First Meet

In the midst of his confusion, Praveen still thought what to do. His hand as trembling dialed Aunt Neha's number. There was a dial tone, but it wasn't answered. He tried to call again, still no response. What's wrong? Why wasn't Auntie Neha picking up the phone? Was she angry because he had turned off his cell phone before?

He tried to contact her many times, but she wasn't available. Praveen was almost in despair. He needed explanation now. Was the message he received true? Why did his mother die? All he knew she was fine before. Indeed, he rarely phoned her, because she didn't have a cell phone. Every time he contacted her, it would be to Auntie Neha first and then to her mother. Their house in the village is near, only twenty meters away.

His mother lived alone in their small house in the village. She selling vegetables in market in Chandrapur on a daily basis. Every morning before sunrise, she goes to the collector and picks up vegetables to resell at the market. The vegetables was transported using a bicycle rickshaw. When the stuff sold out in the middle of the day, she came home early, and doing other things such as receiving sewing job from the neighbors. Her mother was good at sewing, but it wasn't every day she received the job. On religious events she would make wreath and offerings and selling them.

Praveen was the only child. Since his father died many years ago, his mother had not remarried and Praveen was tired of their poor life. He didn't want to be a vegetable seller, or any other unskilled laborer since he finished high school. He just wandered here and there.

He had received a lot of advice from people in order to help his mother. He just ignored them. It's not that he didn't love his mother, but he didn't want to be like his mother as a vegetable seller. After all, he had never bothered her all this time. As a son he was quite self-aware, never begging. He only came home to sleep. For his living expenses while in Mumbai was from his own money which he saved for months. He worked in an earthenware factory before going to Mumbai. His mother didn't know that. She only knew her son had impossible dreams. Want to be a Bollywood star. That's all.

Praveen looked at his phone again, waiting for call back from Auntie Neha. But the phone was silent. The screen showed it was one o'clock in the afternoon.

Oh no! He had to make a decision quickly. There was still a chance to catch the train to Chandrapur. The previous train departed at 11.30, and even then the Anandwan Express. The Sevagram Express train departed at five to three. There's still 2 hours left.

Yes, taking the train was the best option rather than taking the bus. Beside faster, the fare was much cheaper, only 450 rupees. He still had 4000 rupees in his wallet.

Unknowingly, tears fell from his eyes. Conjured up his mother's face. In the eyelids, she seemed waving hand to call him home.

"No, Mother! You can't die!" he sobbed like a child. But he realized he was on the side of the road and crying. It's weird for a man crying on the road side. He quickly wiped his cheeks.

He had to go home now. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to see his mother for the last time. It would be the biggest regret of his life if it happened.

He walked briskly towards the train station. The weather at one o'clock in the summer was hotter than usual. Thirty three degrees Celsius. But he didn't care. His steps were getting faster, faster than people passing by around him. Within fifteen minutes he had walked so far.

The train station begun to appear on the other side. Somehow he ran across the highway. A new luxury car squeaked because it stopped suddenly seeing someone crossing the street recklessly.

Praveen spontaneously took a few steps back. He was furious his path was blocked by passing vehicles. Even though he was wrong, he didn't care. He approached the car and hit the rearview mirror. The glass was broken. Whether he was grieving or angry, he didn't feel his hand hurt.

The car driver did not accept it. He immediately opened the door and walked out. Praveen was on alert but seeing the man who came out was a burly man, he shriveled up.

"Hey, why did you hit this car, you idiot!" said Rajesh Kumar fiercely.

"It's your fault! don't see anyone crossing!"

"It's yours! crossing the street carelessly. Wanna die, huh?"

"It's none of your business whether I want to die or not!"

"But you broke this car's rearview mirror, you idiot!"

"Then what do you want?" asked Praveen as if innocent.

"You pay for it!"

"I do not want to!"

"I hit you or should I report to the police?"

"Up to you! I do not care."

Rajesh Kumar was getting furious. The young man in front of him was getting more and more alert for attacks, just in case Rajesh threw his punches. But Rajesh was silent for a moment, looking into Praveen's eyes. He wondered whether this young man was a madman, or someone who was in trouble. But he still didn't accept it, he quickly grabbed Praveen's shirt collar and pulled it. Praveen tried to brush it off.

