Bird Of
Paradise
The thing I hate the most in my life is my
alarm clock. As usual, it started haunting me at 6 in the morning
and I plunked it under my pillow to take a small nap. After a long tiring
schedule of up-town business meetings I have to board the first train back
to home because its my anniversary today. I jumped out of my bed and left the
hotel room in rush.
Last night, she was very upset and annoyed because I did
not wish her. To compensate my mistake, I called her and asked what present should I get for her. In reply, she just hung
up on me.
After a few momentary seconds a message
beeped, it was from Suzan, my wife. The message read..”Bird of Paradise”. I
realized soon that she wants this thing but to my surprise I was not able to
understand why she need a bird as gift
on our anniversary, and how I am going to find this rare bird even when I have not heard the name of this creature
before.
I decided not to let go this time and anyhow I
will get this gift for her. I started with a pet store and soon I realized that
I almost visited all the pet stores and pet markets in the town but the agony of
the moment was in fact the pet dealers did not have any idea about this bird.
Later,in the evening
I realized that Suzan has just played a prank on me and there is no such bird
exists in this world.
To compensate that impossible gift I fetched
my neighborhood florist. A beautiful young lady greeted me. As I was visiting the store for the first
time, she might have understood my confusion. I murmured –I need flowers for my
anniversary.
The lady started to help me in buying good
flowers and I was awestruck with the beauty and elegance of each flower, she
showed me Roses, Carnations, Gerberas, Orchids, Lilies, Daisies and so many
flowers. Meanwhile, I noticed a bucket full of flowers
kept in the center aisle of the store. Those long
stick flowers with orange and purple blossoms were so fascinating and
magnificent. I held the flower in my hand and asked the lady about the flower.
And then what the lady explained took me to
the grounds of reality…
“Sir this is known as 10thAnniversay
flower, symbolize magnificence and splendor –
celebrating romance's unexpected side,Resembling one of the most
striking, exotic birds in the world, with large orange and blue blossoms, this
flower is known as Bird of Paradise’.
I stood silent for few moments
and asked the lady to pack those flowers for me.
While heading
back home, thoughts of morning fight with Suzan and
a decade of her love and sacrifice caught me. Yes, its
definitely unexpected side of
romance which Suzan taught me today and
unfortunately it took me ten long years to understand this.
She opened the door, she looked stunning in a red
evening gown. I noticed she was busy with daily chores without expecting any
thing from me. I held her hand and greeted with a bunch of her desired flowers.
A tear rolled down her cheeks with a smile of baby, I hugged her tight as If it
was my first and last hug, cuddled her
tight and whispered – “Happy
Anniversary to the lady of my life, my
Bird of Paradise”.
-“Thanks Suzan for bringing me back home”….I
am Home Again : Amen
-Sachin Singh
Simple n subtle story. I m really in awe of this flower. Lovely compositions dear author.
ReplyDeleteAweeee it's so cute
ReplyDelete