Chapter 1: The first
tune
Tuhi opened the window, the air was crisp and chilly. She
pulled the cardigan closely around her shoulder and stood there. The dormitory
room behind her was quite, as the other girls have not woken up yet. Tuhi
looked straight at the rising sun and folded her hands in prayer, just as her
mother had taught her. Today the school re-opens after summer vacation, and Tuhi
will start her year at standard VII. She is excited, scared and a little sad to
leave her mom, dad, and mostly Didan. After a month long vacation Tuhi and her
friends are back at St. Mary’s School, at Ooty for their new term. The morning
bell rang, and Tuhi could hear the other girls waking slowly. She collected her
uniform and headed for the bathroom.
Tuhi is 12 years old, soft spoken, and naïve, with a heart
of gold. She trusts her friends easily and forgives her enemies too easily. The
only constant emotion in her world is Love. It’s almost like she lives within
this huge bubble through which she sees the world as a beautiful place…full of
love and trust. Her mother at times would sit next to her bed when she’s asleep
and sob, thinking of what her little girl will go through when the bubble
bursts. But she knew just too well that the bubble had to burst.
The new semester started with a lot of hustle and bustle.
New books, new syllabus, new teachers, new subjects, new challenges, new growing
up. Tuhi almost lost track of time in the midst of the din. It was late one
Saturday evening, she finished her dance classes and lazily walked towards the
old tower house. This place was at the back of the playground and was not frequented
by the students much. Tuhi came here whenever she wanted to be on her own…which
was quite often. She had many friends whom she loved a lot. But still she loves
being away from the maddening crowd, losing herself in her ‘own little world’.
Here sitting on the dilapidated iron bench, she watches the birds sing, leaves
slowly dropping from the trees and falling right on her lap, the stars playing
hide and seek with the clouds. When she is here alone, she can be anyone and go
anywhere. While sometimes she’s flying across the Turkish minarets on Alladin’s
flying carpet, on others she day-dreams like Belle or runs away from home like
Rapunzel with a total stranger, just to fulfill her dream.
Today, she came to the old tower after a long time…thanks to
the crazy schedule. But before she crossed the old tower house she stopped
short at her track….what was the music she could hear. It was soft and sad. It
was like someone was crying, just that the tears could not be seen…but heard. Tuhi
slowly walked towards her usual place….the old and dwindling iron bench under
the pine tree, from where she watches the setting sun. She saw a figure sitting
at her spot…hunched over, playing a flute. She slowly moved forward to get a
closer look. The boy was almost her age, fair, skinny, his hair fell over his
eyes, which were shut. His head tilted to a side as he played the flute. Tuhi
was mesmerized by the tune. She knew the song….had heard it many times. But
today for the first time it felt like the song was meant for her……and only, for
her to hear.
Duur deshi shei rakhal chele
Amar bate boter chayai
Shara bela gelo khele…..
(The
shepherd boy from the far away land
Came
to my garden and played under the shade of the tree…)
The boy stopped and looked up…straight at Tuhi. She had never seen so
much pain in anyone’s eye. Tears welled up in her eyes seeing those eyes, the
colour of deep forest pool. She was about to take a step towards the bench. But
the boy suddenly got up and the pain in his eyes quickly gave way to fear.
Before Tuhi could even stop him he ran away. Tuhi stood their motionless,
unable to fathom what just happened. Who was this boy? Where did he come from?
Where did he go? What did he tell her?
Chapter 2: The unsaid
words
Tuhi told her friends about the ‘strange boy’. But no one had heard of
any new student, and it was unlikely that any new student will join in the middle
of the semester. Couple of days passed, and Tuhi forgot about the boy…but the
tune lingered on in her mind.
Gailo ki gaan shei ta jane
Suur baaje tar amar prane….
Bolo dekhi tomra ki tar
Kothar kono abhash pele….
(Only
he knows what he was singing
But
the tune lingers in my heart….
Can
anyone tell me what is it, he was talking about….)
It was Thursday, laundry day. Tuhi collected her soiled clothes and was
on her way to the girls’ laundry room. While she was crossing the staff
quarters she heard him. She stopped at her tracks. Tears swelled in her eyes…again.
