Vishnu146;s sister

Another added with a twinkle in his eyes, 8220;Her student, Rishi Kapoor, has a crush on his teacher.8221;

8220;How is it possible for a boy to have a crush on someone who is older?8221; There was no dearth for cynics in our midst.

8220;Quite possible,8221; I blurted out, remembering a balmy day 40 years ago. It was here at this desolate churchyard that I saw her for the first time. She was busily reading and writing notes from a textbook. Was it the curiosity of an 11-year-old or was it the fact that she was my friend Vishnu8217;s sister that made me stride up and boldly ask her what she was reading? She shot me an amused look but answered all the same. Soon we were exchanging notes and not a day would pass without a 8216;Hi8217;. Unlike the young joker, Rishi Kapoor, I never got round to making a bouquet of wild flowers for her. Nothing so romantic or extravagant.

Mid-November saw me piling into the hill-train to head home for the annual vacation. As was the custom, the 11th standard students came down to the station to see us off. I still can8217;t figure out how I picked her out from the crowd, and waved. She acknowledged and waved back.

I have never met or heard from her since. All I remember is that

she was Vishnu8217;s sister and a head taller than me. But forty years ago, an 11-year-old sure had a crush on someone older.