Tuesday, February 16, 2016

She Dumped Me

SHE DUMPED ME
A Story
Short Fiction
By
VIKRAM KARVE


December 1980

The weekly mailbag arrived in the afternoon.

There was one letter for me.

The letter was from my fiancée.

I was delighted.

I took the letter – and went into my tent.

Then – I opened the letter – and I started reading.

Dear Arun,

This is my last letter to you.

I am posting this letter from the airport.

By the time you get this letter – I would have flown far away to a foreign land.

As you know – last month – I had gone to England for a seminar to present a research paper.

There – I met someone – a Lecturer – like me.

He too had come to present a research paper – on the same subject as me.

It was love at first sight – for both of us.

I feel that he will be the right soulmate for me – and – I want to live my life with him.

So – I have decided to go to him.

I am very sorry – but I am calling off our engagement.

I wish you the best – and I am sure you will find someone better than me.

One more thing – I am taking your engagement ring with me.

I do not know how to send it to you – and I do not want to give it to your parents – or mine – since I have not told them about all this.

Everyone thinks I am going abroad for an international conference – even my colleagues – and – once I go there – and not come back – they will have to accept the situation.

I believe that the country where I am going is quite liberal – and I will be able to stay there – once I get married to him.

Sorry – once again.

Yours sincerely
Smita


35 Years Later

December 2015

I recognized her at once – it was the same ‘Smita’ who had dumped me.

Our eyes met.

She recognized me too.

We smiled at each other.

“What a coincidence – I never expected to run into you over here…” I said.

“I am waiting for a connecting flight to San Francisco…” she said.

“Oh – I am going to Auckland…” I said.

“Auckland…?”

“Tourism – just going on a trip to see New Zealand. And you…?”  

“I am returning from a seminar…”

“Oh – you are still in the ‘teaching business’…?”

“Yes – I went on to complete my Ph.D. – and I am a full-fledged Professor for many years now…”

“That’s great…”

“And you…? Still in the Army…?”

“No. I retired a few years ago…”

“So nice to meet you – my flight will be boarding soon – so I must go now…” she said – and she extended her hand.

I was shocked to see that she was still wearing the engagement ring that I had given her 35 years ago.

“Hey – you are still wearing my engagement ring…” I said to her.

“Yes – do you want it back…?” she asked me.

“No. No. That is not why I asked. I was surprised to see my engagement ring on your finger even though you are married to someone else…” I said to her.

“I am not married. I never got married. I am still a spinster…” she said.

“What…? You never got married to that guy you met at the seminar…?” I asked.

“Well – I dumped you – and he dumped me. It is a long story – and I don’t want to discuss it…” she said.

“I am sorry…” I said.

“You must take back your engagement ring…” she said, taking off the ring.

“No. You keep it. Don’t you like the ring…?” I said.

“I love this ring. It is exquisite. That is why I always wear it…” she said.

“So keep it – the ring looks good on your finger…” I said to her.

“Thanks. Thanks a lot. Anyway – since you have let me keep your ring – I must tell you that I am still available…” she said, with a mischievous smile.

“Ha Ha…” I laughed – and I said to her, “Thanks for your offer – but – sadly – I am not ‘available’…”

“You married…?” she asked me.

“Of course – did you think I would remain ‘heartbroken’ for my entire life…?” I said.

“I didn’t mean it that way…” she said.

“In fact – I came here to pick up a cup of coffee for my wife. Why don’t you come and meet my wife…? There is still some time for your flight. We will have a quick cup of coffee. Come – let’s go – my wife will be happy to meet you…” I said.

“You told her about me – how I broke the engagement…?” she asked.

“Of course I told her – there are no secrets between me and my wife…” I said, “Come – let’s go…”

“No. No. I will go for my flight…” she said.

She smiled at me – and she quickly walked away.

I walked to the coffee shop to get the cup of coffee for my wife.

“What took you so long to get a cup of coffee…?” my wife asked me when I returned to her.

“You won’t believe who I met…” I said – and – I told her the whole story.

“Your imagination is really running wild nowadays,” my wife said, “Please don’t make up stories – at least – please don’t tell me all these fantasy tales – you can write them in your fiction blog if you want…”

And so – I am writing this story in my fiction blog.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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Disclaimer:
This story is a work of fiction.  Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

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