don't look
back; their destination is always ahead. The sun's last rays were sinking behind the trees.
Shadows rose ominously from the dense woods on both sides of track. I saw her, waving her
hands; I could see her sparkling eyes even from a distance. The distance vanished her and I could
not see her again. Oh life, you cruel stepmother how you have separated the two of us?"
Sea was silent now. Smooth waves were singing sweet song. Ramnath stood up, walked
slowly went over and leaned his head against the cold panes of window, overlooking the
unfathomable sea, where the seagull was scraping his beak after eating mackerel.
I looked into the sea again as I thought about Ramnath and his sorrow. Life has no mercy;
it scraps us up like the seagulls do when they find their prey.
I reluctantly rose from the chair, sighed, took a look at my wristwatch as if the time
mattered, walked out the door, onto the sidewalk and up the street. Most of the place was quiet; a
few workers were returning from their night shifts. I was thinking about Kalipna, who left her
land to achieve glory, but death finished her at the moment of glory.
I put cigarette in my mouth, but instead of lighting it I just placed it in my mouth for
effect, to give my fingers something to do. I did not want to think anymore. That was enough for
one night.
The End
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