The Purse

By V G Sathve

Janaki alias Janu was grumbling about the same problem in her life for the millionth time to

her best friend Priya, and Priya was listening very patiently to the same conversation, just as

every true friend does. Janu couldnt imagine her life without Priya, she was as much

dependent on her as a breath is dependent on air. Priya was her lifeline or more than that,

she must have known her only since a few years, but as they say the strength of a

relationship is not dependent on the length of a relationship, she has got her back everytime

so much that Janu just feels so crippled without Priya.

It was sunday, and Janu was relentlessly going on and on, Priya finally interrupted her.

“I totally get it, lets go to a mall and relish the remaining sunday. Come “ - Priya

“Oh ya, I didnt realise the time gone, god I blabber so much “ - Janu laughed.

They finished their touch ups and Janu grabbed her most favoutite purse.They went hand in

hand to the mall next door, so inseparable, two bodies, one soul type forever. They barged

inside huge brands stores to refurnish their wardrobe. In no time, their hands were full of a

pile of clothes, which all went inside a fitting room to refine the collection. After rejecting most,

and picking up a pair or two Janu marched out. She was impatiently waiting for Priya, she

was taking longer than usual. Finally after what seems like forever, she came out and they

headed towards the cash counter to pay. They always shared in turns to pay for everything,

they understood each other perfectly, Janu always thanked God for giving Priya to her. This

time was Janu’s turn to pay. She was looking desperately for her card and she noticed

something missing, her favourite purse. She immediately ran towards the fitting room, where

she last kept while trying clothes. She frantically searched hither and thither,

with no luck, the fitting room was completely empty. She enquired in the reception and

everywhere, but it was no where to be found. Priya calmed her down, she paid for the dress

with google pay and led Janu out of the store.

She tried going to the receptionist and the mall officials and even the lost and found room but

of no avail. They registered a complaint and walked burdened with grief to the food court to

eat. Priya was trying everything to calm her down, but Janu was inconsolable. Its nit the

money, the keys or even the credit card that mattered to her, but something else bothered her

much more than all this.

The purse with beautiful engravings, small mirrors and all elegance, also had her mothers

name engraved on back. Thats the only memory of her mom she could hold onto. She still

remembers the day, the day she got this purse.

Nine year old Janu held her moms hand, and walked in the market. Her mom was having

financial crisis as the only parent struggling to make ends meet. She a little mone left this

month, which she thought she would buy a dress for herself, since she buys usually once or

twice a year which she can afford. Janu happens to see this purse from the display window,

and her eyes are stuck to its charisma. Janu pleads and cries, and with all her adamance

asks her mother to buy the purse. Her mom tries to reason with her about budget and akk

other issues going on and how they cant afford it. Heavy hearted , her mom realises her

daughters happiness is more important more than anything else and decides she can

manage another year without a dress and goes ahead and buys the expensive purse. Before

Priya came, her purse was her only condolence, after a few years Janu engraved her moms

name in hermemory, and now its gone, totally gone, that one thing so dear to her. She

reflected on cruel life his, doesnt give anything and also snatches the only happiness left.

She bursted into uncontrollable tears though knowing she is in a public place, she could not

control her tears and they gushed rapidly. Priya tried comforting her but nothinghappened.

She felt a hand giving her a kerchief from the corner of her eye. She looked up, it was a good

natured very serene looking stranger. She just looked again, in a world where no one cares

for anybody why is a stranger offering his comfort. He just smiles in the most honest way.

“Please take this, hope it brings some relief to the burden you are carrying” - Stranger.

“Even when friendswho dont come during bad times, you ar eyou being so nice, you dont

even know me?” - Janu

“You dont need a reason to help someone. If people were there for each other, this world

would have been a beautiful place, Anyway cry your heart out, dont submerge it in” - Stranger

“Thanks.” - Janu.

Feeling that there is still goodness left in this world, and feeling better, she returned home

along with Priya. Her heart was still on the purse, she blocked her card, and went to her bed

and cried for a while. After that she went and washed her face, but there was no towel in her

wardrobe. She went to the cupboard where Priya keeps her things when she stays over. It

was more like Priya’s cupboard. She opened it gently and saw that all her newly purchased

clothes were already arrnged in a pile. She was trying to pull out a towel out of it. It had got

stuck and something else fell on the ground.

It was the elegance, beautiful shining thing with mirrors and her moms name engraved, it was

her purse. Janu was shocked , how did it end up there. She barged into the living room where

Priya was seeing.

“How did it get there “? - Janu, flung the purse on sofa in anger.

“I had it all along. I wanted to see how much you are desperate” - Priya

“I was suffocated, thats how desperate I was. You get happinees from my grief, from when did

you become a saddist” - Janu

“You left it in the fitting room, I took it , thats why I took time to come out, all the time you were

searching, it was with me only.” - Priya

“Why? Whyyyyyy???? I treated you like a part of me, I had no one else. What did I do to you

? “ -Janu

“Its always about either this or that, you just need a person to complain not a friend. You are

always so famous, rich and popular and I am just your sidekick. I wanted my revenge.” - Priya

“I was there for you always anytime anywhere, thinking you would be the same to me, I told

my problems and I have no one, I never wanted to burden you “ - Janu

“I cant be overshadowed by your presence, I am known as Janu’s friend, not as Priya. I want

to be Priya. Do you understand ? “ - Priya

“I do. I totally understand. You could have told all this, instead of making my nerves shed

tears and then burst out” - Janu was heartbroken.

