~~Concerns-23~~

~~~~~~~~~~ Concerns 23. ~~~~~~~~~~
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20062011
© Vinay Vaidya



"Everything is illusion."
She kind of proclaimed.
She was sitting comfortably on the sofa-chair,
sipping her coffee with me.
She was my friend, class-fellow in my college-days.
At that time we lived in a proverbial 'sleepy-town',
where her father was some government official.
My father was a retired Principal of the local (M.P.
Government conducted) Higher Secondary School.
She had no problem with English Medium during
college years, but I had to lose an year in trying to
cope-up with the English language. And then we were
in the same class in the second year of our graduation
Now, some 30 years after she 're-discovered' me, 
through a social-networking site, though when we were 
class-fellow, we hardly spoke to one-another. It was 
the custom in those days. 
She called me two days ago and expressed her wish 
to see me.
Today she was here in my drawing-room.We talked 
about so many things, She made coffee for us, and as 
I had been always single, she made it a point, like an
traditional 'Indian-woman', to do the kitchen work 
herself, when we were together.She could not see me 
working, and allowing herself sitting 'idle'; comfortably.
Then we said good-bye, and she left.
~~
The very next day she came once more,without giving 
a call. 
The sky was cloudy, and as yesterday, she again made
coffee, and we were sitting in my drawing-room, trying
to re-live those days, which were nowhere now. Soon 
we realized it was just absurd. We decided to talk about
something else. She got a book of J.Krishnamurti, and
started shuffling through the pages.


"Everything is illusion." She exclaimed, like yesterday.
We were silent for the next five minutes.
Today, the sky was overcast, and it looked like the 
evening would be dark. In between, though the Sun 
peeped in through some holes in the cloudy cover, that 
was hiding him.The clouds were running in hurry-flurry, 
overlapping others, and hiding themselves, their kins, 
then coming again in the sight.
There was only one, or they were one or many, no one 
could tell. A single entity, that sometimes acquired a plural
's', and became many. Let us say, appeared before us as 
'many'. They mingled into one another, acquired strange
and fantastic shapes and forms, and yet in every kind, they
again acquired a new fresh 'identity'. They looked majestic, 
timid, aggressive, humble, monstrous or dwarfs, One could 
swallow his brethren in a flash, like the fish, who are born, 
live and die in waters. It seems, the fish must have got this 
propensity from waters, in the same way perhaps, as the 
waters, from the clouds, May be the contrary. Nevertheless
they all share this quality.
Appearances acquire name, form, and 'continuity' in the 
mind. They are inseparable. Name and the form, form and 
the 'name', name and the 'continuity', 'continuity' and the 
'name', form and the 'continuity', 'continuity' and the 'form'. 
They all share with each other, like water, fish and cloud.
~~


She was not very beautiful, but was attractive in those days, 
or I felt so. Around 20, and I was / am some six or seven 
months older to her. But just that much, we had no reason,
nor a chance to get acquainted, and I never knew what she 
had in her mind about me. Most probably, -nothing, what-so
ever. Sometimes our eyes met, but I felt, nothing stirred in her
.....she always returned a blank look.
~~
Today, she was in her later fifties, about 57, and I, 57 plus 6
or 7months. Those 6 or7 months.
~~
She appeared as much attractive as she was, when we were
class-mates. Something (Destiny? ) brought us together again 
even closer, after so many (30plus years). Then 'Destiny' is 
too a concept, an assumed 'name', an assumed abstract form, 
an assumed 'continuity', and is 'given' an apparent 'existence'.
At your mercy,....!
~~
"I think there is no illusion, there are 'appearances', and the 
appearances acquire 'name', 'form' and 'continuity'. Accepting 
those appearances as reality is the only cause of assumed /
apparent illusion. If we don't let the name, the form, and their 
assumed continuity possess our mind, and don't get beguiled 
by them, even the so-called 'illusion' comes to nought."
-I replied.
 She was looking intently into my eyes, She was listening to
my every word with keen attention. She was in fact silent, 
when she had no idea in her mind, no concept or comment 
or argument to counter me.
I realized in a moment, she had been with J. Krishnamurti 
during all those past years, when we were no more in touch.
She gave a faint smile, but said nothing.
"I had been waiting for you since last few years when I had 
heard about you."
-A minute later, She said in a firm voice.
"Waiting for another illusion?",
- I looked at her face .
"No, I was ready to cast aside all illusions, but had no insight, 
how this happens, and felt, may be you have such an insight, 
and help me."
She thanked me, lovingly took my hands into hers, and lightly, 
delicately she took me into her arms, put delicately her lips on 
my cheek, like a mature lady, again like a Graceful, 'Elderly',
'Indian-lady'.
(Motherly ?....just guess,...!)
We left the room, walked up to the gate, where she had parked
her scooty. We said good-bye, and I stood for a while there, 
when she started her two-wheeler, and waived her hand in the 
air.  
She returned never there-after.


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