THE INCOMPLETE DREAM

Vartika woke up from her sleep and realized that it was only a dream. She kept rethinking about it, trying to recollect the events and characters of her dream, stressing her memory to correlate them with her life. But she could neither remember having come across the old lady who she saw in her dream nor the lanes and bye lanes of the town where the events of the dream had supposedly occurred. She had woken up in the middle of the dreaded dream and the fact that the dream had remained incomplete, made her all the more restless. After pondering over the dream and remaining clueless, Vartika shook her head to get ready for her office. Indeed she was getting late for her office. She knew that if did not report at the mess by 8.00 a.m. she may well miss her breakfast. Vartika got ready hurriedly and after locking the doors of the room allotted to her in this Working Women’s Hostel, where she stayed, rushed to the mess to be in time for breakfast. She proceeded to her Bank on the Parliament Street straightaway from the mess itself. Even in office Vartika could not get rid of the dream and she kept thinking about it. She found it difficult to concentrate on her work. It appeared the dream was now haunting her.

Vartika worked as an officer in the Bank. She had joined the New Delhi branch of the bank only a couple of years back. Prior to this, she had stayed in a relatively small city Ranchi, where she had spent her childhood and completed her academics. Her father was a senior scientist in the Lac Research Institute at Namkum and Vartika had studied at the local Bishop Westcott Girls School. She was a bright student and had done well in her academics. While pursuing the last year of the graduation course at the local Ranchi Women’s College, Vartika appeared for the Bank officers’ examination and was fortunate to clear it in the first attempt. Thus Vartika completed her graduation and also landed up with a job simultaneously. Her joy knew no bounds. She was offered a posting at New Delhi. Vartika had seldom travelled till this age and whatever travelling she had done, her parents had accompanied her. Hence her parents were a bit apprehensive of sending their only daughter to a faraway place like New Delhi, all alone. More so in view of the frequent news and incidents of rape and molestation in the nation’s capital, that kept hogging the prime time on news channel every next day.

“Papa, don’t worry about me. I am a grown up lady. I know how to keep myself safe in the present days. Don’t you remember I have also undergone courses on self defence which was organized by my college”-Vartika tried to put at rest her parent’s fear.

“I know, but you have never stayed alone and that too in a metropolitan like New Delhi. Why don’t you request the Board to reconsider your posting to Ranchi or any adjoining city of Jharkhand like Jamshedpur or Dhanbad.”- Vartika’s father pleaded.

“Papa, you know it very well that it is not possible at this stage. They have already assured that they would consider my request after I complete tenure of three years at New Delhi. Moreover, a posting to New Delhi may prove a boon in disguise for me as this would enable me to prepare for the Civil Services Examination.”- Vartika tried to assure her father.

Vartika’s father had to relent at last, but not before she agreed that he would accompany her to New Delhi to arrange for her boarding and lodging. On reaching New Delhi, they moved around in different

localities near the Bank in search of a PG accommodation. Fortunately they got a room in the Working Women’s Hostel adjacent to the Gurudwara Bangla Saheb on the Ashoka Road. Vartika’s father was greatly relieved to see the discipline and regulations of the hostel. He was satisfied at the arrangements and also at the safe environs of the hostel. He left Vartika in the guardianship of the hostel warden and came back to Ranchi.

At office while Vartika was surfing the net on her computer, her mind went back to the dream. In between she raised her head to look outside the glass pane that separated her cubicle with the lounge. Her attention was drawn towards an old lady in the lounge, sitting on the bench meant for visitors. She appeared to be the same old lady who she had seen in her dream- the same silvery hairs tied neatly with hair-pins, her face full of wrinkles, fair complexioned and dressed smartly with a golden frame spectacle that added to her grace and gave her an elegant look. “Who could she be?”- Vartika kept pondering. Ultimately Vartika could not resist herself from meeting the old lady.

“Madam, can I be of any help to you?”- Vartika enquired as she approached the old lady.

“God bless you my daughter. I am searching for an envelope in my handbag which had my cheque book. Without the cheque book I will not be able to draw cash. I do not operate the ATM card.”- The old lady replied.

Vartika offered to check the handbag which the old lady happily handed over. Vartika found the envelope in the outer pocket of the many pockets that the handbag contained.

While handing over the handbag back to the old lady, Vartika could feel that the handbag was quite heavy given its size. She looked deeply into the face of the lady trying to recollect where she had seen her earlier. But Vartika failed to recognize the lady. Since all that she remembered about the lady in her dream was her name, Vartika decided to give it a try.

“Madam, is your name Anjali?”-Vartika enquired.

“How do you know my name?”- The old lady questioned back.

“What a coincidence!”- Vartika thought “or is it the same lady which appeared in her dream that had come to meet her in person. If that was so, Vartika got quite nervous and perturbed at the mere thought of the violent end of the incomplete dream becoming a reality. Nevertheless she maintained her composure and remained calm and prepared herself to let the sequence of the incomplete dream to unfold before her in reality. Vartika prayed to God and also sought the blessings of her parents to help her see through the day safely. However, she rue the fact that she could not see her dream conclude before she got up in the morning. Hence an element of uncertainty engulfed her.