She followed the music and found him sitting under the old banyan tree, eyes
closed, head tilted to a side, playing his flute. Tuhi walked up to him. The
boy looked up, saw her and stopped playing. He slowly stood up facing Tuhi….the
flute tightly clasped in his hands. He looked at her as if he was waiting for
her since an eternity….as if ‘she’ was the only person he ever wanted to see. Tuhi
didn’t know what to say. No one had ever seen her like this before. She
fidgeted, but couldn’t look away from ‘those eyes the colour of deep forest
pool’.
But then someone called out Tuhi’s name from behind. Tuhi looked around
and saw Alisha and Veena, had come looking for her. Before she could turn back
the boy ran away again. This surprised her, why did he ran away. She wanted him
to meet her friends. But he was gone.
“What are you doing here?” Alisha asked Tuhi.
“Nothing”, she replied, her eyes still looking at the old banyan tree.
“Why do you always wander along Tuhi?” Veena complained.
Tuhi carried on with her daily chores. But after dinner when she went
to bed….she couldn’t hold herself anymore. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She
felt sad, angry, elated, betrayed and a whole lot of other things. But she
didn’t know what exactly she was feeling. She had never felt this way before. Though
she had not hurt herself, she felt a strange pain and her tears just wouldn’t
stop. Every time she closed her eyes she could see those ‘deep green eyes’ soo
full of pain. This wrenched her heart more. Tuhi cannot see anyone in pain.
When she was 6 years old, in her Kolkata house a sparrow had built a nest on the
‘chile-kotha’ (a small room at the rooftop).
The sparrow had given birth to 3 little baby sparrows. Tuhi loved to hear the
little birdies chirp and every afternoon she would sneak up to the roof to see
the babies. One morning when she woke up, she saw that a little sparrow had
fallen from the nest and was lying hurt on the staircase. Tuhi was hysterical.
She gently picked up the little one, put it on a stack of cotton and tried
feeding it. But the little bird was too small to eat on its own. Tuhi sat with
the bird the whole day, and refused to move from there, no matter how much her
mother insisted. By the end of the day the little bird, who was hurt and
traumatized….died. Tuhi’s heart broke. She cried for 2 days and sulked for many
more to come. That was her first tryst with death and loss.
Tuhi attended her classes, went for the dance practices, participated
in the church choir and continued with her life. Nothing seemed to have changed
apparently, but deep within she just couldn’t shake off that pain. It gripped
her heart, and ever so often clouded her eyes. She had never felt anything like
this before…it was as if nothing was making any sense. She did her homework,
giggled with her friends, laughed at the jokes….but couldn’t feel anything. The
only time when she remembered “those eyes the colour of deep forest pool” that
her heart ‘twisted, twirled & twitched’ in pain.
Chapter 3: The beckoning
It was while she was fighting with this confusing state of heart that
the most unexpected thing happened. Tuhi was walking back from the choir
practice with her friends. The November chill has started setting in and the
valley snuggled cozily within the thick blanket of fog. The girls walked down
the road, lined with eucalyptus trees, next to the staff quarters. Tuhi was
taking in the heady smell of the eucalyptus, while humming a tune in her head.
Suddenly she stopped at her track. Behind the old pine tree next to history teacher,
Mrs James quarter, ‘those eyes the colour of deep forest pool’ appeared. Tuhi
slowed down, so her friends could walk ahead. The shadowy figure emerged from
behind the tree and stood, staring at Tuhi. He then gave her a faint smile and
beckoned her. Tuhi’s heart flipped and her stomach did a somersault. She
followed him down the narrow alley behind the staff quarters. He was walking
ahead, and every 2 seconds turned his head to see if Tuhi is still following
his trail. They crossed the playground, and headed straight towards the old
tower house. Tuhi immediately remembered the first time she met ‘the boy’ here.
What was his name? He never told it to Tuhi. It never seemed necessary….
Now he reached the old dwindling iron bench and stopped. He motioned Tuhi
to sit and went and perched up on the other corner. He waited expectantly till Tuhi
sat down. Tuhi felt weird that someone was asking her to sit at her own spot.
She wanted to tell him that this is her ‘little world’ where she comes when
she’s sad, happy or sad & happy. And it is he who without even knocking has
stepped into her world. But she kept quiet. She somehow just couldn’t speak when
those eyes are looking straight at her. She sat down, obediently. He then took
out the flute from his pocket and started playing it. The music, ever so
soothing and ever so painful engulfed her. To her it didn’t seem like music, it
was more like his voice, talking to her. She closed her eyes….as tears streamed
down her cheeks. But they were happy
tears, as Tuhi had never felt soo happy in her entire life.
