Prologue
“What’s wrong with me?”
Hardeep was sitting in front of me, crying, and I was just trying to focus on my script which I had to submit on next day. I knew that asking from him will surely be the wrong decision, but I risked myself as somehow I do really care about him and the nice and decent person inside me was just arguing with my devil side. So without wasting anytime further I asked him what happened.
“Just say I am an idiot. Every time I fall for wrong person. Why me, always”?
“Ok. First you are an idiot. Second I don’t know what matter is it”?
He started to cry again. That was quite weird at that moment.
I was avoiding paying any attention as my focus was on my script. We were sitting in the balcony. Cool breeze was blowing and the climate was also very good, but my friend was not feeling good at that time. I craved for some ‘Chai’ so I asked him whether he want chai or not. With moaning he nodded his head in the answer of yes. I placed my laptop on the table and went to kitchen to make masala chai for both of us. Masala Chai always reminds me about the good old days when we both were at college and use to visit canteen often. At that time every bill was paid by ‘Hardeep’ as he was the Richie Rich of our college and a self-proclaimed Casanova. Every girl had hit on him. It was not the matter of having envy from him but still the credit for why I remained single in my whole college life, always goes to Mr. Hardeep Singh. I was in the middle of this then I heard giggling of him and I simmer the cooktop and headed to balcony. What I just saw over there was quite weird. He was holding my laptop and reading my script. I rushed towards him and snatched my laptop from him.
“Now I can relate why you make pennies.”
He mocked me. He had this mocking tendency from past several years from the beginning of my career when I took this job of script writer in the leading production house of television industry. In college he was busy in chilling harder with girls, but I concentrated on my study and I became a script writer. I was aware that somehow Hardeep will manage to survive in this world because he was having big load of cash but I have to work hard if I want to lead my life successful. Despite of having so many differences he emerged as my Best Friend.
“Is it necessary to mock me continuously? I haven’t done it with you even you have a very terrible love life.”
Now he stopped laughing at me. Because what I had done that was okay for him to zip his mouth. He again fell in depression. I realized that it was out of line so with utmost decency I started to give him my condolence. I tugged him to the kitchen and offered him my specially made masala chai. We came back in the balcony. Hardeep was still silent staring at the cup, revolving his finger on the top of the cup. He was thinking something but hadn’t taken a sip of Chai.
“Have it once you will surely remember the Chai of our college canteen.”
I insisted him so he had a sip from his cup. “Gupta’s chai was much better”, he stated. The voice was quite sarcastic. But he further adds on “but must say well tried, you will definitely do better than this one day”. A compliment from Hardeep was the limit now. So I completely forgot about my script and asked him why he was sad.
“Once again my heart is shattered down by a self-centered be-witching female. She was a beautiful nightmare that I don’t want to have again in my life. Why it happens to me? Why everyone just go for my money and not for me.”
“Hmmmmm…. It’s not you, it’s just them. You don’t have to live your life like this and should have to adapt an instinct to know the person. What I see in you is just a good personality which will definitely find out a better partner for yourself. Just stop cursing yourself”. I was little bit curious so I further asked,” just for the curiosity, how much cash you have spent now on that lady?”
“Leave it. Just want to say it don’t affect me. What is affecting me her last words. I just want to forget this all now. By the way masala chai is nice. Thanks for being my side.”
Being nice was not a tendency of Hardeep’s nature. He usually does that when this kind of circumstances occurs in his life. When he really feels as a worthless piece of junk about himself, he usually starts to do jibber-jabber. After sometime he placed his cup on the table and said,” I am done now. I don’t want be a phony, sell out, money bag for someone who doesn’t even think about me. I hate being rejected on regular basics. Now I will set some standards and then will go for my perfect partner.”
I was surprised from his statement. He was saying that ‘Now he will set some standards”. So what was before this? Is he just picking the girls from nowhere? In this situation I started to doubt at him. Desperation is a heartless and harmful disease and I was getting to know about it. Now I was counting myself as a lucky one because I was seeing real example in front of my eyes and what a relationship can do to a person. It is hard to give any advice in such condition, so I was silence in that moment and preparing my condolence for my buddy in mind.
15 minutes later, I was frustrated and silenced for couple of minutes and really want to get into a conversation. Waiting was just not my type of game. I mean seriously what one can do to make his friend feel good? “Look I don’t want to be rude but I have some work to do. Maybe I can listen to your story on another day. But for now please don’t bother yourself and go home to feel relax. It will be good for you.” I know that was little harsh on the note but what could I do cause I was having work load and script was pending 30 percent.
“Maybe you are right. Maybe I should go home and sleep for some time. Good advice my buddy. See you soon and one thing more your script has some flaws, I see your show every day and you are getting off track and losing the character of protagonist. You should fix that soon”. He stood up and started to leave. I grabbed his hand and made him sit.
“Wait! What do you mean by flaw, I am working on this show since the day it started and don’t you think it will not be good to say?”
“Ok do whatever you want, I just want to go home and sleep now because my friend has suggested me to do. So I am doing it now.”
“Wait here, first tell me what is the flaw then you can do wherever you want to do. I am pretty sure I haven’t committed any mistake.” You know when you have confidence about work; you just can’t accept any criticism about yourself. What Hardeep was pointing out, was just a silent offence towards me. So the moment he started to mark my mistakes, I was sinking under my chair feeling ashamed on myself. “See you committed mistake here.” Hardeep was having a twinkle in his eyes. That was the moment of shame for me, maybe I was too confused in the plot I forgot about the character and just threw myself in the illusion of words.
“Feeling like a dork, I thought you were good at this. Don’t be ashamed you just need little bit tuning.”
Hardeep was still mocking me but this time it was valid for me. This was quite disturbing for me. Now, I was bit worried than Hardeep. “I am very much thankful for you because this if I carried out this mistake to the show, it would have adverse effect on the TRP. You are a savior.”
“Yeah! Savior, who is unable to have a good relationship in his life, I mean to say there should be some protocol for this to identify whether the person wants you or your money.” He sat again while marking this notion sarcastically. It seems like he didn’t want to go. So for the reason, I sat along with him had conversation on the topic. And then I asked him if I can drop him to his home. Hardeep was not knew driving at that moment. “No, I don’t want to go home. You just drop a call to my mom that I am not coming today, I will stay here tonight.” Hardeep said it while comforting himself in the drawing room on the couch.
O boy! ‘Sad Hardeep’ in my house, it was really not a good sign indeed. I mean I have to tolerate his frustrating behavior for the rest of the night. I just wanted to escape that matter as soon as possible. Eventually I thought about a party which was going to happen that night. That was continuously avoided by me, because I am not a party boy. I don’t like when people greet you with fake smile and make you false promise which obviously not going to be fulfilled by them. The occasion was of completion of our one Daily soap which was scripted and screen played by me. The show was complete hit and also topped the TRP ratings. So I thought it is a good idea to take Hardeep out on that party as he is a party animal and like to lose.
