THE CALL
This is not my day. Early in the morning, I got two separate calls from two of my credit card agencies, asking me if I would pay in cash, if they send their personnel to my office address; I called home and learnt that my mom was ill and as usual my brothers were not around to take her to hospital; I have a deadline today, which means I am going to be deskbound till midnight with the hateful assignment I am doing (God! How I hate this job). And after my analysis yesterday, I found out that my friend is paying me pittance for the freelance work he gave me. All of this is happening because I am not sure of myself and my abilities. I can’t change this, even though I know what’s wrong. I have always been ‘YES’ man, afraid to say ‘NO’ confidently. I am afraid of facing the situations, persons. I like to avoid those or hide from them, instead of confronting them.
At 11.00, I got another call from one of my credit card agencies, asking my consent to send their personnel. After which I call my friend Albert, asking him whether he could lend me some money…He doubted, if he had enough cash in his account (I knew this would be his answer). So I am left with only one choice… To call one of my old colleague and friend, who would surely lend me some money, but make me feel very sorry for getting it. He is the man of theories and compared to me he is a successful man, who likes show that off, by helping many others like me…
---------------------------------
I dialed the number on my mobile. Before the call routing, I got an automated message telling me that my balance is low and I have to recharge soon. When it started ringing, I suddenly realized what I just did. Instead of dialing my friend’s number, I did dial my own number… And queer thing is-It is ringing! Cursing myself, I took the mobile to cut the call, and suddenly my call got received on the other end. (Oh great, I can’t even dial my own number properly.)
“Hello…”
“Hello, who’s this?”
I started apologizing to the person on the other side and explained that I dialed his number, instead of my friend’s. He paused, before asking me, “What’s your friend’s number?”
I gave my friends number, and he asked,
“But that’s all together a different connection and different series of numbers. How you could’ve dialed my number, instead of his?” I am tired, but I explained patiently that instead of dialing my friend’s number, I dialed my number which wasn’t correct as well (Surely I must have miss-typed some digits). He again asked, “What’s your number?” I repeated my number, and he got irritated,
“No, I am asking you for my number…”
(Can’t he see on his device?) I repeated my number and he cut me off in the middle,
“No sir, that’s my number”
“What?! That can’t be!”
“Check your device screen friend…” I checked the pale yellow screen of my mobile phone and saw my own number on top in active call mode.
“No friend,” I used the same casual language he used, “there must be some network goof-up, but this is my number”
He chuckled, and I found it was odd, am I hearing my own echo?
“How can that be boss? I have been using this number for last two years…”
“Me too friend, this is my first mobile connection…” I want to end this conversation. Why make my life more complex. I cut the call abruptly and fell into my seat.
---------------------------------
I sat silently for sometime, staring at the monitor. Then, I don't know why I did what I did; I took my mobile and started dialing my own number. My heart suddenly started beating erratically, when I heard a 'click' and my call got received.
“Hello....” Now I got the second and the most fearsome oddity about this fellow. He just sounded like me! And I knew it was crazy!
On the phone, he repeated, “Hello!”
“Ahm... Hi, hello, this is me again”, I was more embarrassed than worried.
“Tell me”
“May I know your name?”
“Okay, but you have to answer it first.” I told him my name.
He repeated it, after 2 seconds. “... That’s my name too”.
This was craziness. I thought of cutting the call, but then I continued. “You work?” “Yep, you?” “Me too, I am a software engineer”,
"Hey, me too... But don't tell me, you work for ..."
Oh... I thought I don’t want to talk to this guy. I cut the call and sat silently, thinking what to do next. ('Should I call my mobile service provider and explain the problem? But how shall I put this problem, more sanely? Or is this a real problem, or am I imagining things? If I am, then this is the limit of sanity. Maybe I will start screaming, running around, and tearing my clothes. What next? Oh wait, let me check the user guide of this mobile instrument. My roomie, my best buddy has a trick with these gadgets. He learns their ins and outs within no time, and also finds many ways to tamper them. Is this April 1st. Nope, crazy me, I went home last week for Diwali.')
I couldn't quite concentrate on my work the whole day. I went to my room in the late evening and did a thorough research on the literature that came with my mobile instrument, but no use. There was no way of changing or redirecting your own-number-dialing to some other number. But even if there was, how can my roomie talk exactly like me? Exactly like me? Nay! He sounded exactly like me, if I was content & happy with what I am today and what I am doing. Like a very happy me! Yes that was the difference. With all these worries, I started feeling this is the last pin, pinning my mind firmly on to the mounting board of mental dissection.
