As the bus moved, Brijesh stood leaning against the back of a seat, at one of the back entrances of the bus. His office messenger bag hung from his left shoulder. Brijesh was busy on his smartphone. Planning expenditures and investments. It was a long ride and Brijesh made use of that time. There was also a half-read novel in his bag with a bookmark.
Brijesh occasionally turned around a little insecure about if someone was having a look at the ongoings in the smartphone screen. It was 8:30 pm and the winter night had arrived. It would take another twenty to twenty five minutes before Brijesh’s stop arrived.
The bus stopped at a bus stop. This wasn’t where Brijesh had to get down, but as the door of the bus opened Brijesh saw something and put his smartphone in his pocket and readjusted his bag on the shoulder and got down.
Brijesh kept walking slowly then he picked up pace. What had caught his attention was moving and Brijesh moved along until all came to stop.
“Hemant?” said Brijesh
The man who had stopped for a cup of tea looked at Brijesh, he paused before the sense of recognition ignited his eyes and mind. Hemant immediately ordered another cup of tea.
“How have you been?” said Hemant turning back to Brijesh
“I am good. You look better,” said Brijesh. When Brijesh had last met Hemant, he was still struggling with finding a job, after a failed business venture. Whenever Brijesh called him, he sounded drunk and tired. After a point Hemant did not pick up calls at all and the conversations disappeared. Now, here was Hemant in formal dress, looking sharp and fresh.
“Yes, I was able to turn things around,” said Hemant and then he smiled, handing the cup of tea to Brijesh, “How long has it been?”
“Around three years”
“Still working at the same place?”
“No, different place, better position”
“Great,” smiled Hemant, some uneasiness was making its way in his mind, it could be seen on his face
“You found a job?” asked Brijesh
“Yes, nice package, changed my life,” smiled Hemant
“I am happy for you,” said Brijesh
Hemant gave a half-inspired smile and then looked at his watch, “I have to get going. It was nice meeting you. Will meet again soon.”
Hemant hurriedly paid the tea vendor and as he was about to walk away.
“Wait,” said Brijesh and Hemant stopped
“I know,” said Brijesh
“Know what?” asked Hemant
Brijesh smiled in a mixture of emotions, “You were my best friend and I trusted you.”
“I don’t understand,” said Hemant, on the outside but within he had understood.
“I know your business did not fail; your health did not fail. All that fatigue, distress, sleepless nights, all of it never happened. You did not find a job, the business is doing well I am guessing. You just didn’t want to return the money that you had borrowed from me,” said Brijesh
Hemant paused for a while and then spoke, “Things have just become fine trust me, and I was about to call you, your number got deleted when I changed my smartphone. I will give you back your money in a few days; I will call you.”
Brijesh smiled, “I know you will not call me, in fact I can bet you will not come to this tea shop for a while. Unlike what you might think of me, I actually know what people are like. It was friendship, not foolishness.”
Brijesh took out the bus ticket from his pocket and a pen from his bag and wrote something down, placing the ticket on a standing table of the tea shop.
“Here, this is my number, in case you decide to return my money, do give me a call,” said Brijesh, handing the ticket to Hemant and walking away before a response.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 