“Hey…”, Haris called standing behind it. He was afraid. Terrified would be more apt. You know how no matter how hard you try, you can never ever be fully prepared for certain moments in life? This was one of those moments.
It turned around slowly. As if it was disturbed from its peace. Haris’ heart beat faster. The few seconds felt like hours. Like ages.
Finally it turned around and saw him.
Haris took a breath, remained as calm as he could, retained his composure and slowly started:
“Hey, I know it has been a long time, but I was wondering…”
“YOU NASTY, PUTRID, S** b**”. It interrupted Haris.
“But I….”, Haris tried to continue.
“All I tried was to help people. To let loved ones stay in touch, to help the world unite, love, care… and ba** like you… all you could do was spread lies and crap about how I was secretly on a mission to start an alien invasion or some sh** like that YOU BLOODY…”
“Listen I…”, Haris somehow tried to remain calm and keep trying to get through to it.
It screamed back, “Shut your festering gob you tit”. Its hoarse grizzly sound filled with hate continued, “Your type really makes me puke, you vacuous, coffee-nosed, malodorous, pervert!!!”
==== Start Interlude ====
Author’s notes: We interrupt the emotional exchange for the sake of general public’s sanity and we acknowledge and thank Monty Python for the dialogue.
There are a few people in your life that you make exceptions for. If you’re the type who is always ready to make any exceptions required for any given scenario, then there are certain words that describe you, be it judgemental or not.
One person that I made an exception for is Madhu. While leaving Able back in May 2023, he said we should stay in touch. For someone whom I had only known 3 years for, but had become a mentor and a friend, it seemed rude to not ask him his most preferred way of staying in touch to which he replied as it being WhatsApp.
It would be a lie if I said I didn’t think twice. Regardless though, I created the account and to quote “the phrase” that people apparently use, “sent a hi”.
It lasted like that, with just one contact on my phone, for about a month until the School Alumni event happened. It was during that when I bit the bullet and shared my WhatsApp number.
When you start forgetting who you are, you start relying on others to remind you of who you are.
I know that a bunch of you out there who’ve been in touch with me since 2012 are probably already waiting in line to chop me into pieces one by one. Maybe with a Shaman by their side so that first person can chop me, the Shaman resurrects me, then the next person can feel the same glee to chop me up again and so on and so forth. Well, let’s get to it and let’s get it over with now, shall we?
I wouldn’t end this part without showing my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who stayed in touch via SMS, Google Chat, Twitter, emails, etc. I truly believe that among you all, Sharat deserves a special mention for recharging his Skype Credits and staying in touch consistently via SMS ever since he moved to Norway and even before.
I’ll reach out to all of you via WhatsApp soon.
==== End Interlude ====
Haris snapped out of it.
It was still standing there and his fear of it was playing mind games on him. The conversation hadn’t yet started.
“Hey…”, Haris called standing behind it. He was afraid.
It turned around slowly with a smile so friendly that you felt that all your worries were for nothing. That you had overthought the situation and there was really nothing to worry about. However, you know this certain inexplicable instinct of yours kicks in when you meet certain people about how they have an extremely manufactured Gentlemanliness in the air about them that you know you can’t completely trust?
With that instinct lingering within, I followed its gesture and went in. I was at peace. I was one among the masses.
PS: For those of you who are curious and wondering about the Monty Python reference, watch this.
A 'psycho' path. 