---------------------------------
It is 9pm and chilly outside, my roomie hasn’t returned yet. I dialed my number again. This time, it was received within the first ring. He seemed to be happy (probably, making me go insane!).
"Oh! Hi my doppelganger!”
"I am not! But you are! Yes, you are my doppelganger! You are adding to my already a never ending chain of worries!" I lost my patience at last and this time I was happy for losing it!
"Oh, come on now, cant you take a decent joke like that?" He didn't seem to be hurt."...good, you called me. I just got a deal of work from my friend and his company.” I thought why is he telling me all this, but he continued,
"…I never had the courage to say 'NO' when it was necessary. But after many years I have learnt the trick of the trade. This deal earned them a handsome amount, but I felt I was being paid in pennies for the work. I did a thorough study... and today I said I can't take up the work... And just a minute back, my friend called up and said okay to my proposition!"
I abruptly cut the phone and called my friend Albert and he too took the call with in first ring,
"Tell me..."
I told him my analysis and detailed my terms & conditions.
He just said, "Okay, done! Actually I was trying to call you, but you never picked it up. Thought you would say no! That’s good. Good deal!"
I heaved a sigh! The deal is on! I could breathe now. Let me plan out the other things that have been pending now. Let me start cooking first. My roomie will come now…
---------------------------------
I asked him, “Have you ever tried dialing your own number, trying to reach me?”
He said, without much of thinking, “Oh, yeah, but I get the busy message always, it never gets through to you, strange isn’t it?”
“Yeap… What’s for the weekend?”
“Oh, I have to study; my exams are coming nearer.”
“So?”
“So, I have asked one of my friends, a batch mate of mine last year, now my senior, to come to my place and give me some tuition on those two subjects...”
“Hmmm… Is it Sheik, you are talking about?”
“Obviously, yes, he is a bright chap you know?”
I knew what I should be doing this weekend. After the call, I called home, and told my mother, I wouldn’t be coming home this weekend, as my exams dates are drawing nearer. She agreed and asked me to study well. I started re-arranging my cupboard, searching for my books, old question papers, photocopies of notes…
---------------------------------
“Have you ever thought of meeting me?” Its been a month we have been bound by this chat.
“Meeting you? Yeah, sort of…” I was sitting in the cafeteria, talking to him. My colleagues, who were sitting along with me, started whispering among themselves and started making faces at me… They all think I’ve got a girlfriend now! Even my roomie thinks that I am hiding something from him… And he also thinks I am becoming more cheerful these days…
“So, when shall we meet?”
“Today…” I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.
I could sense, he was thinking on the other end of the connection… “Okay, we can…”
“Where?”
“Actually… I am home today, have got a cold, so how about today after your work?” Even I have a cold because of getting up early; jogging a kilometer to the gym which I joined newly, in this mid-winter morning chill.
“Oh... Sure, I can complete my work by 4:00 p.m, and come where?”
“You know my address, right?” He promptly dictated me my own address. This is silly I thought. And then again I thought, let me face this, as I started facing my worst fears these days and for my surprise, started winning over them!
He told, “But, let this be our last meeting…”
Keeping my voice, nonchalant, I asked, “Oh, why?”
“You know the answer; you don’t want to look like a psychologically challenged speaking to your own voice, dialing your own number, right? And there is even more reasons…”
My colleagues, sitting next to me oooohed aaahed, when I finally finished talking. I dared not explain this whole thing to them…
---------------------------------
I dialed my number, as soon as I got down from my bus at my stop; He answered the call within three rings.
”Where are you now?”
“Actually, I lied, I am not at home.”
“What?” I knew his ways now!
“Yeap, but don’t worry, lets meet” I could here the usual noises of the city around me, and I can hear the same voices, echoing through my mobile, from the other side.
“So? Where and when?” I started getting restless and he sensed it…
“Hey, did I tell you that I went to work today, and just now got down from the bus and am walking to my room?” I looked around me, as turned into a small road of my room. There was a big lorry stood blocking entry to my first floor room…
“Where are you now, then?” I asked him.
“I am right here in front of you friend, just look straight!” I saw him, and I saw myself!
The family staying in the second floor of my building was moving out, and they were filling the lorry with their belongings. A huge steel cupboard with a full length mirror was kept next to the lorry, waiting to be lifted up into it… And I saw him…!
