What is more important

A beautiful soul

The news of his demise spread like fire. Soon, everyone in the village came to know that Raginder has died. Rajinder was a very happy soul and one of the very few human beings who always had a smile on his face. He was the one who always lightened up people’s moods. Rajveer and Ranveer look at his face and are staring at him in complete confusion. For a long time, they did not notice that they have stopped their breaths. Then they sighed as Ranveer closes his eyes with his hands. He might not be the best detective in the station, but he was the best human being. They all loved him like their little brother; however, he was very close to Zain. Their friendship was not like other friendships in the area. They had different religions, different values and different concepts of right and wrong, yet they were buddies. Now, everyone is having his flashbacks.

Rajveer: “Do you remember the time when he left an untitled gift on your desk?”

Ranveer smiles and looks at the guy in front of him who has left this world for good and will never come back. He calls the officers who are standing out and shedding tears slowly: “Make arrangements for his funeral. We will celebrate his martyrdom in the way he used to celebrate his life.”

Officers: “Yes, sir.” They turn around and not just salute Rajveer and Ranveer but also Raginder who is lying motionless in the bed.

Ranveer: “We will take Amma gee to our home. She is the only one which can help us deal with this case in the best way. I do not think that the Gujrials will be willing to cooperate with us and it is very important to keep her safe.”

Rajveer: “I will ask the helper to make arrangements for her. The doctors said that she would be discharged by tonight.”

Ranveer: “Is she conscious?”

Rajveer: “No.”

None of them has any expression on their faces as they continue to look at the person in front of them.

Rajveer’s flashback

Rajveer is packing the stuff on his desk and will be leaving soon. He looks at a photo frame for a long time and then put it back on the desk. The frame has a picture where two boys have arms on each other’s shoulders and are smiling with full teeth for the camera. Rajinder enters the room full of rage and jumps on Rajveer: “I will not let you go. You can hit me and put a fight with me, but you cannot leave. You can stay at my house if you have any problems, but I will not let you go. Yaari (friendship) does not end like that.”

The context is that Rajveer and Ranveer had a terrible fight and decided to part ways. They had not talked to each other in a week and throw daggers at each other whenever they see each other. Rajveer had an offer to accept a higher position in another station and take its command. He was going to reject it first to stay with Ranveer as he was alone but then decided to accept it after they had a fight.

Now, he is shifting and moving to the new station. Rajinder is on his back and not letting him go.

Rajveer: “At least get off me.”

Rajinder: “First say that you will not go.”

Rajveer: “I will not say that, but I can assure you that I will listen to you. Just get off me man.”

Rajinder gets off him and asks him to take a seat. He then calls the tea boy and asks him to get two cups of tea with biscuits.

Rajinder: “I know you are my boss but for a while think that I am your friend and tell me what happened?”

Rajveer: “Nothing happened?” He is so angry as if his ears are fuming.

Rajinder: “Not just the entire station but the entire village can tell that something is wrong. Now tell me what happened between you and that i***t and dumb Ranveer?”

Rajveer: “He is your boss.” And rises his eyebrow.

Rajinder: “So are you but both of you are acting like some three standard kids who lost their favourite doll, or someone snatched their lollipops.”

Rajveer huffs: “Fine, tell me what you want to hear?”

Rajinder: “Tell me what happened between you and Ranveer?”

Rajveer: “We have been friends for a very long time and have never kept anything from each other. Now, he found a girl and did not tell me. I asked him and he put a fight with me. He did not tell me and then things got messy.”

Rajinder: “See we have to give space to our loved ones sometimes because they also need space, they also need to comprehend things and they also need to find some words to convey something. Give him time and there is no need to create a mountain over a molehill. You should talk to him and give him time. Do not give up on this.”

Rajveer: “I am going away and giving him time.”

Rajinder: “That is not giving time, that is running away. Do not run away. Man, Zain is my friend, and our friendship is not even close to your friends, but I know I am grateful for that friendship, and I will never give up on that. Do not give up on it man you will regret it. Have tea and biscuit and I will leave now.”

Ranveer’s Flashback

He is in the room when Raginder enters with a cup of tea and biscuits. He sits on the chair without addressing him or saluting him. Ranveer lifts his head from the file and gives him a pointed look. He is dipping biscuits in the tea and eating it. He is not even slightly bothered by Ranveer, but Ranveer is surely bothered by him.

Ranveer: “Ok, I am bothered, why are you acting like this?”

