First Love

(Wrote in 2006)

IT WAS ALMOST ELEVEN YEARS SINCE THAT DAY.

It was night – sun had receded and stars had made their way. Joseph hadn’t gone to sleep. He was thinking of the day next. There were so many friends to meet – most of their faces changed. He had seen some faces in Orkut but there were other faces to meet. Orkut is an online portal through which you could get connected to a network of people – some of them old friends. Among the many faces he had seen in Orkut there was one face he couldn’t forget

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Joseph was studying in sixth at that time. Sheeba used to sit close to him. They used to sit at two adjacent corners of two blocks of benches arranged on two sides of the class for girls and boys. Her dad was in Dubai. He used to bring Sheeba foreign rubber and pencil and scale with picture changing on each angle. Joseph used to adore those things.

It was one afternoon that Joseph asked Sheeba to ask for one more set of the stationary. Sheeba told him she would give him next month when her dad came. That was how it began

Joseph was studying in Seventh. He was a mischievous boy. He went to Sheeba and told her ‘I love you’. Sheena overreacted and hit him on his face and took her footwear and ran to hit him. Joseph ran away and escaped.

Next day he told this to Viju and Rony. They told him not to leave the issue. They would have their revenge. So next day they chewed a bubble-gum and sticked it onto the bench where Sheeba used to sit. As usual Sheeba sat on the bench and the bubble gum stuck to her skirt. She walked at recess and everyone laughed at the bubble-gum-stuck girl. So, they had their revenge and she cried.

Later she went and told the Madam about it. The teacher caught the miscreants and asked them to wash the skirt and bring it back ironed. Next day Sheeba brought the bubble-gum-stuck skirt for Joseph to wash – and washed it was.

Friendship between Joseph and Sheeba started with such a story. They used to spend time together laughing, fighting and spending time together. A good friendship had laid its sapling there between them. The school had only classes till seventh. So that year end tearfully they bid farewell to each other
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It had been eleven years since that day. Joseph still remembered that bubble-gum-stuck girl and Sheeba the bubble-gum-sticking boy. Joseph wanted to meet the girl. So he decided to organize a meeting of old friends. Thus started the preparations for an old student’s reunion

That night he thought of Sheeba. She had grown into a beautiful girl. He had seen her in Orkut, so he had no doubts to how she would look. He had also talked to her couple of times through phone for inviting her to the reunion. But seeing her directly was a different thing.

That night he thought of Sheeba. Will she come for tomorrow’s reunion? He had no doubts about that. He thought what to say to her. He still adorned her. He was working in Merchant Navy. He had to go back next week. Then he would be in Merchant Navy. Then he would be in the ship for couple of months. Whatever he had to say he had only a couple of days to do – primarily on the reunion day. What would he ask her? He had talked about her to his family. They were both of the similar religion, similar kind of families – so his family did not have any worries about her. They had approved it.

Joseph looked at her photo in Orkut and the seventh-class photo. She had changed a lot. But then he had also changed. He was a bit worried. What if she declined? Already some of his classmates who helped him in organizing the reunion had started teasing him based on the old story. What if she declined? He would look like a fool in front of the whole bunch of students.

It was Rony again who had come to rescue. He had privately told him regarding his plan and his worries.

“Why don’t you arrange the meeting on April first? That way you can propose and if it fails then say it is an April fool joke played by you”

‘Great idea he thought’

‘So, tomorrow was the April fool’s day and he would go would go and formally propose. If she accepted, he would bring his family in picture and would ask her family her hand through his parents’, he decided

It was the D-day. Today he would propose. He bathed and wore a cool dress, sprayed some perfume and went to the party. He went early because he was one of the organizers. There she came. He met her and escorted her to the party. He had taken the car to escort her back home.

The party was a big high. People were meeting each other’s after long 11 years. He was awestruck by the response. There was lot of new faces to meet. Everyone recollected their old stories. There was laughter, joy and lot of teasing.

It was after lunch that he called on Sheeba.

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“Can I talk to you personally for some time” he asked her

“Sure” she replied

“You remember the old days”

“You mean the day I slapped you and the bubble-gum story” she enquired

“Yes” he replied

“I called you to propose. I have adorned you all these years. I want to marry you. I will ask my parents to formally propose you. That is if you don’t mind” he showed his mind

There was a long sigh

“That is if you don’t mind” he continued

“I also like you. Today I will ask my parents” she replied

“Hey what are you doing there?” “It’s been a long time.” “Are you proposing?” comments had started coming from others

They parted

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“What were you doing there with Sheeba”, in the evening after all girls had left some of the guys asked

“Is it the old story?” others asked

“I proposed her. She will ask her parents tonight and if they agree I intend to ask her hand formally through my parents” John replied

“Are you really serious?” one of the astonished friends asked

“Yes, I am “John replied

“I hope we have a bigger party next time” old friends congratulated him.