I saw him and I saw myself. He was smiling at me in the full length mirror… I said, “Hi” into the mobile… And he did the same, “Hi!” One of the guys from second floor apologized for blocking the staircase, and offered me a chair to sit and wait for five minutes, so that they could clear the way. But I stood there talking to him…
“Here you are!”
“Yeap, as promised!”
“You look exactly like me”
“Yeap and you know that’s because I am you!”
And now I knew, why he wanted this to be our last meeting, “Yes, that’s the exact reason…” he read my thoughts, “… you can’t be talking to yourself or your inner self in open. You’ll be treated as a mental case if you do that…” “But why did you choose me?” “Choose you? For what? For this experimentation? Nope, this was just to improve my outer self. I was always confident; I was always enabled like any other person. But as outer self, you lacked that confidence. And you didn’t even turn to me in search of support. So it was just a self-help that I did. I was correcting myself. I wanted to make ourselves confident, enabled,happy & content as a single man…” I sat down on the chair talking to him over the mobile. We talked about many things in detail. It was wonderful as well as surprising how he had solution for every problem I had, answer for every doubt I had… Then when we couldn’t find anything to talk about, he took a jovial note, "Tell you what? Now you are in a new problem!"
"How do you know?"
"Told you long before, you are my... no, I am your doppelganger!"
"Is it?” we were laughing; I looked healthier in the mirror. I got to measure my weight. I have been eating like a famished vulture these days.
"So, you want a solution for this problem also, right?" I felt my heart booming out of my chest, I felt breathless.
"No. Actually this is not a problem. This is kind of a new thing, new situation..."
"I know, I know", he said laughing, "its same here..."
"Is it? Did you tell her?"
"Oh, no way! I am lost and totally messy as you are in the matters of the heart. And this is my first time, you know?"
"How should I know? I always thought you're my other half; the happier & confident half". He laughed a lot.
"So, let’s help each other!"
"No way, let me not manipulate things here. I know, my heart will find a way"
"Exactly right", he agreed,” Even I would have said no if you had agreed to help me out". They cleared my staircase. I got up from the chair they offered me. One of them thanked me. I smiled at them, still talking over my mobile,
"Okay then, as you said, 'Bye!'"
"Adieu!”He cut the call first. The lorry started moving away and someone had already covered the mirror with some sheet of cloth. I went up the stairs to my room, trying to dial my number.... And I got a reply! "This line is busy, kindly try after sometime!"
At 11.00, I got another call from one of my credit card agencies, asking my consent to send their personnel. After which I call my friend Albert, asking him whether he could lend me some money…He doubted, if he had enough cash in his account (I knew this would be his answer). So I am left with only one choice… To call one of my old colleague and friend, who would surely lend me some money, but make me feel very sorry for getting it. He is the man of theories and compared to me he is a successful man, who likes show that off, by helping many others like me…
---------------------------------
I dialed the number on my mobile. Before the call routing, I got an automated message telling me that my balance is low and I have to recharge soon. When it started ringing, I suddenly realized what I just did. Instead of dialing my friend’s number, I did dial my own number… And queer thing is-It is ringing! Cursing myself, I took the mobile to cut the call, and suddenly my call got received on the other end. (Oh great, I can’t even dial my own number properly.)
“Hello…”
“Hello, who’s this?”
I started apologizing to the person on the other side and explained that I dialed his number, instead of my friend’s. He paused, before asking me, “What’s your friend’s number?”
I gave my friends number, and he asked,
“But that’s all together a different connection and different series of numbers. How you could’ve dialed my number, instead of his?” I am tired, but I explained patiently that instead of dialing my friend’s number, I dialed my number which wasn’t correct as well (Surely I must have miss-typed some digits). He again asked, “What’s your number?” I repeated my number, and he got irritated,
“No, I am asking you for my number…”
(Can’t he see on his device?) I repeated my number and he cut me off in the middle,
“No sir, that’s my number”
“What?! That can’t be!”
“Check your device screen friend…” I checked the pale yellow screen of my mobile phone and saw my own number on top in active call mode.
“No friend,” I used the same casual language he used, “there must be some network goof-up, but this is my number”
He chuckled, and I found it was odd, am I hearing my own echo?
“How can that be boss? I have been using this number for last two years…”
“Me too friend, this is my first mobile connection…” I want to end this conversation. Why make my life more complex. I cut the call abruptly and fell into my seat.