Duur deshi shei rakhal chele
Amar bate boter chayai
Shara bela gelo khele…..
Gailo ki gaan shei ta jane
Suur baaje tar amar prane….
Bolo dekhi tomra ki tar
Kothar kono abhash pele….
(The
shepherd boy from the far away land
Came
to my garden and played under the shade of the tree
Only
he knows what he was singing
But
the tune lingers in my heart….
Can
anyone tell me what is it, he was talking about …)
In front of them the sun was setting lazily behind the undulating
Nilgiri range. The sun seemed to be in no hurry today. It spread its dusk glow
like a warm hug on the two little kids sitting on the old dwindling iron bench,
with their eyes closed, tears streaming down both their young pink cheeks.
The music stopped. Tuhi opened her eyes and looked at him. His head was
tilted to a side, and the soft green eyes glistened warmly. He got off the
bench and slowly walked to where Tuhi was sitting and stood facing her. He had
not moved his gaze from her for a minute. There was a strange intensity in his eyes,
which reminded Tuhi of the way she and her friends study the night before their
exam. It’s almost like they drink in all the words in the book so they will
never forget the black & white print. He was now standing facing her. Tuhi’s
heart leapt to her mouth. She tried putting up a brave face and continued
looking at him. But deep inside, her heart was twitching and twisting like poor
Bambi caught in a vine. He held her hand. His eyes were like warm summer day,
assuring and gentle. Tuhi was glad to see that the dark clouds of pain was
nowhere to be seen. She drew a deep breath, and before she could understand
anything she stood up hastily.
“My name is Tuhi. It means the ‘chirping of birds’. What is your
name?”, she blurted in one breath and looked up at him.
He stood there in silence. But the gentleness of the summer day has
been replaced by the stormy dark clouds. Tuhi was confused. What did she say to
make him so upset? She looked at him with pleading eyes. But he looked like he
was just being stricken across the face. He lifted Tuhi’s hand and before she
could understand anything, he removed the silver bracelet with the dangling
star from her wrist. Tuhi gasped. That was her most prized possession. It was a
gift from her Didan (Grandmother) on her 10th birthday, and she
never removes it. Didan had given it to her and told her that the little
dangling star will look after little Tuhi and protect her always. She couldn’t
believe that the boy had removed it from her hands. She became livid, angry
tears rolled down her cheeks. She was just about to lunge at him to get back
her silver bracelet. But he started retreating fast. Tuhi just couldn’t make
sense of anything. Why did he get her here? If all he wanted was the silver
bracelet, he could have taken it near the staff quarters. And why is he looking
like he’s in soo much pain, after he took the bracelet.
“Why did you take my silver bracelet?” she shouted. But the boy now
turned his back and started running, faltering over the playground as his
vision was blurred too. Tuhi’s head reeled and she sat under the pine tree next
to the iron bench. She dropped her face between her knees and cried.
Ami tare shudhay jabe ‘Ki tomare dibo ani’-
She sudhu koy ‘Ar kichhu noi, tomar golar
malakhani’
(I
asked him, “What is it that I can get for you”
He replied,
“I want nothing but the necklace around your neck”)
The moon peeped from behind the clouds and seeing the little girl
crying hid behind the clouds again. She knows that the first heart-break is the
most difficult pain for a girl. The moon wished she could hold the little girl
and cradle her gently till her tears dry. She asked her firefly friends to help
her. The fireflies flew down to Tuhi and glowed gently around the little girl.
If anyone could see the little girl crouching under the pine tree now, they
would think that the fairy godmother had made a ‘circle of angels’ around her
to keep her safe.
The next few days went like the worst nightmare for Tuhi. In her head
she had gone through that evening some hundred times, but still nothing made sense.
There were so many questions in her head. But where will she get the answer.
She had crossed the staff quarter in the pretext of some work or other almost
10 times a day. She had even gone behind the pine tree pretending that she lost
an earring. But he was nowhere to be seen. No one had seen him, and Tuhi will
never see him again.
