Alone in the Crowd

As she entered the pub, she found it total in party mood as she was and why shouldn’t she be it was her batch’s farewell party thrown by themselves. Every guy like always was eyeing her as she entered in a sequined silver dress with shinning red stilettoes. Today everything seem perfect in my life, she cleared her exams with good grades, had a loving support of her family and now had a great job waiting ahead for which she got selected in a campus placement. But there was one hitch, he had proposed and she didn’t knew how to react, she knew this was coming soon as they had met twice or thrice under circumstances, but she decided to let loose today and forget everything and enjoy the night as such night should be enjoyed.

After dancing for an hour or so, she was thirsty so she ordered a Virgin Mojito, when she saw another woman sitting over there she was lost in her own world, this was weird because the pub was booked for their batch party she didn’t looked their batch mate and even she was in her early 30s. By dressing the girl didn’t looked like some who gate crashed the party as she was dressed in a tight office wear grey dress with some gold chains. She was sitting alone in the corner and sipping her cocktail which looked like Bloody Mary. She was lost in her own world, though being the popular girl in their batch she was never out of attention but she felt some connection the girl and so she sat with her and asked her “Hey! You look lost. If you don’t mind you could share it with me because whatever you share with me will never go out from this place as we are stark strangers. It’s sometimes easier to say your agony to someone whom you don’t know.”

“Leave it darling, it’s just something not in your control and yes you are right it’s easier to share something to a total stranger then own ones. You enjoy the party and let me enjoy mine.” The lady said with a sad smile.

But somewhere when she didn’t left the other lady opened up saying “you should never be happy because happiness is like oasis disappearing just when you think you attained it.

Today I have everything; I have a super successful career and what not but let’s see that I am celebrating my super success alone in a pub full of teenagers where I am telling my life story to a stranger.

I was born to superbly rich family and then got high degrees in life. I am alumni of La Martini . And graduate from IIM Mumbai, then studied some years in London Economics School. I have worked with top brands of the world including some like Apple, Gucci and Versace. Then 3 years back I settled back in India and started a new concept in India, I own the takeover management company. I takeover companies in low prices and then sell them in huge profits within months. And today I have sealed the deal of my life.

Around 6 years back, I had being thrown out of a place saying that my ideas are way too dynamic and dangerous and drown everyone in them but today I bought it and it gives me immense pleasure to break it from piece -piece as it gives me pride. Yet I am alone here celebrating my victory with you who don’t even know my name or I don’t know yours.

It isn’t that I don’t have a family. I have a total family with father-mother, a sister and buaji but all are busy. My parents are currently in Milan for some fashion week; my sister is on her 20^th honeymoon in Libya, whereas Buaji is in Benares resting in the kothi which I gifted her last month.

You would say that to loosen my aloneness I should marry but you will be surprised to know I am married. And there also I have huge family with dadi, chacha-chachi, husband, nanad, devars and bhabhis but still they are busy. Dadi with my buaji in Banaras. Chacha-chachi enjoying in Switzerland. Devar and bhabhi in America for weekend, nanad to Dubai for shopping week and you won’t believe even my husband is busy; we both are in same city yet at different places. He is having his celebration party with his clients.

I married my husband seeing the social standing we both shared I brought him contacts; he brought in money for my business set up. And in 3 years we are known as THE Couple. It’s said that we can even turn stones to profitable deals but here we are not even able to make something like a small talk except when on business.

Follow my advice; never marry just for the social status or business arrangements. You may for now seem to like my life but it’s not what it looks like. All glitters are not gold. And after years I saw someone in whom I saw my glimpses so that’s the reason I am saying you, ye daulat aur ye shauhrat khushiyaan nahi de sakte, tumhari tanhayee se tumko rihayee nahi de sakte.”

It got all overboard for her so she decided to lighten the mood by saying “let’s leave your life and my life discussions, let me buy you a drink to our new friendship.”

She looked in her eyes and said “Ok, but it’s my treat so I am paying.” Then she took her to dance floor and they danced till wee hours of the day. Then suddenly, the bar attender came and respectfully said something in her ears and she was about to leave when turned and said

“Thanks for the night, by the way I am Mrs Piyali Sisodia. And tell your friends they don’t need to pay the bill yesterday’s party is on the house as yesterday I took over this chain of hotels from where I started my professional life 7 years back and sacked 6 years back.”

“I am Nancy Chauhan. Hope we meet soon.” Nancy said getting sober but it was when she realised that she had spent her night with The Piyali Sisodia, very successful herself and spouse of equally successful businessman Mr Rakesh Sisodia. They are the most corporate couple yet today she saw the truth beside this happy successful couple with that her hitch to this marriage ended.

The first thing she did the next morning was to say yes to Sid for because after meeting Piyali she realised that everybody needed a partner even after how much success in your life, and that partner should be someone whom you choose for companionship and not for corporate relationship.

The same morning, she saw Piyali and Rakesh’s photo in paper with top news of their marriage completing 3 years the last night and as present Mr Sisodia gifted his wife a new chain of hotels, the same they were partying last night. And she saw them smiling grinningly for the photo but seeing Piyali’s eyes she saw lost and despair and remembered these lines:-

“Kehne ko saath apane ek duniya chalti hai
Par chhupke is dil mein tanhaayi palti hai”