Page 74 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

I tell Maria, ‘I would like to stay near the sea for the rest of my life.’
Why did I say that? ‘I love the ocean, any form of it, any view of it, the
sound of it. It soothes me and relaxes my soul. It makes me feel that I am

alive.’
She smiles but doesn’t reply. I assume that she might use her pen to write
something, but she does not do that either. Helpless, as I had not spoken to
anyone since morning, I continue to sing and take down the music notes in
my diary.

A few minutes later, she picks up the pen and draws a heart.

‘My songs are wonderful?’ I ask as my face lights up like an LED bulb.
She shakes her head in a ‘no’.

‘My songs remind you of love?’ I ask again.
She shakes her head again!

She scribbles, ‘You sing from the heart.’
‘Thank you!’

‘You remind me of someone,’ she whispers in a broken voice. I smile at
her. Maybe most Goans feel so as they might see a reflection of my mother
in me. This also breaks my suspicion that Maria can’t speak. She can, but
she chooses not to.

‘Who?’
‘I don’t remember,’ she replies.

Madhuri returns and escorts her back for lunch. I continue to practise.
Later, I place the new song in the box. This box is one of the most valuable
things I have, like a treasure. While a lot of people evaluate things in
money, does it ever occur to you that most of those things are replaceable.
However, only the irreplaceable things in our life can never be bought with

any amount of money.
Then, I make friends with Akkriti, a prostitute who fled from Mumbai
where she was sold for trade and who now works at a library nearby. Her
story is no short of an inspirational film. The best part of her that I admire is

that she chooses to smile.
I couldn’t ever understand what ugly meant? Maybe, ugly is only when
we’re angry, jealous, or depressed—as it just reflects from our face and we
can’t help but make people sad in our presence. But when we’re happy, full

of enthusiasm and love, we just radiate that positivity and spread smiles