Impressions

I didn’t notice him when he appeared in front of me for the very first time. The next time, it was magic.

That was probably the first time in life that I acted purely impish. It only helped the cause that there was an equally mad set of friends around. As he spoke of the wonderful things he was up to, we listened awestruck, maybe love struck. He was straight out of the fairytales, the knight in shining armor. We had eyes only for him. The chase began then and continued for some time till he finally was within reach. The other pursuers had given up on the chase by then. I was the only one left. And I didn’t have to chase him anymore. It was bliss.

There was something about him that was endearing. He was a charmer. It was impossible to ignore the fellow. There was nothing outstanding about him, neither the way he looked, nor the way he conducted himself. Yet, he won hearts. One meeting, a small chat and that was all it took. I could never stop envying him for the ease with which he mixed with all kinds of people and made them feel like they were the best thing that happened to him.

I can remember almost all my meetings with him vividly. To this day. There are a few scenes that make me melt every time they come to mind. That day when we sang our hearts out, on top of our voices, like we were claiming the heavens for ourselves will never fade away from memory. None of us were even bathroom singers, but no one could deny the energy and spirit we created that day. It was unbelievable. Another picture that always leaves me dewy eyed is the one where amidst all the merriment and hullabaloo that was part of this celebration we went to, our fellow, the charmer, sat himself down on the ground with his ‘little ones from a far place’ and made sure all of them ate out to their hearts content and enjoyed the party.

He wasn’t really the dream he looked like. There were a lot of things that went against it being so. But somehow, he continued to impress. One could go on and on about what he lacked, try to reason out why he wasn’t really worth the attention he drew everywhere he went. But one had to admit that there was this natural charisma and appeal that he possessed which simply refused to be overshadowed by his follies. It all began and ended pretty soon, but in the short time that he was around, I couldn’t get enough of him.

I am amazed at how some people can be so effortlessly likeable. I wonder how they manage to strike a chord with every soul they meet in life. I wish I could borrow the powerful positive aura they carry around themselves. I’ve met a few of that kind since then. But he still remains on the top spot. I don’t know why I thought of writing about him out of the blue. I simply cannot think of the intent. And yet this one just flowed out of me.