Changes

It was still dark outside when Vatsal was heading out of his room.Before switching off the lights he looked around,all his friends were asleep - Most of them with a stupid grin stuck on their face and his room was a total mess. He sighed and left .After the long flight of stairs he passed the guard,who was asleep with a boombox in his hand which was crackling  old melodies.He slipped through the gates without making much noise.

Everything was still and silent .The owls had stopped hooting and the birds had not started chirping.There was a refreshing chill in the air that he hadn't experienced in the city ever.I should get out more he thought  and slowly strolled to the railway station.He looked at his watch an hour left he thought and boarded the train.

  The train was mostly empty,and most of the people were all sleeping - Rhythmically rocking with the train’s movement with their heads wagging low and the rest were sitting rock steady with their red-eyes wide open. Vatsal just stood at the door.The cool air hit his face like spring water as the train sped through the darkness.After a few stops a man got on the train who had a gleeful smile on his face.He looked like he was in his mid-fifties with salt and pepper hair ,with more of salt to it and slightly wrinkled face.He was wearing a GOLD rimmed glasses as wide as his broad jaw  and as thick as a book,jogging shoes ,and a bright coloured trek suit.He was Yogendra Mehta or Yo as his grandson called him.Vatsal knew this because they had had a small chat.Yo had got on the train and greeted Vatsal with his vibrant smile and a 'Good morning.' Then he politely asked him to sit and stop dancing around the pole at the  door.After a few moments of awkward silence he exclaimed 'What a beautiful day,right?' Yes was Vatsal's single syllable answer to which he nodded his head in disapproval.He further continued and introduced himself and talked till the station where both of them had to get off the train. 'You study somewhere here?' He asked looking at Vatsal's bag.'No,just going to the beach.'said Vatsal.'Well,then lets walk together.’ said the delighted old man as he started walking briskly.Till then the dark sky had turned into a soothing blue and the birds were chirping.There was a bustle all over just like a normal urban morning.After a few paces Vatsal said admiring the sky 'It is a beautiful day indeed.'which brought a smile on Yo's face as both of them set to their own ways as they reached the beach.

The soft blue was turning into a soothing orange as the Sun started to rise above the horizon.Sitting on the soft sand Vatsal opened his bag and removed an envelope that his mother had given him.On it was scribbled note in a shabby handwriting in bright red sketch pen ."To Vatsal 11 December 2014."

Vatsal smiled to himself and opened the envelope to find a letter and a picture of a child laughing. It was a carefree laugh worth a million dollars,though the kid had a few teeth missing

and the letter went like

Dear Vatsal,

          

      Hello,how are you?

    My teacher miss Palmer gave us this as a homework.I don’t like homework but miss Palmer gives stars and smileys to good children.she is nice.

Arnav,kshitij and Tanya also don’t like homework.They are my friends,we play together everyday.    

Today all the chocolates I got on my birthday finished but I also got many gifts.I am ten years old now.Grandpa got me a big space ship.It is my favourite gift.I told mom and dad that I will take them to space in a bigger space ship. I want to grow up and go to become an astronaut.Today my teacher told us that the sun is 330330 times bigger than the Earth.Have you been to space?

If you go to space  don’t take Arnav he is bad.He didn’t give me to bat today.

Bye,

Yours Vatsal

15 dec 2004

The letter was written in the same handwriting as on the envelope but in pencil.It was signed Palmer in red ink with three stars and written "improve your handwriting"

Vatsal smiled at the naivety of himself after reading the letter and thought what happened to the tiny aspiring astronaut. On the back side of the letter it was written

Teacher gave me three stars this time and mom gave me a big chocolate.

And a few line below

Hi, this is your mom take care and remove your t-shirt out of your mouth.

Bye,now I have to fly some morsel spaceships to my enthusiastic astronaut and land it in his mouth.

Vatsal chuckled a little while removing his tee from his mouth.Somethings don't change and mom’s know it. He put the letter back neatly.

He removed a paper and started to write

Dear Vatsal,

        Hey wassup? How are you? Hope you are doing good(fingers crossed)and have a stable job- though you are not an astronaut but still being an engineer is not bad, right? .I just read the letter that I ( or we)wrote when was ten and a lot has changed since.

Like

.I only had four friends whom I met everyday.

.Now I have four hundred I don't even know where most of them are.

.I wanted mom and dad to come to space with me now we don't go anywhere together

Friends gave gifts when we were ten today I turned 20 and all I got from my friends are punches and kicks and also a cake they brought themselves to eat and rub on my face..What did you get?

   You should see my room today there is cake everywhere on the floor and on some spots also the walls and my friend were all asleep when I left the room correction they were more like hungover.Ohh!! does mom know you drink? telling from the letter I read right now bet she does.

One can do all the research he/she wants but no one will get the secret of this  sorcery, agreed?

I would like to know a lot about the next ten years but time would tell it anyway, so leave it.

I met a man today don't know if you remember him or not ,he was amazing, he enjoyed the beauty of the world and travelled a lot. He was in his late sixties and looked younger.I don't know the specifics but basically he was happy or more than that smiling.Whatever life throws your way accept it he had said to me .He does talk a lot but its alright.He told me to come here every Saturday and Sunday to which I think I will come as he also said we miss many opportunities just because we keep thinking.Cheesy but true what do you think?Will remember the old man's piece of advice.

A lot changed in the last ten years I hope it happens the same this time but for better than worse.One last thing

Happy Birthday

Vatsal,

11 december 2014.

The then mostly empty beach was now full of people now-  vendors ,joggers and fishermen mostly. Vatsal kept the paper in the envelope strike 2014 to make it 2024 and kept it in his bag.He then sat there with his  hand and feet dug in the soft sand while  watching the colour changing sky and the waves rise.