Sometimes a good soul comes in your life without knocking

She used to call me every alternate day to buy a new credit card of a reputed bank where the entrance charges and annual fee were on a higher-side. I was having couple of credit cards of other banks already and I was in no mood to buy yet another credit card just for the sake of it and that too by paying a hefty joining fee, to be honest, I was not prepared for it, in anyway.

Our telephonic conversation continued for almost a month; she was very consistent, regular and strong in her follow up; in spite of my unwillingness, I had to accept her suggestion and said yes to her offer to buy yet another credit card by paying a very handsome joining fee, at last. Within next 21 days, I got the said credit card with lots of free gift vouchers. Finally, I was relieved that everything was over and I would get no-more phone calls from another telemarketing executive any more, but I was so wrong in my calculation.

Almost 50 days later, I got a phone call from a stranger, who straight away started talking about my family as if she was the part and parcel of my family and I didn't know that member? How ridiculous it sounded but it was true. Then I realized she must be my wife’s relative, but again I was proved wrong by her statement: “You could not recognize me, I am Ismita Patel, remember?" But I heard her saying “Smita Patil, she was my favourite Hindi film actress but she died long time back. Then, how come she was calling me now, why and from where? I was much exited and asked her in a very harsh-tone, “Are you joking with me?”, in reply she said “Sir, it’s me Ismita, you remember me, I used to call you for a credit card…” I was deeply embarrassed and felt very bad after realizing my mistake; how could I forget her so soon, and I immediately tendered my sincere apology for not recognizing her at the first instance.

Thereafter, she started calling me occasionally, in the beginning it was once a week, which became twice a week later on every alternate day she used to call except the week ends and holidays and her first sentance used to be "Can we talk, if yoy are busy, I will call you later". And after my consent only, she continued her conversation, otherwise, she used to hang-up. She always talked about her family, job, relatives and friends.  Slowly, she started enquiring about my job profile, my family members and this continued for few more months. Gradually, she became my well wisher and I used to feel uneasy if she did not call me by the weekend.

And all of a sudden, I stopped getting her calls. I waited for a full one week but I did not get her phone call. I had never met her personally; moreover, it never occurred to me to meet her once. I only knew this much that she was working in an outsourcing company, married with children, that’s all. I was having only her mobile number and she never gave me her alternate mobile or landline phone numbers, office or residential address. And to my utmost surprise, after waiting for her call for ten days to be precise, when I tried to contact for the first time, her mobile phone was not answering my calls and later on, when I tried again, her mobile phone was under switched-off mode. There was no way through which I could contact her; I was feeling so helpless, idiot and stupid that in spite of my best, honest and sincere efforts, I could not trace her.

I don't understand one thing, why she was calling me repeatedly at the first place. She had never ever asked for any assistance, favour and/or help. She neither invited me to meet with her family members nor she expressed her inclination or desire to meet with my family members even once, but she always used to ask about their well beings.

More than seven years have passed since her last call; I never heard from her again till date. I don’t know how she is, where she is, what she is doing. I sometimes get negative feelings also but then I immediately start praying to God Almighty to keep her and her family in good esteem and right spirit, wherever they are; they should all be happy, healthy and safe.

At the end, I only ask my Lord, why it happens with me that from nowhere a good soul comes in your life without knocking, stay with you for sometime, try to make your life comfortable, give you many valuable advices, makes you feel important, pampered, special, wanted and then, all of a sudden, without any notice, leaves you all alone again in this cruel world only to wait for her indefinitely with her beautiful, sweet, warm and unforgettable memories.

With Prayer

Gurcharan