---------------------------------
I sat silently for sometime, staring at the monitor. Then, I don't know why I did what I did; I took my mobile and started dialing my own number. My heart suddenly started beating erratically, when I heard a 'click' and my call got received.
“Hello....” Now I got the second and the most fearsome oddity about this fellow. He just sounded like me! And I knew it was crazy!
On the phone, he repeated, “Hello!”
“Ahm... Hi, hello, this is me again”, I was more embarrassed than worried.
“Tell me”
“May I know your name?”
“Okay, but you have to answer it first.” I told him my name.
He repeated it, after 2 seconds. “... That’s my name too”.
This was craziness. I thought of cutting the call, but then I continued. “You work?” “Yep, you?” “Me too, I am a software engineer”,
"Hey, me too... But don't tell me, you work for ..."
Oh... I thought I don’t want to talk to this guy. I cut the call and sat silently, thinking what to do next. ('Should I call my mobile service provider and explain the problem? But how shall I put this problem, more sanely? Or is this a real problem, or am I imagining things? If I am, then this is the limit of sanity. Maybe I will start screaming, running around, and tearing my clothes. What next? Oh wait, let me check the user guide of this mobile instrument. My roomie, my best buddy has a trick with these gadgets. He learns their ins and outs within no time, and also finds many ways to tamper them. Is this April 1st. Nope, crazy me, I went home last week for Diwali.')
I couldn't quite concentrate on my work the whole day. I went to my room in the late evening and did a thorough research on the literature that came with my mobile instrument, but no use. There was no way of changing or redirecting your own-number-dialing to some other number. But even if there was, how can my roomie talk exactly like me? Exactly like me? Nay! He sounded exactly like me, if I was content & happy with what I am today and what I am doing. Like a very happy me! Yes that was the difference. With all these worries, I started feeling this is the last pin, pinning my mind firmly on to the mounting board of mental dissection.
---------------------------------
It is 9pm and chilly outside, my roomie hasn’t returned yet. I dialed my number again. This time, it was received within the first ring. He seemed to be happy (probably, making me go insane!).
"Oh! Hi my doppelganger!”
"I am not! But you are! Yes, you are my doppelganger! You are adding to my already a never ending chain of worries!" I lost my patience at last and this time I was happy for losing it!
"Oh, come on now, cant you take a decent joke like that?" He didn't seem to be hurt."...good, you called me. I just got a deal of work from my friend and his company.” I thought why is he telling me all this, but he continued,
"…I never had the courage to say 'NO' when it was necessary. But after many years I have learnt the trick of the trade. This deal earned them a handsome amount, but I felt I was being paid in pennies for the work. I did a thorough study... and today I said I can't take up the work... And just a minute back, my friend called up and said okay to my proposition!"
I abruptly cut the phone and called my friend Albert and he too took the call with in first ring,
"Tell me..."
I told him my analysis and detailed my terms & conditions.
He just said, "Okay, done! Actually I was trying to call you, but you never picked it up. Thought you would say no! That’s good. Good deal!"
I heaved a sigh! The deal is on! I could breathe now. Let me plan out the other things that have been pending now. Let me start cooking first. My roomie will come now…
---------------------------------
I asked him, “Have you ever tried dialing your own number, trying to reach me?”
He said, without much of thinking, “Oh, yeah, but I get the busy message always, it never gets through to you, strange isn’t it?”
“Yeap… What’s for the weekend?”
“Oh, I have to study; my exams are coming nearer.”
“So?”
“So, I have asked one of my friends, a batch mate of mine last year, now my senior, to come to my place and give me some tuition on those two subjects...”
“Hmmm… Is it Sheik, you are talking about?”
“Obviously, yes, he is a bright chap you know?”
I knew what I should be doing this weekend. After the call, I called home, and told my mother, I wouldn’t be coming home this weekend, as my exams dates are drawing nearer. She agreed and asked me to study well. I started re-arranging my cupboard, searching for my books, old question papers, photocopies of notes…
---------------------------------
“Have you ever thought of meeting me?” Its been a month we have been bound by this chat.
“Meeting you? Yeah, sort of…” I was sitting in the cafeteria, talking to him. My colleagues, who were sitting along with me, started whispering among themselves and started making faces at me… They all think I’ve got a girlfriend now! Even my roomie thinks that I am hiding something from him… And he also thinks I am becoming more cheerful these days…
“So, when shall we meet?”
