Scribbles

Love is sublime. It evaporates before you even realize you are in love. Infatuations on the other hand are long lasting. I never fell in love!

There was this time when I came very close though. She was so beautiful that she could put Aphrodite to shame. One of the reasons I fell head over heels for her was her ever changing hairstyle. The myriad of colors and curls fascinated me. Her name was- Ms. Roy, the loveliest woman I ever knew and my high school English teacher.

The first time I saw her was in the school morning assembly. She was announcing the auditions for the debate society. And that’s when I got bewitched! She wad different from others- more fashionable, younger and of course hotter! Every morning when I saw her, I felt I was going to have the best day of my life. And then on, every morning I used to gape at her during the assembly.

And then one auspicious day, our English teacher got pregnant for the fifth time. Her husband used to work at a sperm bank, but that’s another story. Anyway, we got a new substitute teacher- Ms. Roy! And I was on cloud nine. It meant 5 full hours with her every week and I can also go and see her in her office, privately. Of course, I knew I would never have the courage.

I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t speak up and confess his love, especially when I’m in love with my teacher. And so it went on. She used to come to the class and I would spend the next one hour gazing at her luscious hair- sometimes brown, sometimes black, and sometimes glowing as the moon… as a result of my dedication, I flunked the unit test. And as the merciful gods would have it, I got summons to present myself in her office.

So one fine morning I ironed my uniform, gelled my hair, wore my best deodorant and knocked at her office. Nobody answered. I pushed the door and it opened. The office was empty. I went inside with apprehension. It was a very neat office, a bit girly. There were the usual flower vases, photo frames, cushions and an ornate pen stand. On one side of the table was a half open book. Out of curiosity I took the book and opened it. It was an album.

“Vinaashkale vipareet budhdhi”- my grandpa used to tell me. I wish I understood what it meant. I opened the album and started looking at the pictures. First few pages were her childhood pictures. She was a very cute and chubby baby. Then school pictures. She was quite an athlete in school, had lost lot of weight since her kindergarten. Then, college! Pictures with friends and at parties. There was this guy in one of the pictures who seemed to be trying to get real close to my Ms. Roy. And then that fateful thing happened. I turned the page!

It was a very simple picture. She was in a swimming costume, posing after finishing a lap. I was enthralled and the adrenaline started pumping (hope I got the hormone correct). I plucked the picture out to look at it more closely.

Teenage is a very tricky time. It doesn’t give you time to decide what is right and what is dangerous. I was lost in the picture and thought of pleasuring myself. And of course, as Murphy would have it, Ms. Roy entered the office just at the very moment I was in heaven.

Yeah, she was disgusted! She didn’t know what to say and neither did I. So I left her room and ran to the restroom to take care of my unfinished business. That was the last I saw of Ms. Roy. No wait... I saw her one more time and that’s when the story actually ends.

The next day I thought of going to her and apologizing. I gathered up the courage and went. Once again I didn’t knock, just pushed. And she was sitting inside. Not on the chair though. But on the lap of a guy, the guy from her album. I was aghast! I turned back and ran off, not knowing or caring where was I going. She had broken my heart and from then on she was dead to me. That’s how long my love for her lasted!

Of course that didn’t stop me from visiting the restroom regularly. I had forgotten to return the picture ;-)