It was almost after a week that Tuhi walked past the playground and
climbed towards the old tower house. Her heart twisted at the sight of the old
dwindling iron bench. She slowly dragged herself towards it and slumped down at
the same place she sat that evening. Her eyes stinged and big fat tears rolled
down her cheek again. Tuhi wondered exactly how many gallons of tears can her
body hold. She held her face in her hand and the only word she could utter was
“why….why….why”. Just as she was wiping her eyes with the back of her palm,
something familiar caught her eyes, below the pine tree. Tuhi got down and
walked towards it. As she bent down and removed the dry pine leaves, her amber
eyes widened.
She picked up the flute and held it in her hands.
Di jodi toh ki dam debe jai bela shei bhabna
bhebe
Phire eshe dekhi dhulai bashi ti tar geche
phele
(If
I give you my necklace how will you repay me?
He
kept thinking about it the whole day
At
daybreak when I came back
I found
he has left his flute on my garden)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 4: And ‘now’
“Hmmm. But do I need to go today itself”, Tuhi asked on the phone,
sounding a little distracted.
Roma, her manager tried to explain in her high-pitched and fast paced voice
that the fund-raising event was next day, and Tuhi had to reach Ooty tonight.
Tomorrow morning she had arranged for a breakfast meeting with the founder of
the NGO, who has arranged for the fund raising event. Tuhi had asked for this
meeting as she was very eager to know more about the organisation and would
like to extend her support to them. They were doing very good work by teaching
the deaf, dumb and blind children to read, write and pursue a vocation of their
choice and capability so that they can be independent human beings. Roma kept babbling
how this event will garner good coverage for Tuhi and how the owner of the NGO insisted
that no one but Tuhi Banerjee should be the artist performing for the evening.
But Tuhi’s mind had drifted elsewhere. She was thinking of the NGO, and
what a noble cause the founder has been working on. In the last 2 years Tuhi
has achieved much fame as a singer. Singing had always been her passion, and
she didn’t realize when her passion turned into her profession. But for her,
her passion is still bigger than any fame. Deep within her heart she wants to
do something as selfless as this NGO founder. She wants to spread happiness and
smile among those who appreciate life. In her own way she tries to do as much
as she can for such causes. Her concert for ‘Banshi’ (Flute) - the NGO was one such effort to do her bit for the little
kids.
“Ok, so I will arrange for your tickets to Ooty and mail it across to
you”, with that Roma hung up.
Tuhi looked around her desk, and straightened the pristine white photo
frame. For a second her eyes caught Ishaan’s smiling face in the photo frame.
It was a photo of her and Ishaan at Udaipur, taken last year during their
anniversary. She has known Ishaan for 6 years now, and they are married for 3
years. Tuhi always considers herself lucky to have Ishaan in her life. It was
not a love at first sight for Tuhi (though she always thought that’s how it
will happen). She couldn’t hear any bells ringing, angels singing around her or
showering flower petals from heaven. ….all of which she was very sure would
have happened when she fell in love with her man. Buts instead what happened
was, for the first time in life Tuhi
learnt to appreciate herself, love herself and grow more confident. He gave her
the wings to fly.
People who knew them said they had a ‘perfect marriage’. Perfect it
definitely is….but still Tuhi cannot understand why at times a grey cloud lurks
in her thoughts whenever she sits alone. What is it that she pines for….she
doesn’t know. It’s almost like no matter how many accolades and awards she wins
and how great she sings….Tuhi knows that her music can never touch the soul in
a way ‘the sound of the flute’ did. At this sudden thought Tuhi shuddered. She
quickly picked up the phone and dialed a number.
“Hello love. How was your day today?”, a reassuringly kind voice
answered. The moment Tuhi heard her husband the frown on her forehead vanished
and the dimpled smile was back.
The bus for Ooty left Bangalore at 10:45 PM. As she waved at Ishaan, Tuhi
felt pangs of guilt over leaving him alone over the weekend and that too at
such a short notice. But she knew that he would understand. As one by one her
co-passengers dozed off, Tuhi pulled the shawl closely around her shoulder and
leaned against the foggy window. It has been 11 years, since Tuhi last went to
Ooty, to her alma mater. After completing her junior college from St. Mary’s
School, Tuhi had never gone back to Ooty. Now when she thinks of her boarding
school days…it seems like a different life altogether. As she closed her eyes,
she saw herself with her two neat ponytails hanging over her shoulder sitting
with her best friends sharing ‘imli ka
achar’, stealing guavas from Mr. Jame’s immaculate garden or taking the old
care-takers cat and painting its tail blue. Life was carefree and fun. In school they were
not afraid to dream, as they had not experienced the pain of dreams shattering.