"Let him go, Uncle!" a voice came from inside the car. Zoya immediately opened the door and got out. Rajesh seemed unconcerned as he continued to grip Praveen's shirt.

"Uncle, I beg you, let him go!" Zoya asked again. Obviously she didn't want to make a fuss in the middle of the road. Several people nearby watched like a show. Hearing Zoya's appeal, Rajesh finally let go of his hand.

The nice girl looked at Praveen. Praveen tidy up his shirt. He looked back at Zoya. They looked at each other.

The young man's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's gaze. Not an eagle looking for prey, but an eagle that is hurting. She didn't know why her chest pounding when she looked at him like that.

"That's enough! You better go. You'll have to be careful when crossing next time unless you really don't want to live anymore."

"He must be responsible for the damage he did!" Rajesh said as if he didn't accept it.

"How much do I have to pay?" asked Praveen. Somehow he suddenly changed his mind to see Zoya. His voice softened.

"Can you afford it? It's a new and expensive car!" cried Rajesh.

"Just tell me how much?"

"Come on, Uncle! I don't want my day to be ruined just because of this. Let him go. I think he's in trouble."

"That's none of our business! He must take responsibility!"

"I will replace it," said Zoya interceding. Rajesh Kumar grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Miss! I'll pay for it!" Praveen pulled his wallet out of his trouser pocket.

"I said no! Go away, now! And please take a good care of you," Zoya said again tactfully.

Hearing the girl's words, Praveen felt guilty. A Regret also came out after doing a bad thing.

"I'll pay as much as I can," Praveen said again. He took out his wallet. Zoya laughed to see the contents of the wallet which was only a few thousand rupees.

"You don't have enough money to fix this car, even if it's just a mirror," said Zoya though she didn't mean to be condescending. But it actually sounded shocking.

"I do apologize! You're right, I'm having a problem so don't be careful. My mother died in the village," said Praveen with a look of regret.

"I don't believe what you're saying!" Rajesh barked again but Praveen was not provoked.

"I'm not pushing you to believe. For the sake of my mother's soul so that she can rest in peace, I apologize."

Zoya was silent. Her guess was right. The man was in trouble and he had acknowledged it and apologized and that's all that matters.

Besides, deep down she was somehow happy to see the man's face. Although his appearance was simple, and his expression was troubled, he couldn't cover his handsome face . The jaw looks solid, the nose is sharp, and the eyebrows look perfect. That's what made her not angry.

"If what you saying is true, I'm sorry. Hurry home. May your mother be reborn in a happy world!"

"Thank you Miss. Regards!" Praveen bowed and cupped his palms in a salute and quickly left.

Rajesh was still grumbling as if he couldn't accept it, but he couldn't do anything because the owner of the car had forgiven him. She let the young man go. They got back into the car. In a few moments, the luxury sedan was back on the move.

Praveen has reached the station. He rushed to the ticket counter. Luckily, there was still an empty seat so he could go home. After ordering a ticket that cost 450 rupees, he went into the waiting room, and looked for a seat there. But none of the seats were empty. In fact, many passengers were sitting on the floor of the station.

Only then did he realize that he didn't have lunch before. His belly was growling but he had no intention of having lunch. His appetite just disappeared. All he could imagine was his mother which kept on calling him home. But considering he was going on a long journey, he couldn't help but find food first. Fortunately, in front of the station there were many food seller and he saw a Thalipeeth seller that he really likes and can quench his hunger. And he had to buy other food supplies for tonight and of course bottled water.

He went out for a while to buy Thalipeeth, bread and bottled water. That's all he could think of. Two slices of Thalipeeth with chutney sauce, two slices of bread and a liter of bottled water he thinks is enough. He went back into the station to the platform.

While waiting, he checked his cell phone again for calls or messages from Auntie Neha. He needed more information from her about his mother. But nothing. In the end, he just gave up, even though his feelings were upset.

At 2:55 p.m. the Sevagram express finally brought him back to Chandrapur to meet his late mother for the last time.