The First Meet

It is said that a thing of beauty is a joy for ever. Today, in our vast life, if we are able to find some time for our dear ones, it becomes one of the most happy moments. The moments may be temporary, but the memories are permanent. The happiness returns every time we remember the moments. The momens may be planned,may be unplanned. The joy remains constant. The joy comes when we suddenly meet some school-day friend in a train. It comes when some relative pays a surprise visit. When there is a reunion in our alma mater. And the joy comeswhen we are alone in our cosy bed, recalling those times. My life has also lived those joys. The memories stillremain tomake me happy during sad hours. One of those most special memories is of the time when I had met Nidhi for time.
Nidhi had become my friend on Facebook sometime in the beginning of the year 2014. I do not quite remember how exactly we peoplecame in contact. Her facebook profile resembles that of some army officer and that is the reason I initially had presumed it was me who had sent her the request as those days I was looking for someone who could help meclear some queries regarding army life owing to one of my stories. However, Nidhi later told me the request was from her part as those days she was looking for a suitable bride for one of her relatives and sent friend-requests to any young boy she found on Facebook (but in my case, she found the'groom' to be too young who was not even a graduate right then).
Anyways, with the flow of time, I and Nidhi came closer. From friends, we turned best friends. From Facebook, we expanded our conversation level to phone-calls and Whatsapp. Chatting became a daily routine where we shared our deepest secrets with each other. I became quite desparate to meet her in person. Then one day, she said she was coming to Durgapur- my place- for a couple of days.
I was overjoyed to hear this. The next few chats saw us make plans of how and when to meet. Then one day I informed Nidhi that I had filled the form for CDS exam. She became bit excited and asked me not to purchase any book as she herself would give me one.
And then, on the scheduled day, I went to Junction Mall, the placewhere we were supposed to meet. I went to crossword bookstore and surfed the books as I waited for her. Just then, my phone rang. Nidhi was waiting for me downstairs.
I immediately went down the escalator to find Nidhi stand near the giant gate of Junction Mall. It felt great to see her for the first time. I presented her the friendship band I had brought for her. And then she said with a smile, 'There is something for you as well.' So saying, she took out a couple of gift-wrapped items from her handbad. On her persuasion I unpacked them then and there. One was a set of Ferraro Rocher chocolates and the other one was a beautiful key-chain with Lord Krishna and Radha carved on a gold plate. I simply was delighted seeing them!
We then went to Crossword Bookstore where I got a chocolate set for her. From there we went to the third floor of the mall. There, we gossiped like anything! We laughed and joked so much that the people stared at us. We also had serious moments. We chatted for two full hours. And then, we took photographs. The, as we came out of the mall, Niwi gave me the CDS reference book and a few old question papers which indeed were a cherry on the cake. And then, as we waved goodbye, I felt my heart bit heavy.
That was my first and only proper meet with Nidhi. We met again months later as my CDS exam was over and I had to return the book to her. But this meet was a temporary five-minute one. Chatting continued and still continues- though less as compared to earlier ones. But since I have left Durgapur now, and am in a place where she hardly can have a reason to come, I do not know if I ever will be able to meet her again. But the hope is alive.
The time we had spent together that day has become an everlasting memory today. The key-chain she had presented is still with me, safe in my locker. I take it out of the locker whenever I recall her. I kiss the carving of Radha and Krishna, put the key-chain back in the case, and place the thing back in the locker.