this side...n that

They were mere flowers.. a beautifully arranged bouquet that had been gifted to an incredibly beautiful young gal. They had arrived that morning, fresh with little droplets of water daintily seated on the delicate petals. A tag hung by it's side..."something beautiful for someone beautiful!"

She had been in the kitchen gobbling her breakfast and packing lunch, when the doorbell rang. She wasn't expecting the flowers, nevertheless she was elated to get them! They had had a fight last evening and hadn't seperated in what one would call amicable terms. The flowers this morning, seemed to lighten the whole ordeal of who was to say 'sorry' first. Obviously these flowers said it all!

She was running late for office like she does most mornings and the arrival of these flowers added another 5 mins of delay. She hadn't realised how long she had stood smiling, staring and caressing the petals while she wondered about how many different ways of making up for a fight, he comes up with and remembering all those sweet nothings that he had whispered into her ears.....just how much this person meant to her. She wanted to call him up this very moment and tell him how much she loved him. Just as she picked up her phone, the siren rang...she had been way too late for work. Even Ranjani must have walked into office after dropping off the kids at school. Forgetting all about the phone and him, she grabbed her purse and flew out of the door. The call could wait..Mr.Bhatia and his watch wouldn't!

It was lunch time before she knew it. It had beena particularly busy day and Mr. Bhatia was having one of his infamous mood swings. She din't have a minute to steal a call to him. But all she could think of was how she was going to ask him home for dinner tonite and what a delicious meal she would cook him.
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He had just shifted in to the apartment. It wasn't the most comfortable place, but was comfortable enough for a young ,single guy, here to stay for a 6 month period. He was looking forward to working in the project, earning a good recommendation from his boss so he could submit the same for a promotion that was long overdue.

After the initial settling in and getting used to the commute from office to home, he had ventured out to find the closest grocery. ......She stood there reading out her grocery list nonchalantly, while the little boy at the store ran helter skelter to fetch them. She was gorgeous. That was all he could think as he stared at her blatantly. Before he figured out how he could approach her and start a conversation, she disappeared.....as far as he was concerned into thin air!! For days after that, his eyes would search for that one face that could quench the thirst of his sight. But she had literally disappeared.

............until one fine day, as he stood by his window with a cup of coffee in hand, he saw that familiar face drifting across the windows of the apartment in front of his. Over the next few days, he knew her routine on a weekday and weekend just as well as she knew it! The best time of his day was mornings....when he watched her fly out of the front door with a thousand things in her hand and a few more clenched tight between her teeth. She never looked more adorable.

He wanted to confront her. But he din't want their first meeting to be another of those "Hi..I am new here and stay right across. I was wondering if you could help me find...." blah blah blah. It had to be special, coz she was special. After contemplating the whole day, he came up with an idea. It was novel and touching. Afterall girls loved flowers!!

He stopped by a florist shop he passed by everyday on his way back from office and ordered a few lilies....pure white....he loved white flowers and was sure she would too. She was so delicate, just like them. He kept thinking of a message to tag along with the flowers and had come up with "something beautiful for someone beautiful". He was confident that she had an idea of his existence and wanted to make a direct approach. The flowers would be delivered next morning and he would plead guilty in the evening. It was perfect.

He woke up that morning, all excited to see her reaction when the flowers arrived. He din't want to miss a single moment of it. He stood by the window, observing the look of surprise, a moment of pondering and breaking into a smile as she caressed each flower.....and then the moment he had waited for......she came upto the window,looked straight in his direction, let a sigh and smiled coyly. He smiled right back...wide..ear to ear. He had never been happier than that. But, how did she know it was him? Had the delivery boy spilled the beans? There was no way she could have known.....unless.....she was secretly watching. But why would she do that? May be she admires him too! WOW!!!

That evening, he picked up a box of chocolates. He knew she would love them. He came back home and freshend up. He wanted it to be the best evening he or she had ever had. As he got dressed, he kept looking out into her apartment to see what she was doing. He saw her bustling about, probably cooking something special, cleaning up the house and decorating with......what looked like candles. He couldn't beleive his luck!

Just as he was about to leave he gave one last look at her window. She was clinging to the door and smiling flirtatiously.It appeared like she was talking to somebody at the door. A guy entered and she melted in his arms, wrapping him in hers. What was going on? Wasn't he supposed to be that guy eventually? .....but she had smiled at him this morning. She had acknowledged his gesture. Then what was this?

Dreams shattered, he slumped against the window. He had always been warned about women. They were unpedictable and changed without a moment's notice. This was just another of those instances. She was also one of those gals who had accepted gifts from him and then thrown him aside like he was dirt. He din't want to see her ever again......never.
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She was standing in the elevator, on her way to work, recollecting last evening which was everything she had dreamt of. Flowers, food, candles and the man she loved...what more does a woman want! They had finished a laid back romantic dinner and snuggled together to watch a movie. Time just flew and before they knew it, it was time for him to get back. It was one of her best evenings. She had wished it was never over. The only thing that intrigued her was everytime she mentioned the flowers he kept asking what flowers she was talking about! May be he was pulling a fast one on her...or may be just teasing her...or may be..he din't actually send one..but how is that possible..who else would send her flowers and why?

Her thoughts were disturbed by the bell that rings evrytime the elevator stops at a floor. The guy who moved in recently into the apartment across her, got in. He was a plain-looking guy, but dressed well always. She liked observing his tie-shirt collection whenver she came across him. He was pretty friendly, decent and not flirtatious (like the others in the building), the reason she liked him. She had never spoken to him but they always smiled at each other.

As she smiled at him today, he made a stern face and looked away. She had no idea why. She couldn't recollect anything unpleasnt that had happened between them. May be it is just a bad day for him or he may not be in the best of moods.
She could care less...she had had an enormously enchanting evening and nothing or nobody could ruin the thoughts of those moments for her.

..renewed determination

2007....a score and a few more years on earth...n still going!! Each year starts with a dream n the whole year after that goes in putting the efforts to bring that dream to life. Most of the years I have lived my dream and been very proud to do so.

My dream this time is a bigger one and my efforts seem to be just half of what is required. This year my dream is to double up and add that zing to my efforts....that extra something that makes the difference between a success and a failure.

I am not giving up yet. I still have a lot in me to give to this world. I realise I need a little discipline and direction to my efforts and I intend to do just that.

2007 shall see me lay my foundation to the dream.