Suddenly, the 'Heavenly' ring tone from my mobile phone woke me up while i was in a deep heavenly dream. For a while, i tried to hold myself from picking up the phone thinking it would stop by itself. On the contrary, it continued singing. While it used to be soft and sweet 'Heavenly' the other times, at that moment it wasn’t really heavenly. I got annoyed. And obviously, anyone would feel annoyed and irritated whenever being disturbed from sleep. It’s one of those things in life that we don’t want to be disturbed in any way while 'indulging in the act'.
Moreover, the number on the phone screen looked strange. i mean where in the world would anyone call me this time? My friends and my home would never call me this time unless it’s extremely important, because they know i would be sleeping and wouldn’t want to be disturbed. It was around 10 in the morning. It happened a week back.
As anyone would, whenever there’s a strange number on the phone screen, normally i hesitate to pick up. But who could be this...! It wasn’t my bank customer care calling nor my network operator calling because i already know them by heart by now. It wasn’t from consultancies calling for job interview because i deactivated my number from their sites two years back. But who could this be...
After a thoughtful few moments, a strange curiosity in me led me to pick up the phone.
“Hello”. I said.
“Hello. Am i speaking to Mr. Pangamba*?
I was caught surprise by the sweet lady voice from the other end. It’s understandable why companies hire sweet voiced ladies. And so i decided it was from some unknown company trying to sell something to me. And I began to say no.....
“Yes, of course, I am. You’re speaking to the right person. What happened?” I sounded curious like an idiot.
“Hi Pangamba, i am Puja calling from Raghuvansh Mall, [name changed]. Did you enter your name for a lucky draw contest in our mall recently?”
My mind began to accelerate diving into the past. I remember entering the mall. Couple of guys and gals handing out forms to any customer who enters the front robot glass door of the mall. One guy approached me as he saw me entering the call, ‘Sir, it’s for a lucky draw contest, please fill your name and phone number and that's it' And he handed me the form and i thought i had nothing to lose by filling that form. So i filled up.
“Yes, I did. I entered my name for the contest. So what are you trying to say...?” My adrenaline began to rush. Different kinds of thoughts began to travel faster than light.
“Well, Congratulations Mr. Pangamba, we are happy to declare that you are the proud winner of that Lucky Draw.” Suddenly i soared on the wings of wild imaginations and reached cloud number nine instantly, excited and elated like a child who gets his first toy car as if he’s going to sit in it and drive it. At the same time, i was riding on the wave of disbelief.
The lady voice on the other end continued, ‘As a winner of the contest, you're being entitled for a holiday trip to Singapore and a voucher gift worth 25K.’
“Oh really!’, came from my lips and i knew i sounded like an idiot again.
But you know life has a strange way of delivering the most unexpected dreams into reality at your doorstep only at a time when you least expect. And it makes life more interesting and enigmatic.
The lady continued, “And you’re required to collect the voucher from Mall management office. And one more thing, you need to come with your wife to collect the voucher and couple tickets within three days’.
What... wife? Did i hear it correctly?
“Sorry, i – i am single -- i am bachelor now”.
“Oh’, she sounded sorry, ‘Actually it’s a couples ticket. By the way, girlfriend is also accepted, not necessarily a wife.’
In three days......!!!!!
At last, I thanked the lady who woke me up in my deep sleep and i said i would come but i never went to collect the couple tickets to Singapore and the voucher gift. I mean where in the world would any girl accept to my proposal to be my wife in just three days, just to have a trip to Singapore? A foregone conclusion.
I am writing this because, you know, the fish is always bigger only when it's slipped out of your hand, whether small or big. It will be bigger and bigger as days go by. It's hard not to be ever regretful, but i tell you just move on. The better and best days are not those gone by but those that are yet to come.
Once Francis Bacon said, 'A bachelor's life is a fine breakfast, a flat lunch, and a miserable dinner'. This may be true but i am having a fine breakfast now. Dinner is yet to come. And it's not going to be miserable.
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