"89.46!!! What are you saying! Awesome....", didi hugged me.Yes, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. I had scored 89.46% in my board exam. My grandpa was extremely happy. Our community has very rarely witnessed such academic success stories. Most of the people get into business at a very early age. Girls do not have urge to excel in they academics. No wonder I was on cloud 9.
Same day evening we had a marriage to attend. “Are pooju, I heard you scored 90% in board exams. Congratulations!” said one of my aunties, “Do you know even Kruti got 88%?" Now, to be honest that was something which pinched me like anything. Somebody else also scored 88!!! Who is that girl! I wanted to see her. My aunty introduced me to Kruti.My eyes recognized her. 5'9", long hair, wheatish complexion, very beautiful clothes, attractive features and a million dollar smile. It was the same striking personality. I knew this girl. I knew Kruti (Name changed) as one of the most good looking and stylish girls of my community. I had seen her in a lot of religious functions. But it was hard for me to believe that she can be so intelligent as well. I had another reason now to envy her.
I chose science after my board exams and Kruti chose Commerce. I heard from somewhere that she wanted to be a CA. Days passed, months passed. I met her a lot of times in our social gatherings. Now my jealousy had started transforming into admiration. She was out of those very few people I had started liking. She always carried herself well; eldest in her family she always took care of her parents and her siblings and also spoke very well with everyone. I always enjoyed talking to her. We used to discuss our future plans, hobbies and likings whenever we met.
One fine day, I was reading the newspaper. It was the day of results for my 12th board exam. No doubt I was curious about Kruti's results more than mine. And then guess what? My eyes captured something I was actually looking for. I was stunned to see Kruti’s photo. Kruti had stood 11th in the merit list in Commerce stream. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was very happy for her. Later I met her in a lot of prize distribution ceremonies. I was happy as her CA plans were set now.
I went to Pune for engineering. I always thought even she would do the same. But she stayed back as her family wasn’t comfortable with sending their daughter to some other city. But I never found her sad. She was always as happy as she was before.3 years of my engineering passed.Kruti had finished her graduation by then.Yes; she again stood second in the university. She had taken up CA foundation by then.
This time I was home to attend a gathering. A lot of events were organized for this. The event started. It was dark but I somehow thought it's her. The music started with lights. I was speechless when I saw it was Salsa and the girl was Kruti. I had never seen such an awesome dance before. I always thought I dance very well but when I saw her dancing my eyes were still. Now there was one more reason to admire her. She was a very good dancer.
A few months passed. I finished my engineering.Kruti had joined some college in Kolhapur Mysore and then to Bangalore Kolhapur
After a few days, mom called up early in the morning,"Pooju there is a bad news!”I was shocked when my mom told me that Kruti's both the kidneys had failed. I just got lost somewhere. Just got lost. I kept the phone. After a long time in my life I had tears in my eyes. I just didn't know what to do. I came to office. The whole day there was only one thought in my mind. How can this happen to her? How can this happen to somebody who has been such an awesome person all through out? If it had to happen then why not somebody who has no aspirations in life! What next? Can't she get a kidney from somebody? Can't they take her to some bigger city for treatment? Can’t dad do something as he is also a very good doctor? My Mind was occupied with thousands of such thoughts.
I called up dad next day morning. I asked him if we can do something for her. Dad told me that he had talked to her dad and the problem is Kruti has lost a lot of weight in past few days so her body is not fit enough to accept a foreign body part.Kruti's family is filthy rich and everyone in her family loved her a lot so I was sure that they must be trying their best. I felt helpless as I knew I couldn’t do anything. After a few days I went home. I got to know that her MCom results were out and she again repeated her success story. She stood first in the university
It was a special day that day. As always there was a prize distribution ceremony organized. All the faces were familiar. The same students were being felicitated from my community again. Somebody had become a doctor, somebody an engineer working in an MNC, somebody an MBA....But my eyes wanted to see her. My eyes wanted to see Kruti.I couldn't see her. Suddenly my eyes turned to the main door. May be I had sensed it was her and I was dumbstruck. It looked like a skeleton was coming in walking on crutches. I could not believe my eyes. I could not believe it was same beautiful Kruti. Her face was completely swollen and her body had only bones. Her younger sister was holding her and her dad walked with her. She came inside and sat on a chair. I wondered how she managed to do that. As I felt her bones must be hurting her when she sat on a chair. Such long hair had turned into a small pony. A girl who used to always be in the most fashionable clothes was in a very simple salwar kameez which was very light so that it doesn’t add weight to her body. But only thing that wasn’t missing even that day was that million dollar smile. How can somebody be so very strong! My heartbeat stopped for a second. Tears rolled down from my eyes. My sister looked at me. She has very rarely seen me crying in public. My tears made her cry as well. I sat quietly for a couple of minutes, wiped my face, gathered all the courage and went forward to meet her. I talked to her. She talked as though nothing had happened, as though things were same as before. She told me to come home sometime whenever I am free.
Soon her name was announced. Her dad stood up as always when she accepted the prize. But this time not to clap but to help her walk. When all other fathers are wishing to get their young daughters married soon, this father was wishing a life for his daughter. Her sister grabbed a part of the chair in her hand and she could not hide her tears. The whole crowd stood up to felicitate this walking angel of utmost strength.
That day was the last time I met Kruti.I went home a couple of times after this encounter with her but I could not gather courage to go to her home. Presently she is on dialysis regularly. Her family and doctor are trying their best to increase her weight so that she can get a kidney. Even now I have tears in my eyes. I want to see that Kruti back real soon. I am still jealous of her. Not for her beauty but for that exceptional strength she has!
You're an Angel that nobody can see,
Still an Angel is what you are to me
An angel from heaven is what you are
In my sky you're definitely a heavenly star!
