THE MASQUERADE - PART - 6 (Continued from Part 5)

THE MASQUERADE -PART-6 (Continued from Part 5).....

....As decided by her , the next day Nimmy reached the park early . She told Maya not to accompany her since she require absolute privacy , while introducing herself to Ravi.

As usual , she could see Ravi coming and walking round the park , in his usual predictable manner like a configured automatic machine . She felt the composure of Ravi , as more sombre , when compared with the previous day and he was not even glancing at any body around . Nimmy wondered whether she has chosen the wrong day for introducing herself .

Nimmy went straight to him and told Ravi , “ Excuse me Sir, I am Nimmy , the friend of Maya .”

Ravi abruptly stopped walking , raised his face and looked at Maya with a plain face and suddenly she could see the sombre face transforming to a gleaming and disarming smile . Nimmy felt releived .

Nimmy further continued , “ Sir , can I walk with you”. Nimmy could see the smiling face of Ravi transforming to an expression full of surprise.

Ravi replied , “ Of course , why not …....., but can you or will you be able to walk with me ?”

Nimmy : “ what do you mean , Sir”

Ravi : “Well , I mean , Number one , the vested and prejudiced interests surrounding you and number two , whether your mind and thoughts will be able to keep pace with my mind and thoughts” .

Ravi continued , “ If you feel OK , I am only happy to have a companion .”

Ravi: “ By the way Nimmy , What prompted you to come and introduce yourself to me in such a straight manner without taking care of the vested and prejudiced interests surrounding you”

Nimmy: “ Sir, after I heard about you from Maya , I felt like that . When I felt like that , I have no other option , but to express it . I don't care about the vested and prejudiced interests surrounding me to interfere in my personal freedom and privacy”.

Ravi: “ Great . Nimmy , what Maya told you about me”

Nimmy: “She admires you so much and was sad that she was unable to talk with you due to the opinions of the vested and prejudiced interests surrounding her and she was afraid of those interests hurting her.”.

Ravi: “ Natural . Nimmy , you can inform her that like what you have told me , I am also not a slave to the opinion of the vested and prejudiced interests surrounding me and I don't consider the opinion of others which interferes with my personal freedom and privacy , but , inform her , I value and understand her situation . And also inform her , I don't like to see the pain of people like her who loves me and whom I loves. I don't want want to create problems for them .I don't want people to sacrifice their peace of mind for the sake of having friendship with me . Kindly convey my regards to her , deepu and other family members”.

Ravi continued , “ For me , personally , as Nikos Kazantzakis has said , “ I hope for nothing . I fear nothing . I am free”.”

Ravi: “ Nice talking to you , Nimmy. By the by , why don't we go to my house and have a cup of coffee , I will introduce you to my wife and son . You wait here . I will complete three more rounds of walking . I cannot avoid these walks since they provide me both physical and mental strength. We will go in my car.”

Nimmy: “Ok , Sir , agreed”.

Nimmy felt very happy and she remembered the words of Maya about Ravi : -

“…............ Can you see that person who has been walking round the jogging track of the park, alone. He is Mr.Ravi. I had worked with him . He is a different kind of person. He come , walk and go . He don't talk or look at any body , so far he had not seen me , even if he see me , he just smile only . But if you talk with him , he will become a close friend suddenly and his friendship will be so intense and innocent, you will find it difficult to handle it under certain circumstances .”

Nimmy mused and said to herself , “ Truly , he is a different kind of person , But how he became like that , the ODD ONE OUT in this society , considering the fact that he is also part of this society . He think , talk and behave without a masquerade”.

“ Hi , let's go” , the enthusiastic voice of Ravi brought Nimmy down to earth from her thoughts .

Contrary to his appearance and behaviour , once inside house with his wife and son , Nimmy was able to see another person in Ravi , full of laughter , jokes and freedom .

Roopa , the wife of Ravi told Nimmy , “ At times , Ravi is like this , he loves us so much , but some times while discussing issues related with society , life etc he slips into deep , serious thoughts and we can see his thoughts in his face . His face is like a mirror. He don't like to see the pains and sufferings of others and hypocrisy is the only thing he hates . Ravi is a fortunate person in the sense that he has achieved hundred percent synchronisation with regard to his thoughts , expressions and deeds. Whatever he thinks , it will be reflected in his face , and will be translated to his deeds . There will not be any contradictions and pretensions . Hence it is easy to understand him and live with him”.

Nimmy: “Why Sir...”

“Nimmy , My name is Ravi , please call me by name” , Ravi interrupted.

Nimmy: “ Ok, Ravi , why you pretend to be serious outside your house”.

Ravi: “ Nimmy , it's not pretension. Whatever , I see outside , it get reflected in my , thoughts , face and deeds. Inside house or outside house , that is what is happening . I don't wear a mask . Everything I speak and do , come from my heart . When I saw suffering , it will be reflected in my thoughts and expressions , when I see happiness , it will get reflected , that's all. My only problem is , I don't know how to wear a mask as per the requirement and circumstance”.

“ That , definitely is not a problem , Ravi”, Nimmy interrupted .

Ravi: “ Well , I don't know”.

Ravi continued , “ You know , Nimmy , with Maya also , it was that which happened . We had only got introduced to each other , within that short period itself , I became very much involved with the friendship , because that was what I felt . I don't know what she felt . I told , Roopa also , my mind was fully occupied with our friendship during those days to the extent that I felt difficulty in even sleeping . I don't know why . Such was the intensity of emotions , it will get revealed in my face and words , which our society and the vested interests and prejudiced minds , which I told you earlier , may , some times find embarassing . Because , in this society , normally , people put a mask over such emotions and they pretend otherwise , thus cheating themselves.

Roopa burst into laughter and declared , “ I think , his love and friendship becomes a suffocation for the other person”.

“ But , nobody had told me like that”, Ravi retorted in an aggrieved manner , on hearing the comments of Roopa

“ But that is what is happening , practically” Roopa continued , “ I have told Ravi several times , Ravi is not fit enough to live in this society . I know him , he is like a child . But in this society , such innocence has no value . I don't know what all things he will have to face in future . Much more than my son , I am more worried about Ravi”.

Nimmy felt Ravi , like an obedient child in the midst of all the rebuke of Roopa .

Ravi: “Roopa , have you not heard the words of Voltaire , “ The great consolation in life is to say what one thinks”.”

Roopa: “ I know , Ravi , but some people interpret your frankness as insolence . That is my only concern”.

Nimmy : “But , Roopa , people are different . To me , Ravi is doing one hundred and one percent loyalty to his conscience and he is not disturbing others also . Moreover he is not wearing any masquerade . To me , he is a hero and I admire and love him so much . Let me tell you , frankly” .

Ravi: “See , Roopa , I told you , there are still people , in this society , who are showing loyalty to their souls and not masquerading . Did you notice the boldness with which Nimmy expressed her sentiments . Nimmy , you are so young , still very much matured . Great Nimmy , love you”.

Roopa: “ Seems , at last Ravi has got a friend who can walk with his thoughts and who can understand him .Ravi , seems your search is over” .

Over all the conversation , Nimmy was watching curiously , a shy and tall young boy sitting quietly , in the corner of the room listening to all the conversations without any comment . It was Shyam , the son of Ravi. Sensing that Nimmy was watching him , he suddenly took his earphone and plugged on his ipad.

On her way back home and for the next two days , Nimmy's mind and thoughts were completely enveloped with the thoughts of Ravi and his family .

She told herself , “ I will marry only a person like Ravi who is true to himself”.

TO BE CONTD ….........