Letter from a Stranger

Just when I start cribbing about my monotonous routine, some incident makes the day, in want of a better word, interesting! And yet again, our Delhi Metro becomes the backdrop. But the flavor is totally filmy.

For those who still aren’t aware of my plight, I’ll give a brief again. Since I started work at Zee, I have been taking the first metro at 6AM in the morning. Either I am in a zombie like state or too engrossed in my book to bother about anything else. But I never realized that someone else was bothering a bit too much about me!

Today, at Rajiv Chowk metro station, while I had settled down on the platform to catch a nap while I waited for my train, a young boy approached me and handed me a novel: Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield. And our conversation went something like this:

Boy: That guy in the red jacket has given this for you.

Me: *Puzzled expression, almost a frown* What? Who? Excuse me, what?

Boy, pointing vaguely behind him: That guy in red has asked me to give this to you.

Me: Who are you talking about and what..

Boy: I have to catch this train. I’m in a hurry.

And he was off, and I was left at the platform with the heavy novel in my hand still staring at the space where the train had been like a fool. After giving myself a few seconds I opened the book and found a letter inside written on a ruled sheet torn from a spiral notebook, written in black ink. The letter goes like this (sic):

Now its been more than two months I am seeing a very sweet girl... A pretty girl with specs... very punctual of time... a rigorous reader.... never moved her eyes away from the pages of novel... never cared what's around her... & lastly, looks supercute while taking naps between stations....

I don't know what her name is but for me she will always be "the Novel girl:.....

It isn't that I had never seen a beautiful girl before but ever since the day I have seen you, you have been in my mind... So simple still very sweet...

I am (I’d keep him anonymous to you all)... CA Final Student.... we both board the same train from Model Town station... I am very simple... I speak very less & understand things simply. I normally have a reserved nature but don't know why I opened up to you.

Don't take me wrong.. I have just expressed my thoughts in words. I always thought to approach you but never dared to... I think I was more than nervous and also I never wanted to look cheap. So I thought this is the best way I can express myself, silently.

CONFESSION - I had followed you to Zee network office..... very sorry....

bcoz I wanted to know about you...

If you think I am wrong and you find everything absurd then please ignore me and find a perfect trashbin for my feelings...

But if you think that we can be friends, you can contact me...

email id/ facebook id - : (Skipping this particular detail as well because of obvious reasons!)

Humble request:

Ma'am, Atleast accept this novel as a small gift.. I am wondering whether you would like it or not but I suppose it would be as good as "the Wuthering heights".

Wuthering Heights happens to be the last novel that I was reading. I will admit, the letter did put a warm smile to my face and my heartbeat was slightly accelerated because of the exhilaration. Flattery goes down well with all women and I am no exception. I was feeling good but soon, this emotion was replaced by that of worry. Is he a stalker? Should I be scared? What should I do now? Ofcourse, I will return the book, but how will I even recognize him? Would I hurt his feelings? He seems like a decent boy from his letter and would be embarrassed if I end up humiliating him unintentionally. Should I write him a letter as well explaining that though I find the gesture sweet, I cannot accept it? 

Anyhow, I will think of a way to politely decline his offer of being friends, but I will always remember this letter from a stranger which warmed my heart on a chilly morning and brought colour to my cheeks.

*Sigh* J