Author's Note: Well, this is the true happenings of one of my Sunday's. And the dreams still persist.

A PERSISTENT DREAM

A classical Sunday morning dawned; with me still sleeping and snoring on my dusty unkempt bed. It was, at last, a much needed holiday after just one day of tiring lectures. Yes, one day, because just the day before yesterday was a holiday – some festival of the State – and the days before, I did not attend even a single lecture. The lectures were long and tiring; so what I needed was a nice and deep sleep. And this Sunday provided just that.

While most of my friends were getting ready for their MBA entrance exams or appearing for PO exams (PO is not post office, PO means probationary officers and they look after affairs in the banks, I am told though I have no clear idea on it), I lay on my bed.

Some of my classmates had gone to a two day trip to the beaches by the Arabian Sea; I was attending lectures. My roommate had come late in the night and tired; he went to sleep. I was busy writing my stories and sat up late in the night; with a jug of freshly brewed coffee by my side.

I slept late – my sleepy eyes could not see the time but I guess it would be three in the morning. The living room had been occupied by some guests who thankfully had access to a cooler which was so needed in the hot weather. I had to put up in the bedroom which unfortunately was devoid of even a fan.

But in the morning, it grew cooler, thankfully. Sun rose at six and began climbing the blue and clear sky. I was awoken by an alarm, at seven, a time when my alarm rings everyday – to remind me that I have to go to college – but it gets shut down anyways; sorry it doesn't even get the opportunity to be snoozed. But today I got up. I seriously don't know why. I unlocked the door and climbed down the stony stairs; my teeth slightly clattering in the cool breeze that blew. A few leaves of the trees outside rustled and my landlady swept off the ground the leaves that had fallen. How I love the Spring!

I picked up the newspapers which I always make it a point to read in the mornings. And I read it full, not just the headlines. But I read it in a particular order – business, economics, finance, current affairs, entertainment, fortune of the day and then lastly sports i.e. if anything is interesting.

I climbed up the stairs again after wishing the landlady a very good morning and then threw the newspapers on my bed which lay beside a huge pile of old newspapers – kept ready for instant reference.

I then took the empty bottles and filled them with cool and clear water that came fresh from the taps. And then I lay on my bed; looking at the ceiling. Then, sleep overcame me and my eyelids closed down.

And then, a dream took me. A nice dream in a cool weather; I guess everybody loves that and like them; I do too.

In that dream, I saw my old friends – old college friends – some from my graduation days, some from my pre-university days and some from my school days – in the order. How I loved meeting them! Joy was in my heart when they came with smiles on their faces; sadness when some came to me in grief. But even those in grief smiled a little for they were glad to see me, especially after so many days. And so was I; glad, very glad. Happiness brought me such an excitement that I smiled even in my sleep. My friend who was a little awake that time told me later that my lips had curled in a U-shape and he had thought that I was in a nice dream and thought best not to wake me.

So I continued and so did the dreams. The whole scene was set in my present college; which I actually never attended most of the time. I stood on the second floor of my college building overlooking a medium sized ground where some students played volleyball. But apart from those and us, everything was still and empty.

But the friends from my school brought me much joy; more than the others; well not to size down the importance of my other friends but well; some friends do get high priorities in life and some are really closer than most.

A huge group of ten such friends sat eating in my college cafeteria. But soon, my sight went abroad to ogle at a 5ft 6inch girl; fair, her hair curly black neatly shampooed, her eyes so cute and mesmerising, her lips so neatly clean, her nose sharp and a little pointed but for the most part it was round, her neck short and beautiful, her figure so nicely curved, her legs so nice and stood crossed, her hands thin and lay folded on the iron railings. She looked on the ground but the players were no more playing and had gone. Twilight had crept in; the sky already dotted with twinkling stars. And when I did look at her eyes, I did see or thought I saw a sharp twinkle – a reflection of the stars.

Her body language and attitude, her figure and her beauty, her intellect that radiated from her head like a soft white light; all these excited me in a fashion that I never felt before. I had not met her before; she wasn't in my school. I wondered who she was and how come she was presently in my college with us; but I minded not for her beauty appealed to me and I knew in my heart that I had started loving her ever since my eyes set sight on her.

My friends were chattering and gossiping. And then, I asked them who she was and to that, I got a reply that she was one of my friend's sister who stayed in the same city as mine and that she had wished to come along with him. My heart leapt with joy; a sudden excitement crept into me.

It was then that she set her eyes on me and smiled. I smiled back but then her smile was brighter and more beautiful. I kept looking at her as she came towards the table. The grace with which she came awed me and my eyes never left her until she sat down on a chair beside me and tapped at the table.

I shook myself and just muttered a "Yes" as if in a question.

"What is your name?" she asked.

I told her my name and in return got hers but again remained silent. Her voice was so sweet; almost musical; it was so entrancing that I lay basking in her spell. And I did not mind it.

I just kept looking; staring straight in her eyes. She blushed a little but then she started speaking to me and I was glad to hear; for she was speaking to me about her days in the college and how she missed her old friends. I would say she found a patient listener in me; but if you asked the others, you would get an exactly opposite answer.

It was some time that she spoke and I heard the tap on the table again. I shook myself again.

"Why don't you speak?" she asked.

I muttered something inaudible. I found that even though I longed to speak, my voice just didn't come out.

And then, there was a clatter at the table and many of my friends now wanted to go back home as it was getting late for already the night had been getting deeper and the dinner was finished.

I gave and received many hugs but one whom I did want to give so desperately, I could not give. She looked constantly at me with a brief smile on her face. My heart leaped again as my eyes saw her and her image lay embedded in my system.

And then she turned away, waving her hand and vanished from my sight. I kept looking in that direction for some time. Suddenly I felt a pang; as if I would lose her that instant. I raced against time that stays not, and climbed down the very stairs that she climbed down.

I saw her get in a small car; on the rear side. I ran towards the car; the engine was getting revved up. I tapped at the window and she opened it.

"Well," I told with deep breaths, puffing air out of my mouth, "May I have your contact number?" I hit my forehead hard with my right hand.

She laughed and it was shrill; my heart minced; it was like cold water splashing upon rocks and sometimes it felt as if cold droplets of water fell from the sky striking your face. My heart was filled with a transparent light then and I knew that I would like to be with her forever.

"Well, my number is -"

Before she could give me her number, I felt my shoulders being tugged heavily. I was being shaken and my dreams were shattered. My eyelids opened and looked angrily at my friend.

ASSHOLE I shouted in my mind.

I slowly got up and still saw the image of that beautiful girl in the empty airs that waved about in the room.

I closed my eyes and opened again but the image was persistent. I didn't know what to make of it.

"What time is it?" I asked my friend sheepishly.

"Ten thirty" he replied with a small laugh.

I got up rushing remembering that I had a workshop to attend in the afternoon. And if I would have been allowed, I would have been sleeping and when I would have woken up, it would have been late.

I soon got done my regular chores but the image persisted in the airs wherever I went. My heart still leaped and I could still hear her entrancing voice in my ears. I knew not how to stop it.

After lunch, I did attend the workshop but unfortunately or fortunately, I couldn't concentrate much for the memory of the dream lay heavy on mind and while the mentor spoke, I saw that girl dancing behind him with her hands in the hands of a guy who looked like me.

And when I came back home, I lay back on my bed; wishing for the dreams to return. But sadly, they did not.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-