D Day - Valentine Day

Thursday 12th Feb 2009 17:30 BST, London

Feeling uneasy and restless I came early from office. For lightening up the mood I called my friend Saurabh, in Pune. He greeted me with surprisingly shocking or shockingly surprising news. I always or atleast from the last two years knew that it will happen but I never thought that this news will came to me in such a fashion, at such a time and from such source. Its “ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies” kind of situation. And to be honest I wasn’t prepared for it and never wanted to know it. The news has left me in more miserable situation. All the past good and painful memories took over me. Where I went wrong, what would I have done to avoid this feeling now?
I heard a voice calling on me. It was Harshal, my room-mate, asking me what I would like to have in dinner as it been his turn to cook. Telling him that I am not feeling well and just want to have rest, I shut myself in my room. I lost the track of time, missed dinner, breakfast, lunch and even office the next day.

Friday 13th Feb 2009 16:00 BST, London

I woke with a start. It was my cell phone ringing with Rahul at other end, curious to know whether I have started for his place, Manchester. Just then it strike me that we had planned to visit Lake District over the weekend. Believing that it’s a good way to get over this feeling, I hurriedly got ready and left for Liverpool Street. I make it to Liverpool Street in time but thanks to the Friday evening crowd in the national rail for Manchester, I didn’t get the seat and have covered the distance sitting in the passageway leaving me with no comfort to ponder over what had happened in last 24 hours.
Reached Manchester, there was Rahul waiting with the car we have rented for going to Lake District. We drove to an Indian restaurant for dinner and after that we went to Rahul’s place. It was midnight (and early morning in India), Rahul got busy with his girl over call and I was left alone to spend yet another sleepless night.

Saturday 14th Feb 2009 09:45 BST, Manchester

It was a wonderful February Morning; we started late as it was drizzling heavily. Stopping at various scenic places, we finally reach the beautiful awe inspiring place, Lake District. We borrowed a canoe and climbed abroad feeling very excited. Even though the banks were not too far, the water was infact very deep. But I was relieved knowing Rahul is a good swimmer. Just then Rahul got the call from his girl and he moved out of sight.
I pushed away from the bank and paddled alone with difficulty, finding the craft hard to manoeuvre. A massive oak tree grew on the lake’s edge, its branches stretching out over the water. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a boy of my age appeared at the base of the tree. He shouted something in non-English which I didn’t understood. He called out again this time in English that the tree is about to fall and repeated the same in Hindi and disappeared. In disbelief I saw the giant tree start to move. It was obviously going to topple over directly onto the canoe and that will certainly drown me.

All my past memories came rushing to me, when I got promoted, last time when I didn’t talk to her nicely, the first kiss, first time I saw her, when I got the job, boozing with friends, long drives after midnights, eye teasing in college corridors, when I got punished in school, results when I stood first, gully crickets, colorful and noisy festivals, my sisters marriage, my first cycle, my parents and their teachings that in demanding situations always pray to God. And I prayed. It was just at this point, when the tree was actually in the process of toppling over, that it appeared to halt in the mid-air. Looking up in amazement, I saw the same boy re-appear. Incredibly, he was holding the whole weight of this enormous tree. He succeeded in pushing it sideways, and as it crashed into the lake, only the very tip of the branches brushed against the canoe.
It took all my strength to paddle away from the sinking tree and the danger of being pulled under the water, but eventually I reached the lakeside and safety. Scrambling over the dry ground with relief, I could see no sign of that boy who saved me. Onlookers, and there were many including Rahul, said that they had not seen any boy at all during any stage of the drama. Absorbing the whole sequence of events, I have no doubts that the boy was indeed my Guardian Angel. A feeling of calmness and relief filled me. It has not only saved my life but also given me belief that everything will be alright and there is someone, who knows my best interest, looking after me.

Beside each man who’s born on earth
A guardian angel takes his stand,
To guide him through life’s mysteries.

- Menander of Athens