“You know what, I cant be here right now, I will go out and come back in sometime. I feel

betrayed, backstabbed and many other things” - Janu

Janu went to the mall and straight to the food court and silently sat in a corner. She had to be

lonely all her life, either having no one or having everyone and they become no one. She was

pondering on these thoughts.

“Oh,you came backto give the kerchief. I think you need it, it will give you the condolence you

lost” - Same Stranger.

Janu weakly smiled. She had no one and ther person whom she thought she could trust

betrayed her and here a stranger is talking. She felt this intuition and a happy feel, that she

could trust hiim for some reason. She needed a person to wail her heart out and actually no

one was there.

She looked up, the stranger still had the honest smile to check if she was ok.

Janu just poured her heart out like a gushing waterfall, the purse, her mom, her friend, her

loneliness and everything. He patiently listened to everything genuinely.

“Do you feel better now? “ - Stranger

“Actually I feel a lot better. There is still goodness and humanity left in the world “ - Janu

“Its nothing. This is how we are supposed to be with everyone, but we just judge and give

looks instead of helping. “ - Stranger

“Thanks, thanks a lot” - Janu

“I need one advice though, what do you think I should do or tell my friend “ - Janu

“Anger and jealousy when not let out, becomes a backstab. Try speaking to her, but you can

never gain the same trust when broken” - Stranger

“I will talk to her “ - Janu

Janu hurried home and knocked the door. There was no answer. She opened with her key

and searched for Priya. She was nowhere. She searched her room, priyas room. She was

nowhere. She tried calling. The number was coming as does not exist. All priyas clothes were

still in her cupboard, and all priyas things but only she went misisng. Janu hurried to the mall

and searched everywhere. She even went to the store and asked. They were not able to find

out the identity of the person she was talking about. Again depressed and tensed, she went

back to the place where she got warmth.

“She is not there anywhere, not even picking my call. Did you see her ? “ - Janu

“No I didnt. But not to worry, another door opens when one closes” - Stranger

“Whats your name ? “ - Janu

“Haha. Hi. My name is Ram “ - Ram

“I am janaki alias Janu ” - Janu

“May you always be smiling Janu.” - Ram

Janu waited for days for Priya but nothing happened in her case. She was worried but she

found her happy place in Ram. She found all the trust and warmth she could ever ask for in

her life. The loneliness became brighter and the pain lighter. She became friends with him ,

whenever she was sad he seemed to be there and vice versa. But this conversation changed

something for Janu forever.

“Janu, I wanted to tell something. I feel now is the right time” - Ram

“Ya Ram, what is it. You can tell me anything” - Janu

“Priya will never come back ever “ - Ram

“What are you telling ? “ - Janu

“Listen to carefully to what I am telling. Check your phone to see who paid for your dress, you

or Priya ? “ - Ram

Janu checked her phone frantically, and she saw a message on her phone showing that she

paid.

All the purchases by Priya was from her account.

“I dont understand “ - Janu

“Do you have any photos with Priya “ - Ram

Janu showed me one, and then she saw carefully there was no Priya, it was nly her in all the

photos.

“Janu, Nothing changes, what I have for you is forever. This doesnt change a bit. I am glad

you trusted me, the only person you ever did, and I will never break your heart, no matter

what. I will tell you what happened”. - Ram

“After your mom had gone, you were lonely, so lonely that you had imagined a friend,best

friend more like lifeline having all the characteristics you imagined for. That imaginary friend is

Priya. That is why there is only your photos, only your clothes as hers in your wardrobe, and

all the payments from your account. You gave Priya, one characteristic, your greatest fear,

backstabbing and being left alone. That fear grew and grew more, that is why, the whole

episode of the purse came into existence. You had the purse as Priya the whole time, that is

why it ended up in your cupboard. The purse was inside your clothes bag after purchase so

ppl thought you lost it and accepted the complaint. When you cried you were alone, that

innocent child like honest eyes break, I could not see , so I offered the kerchief. When you

told me about Priya, I knew only you were there, so I realised something was there. Priya

disappeared because your fear disappeared, you started to trust someone wholeheartedly.

There was no need for you to imagine Priya now. The number of Priya is your moms number

that coincidentally was removed due to being rarely used.

You never need another priya or rhea. You are my precious gift, I will cradle you in my arma

with the worlds trust and never show you loneliness again. Do you trust me so much ? “

Janu cried frantically like a kid on Rams shoulder. Until he is there, she doesnt need an

imaginative friend anymore, her fear has finally been removed by rams warmth and love. After

all love and care is all we need.

Not everyone is blessed with friendships or relationship, Why cant one side let go of the

jealousy and backstab and the other, let go of the ego and come forward. The people we trust

can backstab us but the people who trust us, they are the people we should really hold onto

them, just like Janu held on to her Ram. Strangers can surprise us and our close ones shock

us, there is humanity left. Please be good to others , you dont know them, dont judge them,

you have no right.

By V G Sathve