
“Hello Sir, could you…could you lend me your…hand…phone?” she shyly asked.
I was in speechless stun, I remained few seconds calm like I was just recovered from the lightning shock, that made her shier.
Took a deep but short breath, she shyly asked again, “sorry, am I too…harsh? Could you please lend me your handphone…for a short while?”
Believe me I tried very hard to think of any answer from my paralyzed mind, but I was still remaining calm. What would automatically come out from your mind if a girl suddenly asks you to lend her your handphone which you bought by your hard-earned money? Lier? A trap? A scam?
She stopped awhile and looked like trying hard to get her purse out for her backpack. She took out $10 and put it in front of me. “I could give you $10 in return if you let me make just a call,” she asked more confidently than before.
Took a deep but short breath, I looked at her and answered a bit more confidently that I felt “Oh yes! Of course, but, you don’t need to give me $10, it’s just a piece of cake to let you make a call.” I smiled blankly and took out my handphone.
“Oh, that’s very kind of you, thank you so…. much!” she exclaimed happily like she won a big prize or just bough a pair of super nice shoes at unbelievably low price.
Took over my handphone, she’s making a call to her friend that she spoke to right before her handphone ran out with battery.
“Hello, I’m Sheena... can you hear me?” she sweet voice resonated my ears once again. STOP! Did she say that her name is Sheena just now? The name sounds very familiar, with 110% confidence I heard of this name before, and I’m sure I was very familiar with the girl whose name is Sheena before. Amazed and confused, I was flipping my memory in the past to recall who’s Sheena and linking the name to her pretty face.
“What? You couldn’t come to join me? How could you…..?” she’s in deep disappointment and almost cried. “Your brother was in hospital now? How can it be? Sorry…I’m sorry about that… ok….ok….”. The picture was clear, t sounded like her friend made an appointment with her but her friend couldn’t join her at last as her friend had something more important to do--brother was admitted to hospital.
"Ok…ok….ok, I know it." She seemed trying to console her friend.
"Please send my regards to your brother. I'm so sorry about that bad news, don’t cry my friend, everything will be alright." She's still trying hard to calm her friend down.
With her last few words said to her friend, I knew she’s caring and thoughtful toward anyone even her friend’s brother. But with these few minutes, something slid my mind. Yes, I got it. A picture of a fair and pretty little girl with sweet voice who sat just beside me in my standard 6 class was appearing and her face looked exactly like the girl who stood in front of me.
“Ok, don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself, may be… it’ll be a lonely journey for me,” she answered her friend more confidently that she felt to try calm down her friend and not making her friend to worry about any other thing. It proves once again that she’s caring and thoughtful toward anyone. But, the “lonely journey” sounds exactly like we both are on the same boat, now.
(to be continued)