32

In Her Black Dress


There was an Iranian girl in our class who lived in a burka. It revealed just her fair little face.

Extremely reserved, she doesn't even laugh at the silly pranks that happen in class. Most of us believed that perhaps their way of having fun is very different from ours. While we roamed around in the campus indulging in all possible nonsense, this girl spent all her free time in the library. So she was labelled as the official nerd of the batch!

However, of the very few friends she had probably in the country, I was one. We have had discussions on lot of topics, but very rarely she talked about her home. But whenever she did, I felt her relationship with her folks lacked the intimacy and fondness that most of us shared with our family. However not much I know about her personal life as she never liked to dig out the grief and pain she buried in her black dress.  

One day, she came to me and said, “I am sure we will not meet again. My dad wants me to go back, so I am leaving India” I could only look into her eyes in surprise and not react as it was not expected at all.

Saying that, with her nimble fingers she wiped off the tears that rolled down her cheeks and continued, “Thank God, I don’t have many people to say good bye. Here’s a small gift for you; it has foreseen my life. Please don’t forget me…” Her voice cracked as she gave me a book wrapped in silver cover. We hugged each other and even without looking at my face for one last time, she walked away.

****

She left our college during the time when social networking sites were quite unheard of. Before leaving, all she gave me was an email id to get in touch with. Sadly, I have not received any replies to the umpteen messages I have sent her. And she is not to be seen anywhere in the virtual world.

I only wish and pray that her life is different from the one told in the book she gifted me, “Not Without My daughter”. 

“My dear friend, I hope everything is fine with you.”

If you have not read the book, you may read the synopsis here to understand what I am talking about. 


PS: This post is part of the Write Tribe Festival of Words 2. The challenge is seven posts in seven days and this is the third one in the series, on the theme Books. 

32 comments:

Tarang Sinha said...

Such a poignant post! Is it fiction or real?

Pink Mango Tree said...

Unfortunately real... :(

Unknown said...

Haven't read the book and off to read the review. But what you wrote it seems to something tragic :(

Anonymous said...

Oh, i hope she's fine too. That's one heartwrenching book

Anita Jeyan said...

Oh my I really hope she is fine and happy !

Prasanna Rao said...

That's such a sad tale. I hope wherever your friend is, she is fine and happy.

Sunita said...

Very poignant indeed. I hope she is fine.

Obsessivemom said...

Oh that's really sad. I read that book then saw the film too. It's scary.. I do hope your friend is fine.

Tarang Sinha said...

What are talking about a book and synopsis then?

Anonymous said...

Oh, I can only hope she's fine! :(

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan said...

sigh... sad really. I know her parents think they are doing everything for the right reasons, but i also worry if it really is a life at all, being handcuffed forever by invisible chains?

Pink Mango Tree said...

@sheethal - yeah; sad :(

Pink Mango Tree said...

@chaipakoragupshup - I know... it is a sad book. The movie is also sad.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Anita - I hope too!

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Prasanna - I choose to believe that she is so busy with life that she just doesnt find time to spend on networking sites...

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Sunita - thanks and I too hope so.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@obsessive mom - very scary indeed to put yourself in that character's shoes.

Pink Mango Tree said...

'Not without my daughter' is the book she gifted. I'm sure you would have read it :) I added the link with synopsis of the story for those who have not read it.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@I wrote those - yeah! Thanks for stopping by.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Roshan - anybody with sense can never agree with the reasons they give for discontinuing their childrens' education.

kalpana solsi said...

I hope you hear from her ,,,,,,,one day.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@kalpana - I wish. And thank you.

Unknown said...

Oh how sad! I hope your paths cross again♥

Vinay Leo R. said...

I pray wherever she is, she is fine. And one day soon, she will come back to India and meet you :)

Anonymous said...

Poignant take and kudos for writing about ur friend. I have few Iranian friends in college and they are lovely people.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Kathy - I hope too. Thanks for stopping by.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Leo - thanks for your prayers..

Pink Mango Tree said...

@vishal - thanks vishal. Friends always make good topic to write as you can think of so many characters!!!

Tarang Sinha said...

No, I haven't read this book but the story seems very interesting and would love to read this!! Thanks for sharing...:)

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Tarang - happy reading and let me know if you like it :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Such a sad story Shalini cheichi. I hope you meet her soon. I have a feeling u know who I am.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@Anonymous...I wish I knew. Please tell me who this is...

Back to Top