"Who is sick? From your walking style I identified you from far." Riya said from the back of Binoy.

Looking back when Binoy discovered Riya, his heart pounded with joy. He felt from the core of his heart that if wished something wholeheartedly, that must be fulfilled; had it not been so, then why did they come across dramatically? Binoy thought.

"What happened? Can't you recognise me? Why don't you answer my question? Who is sick?" Riya asked expressing her mock anger.

Being ashamed Binoy answered, “How can I answer you? I don't know who is sick."

"But I saw you coming out from doctor's chamber." Riya said being confused.

"You saw nothing wrong but neither had I gone there for my check up, nor did I take anybody there. I went there, I mean doctor's home, to teach his daughter."

"That means now a days you stay in Durgapur, don't you?"

"Yes, I have taken a room in rent near Netaji Club."

"Wow! That means you are my neighbour now. How long are you here? "

"For last three months."

"That's very bad. Being a neighbour, you never came to visit me. Oh yes, why should you? I don’t have any existence in your life. Out of sight out of mind, I think I was a time pass for you. What not I thought about, about our incomplete love.”

Binoy became speechless by her emotional reaction. Though it was a seven years old event, Binoy still remembered that evening vividly. His dream was broken into pieces. Recovering himself he said, “If I knew your address, I would try to visit you."

"That means still I have a place in your heart. Binoy da, do you remember our evenings in Lalpahari? "

"Do you still remember?"

"How can I forget them? Such days will never come in my life again but I love cherishing them. Do you know how I have preserved your photographs?"

“How?”

“In my secret Google drive.”

"Now tell something about your present."

"I have nothing special to mention, like all other Indian housewives, I have become the mother of two sons and remain busy rearing them and serving my in laws and my husband like an unpaid housemaid."

"Did you complete your matriculation? So far I remember you got married right before your class ten final examination."

"I am now a totally changed Riya. Please don't ask me all about my study, singing, dancing and etc. Those are bygone days. What is the use of remembering them?" Leaving a huge sigh she became silent.

Binoy realised that he touched her secret wounds by mistake. Like before he felt sorry for his unintentional mistake and became puzzled finding no immediate remedy for his problem. Naturally he became restless like before.

In order to rescue Binoy, Riya laughed and said, "Really, Binoy da you haven't changed a little. You become worried and nervous considering my present situation. Don't worry; I am happy with my life. I am determined to fulfil all my unfulfilled wishes through my children. Let's move to my in-laws home."

"Why?" Binoy asked without thinking anything.

"Strange! Don't you like to know with whom and where I live?"

“But I am scared thinking how you will introduce me before your in-laws. Now, who am I to you?”

“That you leave on me. I don’t think telling lie is a sin, especially for you.  How I used to handle my parents in Lalpahari, can’t you remember?”

Following Riya  Binoy reached before a three storied building with garage, garden, lawn and etc. He passed that house several times since the huge house was very near to his rented room. He never thought that his lady love remained confined in that prison, Binoy thought.

Riya introduced Binoy as a selfless hero, who saved herself from a terrible road accident taking the risk of his own life, to her father in law Mr Avinash Roy. Leaving him under the care of her father in law, Riya went indoor, probably to complete her assignment.

Mr Roy seemed to be an extremely talkative person. He expressed his gratitude for saving his daughter in law and then he asked, “ By the by what do you do my son?"

" Taking necessary preparation for competitive exams to become a teacher and side by side I have been taking tuition to earn my living." Binoy replied.

"That's great. I too started my career like you. Leaving my native village I came in this town in search of my fortune. Like you I used to do tuition to earn my living as you know my parents were too poor to bear my expenses; rather I had to send money for them from my little income. Those days are night mare to me." Mr Roy took a pause in his recapitulation.

After sometime he resumed, “Anyway within three years I secured the job of a clerk in a land revenue office and thereafter I didn't look back. As you see my home and property, they are all earned by me. I am a self-made man. But now I regret for those three struggling years of my life. Had it been your time, I mean to say present day today, I would not suffer a single day. Do you understand what I mean to say?"

Being puzzled Binoy confessed, “No, I can't follow you."

Mr Roy nodded his head being pleased and with a light smile he said, “As expected, don't worry; I will make you understand everything. By the by, are you a science or arts graduate?"

Like a born fool, Binoy replied," a science graduate, I mean BSc"

"Bravo! Fantastic! For you the job will be even easier. The success is a matter of time and opportunity for you."