“Today…” I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.
I could sense, he was thinking on the other end of the connection… “Okay, we can…”
“Where?”
“Actually… I am home today, have got a cold, so how about today after your work?” Even I have a cold because of getting up early; jogging a kilometer to the gym which I joined newly, in this mid-winter morning chill.
“Oh... Sure, I can complete my work by 4:00 p.m, and come where?”
“You know my address, right?” He promptly dictated me my own address. This is silly I thought. And then again I thought, let me face this, as I started facing my worst fears these days and for my surprise, started winning over them!
He told, “But, let this be our last meeting…”
Keeping my voice, nonchalant, I asked, “Oh, why?”
“You know the answer; you don’t want to look like a psychologically challenged speaking to your own voice, dialing your own number, right? And there is even more reasons…”
My colleagues, sitting next to me oooohed aaahed, when I finally finished talking. I dared not explain this whole thing to them…
---------------------------------
I dialed my number, as soon as I got down from my bus at my stop; He answered the call within three rings.
”Where are you now?”
“Actually, I lied, I am not at home.”
“What?” I knew his ways now!
“Yeap, but don’t worry, lets meet” I could here the usual noises of the city around me, and I can hear the same voices, echoing through my mobile, from the other side.
“So? Where and when?” I started getting restless and he sensed it…
“Hey, did I tell you that I went to work today, and just now got down from the bus and am walking to my room?” I looked around me, as turned into a small road of my room. There was a big lorry stood blocking entry to my first floor room…
“Where are you now, then?” I asked him.
“I am right here in front of you friend, just look straight!” I saw him, and I saw myself!
The family staying in the second floor of my building was moving out, and they were filling the lorry with their belongings. A huge steel cupboard with a full length mirror was kept next to the lorry, waiting to be lifted up into it… And I saw him…!
I saw him and I saw myself. He was smiling at me in the full length mirror… I said, “Hi” into the mobile… And he did the same, “Hi!” One of the guys from second floor apologized for blocking the staircase, and offered me a chair to sit and wait for five minutes, so that they could clear the way. But I stood there talking to him…
“Here you are!”
“Yeap, as promised!”
“You look exactly like me”
“Yeap and you know that’s because I am you!”
And now I knew, why he wanted this to be our last meeting, “Yes, that’s the exact reason…” he read my thoughts, “… you can’t be talking to yourself or your inner self in open. You’ll be treated as a mental case if you do that…” “But why did you choose me?” “Choose you? For what? For this experimentation? Nope, this was just to improve my outer self. I was always confident; I was always enabled like any other person. But as outer self, you lacked that confidence. And you didn’t even turn to me in search of support. So it was just a self-help that I did. I was correcting myself. I wanted to make ourselves confident, enabled,happy & content as a single man…” I sat down on the chair talking to him over the mobile. We talked about many things in detail. It was wonderful as well as surprising how he had solution for every problem I had, answer for every doubt I had… Then when we couldn’t find anything to talk about, he took a jovial note, "Tell you what? Now you are in a new problem!"
"How do you know?"
"Told you long before, you are my... no, I am your doppelganger!"
"Is it?” we were laughing; I looked healthier in the mirror. I got to measure my weight. I have been eating like a famished vulture these days.
"So, you want a solution for this problem also, right?" I felt my heart booming out of my chest, I felt breathless.
"No. Actually this is not a problem. This is kind of a new thing, new situation..."
"I know, I know", he said laughing, "its same here..."
"Is it? Did you tell her?"
"Oh, no way! I am lost and totally messy as you are in the matters of the heart. And this is my first time, you know?"
"How should I know? I always thought you're my other half; the happier & confident half". He laughed a lot.
"So, let’s help each other!"
"No way, let me not manipulate things here. I know, my heart will find a way"
"Exactly right", he agreed,” Even I would have said no if you had agreed to help me out". They cleared my staircase. I got up from the chair they offered me. One of them thanked me. I smiled at them, still talking over my mobile,
"Okay then, as you said, 'Bye!'"
"Adieu!”He cut the call first. The lorry started moving away and someone had already covered the mirror with some sheet of cloth. I went up the stairs to my room, trying to dial my number.... And I got a reply! "This line is busy, kindly try after sometime!"
posted by Shivakumara at 6:47 PM
1 Comments:
too much of work lands in losing the screw on the top floor...seem like u too had the syndrome...In short ..dnt be crazy & lose ur sense....:-)
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