My friend Mart!

Wakey Wakey: To an announcement in the airplane, I woke up sluggishly with no mood to get out of my seat. Lazing until the final notice to leave the plane, I had to leave before the crew threw me out. Blinks, Blinks and more blinks thankfully I managed to get out of the plane after my lavish Vegas vacation.

Destination Seattle Airport: All the formalities done, I am out of the airport to reach my sister’s place. Next thing I hear is that the cab is running late. What do I do? No option but to wait!

All alone: Seattle and Starbucks…. A great combination indeed! Coffee in my hand but no conversations, a very bad combination indeed! Did not want to wake my people up at that hour but heart was looking for someone to talk to. No luck! I, coffee and a non-interactive TV presenter was all that was left in the waiting room.

The Meet: I saw someone walking towards the waiting area and scream on their phone ‘what? How long do I have to wait’? My sadistic inner self said, ‘thank god, I got someone to chat to; I will definitely trouble this guy and pull him to a chat’. Little did I know his trouble and sufferings needed more than just a talk. A cute looking guy with a Santa’s hat walks in, sits next to me and smiles. Yes, I wanted that, a live person to talk to.

The HI’s and Hello’s: Smiling guy next to me—Hi, I am Mart, I am waiting for my cab from past hour, I travelled back from New Jersey and he went on and on, I was like—Hello, give me a chance to talk. The chat started casually when I asked, where do you live in Seattle Mart? Mart again goes on and on, he says: I live nearby, I did not want to study but I studied in this college, I did an animation course, I graduated with high grades as my mum wanted to see me in my graduation gown, etc. 

Again, I was like— Hello my chance to talk. He laughs and asks me to continue, curious me: Why did you have to study when you didn’t want to? Is it for your mother? Mart takes on from here: Yes, it is! She wanted me to graduate before she said good bye to this world. I fulfilled her dream to see me as a graduate. I was so sorry for Mart and consoled him. He went on, my mum was a very lively person, she was a single mother yet she did not make me realise that my dad was not with us. She was my everything. He showed me pictures of his mum and I was very emotional by then, I thought to myself why these sufferings dear lord!

Goodbyes and See-you’s: Controlling my emotions I cheered him up, I told him your mum will always be there with you in each step of your life. He smiled and thanked me for my words. Just then, the cab driver called me to inform that the cab was fast approaching. Curious me never stops questioning, they say it’s good to ask but not always I feel. I asked Mart why he was wearing a Santa’s hat when it was not even close to Christmas. With a sad face, Mart answered: I had been to New Jersey for my Chemotherapy, I wear this hat always as this was given by my mum and when I wear this it makes me brave, brave enough to fight the demon in me, I’m 22 and I really want to wear more graduation hats and not Santa’s hats but god has not given me a choice but to wear this. I was shocked after what I heard. I hugged Mart but still did not know what to tell him, holding back all my emotions and putting my brave face on, I told him: I’m sure you will throw more graduation hats in the air in coming years and your mom will not let you leave this world. Wish to see you soon. With a heavy heart, I had to leave as my cab arrived. I left the place wishing and praying that Mart is cured soon.

We have so many brave hearts that are great inspirations. There are many such Marts’ amongst us with loads of dreams but with very less time to fulfill those dreams. Let’s hope that these miseries end someday and world becomes a much more beautiful place.

Dedicated to My friend Mart and many such amazing people.

Ranju….