"Still I can't understand anything."

"Put your emotions on hold
Or else find yourself in a hole"

Uttering a piece of couplet, Mr Roy laughed mysteriously which made Binoy even more confused.

"Are you a poet?" Asked  Binoy.

"No, no I am a clerk by profession but emotionally I am a businessman, I believe in the doctrine that service to humanity is service to God."

"What do you mean? "

" Don't talk in between my speech, you are too impatient." Mr Roy scolded Binoy for his extra inquisitiveness.

After sometime he resumed, “Listen to me carefully, this is the age of information. More you are informed, more you go ahead. Formal education is nothing but farce. College and universities are nothing but unemployment generating centre. Can you contradict me?"

Fear of getting another scold, Binoy preferred remaining silent which in turn pleased the speaker of the day and being satisfied he continued, "I know, it is an established fact. That's why I didn't give my son a second chance to pursue his study after he failed in his class ten final examinations."

In this point Binoy understood why Riya was not allowed to write her final examination. Had she passed the exam, then her husband's male ego would have been hurt badly. He felt sorry for his dream girl.

"I opened a business for him and now he has established himself as a well-known steel merchant. Anyway come to the point. I have a plan for you. I think you have heard about Gamway, an American company known for its exclusive products and sales management. The company aims to produce minimum one thousand hundred multimillionaires in India every year. I would like to recommend your name as an aspirant for this year's slot in order to express our real gratitude to you."

Binoy became speechless thinking about the generosity of Mr Roy. He meekly asked, “What I have to do?"

"I will let you know everything. Have you ever heard about  Gamway ?" Mr Roy asked.

Binoy was about to say ‘yes’ as he had learnt a lot about that American company from his roommate and all-time friend Buddhi  but somehow he managed to tell a lie. He said, “No, I know nothing about that."

Being pleased Mr Roy started his lecture on Gamway; its exclusive products and even more extra ordinary sales strategy. In brief he started explaining how Binoy would become a millionaire within a year or so while Binoy remained busy remembering the pathetic condition of Buddhi who intended to become a millionaire following the scheme of that company but in reality lost all his hard earned money. He remembered Buddhi’s famous philosophical observation; once he said, “The Gameway Company sells dreams not products and dream from within leads a man towards success but imported dreams often ruin him.”

Taking a pause from his lecture, Mr Roy placed a small hamper in front of Binoy and said, “This is the welcome sell hamper, specially designed for the aspirants like you. Once you sell all the goods, you will be given the right to appoint four assistants to work under you. For that hamper you just pay me Rs 3400 only, while you will earn Rs 600. When you will go to the next level then you will earn 10 percent from your subordinates’ sales like me and so on. Gradually I will let you know everything and I must guide you to achieve your goal. From now on I am your boss and you are my subordinate. Take them and start your journey my boy."

In response Binoy said, " But sir I don't have the money."

Being generous he replied, “No problem, today is Sunday, ok you can pay me next Sunday and remember early you complete the assignment, the earliest will be your promotion."

Reluctant Binoy replied," Even if you give me six month’s time, I can't sell them, and naturally you can not expect your payment from my end. Sorry it is impossible for me. I wish to be a teacher not a salesman."

In the meantime Riya entered into the room with a cup of tea for Binoy. Seeing that Mr Roy became furious and roared, “Who asked you to bring tea? Binoy, I don't think you like to take tea now, do you?"

Most reluctantly Binoy replied negatively.  Being pleased Mr Roy said, “Anyway, since you have prepared the tea, give it to me, I will have it." 

Then taking the tea from her hand, Mr Roy went indoor, probably to digest his defeat. Looking at the sad and disappointed face of Riya, Binoy became thoroughly embarrassed.

At that point of time, her mother in-law entered into the room and after initial conversation she asked Binoy to buy some exclusive lipsticks for his mother and sisters.

It seemed the in-laws home of Riya was more a departmental store than a sweet home. At the time of his departure, Riya's husband took his entry into the seen.

Binoy was very much reluctant in talking with him but looking at the pale face of Riya, he decided to spend few more minutes there.

Fortunately he didn't try to sell anything to Binoy but he proved himself to be a humbug. He was very proud of his latest cars and his habit of changing cars every two years and so on.

Finally when he got release from them, he left a sigh of relief and his hidden love for Riya almost got evaporated. From the core of his heart he felt that keeping in connection with a lost relationship is like living with the corpse of a very near and dear one.