He greeted Javed and Wasim and of course, Asima and Rheena warmly and took them to their accommodation. On their way, Arjun feeling the need to break the ice, asked, "So! They let girls out on their own, hah?” feeling his questions silliness rather too late. Asima, laughed and replied, "We are also from the same planet, Arjun! There isn't much of a difference between here and back home", and the rest of her gang nodded in agreement. In spite of his initial stammering, Arjun, achieved a good rapport with everyone by the time they reached their college.
The girls went to stay in the Girls hostel and Arjun took Javed and Wasim to his hostel building. There he introduced them to his buddy Vishal. They sat together for a cup of tea and biscuits. They started chatting about the similarities between Mumbai and Karachi, about traffic, pollution, the craze for cricket, bollywood films and fast foods. Arjun can sense the camaraderie growing between him and his new friends and laughed at himself on his anxiety to meet them that morning.
Arjun had a great time in the week the Karachi gang was there. He took them around the town, helped them with their stuff and bonded very well with them. Soon it was time to exchange email ids and say good byes. Arjun bid farewell to them with the words, "Till we meet again!".
Years rolled and Arjun graduated from college. One day he hanging out by the mall and chanced upon an Army recruitment booth. He went in casually to see what it has to offer and came out after one year from with an officer commission in the Army. As fate would have it, the war clouds soon loomed over some border dispute and he soon was sucked into it.
One day he was ordered launch an attack an enemy position. He closed in with the enemy and positioned his men. As he was about to give the order to attack, he saw a familiar face through his binoculars. It didn't take long to identify the face, its Javed, with this captain's bars on his shoulders and giving instructions to his men. In a moment of pure joy on seeing a long lost friend, Arjun stood up and yelled "Javeeeedddd!!” His men, primed for a battle, froze in absolute shock, and so did the enemy soldiers. Now every one is up on their feet; scores of men, facing each other with their nervous fingers on the trigger of their automatic weapons. A slight provocation will trigger a blood bath. Sensing this, Javed, shouted, "Don't fire" and asked them to stand down.
Arjun approached Javed and shook his hand, but he couldn't sense any warmth in that. He sensed a nervous energy in Javed's face. Javed in stern voice asked, "Arjun! I don't want to see any blood shed, Do you want to surrender?” Arjun was taken aback but regained his composure to reply with a stout, "No!” Javed added, "I can't back down either Arjun!” Faced to choose between duty and friendship, Arjun chose the later and ordered his men to retreat.
Sometimes it’s better to lose than to have so much blood in your hands.
Usha said...
I agree with the basic concept but you know, the minute warm human beings don their officer's uniforms they seem to become different. They are trained to believe that country and flag and borders are more sacrosanct than friendship and love and brotherhood.
ck said...
Usha, Thanks for visiting my page. What choice do those soldiers have other than to obey their orders? Those who don't, like the Arjun in my story, might be labeled a traitor.