Suddenly ‘the music’ played inside Tuhi’s head. Instinctively her eyes
moistened and her heart grew heavy. In these 11 years a lot has changed…..except
this. Till this day whenever Tuhi thinks of those ‘eyes the colour of deep
forest pool’, her heart twinges and the sharp pain clouds her eyes. She reached
out inside her bag and took out the flute. Whenever she goes for any concert
the flute is always with her….it is her inspiration. Tuhi held the flute close
to her heart and closed her eyes.
Ooty has changed so much over the years that Tuhi almost felt like she
has come to the wrong place. The serene and picturesque hill station has become
a cluttered town. With people jostling, cars honking and tourists milling
around, the earlier sleepy little hill station looks forcefully busy and tired.
The car was waiting for Tuhi, the driver, a short round man, greeted her with a
big smile. Tuhi reached the hotel, freshened up and got ready for the breakfast
meeting with the founder of Banshi. She checked her watch, it was 09.20 AM and
her meeting was at 10:00 AM. She told the driver to wait back, as she wanted to
walk down to the NGO office.
The road leading to the Botanical Garden has not changed much, except
that there are too many shops now along the side of the road. As Tuhi’s feet trudged
along the uphill road, her mind walked down the winding memory lane. In school
days, during their Sunday trip to the market place Tuhi and her friends used to
come here to buy sugar candies and mirchi
pakodas (chily fries). A young boy saw Tuhi standing and came to her with
packets of colorful sugar candies and imli golis hanging around his neck. She
bought 3 packets of candies from him and slipped it in her bag. In her mind she
silently gifted them to her best friends Alisha and Veena.
When Tuhi reached Banshi, she was taken aback by the simplicity of the office
set-up. It was a modest 2 storied building, with the classrooms on the first
floor, and the office and children’s’ residence on the ground floor. As soon as
she entered, a big writing on the wall caught her attention:
No
voice in this world can be louder than silence.
If
anyone can understand your silence.
They
can never misunderstand your words.
She walked towards the reception area, where a chubby kind-faced young
girl looked at her from behind the desk and smiled.
“I’m here to meet Mr Surjo Sengupta. I have an appointment at 10:00
AM.” The girl quickly typed something on her keyboard, jumped down from her
chair and went inside a big brown door. Tuhi stood there, and looked around.
She saw a group of children sitting under the big banyan tree in the garden.
They looked on attentively as a middle-aged woman wrote something on the black-board
and then explained with gestures. A faint sound of piano floated in the air.
Tuhi walked across the lobby to the big glass room, and saw a little girl bent
over a huge piano. She opened the door and walked towards the girl. The little
girl was staring hard at the big sheet of musical note and was struggling with
the right chord. Tuhi gently bent over and touched the little girl’s shoulder
affectionately. She then hummed the tune and played it on the piano. The little
girl clapped out relieved and hugged Tuhi tightly. Tuhi was taken aback by this
simple and unadulterated show of gratitude. The girl then jumped off the high
stool, faced Tuhi and touched both her palm on her chin and gestured something.
Tuhi was completely lost as she doesn’t understand sign language. Seeing her
confusion the little girl gave her a big smile, ran to the white board next to
the piano and scribbled ‘Thank you so much’. Tuhi was overwhelmed, she walked
to the girl and hugged her tight, tears streaming down her cheek.
Just then there was a soft knock at the door. Tuhi looked up to see the
kind faced young receptionist. She gestured Tuhi to come with her. Tuhi quickly
wiped off her tears and took a deep breath to compose herself. She waved at the
little girl and left the music room. While crossing the lobby the writing on
the wall caught her attention again – “No voice in this world can be louder
than silence.” Suddenly a memory from years back flashed across her mind.
“My name is Tuhi. It means the
‘chirping of birds’. What is your name?” she blurted in one breath and looked
up at him.
He stood there in silence…...”
Tuhi quickly tore herself from that memory and walked towards the big
brown door. She was really looking forward to meeting Mr. Sengupta. He has been
doing some great work, and she would love to support him in whatever little way
she could. Tuhi’s mind was soo occupied with the thoughts of how she could change
the lives of these kids that she didn’t realize that soon her life is going to
be changed forever.
