Rains...Incident I

I sat on the giant window of my room with the newspaper in my hand. 'Rains in Pune have (almost) always been good,' I had heard this from many people. 'This would be my first shohwers here' I thought to myself. The weather in the newspaper said it would rain. Unlike other days when I used to get up around 11 in the morning, that day I got up at eight. I was sitting wide awake reading the newspaper, getting excited about enjoying the rain. My well-paid job in this strangely welcoming jovial city helped me afford a rented flat in this lavish apartment. The one thing I always liked here was sitting alone on this beautiful window sipping my first coffee of the day reading the newspaper. There was something peaceful here. I did not have much friends in Pune since I was new to the place. Even though the people are compassionate and amicable, there are times when I just want to be with myself only.
That day was, perhaps, one such day. It was my off from work and I felt utterly lazy. I played Air Supply's making love out of nothing at all and hopped from one corner to the other. I so wish somebody dedicates this song to me. Just wish. I wore a purple and mauve check boxers and a white NIKE T-shirt. It was neither very hot nor too cold, though it was breezy. The weather was pleasant. Seemed like it would rain heavily, the clouds meant that. I headed towards the bathroom to lighten up myself. Within a matter of ten minutes it had started raining. I wanted to waste no time at all. I stepped out of my flat and saw my neighbours pet standing at my door. I did not understand what it wanted me to do so I took it along with me to the terrace. It felt heavenly up there. There was a particular song that the rain drops sang. I stood there allowing every drop to sink deep in me. There was a fresh smell around and I stretched my arms to hug the rain. I held the little dalmatian in my arms and danced. The pup hopped with me from one corner to another. I looked around and saw a boy admiring me from the terrace of another building. I smiled and he smiled back. I could not see much of him since I was a little far from the building. I ignored him completely and moved towards the other end. After sometime when I came back to fetch my cotton wrap from the mosaic pedestal, I looked over and saw the boy still standing there, like he did not move at all. He appeared to be my age. I went closer and he turned to me and smiled yet again. His eyes sparkled this time. I was shivering. He poitned at my cotton wrap asking me to put it on. I immediately wrapped myself and went near the railing, though he did not move from his place. I tried to call him near, he did not. Instead he smiled. It was intriguing. I leaped and saw that he was limp. I was taken aback, tear ran down my cheek and he motioned me to wipe it. He smiled and mouthed, "I'm fine".
From that day I used to go to the terrace every day to get a glimpse of him. There were so many questions in my mind, like was he limp by birth?, did he have any family?, how did he manage to come up to the terrace? I got no answers at all to my questions. One day while going for work, when I crossed the community park I spotted him scribbling something on a notebook. He was sitting on a wheel chair. i went close to him, "hi". He looked up at me surprised.
"So, you found me?" he questioned without so much as less as a smile.
"Yeah! I mean I used to go to the terrace in search of you. You disappeared after that," I was hesitant. He said nothing.
"I'm feiyaz. I, uh..." I was just saying when he wheeled away like I wasn't even there. I followed him.
"You know this is rude"
"So be it"
"Ah? what is the matter with you?"
"You," he said looking straight into my eyes making me uncomfortable.
"I didn't understand"
"You...please leave me alone"
"I need to know why my presence bothers you and how when we hardly know each other"
"You remind me of my accident. I lost my leg then. Is this reason enough for you to stay away," he said ruthlessly.
"this is just so crazy. How?" He wheeled faste now and I walked even faster to get him. Irritated, he stopped.
"I was trying to save a girl when the truck ran over my leg"
"I resemble that girl?"
"No. But the sequence of incidents resemble"
"resemble what?
"I met this girl on the same terrace where you stood that day. Same dress up, the cotton wrap, mosaic pedestal, sharing smiles, then you ignoring me and then coming back and then me asking you to wrap yourself. Your eyes...speak exactly the way her eyes did. The exuberant self..." he stopped clutching on to the handles of the wheel chair panting and sweating ceaselessly. I placed my hand on his shoulder but he jerked it.
"Who was that girl? stranger like me?"
"Initially, yes"
"then..."
"she was my fiancee"
I was stunned to silence. I was mute.
"I can't take your sight, your presence, it hurts me," he lowered his head covering his face with his hands.
"I'm sorry," I could just say this.