From the lady Vartika came to know that she was Sister Anjali who had taught at the Bishop Westcott Girl’s School for a couple of years. Sister Anjali was quite young at that time and hence Vartika was unable to recognize her in her old age. But what baffled Vartika was the fact that she resembled the old lady of her dream. Vartika remembered that Sister Anajli had a younger brother Rajiv who was a couple of years older than her and studied at the neighbouring Bishop Westcott Boy’s School. Sister Anajli and Rajiv frequently visited the Lac Research Institute where one of their acquaintances from their village worked under her father. Thus from a very tender age Vartika and Rajiv spent plenty of time together and

Rajiv often helped Vartika in her studies. When Sister Anjali left for Barrackpore after a stay of just two years at Ranchi, she left behind Rajiv in the hostels of the same school, lest his studies may not suffer due to her frequent transfers. Thus right from Class II to Class X, Rajiv and Vartika grew together and enjoyed every moment of their childhood together. Vartika stood there, lost in old memories of the childhood and time spent with Rajiv, who, she now realized was her first love- her childhood love. Vartika was tempted to ask about Rajiv.

“I know my daughter what is going on in your mind. Rajiv is fine. He is also an officer in a Bank and is posted at Gumla. Although I left for Barrackpore after a short stay of two years at Ranchi, Rajiv kept me informed about you and he remembers you even today. Do you also remember Rajiv and would you like to meet him?”- Sister Anjali enquired.

Vartika blushed at the thought of meeting her childhood love. The message was not missed upon Sister Anjali. “If you still love her I would like that this childhood love and friendship should culminate into marriage, if you do not have any objection?- enquired Sister Anjali.

“Rajiv will have to seek my parents’ permission Sister.”- Vartika answered.

“That means you are okay with the proposal. That is fine. Rajiv will certainly talk to your parents. Please take him to your parent. If you both unite my soul will rest in peace.”- replied Sister Anjali.

“Sister you should also accompany Rajiv when he visits my parent with the proposal. My parents will be happy to see you.” – Vartika said.

“Certainly I would have loved to come. But I have some work here and will join you on your marriage to bless the couple. It will be a great day. If you are free can you accompany me to the coffee shop for a cup of coffee?”- Sister Anjali offered.

“Sure.”

Sister Anjali and Vartika came out of the office and walked towards the Starbucks Café just adjacent to the Bank.

“Sister, isn’t it a pleasant coincidence to meet you in such a manner and at such a place?”- said Vartika. “I had lost all hope of meeting Rajiv again.”

The glow on Vartika’s face was quite noticeable. They entered the Starbucks Cafe and made themselves comfortable in a corner table of the café. Just then the tolling of the church bell of the Sacred Heart Cathedral across the road, made sister Anjali to excuse herself.

“My daughter, please excuse me for a moment. I will have to go to the Church. I will be back in just a moment. You please order the coffee in the meantime.”-Sister Anjali excused herself.

That gave Vartika the time to ponder over the developments of the day and to correlate these with her dream. She could name the old lady on the basis of her dream quite correctly. The handbag which the old lady carried in her dream was equally heavy as Sister Anjali’s handbag. Vartika vividly remembered asking the lady in her dream what made her handbag so heavy to which the old lady had, much to her horror, brought out blood stained knife covered by a blue silk scarf. The mere sight of the blood stained

knife had awoken Vartika from her sleep. Vartika found her heart pounding. Is Sister Anjali also carrying a blood stained knife covered with a blue silk scarf in her handbag? …. And how could Sister Anjali, who

she saw drenched in blood in her dream, be present before her hale and hearty talking to her about her brother Rajiv? Vartika just could not resist herself from opening Sister Anjali’s handbag. And lo and behold! The handbag indeed had a blood stained knife covered with a blue silk scarf. The mere series of coincidences were quite scary and even before Vartika could have placed the scarf back in the handbag; the waiter came with the order. Vartika’s heart was pounding rapidly with fear and anxiety but she did not want it to be exhibited upon the waiter. She asked him to place the coffee and snacks on the table. The waiter left after placing the coffee and snacks on the table. Vartika looked around the café to ensure that no one was watching her. In the meantime, she sat in the Starbucks cafe, sipping her coffee and staring out of the window. The blood stained knife lay next to her handbag, covered with her blue silk scarf. ..

As the waiter left, Vartika placed the blue silk scarf along with the blood stained knife back in Sister Anjali’s handbag. She was perspiring heavily. She rubbed her forehead with her handkerchief. However, one more incidence of her dream was left to be checked and Vartika waited patiently for Sister Anjali to return from Church.

This was the time when Sister Anjali entered the Starbucks Café.

“Everything is fine my dear, I suppose.”- enquired Sister Anjali. “You look a bit tensed. What’s the matter?”- She further enquired.

“Sister, I want to freshen myself. Please excuse me I want to go to the washroom.”- Vartika excused herself leaving Sister Anajli at the table.

Vartika hurriedly entered the washroom and locked herself in it. She then made a phone call to her father to enquire about Sister Anjali.

“What’s the matter Vartika? How is it that you are enquiring about Sister Anjali today? Just yesterday Sister Anjali met with a violent end as she went down fighting two naxalites who had raided the Bank where her brother Rajiv worked as a Bank Manager. Incidentally Sister Anjali was in the Bank at that time. She gathered courage to challenge the goons and even snatched away the knife from one of them and killed both of them before meeting a bloody end herself. Today all the newspapers of Jharkhand is filled with the news of her bravery.”- clarified Vartika’s father.

Vartika rushed out to see Sister Anjali at the table where she had last left her. She found no one there-neither Sister Anjali, nor her handbag or the blood stained knife covered with the blue silk scarf. Vartika realized that the last event of her dream had also come true. Vartika walked slowly towards the Church, though she was sure, she would not find Sister Anjali there either. She now realized that it was Sister Anjali’s soul that had come to meet her specifically to fulfill the last mission of her life- of uniting the two childhood friends and lovers. After completing the mission she had left for her heavenly abode. Vartika entered the Church and stood before the statue of Jesus Christ, head held down in prayer so that Sister Anjali’s soul may rest in peace.