The Echoes of Memories

Memories' Reminders The sky was unusually blue at night. The old wooden floor was illuminated silver by the full moon that shone through the window that was open. Arup was wrapped in a shawl and sitting on the balcony, feeling an unfathomable peace. He hadn't had a night quite like that in a very long time. His mind drifted back to the past, those days that were woven with laughter, love, pain, and loss, as the cool breeze touched his wrinkled face. ---

1

Life was a whirlwind of hopes and challenges 25 years ago. Arup had just completed his education and was in desperate need of work. He walked the streets of his small town every day, knocking on offices' doors, filling out applications, and hoping for an opportunity. Deepa remained his constant companion throughout. Deepa was everything to him, his love, and his best friend. She had a lot of life, and she always planned and dreamed. She used to exclaim, "One day, we’ll move to Kolkata, Arup," her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We will have a small house near the Ganges with a flower-filled balcony." Arup would guffaw and laugh. "We will, but first, please allow me to find work." A job eventually appeared, but not in Kolkata. It occurred in Dhaka. Deepa was hesitant. She had no intention of leaving their small town. She had said to Arup in a soft voice, "You should go." "I'll be waiting for you. I'll visit you when everything is settled." Although the promise was made, destiny had other ideas. ---

2

Time disappears in a strange way. Arup relocated to Dhaka and was soon caught up in the chaos of finding work and making ends meet. Months turned into years, and years turned into months. Letters were exchanged frequently at first. After that, there were prolonged phone calls. Even those became rare over time. Arup was dragged along as life moved on. A distant relative informed him one day that Deepa was getting married. Unable to comprehend what he was feeling, he had stared at the letter for a very long time. Sadness? Regret? or simply the realization that not all things are meant to be? But was he to blame for her? Life had moved on after the effects of time had worn off. ---

3

The time passed. Arup got married as well. Work, home, and children became a series of responsibilities in life. He didn't have much time to reflect on the past. He then saw her one day on a crowded Kolkata street. Deepa.

She was mindlessly flipping through books as she stood near a bookstore. The same soft smile and eyes. However, something had altered, either in him or in her. He approached her. "Deepa?"

She was startled when she looked up, then smiled. "Arup... How are you doing? "Good. You, too?" "Good."

They stood there for a brief moment, both of them aware that they had a lot to say but unsure of where to begin. Words could no longer cross the distance that had been created over the years. "It's good to see you," she said as she closed the book she was holding. He gave a nod. "Also you." She then vanished in a flash. Arup felt the weight of his memories pressing down as he stood there and watched her vanish into the crowd. ---

4

Arup wondered where Deepa was as he sat on his balcony decades later. Has she found contentment? Did she still recall the dreams they used to have together? His children were now adults and had left. He had lost his wife many years ago. Life had become too quiet. Arup almost could hear Deepa's voice whispering through the wind for a brief moment as the city shone softly in the silver moonlight. "We’ll have a small house near the Ganges one day..." Arup shut off his eyes. The moon smiled back, carrying the echoes of a love that had never truly died somewhere in the vast sky.

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