Tuhi followed the young receptionist inside the room. The room was very
different from the rest of the building. It had thick wooden walls, and what
caught her attention immediately was the 2 walls that had book shelves right
from the floor till the ceiling. Right next to the bookshelf was a huge oil
painting of a little girl and a boy sitting with their back, on a bench under
an old pine tree, watching the setting sun. Tuhi stopped for a second in front
of the painting, taking in the warm hues of the canvas. She liked the way the
girl rested her head on the boy’s shoulder. She heard a soft rustling behind
her, and turned around, suddenly remembering why she had come in here. She was
so absorbed by the surroundings in the room, that for a moment she felt like
she belonged here.
As Tuhi turned around she saw a huge desk. Behind the desk a tall man
was sitting on a chair, bending over some of the papers. He was wearing a blue
tweed jacket over a white shirt. He had a strong jawline, and wore black-rimmed
glasses. She couldn’t see more, as he was looking down. He signed the papers
with a practiced flourish and gestured the young lady to leave. He then removed
his glasses and stood facing Tuhi.
As Tuhi’s eyes met those ‘eyes the colour of deep forest pool’, she shuddered
and her head reeled. She quickly held on to the chair in front of her and
steadied herself. He slowly walked around the table, pulled the chair and made
her sit. She looked up at him, and this time she knew that it was him. Her heart
is beating so hard that she can feel the pain throbbing through her veins. He
slowly walked towards the huge French window and pulled the curtain. As the
room plunged into darkness, Tuhi’s mind grew number. ‘He’ was always a puzzle
for her….but what is happening now is surreal.
He flicked a switch and a big projector screen lighted up right in
front of Tuhi. He walked up to the desk and sat on the corner of the desk…just
inches away from her As the familiar sound of the flute started playing…..Tuhi
looked up and saw these words flashed across the screen:
“Hi Tuhi, my name is Surjo. It means ‘mighty as the sun’.
I cannot speak. I was born this way, and had made my peace with my
silent life…until I met YOU. The first day I saw you near the old tower-house I
found what I had been looking for all my life. I found my muse, who added soul
to my music. I wanted to hold your hand and bring you to my world and tell you
how much I had longed for you. But how could I have told you Tuhi, as in my
world there is no voice, no words, no song.
My parents died when I was very young. Mrs James, your history teacher
at St. Mary’s was my godmother. She had no children so she took care of me
after my parents’ death. I used to stay with her mother at her village house.
One year, when I was 14, Aunty James could not visit her village, as she had a
surgery, and so I along with Grandma James came to visit her at her quarters in
Ooty. It was during this visit that I met you.
I still remember the last day, before leaving for village. I knew I had
to meet you once as I knew deep down that you understood my silence. You could
read my eyes, and no words could ever express what my music had expressed to
you. Do you remember the song I played for you that day? You had tears in your
eyes. And when I held your hands you shivered. It was perfect….until you spoke.
You asked me my name and my dream burst. I realized, we need words between
us…as you couldn’t understand my silence. The very moment that you gave me the
meaning of my life…you took away from me the reason to live. I knew I couldn’t
live without you, and neither could I be with you.
I knew I would never see you again. But I could not go empty handed. I
wanted something of yours that I can keep as my own. So I took your bracelet. I
know you were hurt Tuhi…but I didn’t want to hurt you. I had to have something
that belonged to you…..if not your heart.
I never played the flute since that day. My music was for you…and it
stayed with you.
I knew you had a lot of unanswered questions that you had carried along
with you for so many years. I hope I could answer them today.
This school that you see here, is built so that no other ‘Tuhi’ ever
goes without getting an answer to her questions. Yes Tuhi, when I met you, had
I been able to write or express myself you need not have to carry on this
burden within your heart for so long. But I didn’t know how to read or write,
as no school entertained children like us. At ‘Banshi’, I give voice to the
young people who do not have a voice of their own.
This is all I have to say. Your bracelet lies on the desk. You can take
it, as now I have lived you for so many years that I do not need anything else
to remind me of you. I’m YOU.”
With this, the projector screen went blank. Darkness filled the room.
Surjo walked towards the window and pulled back the curtains. The warm glow of
the morning sun streamed in through the huge glass window….softly hugging the
two people who sat there in silence.
