The room is heavy with questions as the candidate Ramakrishna is interviewed.

“Thank You, Sir.” replied Ramakrishna, stood from his chair and left the room.

“Sanjeev, shall we go for a break?” asked Ashok.

“Hmmm... if you wish for one.” replied Sanjeev.

Ashok rang the bell and the peon arrived. Ashok told him to notify the candidates waiting outside about the break.

Ashok left the room for smoke.

Sanjeev, looked at his Iphone, it reminded him of fifty unread messages and a couple of missed calls.

He walked to the staircase. Looking through the glass walls from the top storey of office building, everything appeared small. “Bus, car and people are just tiny objects pursuing constantly towards their destination,” he thought to himself. “Everything slowly goes out of sight and thus on the process of getting redundant after sometime. After all our life is also the same.” he thought.

Long away, the sun was setting behind the mountains. The orange colored sky looked bewitching. “It’s Saturday and why am I here on a weekend.” Sanjeev wondered. It reminded him that last week he chose himself to be part of this interview panel. Then it suddenly dawned upon him that it’s been a year, he has almost opted to work on every weekend. It was a sensible arrangement to beat the loneliness at his room and also offered extra entitlements.

All his friends have settled long time ago under the comfort of their newly found family. The calls reduced to few and to none. He looked for a smoke as the lonely thoughts disturbed his mind.

He took a cigarette and lighted it without bothering about the no smoking instruction on the wall. Curls of smokes rose up from his lips. After 4-5 strokes, he threw it on the floor and crushed under his shoes.

“Of course we provide work from home facility but most of the female candidates back out from the project citing family reasons, so I was just curious to know about your response.” Asked Ashok.

“No No, it shouldn’t be a problem because my husband is very co-operative of my professional career and my laws encourages the same.” Answered Tanya.

“That’s good to hear. Now over to Mr. Sanjeev, he may ask you some questions.”

“Sanjeev, please proceed.” instructed Ashok.

Sanjeev sitting with his heads down turned the pages of resume and raised his head to look Tanya for the first time.

“So, you are married.......huh?” asked Sanjeev.

“Yes....” replied Tanya.

“Can I know the date?” asked Sanjeev politely.

“20th April 2009.” replied Tanya.

“Your marriage date reminds me of my personal story, would you mind listening to that?” asked Sanjay.

Tanya tried to put a brave smile on her face.

“16th August 2008 and 20th april 2009, can you find the correlation between them?” asked Sanjeev.

“16th Aug, 2008 was the day when I got fired from my job. It was a surprise gift on my 25^th birthday. 20th April 2009 comes eight months after that when I was still jobless.” told Sanjeev.

“I am sorry for that.” replied Tanya with an expression of sympathy.

“No No, you can’t be sorry for that. It was my past, my life. What is your husband now?” asked Sanjeev in a sharper tone.

“He is branch supervisor at Generali Insurance” replied Tanya.

“What was his salary at the time of your marriage?” asked Sanjeev intriguingly.

“It’s a personal question, I am afraid, I don’t have to answer this until I know the reason of being asked for the same.” replied Tanya.

“Is a reason necessary, Tanya?” replied Sanjay bluntly.

“Actually, I never asked him”, replied Tanya.

“You never asked him and neither your family mentioned the figure to you before marriage?” asked Sanjay

“No” answered Tanya.

“That’s quite strange, you married, just like that?” asked Sanjay.

“I have faith in my parent’s decision.” replied Tanya in a sharp voice.

“OK, let’s put any damn figure to it which is a far better choice than going after a jobless fool. Is this the reason, you never asked about his salary? Is this the reason you chose to marry him?” asked Sanjeev in a demanding tome.

“It’s personal and I don’t see any reason why am I asked the same in a technical interview.” replied Tanya in a grim voice.

Ashok nudged Sanjay to indicate that situation is going out of context. An uncomfortable silence prevailed in the room.

“Ok, miss Tanya. We are done with the interview. Our HR will get back to you. Do you have any questions to ask?” interrupted Ashok.

“No,” replied Tanya and collected her documents from the table.

“No, I am still not over. My last question still remains unanswered.” interrupted Sanjay.

“My marriage was my parent’s decision.” replied Tanya with a guilty voice.

“Oh....that’s an easy part to link parents for everything that happens in life. It’s your life, it’s your future then how can it be your parent’s choice? How can they be so inconsiderate about your choice?” asked Sanjay.