Rajinder: “Same and for the same reason you guys are acting like this.”

Ranveer: “What do you mean?”

Rajinder: “Why are you and Rajveer acting like some three standard kids who lost their favourite doll, or someone snatched their lollipops?”

Ranveer: “Behave, I am your senior.” He is really annoyed.

Rajinder: “Behave, he is your friend.”

Ranveer looks at him in utter surprise.

Rajinder: “You guys should act like grown-up men and talk to each other. Stop acting like kids and throwing your tantrums at others. The entire station is suffering because of you two and everyone is a mess because of your condition, especially Rajveer. He is leaving. Why do not you understand this? He is your best friend. you can not act as if you do not care when you do actually care.”

Ranveer sighs and looks at him in confusion. He is tired, tensed, sad, angry and annoyed. He does not what to do when he came to know that the person, he loved the most is leaving. Rajinder looks into his eyes and says: “tell me what happened? There must be some solution and I may be able to suggest something.”

Ranveer: “Why do you want to know? You were always against him now why do you care about him or all this?”

Rajinder: “I want to know this because I do not want this friendship to end, I want to know this because your bond is beautiful, I want to know this because I do not like when people leave, and friendships end and last but not the least I want to know this because I cannot bear this gloomy atmosphere and two useless, arrogant, self-centred and stubborn bosses. For the second part of your question, I can only say that I was never against him, I just like annoying him. how could someone be so composed all the time? I wanted him to get out of that and I want a good senior and he is great. Now, you are not my boss, currently rather my friend and just spit out what happened?”

Ranveer throws down his guards and opens up: “I hid something from him, and he asked me about that. Instead of telling him, I started fighting him. it was the first time I hid something from him, and I did not know how to do that, and fighting was the best excuse I found to let that thing go. However, I made a terrible mistake, instead of talking to him and making things clear, I prolonged the fight and said really bad. He came to this station just to be with me and help me. He knew that I was never good at talking and I would make mistakes while taking over this very politically sensitive police station. He never said anything, but deep down, I felt that it was a favour that he did, and I never returned it. I came to know that he got a promotion offer from a very big station and he was thinking of declining that because of me and because I was alone. Then I thought if I fight with him, he will be forced to go. Now, he is going, and I am even more annoyed. I want him to go because he deserves success, and he is the best in his work, and he is hardworking, and he is great, but my self-fish self wants to keep him with me. I do not want him to leave him. I am worried about the fact that what if he finds a new friend there and gets more attached to him and starts loving him more. He is the only thing I have (Ranveer is an only child and since his childhood, considers Rajveer his brother and this is also what his parents taught. His parents made sure that their friendship lasts, and they develop a wonderful bond. They also love Rajveer more than anyone and the two families respect and love each other a lot) and I cannot afford to lose him, but I cannot keep him attached to me.”

Rajinder: “You are also worried about your parents?”

Ranveer: “Not at all. If they come to know about this, they will fly here and make sure that we are back together.”

Rajinder: “Because they know that you two are meant for each other, not in the romantic sense, I mean do not take me wrong, but in the sense that look at you guys. Can you guys afford to have a new friend and other than that who would be willing to be your friend and put his/ her head under the train? Only you two can bear each other. No one else can do that and I assure you. Now, get up and talk to him like an adult. Open up to him about your feeling because I know one thing, you can not afford to lose him and the same goes for him. Talk to him and be happy, be natural and be open. Everything will be fine if you talk to him. he will understand.”

Ranveer: “Are you sure?”

Raginder: “Cent percent.”

Ranveer looks at the picture on his desk which is the same as the one on Rajveer’s desk. Both Ranveer and Rajveer come out of the room at the same time and go out of the station building. There they talk and Ranveer tells him about his emotions and fears. However, he does not tell him about the thing he hid from him in the first place. He only said that he would tell him everything when the right time would come and when he thought himself to be ready for that in respect of everything including word selection and language. Rajveer also tells him about his emotions and that he did not want to go about there were things which needed his time more and things which were more important. He said the important thing by looking at Ranveer who hugs him tightly.

End of flashback

Ranveer: “He was the reason behind our reunion, and I will never forget that. I am indebted to this man.”

Rajveer puts a hand on his shoulder and shakes it: “Everything will be fine and for him, we will never give up on what we have.” They then leave the room.

Food for thought

Is it necessary for people to die to make others know about their worth? Why is it more difficult to forgive someone you love as compared to forgiving a stranger?