My First Date

- by: PRASUN ROY

I still remember the first date I ever went on in my life. Usually

first dates are memorable to everyone but for me it was something

that I can never forget. I went out for my first date with my high

school crush when I was in class eleven. It was a day that I planned

for weeks and finally she, Rachna, agreed to come out with me,

Prasun Roy! In school who was famous for being a person with a cool

attitude with no constraints from the family end, whose parents were

more of buddies than dominating guardians! However the fact remained

that I too was from a middle class family with core values and

principles like all others.

Back home I lied to my parents that I was going out for a school

excursion and managed to get the approval of my parents and finally

the day arrived.

After a short lunch at a funky restaurant, Rachna and I went hand in

hand for a movie. As the evening was drawing to a close we were

roaming in the streets of "New Market" talking to each other, about

each other. Life suddenly seemed so beautiful.

All of a sudden, out of the forgotten multitude that was also

walking in the same street, I could see a familiar face quite

distinct- why I didn't know. As realization embraced my

consciousness, I comprehended that the face of the person

approaching me from the other side was of none other than but my

FATHER!

Within a fraction of a second all romanticism vanished from my heart

and a fear engrossed it instead. I could interpret in that short

time the amount of humility and shame I would face suddenly as my

father would recognize me, scold me after we meet, and that was

inevitable! Apart from the scorn that I would face at home, I could

also feel the embarrassment I would face in front of Rachna, who

recognized as the cool guy ... in school as well as back home!

Crippled with the fear I only prayed that the earth would open up

and I would hide there from all the humility. However there seemed

no practical escape from it. Then something happened.

My father came near me, along with the now not-so-forgotten

multitude, looked into my eyes as a stranger and passed by me

rubbing his shoulder against mine and passed by without even

recognizing me. It was the biggest shock and relief of my life. I

still don't know which emotion was predominant at that moment.

After sometime, Rachna went away to her home oblivious of the fact

whatever I just revealed, and I came back to mine.

At home that night, life seemed to me like a prison. I went for

dinner with a fearful heart and a lost appetite. To my surprise,

everything was so very normal. My mother served dinner and we all

ate the usual way. This made my life more miserable. I quickly

finished my food and went back to my room. Questions crowded my mind

and I couldn't figure out what might have happened after my father

came back home and revealed about my forged romantic rendezvous. Why

everything was still so normal pained my mind even more!

Presently my father calmly came into my room and sat beside me. I

looked into his eyes with fear in mine but discovered a smooth

comfort in his! He soothingly asked, "So Sunny Boy, how was your

date, I must say she was a pretty and sweet lady!"

Like somewhat mesmerized I revealed everything to him about my first

date and added, "Dad, it was simply out of this world, but the day

passed away like a few minutes only!"

He smiled and said, "You know what, Albert Einstein once said ...

Put your hand on a hot oven for a minute and it would seem like and

hour; put your hand upon a pretty lady for an hour and it

would seem like a minute! Now that's relativity. It's all relative,

the fact is how much you cherish what you gained ... RIGHT! This is

the biggest lesson of life my son"

I had never seen my father being like this before; he was more of a

buddy than my guardian actually. I could feel within me that I would

never ever be able to hide anything else from him, he actually

understood me much more than my own self.

We talked for an hour and I would remember those words forever

perhaps! I couldn't interpret whether it was my First Date with my

dream girl or the First Date of knowing my father actually. However

I knew that I realized how much I loved and respected my father

after that. Just as he was leaving my room I called him and

said "Thank You daddy! Thank you so much!"

Both of us knew what I was thankful for and required no mentioning.

He turned towards me with his dreamy eyes and said these words...

"Hey son, how could I ever let you down my child, never! I would

just say, whatever happens in life and whomever you love in your

life and to whatever degree, you only remember one thing that your

Daddy has loved you 18 years more than that. 18 years more than that

dear!"

He switched off the light and went to his room. In the mild blue and

gray of the moonlight ushering into my room through the window I too

could feel one thing ... Yes, it's truly 18 more years of Love, I, or

any child, can never ever cover up! It was in fact my First Date,

the first one of actually realizing the Love I had taken for granted

for all those Eighteen Years perhaps! It truly was so.