Sound of Love

Sound of Love

Prashay was happy that the days were finally getting warmer. The building had indeed stood through cold and rain, but working in the sun was much better. No wet fingers and soaked things that made life unnecessarily difficult and tasks dangerous. His career as an Architect was not a conscious decision, but his life did not provide choices.

When Prashay came into the world, the silence surrounded the boy. For months his father had the worst fears, the boy never cried, nor anyone could hear a sound from his mouth. As his parents waited for his first babble, he remained silent. The diagnosis was taken out. He would never speak nor hear. Unfortunate, but nothing would change it.

Prashay grew up to become an artist. His passion for art was visible since childhood. But his father, the owner of a construction company and its head engineer,  forced him to study architecture and finally took him under his wing.

The building was done, all it needed was some paint and finishing touches. All colleagues were delighted when Prashay was graded on a construction site with them, because that means lower the efforts. That Prashay could not hear and speak did not bother anyone, since he was very hardworking.

Today after a long winter, the clouds broke and for the first time this year, the sun warmed the backs of the workers. The building on which Prashay was standing, was in an old South Mumbai lane. The buildings here, were not very high and standing close to each other. The row of buildings opposite, were so close that one could see clearly into the homes and on the balconies of each tenant.

A beautiful girl in the opposite building had stepped on the terrace of her apartment. She was wearing a silk dressing gown and her hair fell long and open over her back. On the corner of the terrace hung large pots with lush green plants. She waved her hands over the flowers and shrubs, giving an impression of her grace and charisma. Suddenly she smiled and looked exactly at Prashay's direction. This came as a surprise to him and he sat in shock. Still smiling, the girl turned around and went back to her apartment.

Prashay had palpitations and could not explain what had just happened to him. He still stared towards the terrace and could only look away when a long shadow fell on him. His father stood before him, and made a gesture with his hand, which should probably express the question what was going on? Prashay stood up, waved and continued working, not without turning from time to time and hoping that the door of the terrace would open, and the girl would be standing there again.

Two days passed but there was no sight of the girl. Prashay spent all his time on the roof wishing to catch a glimpse of that beauty but his misfortune continued to mock him. Even his colleagues remained unrest, and so the breakfast and lunch breaks were used in order to advice him in matters to conquest woman. The men wrote their ideas on the paper, but Prashay had no real access to the suggestions. Each individual plan, would require him to talk to that girl. Prashay could never do that, could not even dream of it, even just one of them to set into action. So he left everything on fate.

The work on the building was almost complete and it was his last day at the sight. Suddenly while working on the terrace, he saw the girl sleeping on a chair on the terrace. A pat on the back broke him out of the thoughts that had befallen him at the sight of her. His colleagues stood behind him and grinned broadly across their faces, "Come on, do something," they urged him. "Shall we call for you?" they wrote him a note. "No! Just do not," scribbled Prashay. Meanwhile, the girl stood up from the chair and looked directly towards the direction of men. Timid, he mustered some courage, raised his arm and waved. But the girl showed no emotion, stood up and disappeared into the house. Waving, what? A stupid idea. Prashay was annoyed that he had felt pressured by the men to do anything. The resulting reaction was unmistakable.

Work on the house was almost complete and the chances of ever meeting the girl again amounted to zero. This girl spoke to his heart and he wanted to reply, if not with his voice then his actions, loud and clear. But he had lost his chance. His colleagues told him that everyday there is a new opportunity and he would get his chance. Prashay, of course heard nothing of this, but the constant pat and the grim faces of the men made him understand every word. 

*** *** *** ***

Pia was happy that the days were finally getting warmer.To spend the winter locked in the apartment was difficult. The whole winter months she longed for her terrace and its plants. Today her mother had finally opened the terrace. Together they sat on the terrace, sipping tea and the mother described her daughter the colours of the new building across the street.

When Pia came into the world, the darkness surrounded the girl. She could not see but her mother had learnt to explain different colours and things to the girl. The imagination of the colours of the new building often made her smile when she visited the terrace.