The paper delivery boy rings his cycle’s bell everyday at 6’o’clock in the morning and passes just in front of my window. This is the wake-up call for me and I begin another uneventful day. Life always seem a mystery to me. I do breathe but still not alive. I am an orphan, a neglected painfully living identity of this society. I don’t owe a title, a family surname. D’souza’s orphanage is my home. Well, it’s not a home actually, more of a shelter, you can say. 18 years,I have been living here since my parents left me to die in a pavement near ` The Millennium Park’. Some kind policemen had found me, and boarded me in here.
D’souzas run a NGO which works on different social issues. This orphanage is one of its projects. They provide us food-three meals a day ,some clothes and a small room to live in. They send us for schools too. And after our secondary studies, we have to be on our own. But I am an exception but not the only one. There are some like me too. We have excelled in studies, so they have kept us on a condition that we have to work for the NGO. And this is the task that I like most. Every weekend we organize free classes in the nearby slums for underprivileged children. We raise funds, hold awareness campaigns with the NGO. My days have so much of activities- from different official works in the orphanage to going to market for daily rations. On the weekdays ,I go to college in day. And in the night I have to give private tuition for the juniors of my orphanage. For all my tasks I am paid with 500 rupees a month. I don’t have any leisure times. It’s so tiring. There is no one whom I can say my `own’. None cares or loves me. It hurts me so much when people avoid our company and some hate us too. To them we are the garbage of their society, the `dirt-bloods’.
There are no one of my age in this orphanage.In the college ,I am the poor, orphan lower class boy to the aristocratic city boys and girls. Every period seem to me dull. No one even talks or sits beside me. In the class full of students, I feel most lonely, an unnoticed unwanted figure. Sometimes I bunk classes and sit alone in the college ground. I don’t cry now like I used to do in my school days when I faced social rejection there. I don’t blame my unknown parents who left me. I don’t even blame God for writing me such bad fate. Society’s cold view towards me doesn’t make me sad like before. I think I am getting used to such things. But deep in my heart sometimes, when I lay in my bed thinking of my life, I feel such a pain that I can’t explain. What sin have I done that I get only hatred and indifference! I do live my life in a disciplined manner, I don’t have any bad habits. I have good results in all my exams. I care for my fellow orphan residents of D’souza’s and for the slum’s children too. Then what is my guilt? Why I endure such a punishment to live a like this?
One day I was sitting alone in a chair in one corner in the canteen, as usual. I was deep in my thought about what to do about my future. I wrote an essay about children of orphanage in the college magazine some days back. My professors said that I wrote well. They advised me to continue my writings. I was thinking that I would choose journalism as my profession. Suddenly, a soft voice asked,” Hi! I am Sandipta, English honours. I have got no place to sit. Can I sit here please!” No one in this college had spoken me in such a humble manner. She must be a newcomer I thought.
“Oh! Sure you can.” Saying this I noticed her. She was so beautiful. Her eyes were so mesmerizing. Wavy black hairs beside her ear was repeatedly falling over her `idol’ like face. Every time she was trying to set her hairs aside. She was wearing a blue top and jeans. She pulled a chair and sat. I became ashamed when I realized that I was staring at her constantly. It was rude I thought. I tried to look at other corners of the canteen and thinking about something else, whatever that might be. However the hard I tried ,I was thinking of her again.
“ You are not good with conversation, aren’t you? You didn’t introduce yourself. What’s your name?” she boldly asked.
I introduced myself shyly. She was so talkative. She told about herself freely. We became friends soon. Some days later I told her everything about me. She was the first in this college who didn’t ignore me after hearing my truth. We became more close friends.
I couldn’t deny my feelings towards her. She was not only my best friend ever but I had fallen in love with her. Though I didn’t utter a word fearing that if she refused our friendship may hamper. I didn’t want to lose her.But it pained me a lot for not being able to express my feelings.
……
Today is my birthday. Well not only of mine, but of every orphan boy and girl of D’souza’s. I am 22 now. I work as an intern in a news channel. At our birthday we don’t do our regular work. We decorate the home as nicely as we can. D’souza’s arrange a small function and a good dinner for us. I really love to see the smiling innocent faces of the children here in this day. It makes me sad and happy altogether. This day we miss our family, our parents most.
My cellphone beeped. It is Sandipta- meet me in the evergreen park now, come fast. It’s urgent.
My mind has been wondering why she has wanted to meet me now. If it is to wish me, that she has done already last night after twelve. What then? Is she in some kind of trouble? My heart has started beating fast.
The EVERGREEN PARK is at a stone throwing distance of this home. It was 7.30 pm of the evening. There was no one here, as far as I can see.` Where is she?’-the question arrived in my mind
Suddenly I have seen her, emerging from the behind of a statue. She is looking more beautiful than ever before in this silvery moon light. She has handed me a present and urged me to open it. It contains a nice Titan watch. No one ever have brought me a present before. I really don’t know how to thank her, what to say. My voice has choked with emotion. Cold tear drops have appeared and flowed over my cheek. “ Thank you so much Sandipta ! I never thought that anyone would present me a birthday gift.” I couldn’t utter a word more. Her words after that seem a dream comes true to me.
“ Please stop! I can’t see tears in your eyes. You are not alone. I am and always will be with you. I know your heart. But I know that too why you hesitate to speak your mind. And to be fair you are very shy .
I know you love me. But can’t you realize that I love you too!I have given you so much hints. But ,you Mr.Formal Guy never have understood. “ She said. My heart has started to beat fast more. I never have expected this. I couldn’t speak a word. I am surprised at my good luck.
She is bold. She continues ,” Yes Mr.Lonely,I do love you a lot. But you should have said it first.” She has became emotional too while speaking. I never ever have felt so much alive before. It is the luckiest and happiest day in my life. I couldn’t suppress my emotion any more. I hugged her. It is the best ever moment of my life- the best ever birthday present…
