Valentine’s Day, one of the favorite days in an year for all, especially for youngsters it is an occasion to celebrate; it could be sending flowers, gifts or anything which serves as a token of love. There are many who find love, many still waiting for miracles to happen and few others like me who think that miracle could be in any form, it can be a blissful experience in form of a small meeting with a girl, a funny incident interwoven around so called crush or anything worth remembering. So on obvious note Valentine’s Day too takes me to my old memories down the lane which I haven’t shared with anyone as I always felt that this is too personal and wanted to preserve those sweet innocent moments. But today I feel like sharing an episode of my life, it is one of those episodic moments which make an indelible impression on your psyche, still fresh and reminiscent of not so boring life.

I was in 12^th standard in a boarding school in Dehradun. It was a co-ed school so girls too were there, but obviously in a different hostel. There was no way we could meet or communicate to girls as there two huge gates with guards as sentinels. The girl’s hostel was intersected by huge staff building with garden and surrounded by high walls so their hostel was almost out of reach but boys always had their ways to talk to girls.  

I still vividly remember, it was second Saturday and I was sitting near the window of my hostel at the second floor, holidays used to treat for us since there were no morning bells and breakfast timing were different so we actually got an hour extra  to sleep. That day somehow I got up little early, it was unusual though.

The view from my hostel window was quite panoramic; there was a huge fountain which sprinkled only during special days like parents teacher’s meeting, founder’s day and sports day, few academics block on one end and the girl’s hostel on the other. The girls had a privilege to access the garden adjacent to staff building during holidays while few boys like me had freedom to view those areas but only from a distance.

I was flipping pages of some magazine waiting for the breakfast bell, suddenly I saw a girl reading some book in the garden, for a moment I was numb as if struck by a lightening.  The girl looked beautiful; her hairs were shining with wetted look, she resembled like a mystic demigoddess an Aphrodite in her chariot trying to woo me and I stood at the other end enamored by her stunning look. I don’t know what love at first sight or infatuation is but then that feeling instantly captivated me to an extent that I couldn’t take off my eyes from her. She was there for almost 10 minutes. Those few minutes were so enchanting so mesmerizing that even today I can feel them.

 Since the window were grilled so it impossible for someone to notice from that far. I knew her since many years as she was an year junior to me but had never noticed her in that way, though she was beautiful and different from the rest of the crowd but still it never dawned on me that she could be my first crush that too so late in my life considering the fact that people from our generation too were quite smart but in no means close to today’s IPod one.

I told my friends and they were quite gaga over whole affair, since then our sole agenda was to seek an opportunity to meet her since she was from commerce stream and as science student I hardly spoke to people from different stream. Ironically all efforts were in vain because I wanted to meet her and at the same time wanted to keep things under wrap. Maybe I was too conscious to maintain my image as a boring and studious guy.

But then there was a divine intervention when I was given the responsibility of managing the guest list of our sports day, I was heading the committee who would usher important guests at the meet. She too was a member on that list. The meeting was scheduled and we all met, I stood there at one end of the room silently watching her and looking for an opportunity to speak.

“Hi Sir,” she said. There was a warmth and politeness in her voice with the way she started the conversation.

I couldn’t believe the girl I was trying to meet from past few months is standing in front of me. I was bereft of words but somehow acknowledged her presence with a smile.

As per my suggestion we made of group of two to receive guests at different places. Since ushers team had a very important role so I had to ensure that all of us work together as a team. The whole plan was made we decided to meet next day.

Next day when I reached at the hall at the scheduled time, she was already there.

She smiled and said “Sir, I have made the list, please have a look at it.”

“Oh thanks” I replied, trying to look for her name.

The list had ten groups with all names, timings and gates where they will receive the guests since there were many gates.

Suddenly I noticed something and replied “The list looks fine but where is your name”

“Oh, is it?” and she took the list from me.

“Actually I forgot my mention my name,” then she paused and said “Sir, why don’t you accompany me to gate number one.”

That was a godsend to me, as I was thinking the whole night how to convince her to be with me during the event.

“Yeah that sounds great, but we have to manage other teams too and needless to say that we will lead the chief guest as well.” I replied emphatically trying to suppress my excitement.

She smiled and added our name in the list. Every day we used to have meetings and again most of the time I tried to speak to her. She used to come up with lots of suggestions, spoke softly and almost won my heart. Her engaging presence made me felt that girls are most beautiful creation one can ever imagine and even today I thank God for those lovely moments.

Finally the sports day arrived; we were together for almost eight hours right from morning till evening, would help the guest finding their place, co-coordinating with other teams too and in between we even enjoyed numerous small meals of sandwiches, ice-creams and cold drinks though they were strictly meant  for guests. We even encouraged our respective houses and congratulated each other for each addition in the medal tally.

Lot of people make preparation when they are about to meet a girl, I too ensured that I had plenty of jokes in my conversation just to make her feel happy. She smiled at each stupid joke or may be pretended but in all she was really cheerful and made me feel that she enjoyed my company. But then there is always an end to all good things too and that day too passed.

The same evening when we were leaving, she came to me and said “Sir, I really enjoyed your company, never thought that such boring work would be so much fun but it was all because of you and will always remember this day”

Even I thanked her for everything and reciprocated her gesture with equal warmth and friendliness. That was the last day I spoke to her, after few days my pre-boards arrived and I submerged myself in studies, even when we met we just smiled and acknowledged each other.

 Today when I see people around exchanging pleasantries, gifts and anything which involve feelings, emotions reminds me of love, togetherness and our existence as social being. The same idea can be put in form of Valentine’s Day or any occasion which brings all of us together. Let’s celebrate this Valentine’s Day with the same gesture and enjoy every day without waiting for the day or date to attach meanings and significance to it.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!