“I never expressed my choice.” answered Tanya.

“Oh!!, there comes the real answer, is that you never had any choice in mind or you wanted it safe?” demanded Sanjay.

“That’s not true.” answered Tanya.

“The truth is Tanya, You had lost belief in me, my capability and my Love. Like others, like this world, you too assumed things…damn things…” replied Sanjeev raising his voice.

“You can believe whatever you wish but I am not entitled to clear your confusions.” her voice shivering.

“Damn It, Tanya..” Sanjeev fisted his hand over the table.

“Had you told your father just once about everything?” asked Sanjeev.

“Yes” answered Tanya.

“Bullshit!!! then why you never allowed me to meet your father?” replied Sanjay in a frustrating tone.

“What would have that done? Was he gonna convinced by your visit? Would that get back your job? Would you dared to visit our house? Can any responsible father allow his daughter to marry with a guy…..? I never wanted to embarrass you, Sanjeev. I never wished to divert your attention from things which were important to you at that point of time. I remained silent.” cried Tanya.

“I still dared to visit your house Tanya. I still dared to call you. I still dared to send you messages. I still dared to follow you outside. It was never an embarrassment for me but the evening when you refused to recognize me in the mall, yes it embarrassed me a lot. It hurt me. If you have ever told me frankly that you don’t want to marry me citing any damn reason, I wouldn’t mind that. It would have killed that hope but why would choose to keep it alive? this embarrassed me. Was I important to you my job? Didn’t I deserve some time? Forget marriage Tanya, I just needed support at that time, a shoulder to rely on.” asked Sanjeev in a firm demanding tone.

“Life moves on Sanjeev.” answered Tanya.

“Till today, I believed that your marriage was against your wish but now I the real reason floats that I was an embarrassment for you.” asked Sanjeev.

There was a long silence. Ashok pinches Sanjeev.

“OK, Miss. Tanya, tell me about your hobbies”, asked Sanjeev.

“Cooking, reading & watching Television etc.”, replied Tanya.

“Aren’t you missing something?” asked Sanjeev.

“That’s it”, replied Tanya.

“So, now you don’t sing........you don’t draw.........you don’t practise classical dance.........” asked Sanjeev.

“Oh!! So much past time activities to catch but no time” replied Tanya bluntly.

“Past time activities? What about all those prizes that you won for them?” replied Sanjeev.

A silence precedes.

“I must consider myself lucky to hear the voice that sings no more, the colors in that Rangoli. Your husband, What an unlucky man? I pity him. He may have got the best thing that the world offers but he doesn’t know the value of It.” replied Sanjeev with his voice full of guilt and remorse.

“Can I request you to sing, Woh Bite Din......” requested Sanjeev.

Tanya refuses but begins with a choked voice, Tanya sings the first two lines and then breaks.

Sanjeev joins the chorus and both continue.

“Are you happy Tani?” asked Sanjeev in a calm voice.

Tanya gives a smile with teary eyes.A period of silence.

“I am sorry, Tani. I just wanted to see you happy.” answered Sanjeev.

“The world never turns out like those youthful dreams or never can we fulfill those innocent promises under the tree shades.” replied Tanya in a guilty voice.

“The interview is over, you may leave and our HR will get back to you.” replied Sanjeev.

“I have a question to clarify. Did you marry, Sanjeev?” enquired Tanya.

“Yes, I have a wonderful family.” Replies Sanjeev.

“Good luck to you…” Tanya departs with a heavy smile wiping her tears.

“Sir, you never told us you are married?” asks Ashok.

Sanjeev replies, “I need a break, you can proceed with the other candidates.” he leaves the room.

Walking down the pavement, Sanjeev’s memory takes a turn back into those old days, “I still don’t know why I end the conversation with a lie, may be I wanted her to know that I have moved on or may be I never wished her to feel guilty after all this”

“It’s again the same feeling that grips me after six years. The evening when my manager fired me, I was small, innocent, poor and helpless. Today, I may be big, matured, rich but still helpless. She was the most beautiful thing on this earth to my eyes, they took it from me and now I can see it withering out in the sunshine. I am helpless”

Sanjeev lies on his bed when the phone buzzes.

“Hello Sanjeev, I am finished up with the interview. I need to send the feedback to the HR. What I need to do with that?”

Sanjeev’s stares at the roof silently.

“For one candidate, I am stuck with it, Shall I select or reject?” asks Ashok.