The Telephone Booth – Part 3
Vishnu curled his pinky finger with Nayani’s. They decided that a leisurely evening walk would be a great stressbuster. Also, Nayani wanted to try another experiment with Vishnu. She was intrigued to know whether it worked on everyone. Even to those who haven’t used that particular telephone booth. She also wondered whether all the payphones in the world turn into time portals, after they are abandoned.
“Hey, Vish. Have you ever used a telephone booth to speak to someone?” She asked Vishnu.
“Yes, I have. Lots of time, actually.”
“When was the last time you used a payphone?”
“I think it was in 2010.”
“Is that booth like the red ones you see everywhere?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Okay, let’s take this path. I want to show you something.”
“What? This narrow street?” Vishnu’s honey-coloured eyes searched the path for any signs of human inhabitation. But he couldn’t find even one human being in sight.
“Yes, love. This path-”
“But it looks haunted. There are only trees and more trees. Why would you want to go this way?”
“I want to show you something, Vish. Believe me, you’ll be thrilled.”
“What? Are you planning to put me in a horror movie?” Vishnu chuckled and hit her playfully.
“Nope. You wait and watch. Come.” She looked into his eyes again and melted in those honey-coloured eyeballs. The corner of his mouth twitched, making his perfect jawline a spectacle to watch. She placed her left palm on his porcelain cheeks and pulled him closer. They kissed, his hands roving all over her back and their tongues exploring each other’s mouths. Then they realized that they were in public, though the street they just crossed was deserted. They pulled back and stood awkwardly, not knowing what to tell.
“Come, let’s go.” Nayani held his hand and led him on the path.
They walked on the narrow street, strewn with beech and mango trees. A cool breeze engulfed them, though the skies were still clear. A few steps away, the red telephone booth stood as majestic as ever.
“Vish, this street came into existence only because of this telephone booth. The school in which I studied is situated on the other street, which we crossed a few minutes ago. This booth was popular a decade ago, as it was the only means of communication used by the students of this locality. I have some fond and bitter memories associated with this booth. Yesterday, something strange happened, which I cannot explain clearly. I came to this booth to just take a look at it. But it started raining heavily and I got caught. I wanted to inform Ma about my whereabouts. But there was no signal in my phone. So, I just had this weird idea of using this telephone.”
“Instead of calling my mother’s number, I dialled my high school sweetheart Mayank’s old number, as I am used to dialling it frequently in this booth. Guess what? That number is not in existence now. But the call got connected. For a moment, I thought that he might be using the same number. He picked up the call. I started speaking to him, but he wasn’t in the present. I mean, I was speaking to his past version in 2007. I was flabbergasted. Then, I tried the old landline number which we used in 2007. Believe me, I talked to my father. Later, I went home and tried Mayank’s old number from my phone. It said that it wasn’t in existence. I know, this really sounds strange. But I want you to try calling to some old number once and check whether the same happens to you. Make sure that that old number has been dialled in a telephone booth in 2010.”
After a moment of stunned silence, Vishnu burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! Hey, Nayan, what happened to you? Are you writing a science-fiction novel?”
“No, Vish. I am serious. I am still reeling from the experience. Please try it. Call Vidhya’s past self. I think she died on August 26th, 2010. That is tomorrow. So, you call now. Tell her you love her. Or rather loved her. Confess it now at least. You cannot prevent her accident, but a great weight would be lifted from your shoulders. You might have surely called her from a telephone booth in 2010.”
The mention of Vidhya brought Vishnu back to reality. He turned serious and fidgeted with his fingers. The memories associated with Vidhya were too painful, but Nayani had presented a chance for him to talk to her again. Something more than happiness bubbled in his heart and he rubbed his hands together.
“Okay, I am ready.”
They entered the telephone booth and Vishnu lifted the receiver. He was thrilled when the display pane shone green. Nayani dropped a coin in the slit.
After a few rings, the coin fell and the call got connected.
“Hello, Vidhya?”
Nayani couldn’t hear what the voice at the other end spoke.
“Vishnu here. What are you doing?”
The sweet voice at the other end was the perfect mixture of happiness and puzzlement.
“I am calling from a telephone booth. Listen, I just felt like talking to you. I am so overwhelmed with emotions right now, that tears are brimming in my eyes.”
A short pause as he heard Vidhya’s confused questions.
“I just want to tell you I love you, Vidhya. I have always loved you, but I never mustered the courage to tell you. I love you, okay? I don’t want to know what you feel about me.”
Nayani slapped his hand and signalled him to ask about her feelings too, while he listened to Vidhya’s exasperations.
“What?! You love me too?”
Nayani swallowed a lump in her throat, as she realized the possibility of Vishnu warning Vidhya about her impending accident. Then, Vidhya would live and Nayani would never meet Vishnu. But that would create a paradox. If Vishnu never meets Nayani, then he wouldn’t go to the telephone booth to warn Vidhya about her accident.
“I don’t know what to say. Vidhya, I love you. You are always in my heart, no matter what.”
Nayani couldn’t listen anymore. She stepped out of the booth. Suddenly she felt that it was a mistake to have initiated this experiment with Vishnu. She hugged herself, as goosebumps appeared on her body. She also discovered that the telephone booth could connect anyone, who had used a payphone, to the past. That too, to the exact date and time of the last year they had used it.
When Vishnu came out, his face was soaked in tears. He ran towards Nayani and hugged her tightly.
“Thank you so much, Nayani. As you told, I am feeling so relieved now. I know I cannot prevent her death. I cannot meddle with time. But I am happy I confessed my love to her and I also got to know that she loved me too. Thank you so much!”
Nayani hugged him back and cried on his shoulders. Through her tears, she asked him, “Is she still in your heart? Don’t you love me truly?”
He pulled back from the embrace and looked at her, his eyes hard with love.
“What madness is this, Nayani? Will a mother not love one of her two children? Or, will she abandon the second child because the first one died? This is like that. Vidhya is my past. You are my present. And, I love both my past and present equally. For hell’s sake, she is no more. Dead loved ones stay with us forever in our memories, Nayani. You should understand that.”
Nayani slapped her forehead and replied, “I am sorry I asked that question. So silly of me! Come, let’s go home. Ma is preparing some special snacks for you.”
“Wow! That’s so sweet of her. Let’s go!”
The happy duo walked back home, sharing some light-hearted banter.
*****
“What is that in your hand?” asked Vishnu, as he walked along with Nayani on the same street. She removed the newspaper wrapper and showed him the thing in her hand.
“Sledgehammer? But, why?”
“That payphone is not going to do either of us any good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Only both of us know its secret. We will not share it with anyone, but we might blurt it out unknowingly. So, what will happen then? The secret will spread. Then, many people will make calls to their past, meddle with time, and change all the events. I don’t want to be the one destroying others’ lives. Whatever has happened should happen as it was. Okay?”
“Okay, so you’re going to destroy it?”
“Yes. And also, you and I will be tempted to call to our past loves again. We have achieved what we wanted to do. I gave back to Mayank and you confessed to Vidhya. That’s all. I don’t want us to dwell in our past just because of a damn telephone. We have a beautiful life ahead. Let’s concentrate on our present and future.”
“Well said, madam!”
And so, the abandoned telephone booth lived on, with a payphone shattered to pieces, and two souls feeling good about themselves.
~THE END~
