Hey everybody, Hope you'll doing fair and fine. Well, this is a story I wrote a year ago. Had featured on N-zine then. Just re-posting it here on my space now..
Dream Of Life
Megha, was from an upper middle class educated family. Her parents had got her everything she wanted. Everything she could probably have. But admission to the University of Duke, that too for General Surgery, was far from imagination. She realized this only after entering Medical College. Her parents couldn't do anything for her. Neither would Letters of Recommendations from India work nor would any money. She would be considered a Foreign Medical Graduate and she needed the highest scores and hell a lot of research papers and publications in medical journals. Her classmates said that she was being foolish that she was trying for this. She was told to shift to another university or another branch. Duke was the USA Top 4 after all! But Megha knew what she wanted. She had nurtured the dream since the time she had visited the University on a trip when she was just in class 5, and she wouldn't let go of it now. She knew this was all she had to do to make herself and her parents happy. This was their only purpose of living, and she trusted herself. She believed in her dream.
One fine day, while picking up a book at the library, Megha bumped into somebody. Somebody, who she felt was the most handsome guy in the world. Preet. A senior of two years. Silence ruled as though they were paying due respect to the library rules! Little did Megha know then, that Preet had felt the same way she did! College days passed by, two hearts and souls met. And as in all love stories, Megha and Preet never realised.
Visits to the malls and movies, those late night talks and rides on the bikes, smiles and tears, Megha and Preet had everything between them as every other couple would. The only difference was that they never thought about the future. Not even when they said "I love you for life". Megha cleared the Step one of the USMLE exam in her second year of college itself. She knew there was no turning back now.She had two more Steps to clear the exam, and she would even kill for it. Three more years of blissful love, Megha and Preet were the happiest couple their college ever saw. Preet got a Radio diagnosis post graduation admission in a prestigious institution in Delhi. All of a sudden it dawned on Megha that he would live in India for the rest of his life! What would she do in America? But Preet saw through her. He knew the depth of her dream. And he knew he wouldn't let that get shattered. Not for anything. He had then said, 'I shall take care of it. You don't worry." That was enough for her. She trusted him.
And this day, this moment, when "The University of Duke" had sent a letter asking her to join in, the first phone call she made had made her smile vanish into thin air.
"Why can't you try USMLE? You're not particular about any university, so you can get into anything you get. And you sure will get into a good one!".
"It's not that Megha. My parents can't afford the expense. I can't burden myself with so much of a loan. Plus, I like the lifestyle back in India and I can't leave my parents behind."
"Preet, why didn't you tell me all this then?I would have tried to..."
"Don't Megha...I loved you. And I wouldn't let your dream get shattered. Not for anything in this world!"
"I dreamt of living with you too. Come on,don't you know that I love you?!!"
"Honey, In order to gain something in life, you ought to lose something"
Silence prevailed. It spoke for itself. Both of them understood what was being said. She went weak in her knees. She felt helpless, and hopeless too.
She was still on the phone when she heard "Hurraayyy!!!" from behind her. It was her family and friends. Everyone important to her was present there, except for Preet. Cheering her for the "Big day", it was then. There were smiles on everybody's face, tears of joy in her parents' eyes. She was hugged and blessed and congratulated. There was a cake for her to cut, champagne to open, and a huge banner which read, "Congratulations girl, for achieving the only dream you ever dreamt!"
"My only dream?". She stood there. Unable to live the moment she had dreamt for, more than the number of times she had even blinked.
Dream Of Life
There it was, right in front of her. She had aspired for it since she was a ten year old kid. Two more months, and she was gonna live it! The admission notification from the University of Duke, North Carolina, USA was in her very own hands! Megha, a young doctor,a fighter by default, knew that Duke would be the only place where she would train to become a Surgeon. 'To become a Doctor' was never her dream. "To become a Surgeon at 'The Duke'" was always what she had dreamt of. That had driven her through all her exams and all her grades, ever since school.
Megha, was from an upper middle class educated family. Her parents had got her everything she wanted. Everything she could probably have. But admission to the University of Duke, that too for General Surgery, was far from imagination. She realized this only after entering Medical College. Her parents couldn't do anything for her. Neither would Letters of Recommendations from India work nor would any money. She would be considered a Foreign Medical Graduate and she needed the highest scores and hell a lot of research papers and publications in medical journals. Her classmates said that she was being foolish that she was trying for this. She was told to shift to another university or another branch. Duke was the USA Top 4 after all! But Megha knew what she wanted. She had nurtured the dream since the time she had visited the University on a trip when she was just in class 5, and she wouldn't let go of it now. She knew this was all she had to do to make herself and her parents happy. This was their only purpose of living, and she trusted herself. She believed in her dream.
One fine day, while picking up a book at the library, Megha bumped into somebody. Somebody, who she felt was the most handsome guy in the world. Preet. A senior of two years. Silence ruled as though they were paying due respect to the library rules! Little did Megha know then, that Preet had felt the same way she did! College days passed by, two hearts and souls met. And as in all love stories, Megha and Preet never realised.
Visits to the malls and movies, those late night talks and rides on the bikes, smiles and tears, Megha and Preet had everything between them as every other couple would. The only difference was that they never thought about the future. Not even when they said "I love you for life". Megha cleared the Step one of the USMLE exam in her second year of college itself. She knew there was no turning back now.She had two more Steps to clear the exam, and she would even kill for it. Three more years of blissful love, Megha and Preet were the happiest couple their college ever saw. Preet got a Radio diagnosis post graduation admission in a prestigious institution in Delhi. All of a sudden it dawned on Megha that he would live in India for the rest of his life! What would she do in America? But Preet saw through her. He knew the depth of her dream. And he knew he wouldn't let that get shattered. Not for anything. He had then said, 'I shall take care of it. You don't worry." That was enough for her. She trusted him.
Megha strived hard. 'Duke' meant the world to her now. Nevertheless, she lost hope on quite a few occasions. She was backed up by Preet every single time she went low. She used to be back on her feet when he used to say, "Don't let anybody stamp on you. Not even yourself". She knew he was her back-bone and was more than glad to have him in his life. She gave all her exams, attended interviews and sat at home with fingers crossed. She was tired. She had done everything she could. She was sure nobody else would be more eligible than her. Be it research papers or scores or clinical skills.
And this day, this moment, when "The University of Duke" had sent a letter asking her to join in, the first phone call she made had made her smile vanish into thin air.
"Why can't you try USMLE? You're not particular about any university, so you can get into anything you get. And you sure will get into a good one!".
"It's not that Megha. My parents can't afford the expense. I can't burden myself with so much of a loan. Plus, I like the lifestyle back in India and I can't leave my parents behind."
"Preet, why didn't you tell me all this then?I would have tried to..."
"Don't Megha...I loved you. And I wouldn't let your dream get shattered. Not for anything in this world!"
"I dreamt of living with you too. Come on,don't you know that I love you?!!"
"Honey, In order to gain something in life, you ought to lose something"
Silence prevailed. It spoke for itself. Both of them understood what was being said. She went weak in her knees. She felt helpless, and hopeless too.
She was still on the phone when she heard "Hurraayyy!!!" from behind her. It was her family and friends. Everyone important to her was present there, except for Preet. Cheering her for the "Big day", it was then. There were smiles on everybody's face, tears of joy in her parents' eyes. She was hugged and blessed and congratulated. There was a cake for her to cut, champagne to open, and a huge banner which read, "Congratulations girl, for achieving the only dream you ever dreamt!"
"My only dream?". She stood there. Unable to live the moment she had dreamt for, more than the number of times she had even blinked.
Until next time,
Chandana C. Shekar
