Hugs to Your Soul !

I was probably telling her an article which stated the Markowitz portfolio optimization model which I had already told...twice. When we were walking on the 2km path from my college, that led us to the bus stop from where we'd reach our respective hideouts. I wasn't looking at her but swiveling my head back and forth from street corner to street corner since it was a path surrounded by fields, trees and a few residents who have bought land or house here hoping the Bangalore Government would make that outskirt a part of the city.My college ....... located some 3 kms after the much hailed IIM B, all spreads into the Bannerghatta forest range. While we walked through the path to reach the Gottigere Village bust stop.

" come fast machi " cried my best buddy who was far ahead of me ,close to the bus stop with another classmate of us.Probably he had sighted the bus that would take us to our destination.

Usually i lead him to the spot but that was the day when i felt the dying few days of the college life & was busy thinking of her and what she said when we were in Singapore a couple of days back... Yes ! i owed an answer to her.They were words that had a lot of meaning from her end and were picking my throat demanding an answer.....All the way we were walking & I had to see everything, I had to watch every move and read every sign. She'd seen it all a dozen times, I didn't know when I would see it again. I didn't even notice she was gone for at least two and a half steps.

I looked back and rising from a kneel she protectingly held a little dirty gray ball of feathers from the green bed of grasses. It's beak, an orange yellow sliver poked outwards, originating below a glossy black eye. Her attention that had been generously donated to my reciprocated tale had disappeared and a channel of concern flowed between her and the little broken bird, stuck on the concrete sidewalk near to those grasses, hopping in front of the tree trunk, waiting to be smashed and only noticed too late. It looked at her and didn't move. She looked around & glanced at my eye for what I'm not sure. Maybe a tree, a mother bird, somewhere safer, there was nothing. Then she looked up at me again, a soft smile followed by faintly pleading eyes. I didn't have any idea of what to do with the bird as she held it caressingly. I know both the bird and She wanted my attention and didn't want to end the day separated but in the end, we had to put the bird back down the trunk after i forced a plate in its trunk ( a carved area )and left it over there surrouned by soft grass and forced ourselves to continue walking, trying not to feel guilty. Birds can't go on airplanes that have to be caught a cab ride away.

It is just the kind of person She is. This whole ordeal, minutes long, over two months ago, it won't be something she will ever forget. She will still wonder if it was the right thing to do. The question would stem from her own conscience. Rather, it comes from just the simple care she has for anything around her. She gave me a book earlier that week and wrote inside, "Consider this just one of many big hugs to your soul." Only people who stop to pick up broken birds, know how to give those kind of hugs. I speak for myself and for the bird, we are glad we know her. From both of us; thank you, thank you and thanks a ton. It is comforting to know there is a person who is paying enough attention to the dark corners of doorways or the sound of your voice to know when to stop, kneel down, and hug your soul.

Deep in the memories ............ they flash hard............