Do You Believe in Miracles? - Part IV

I couldnt believe it! The impossible had just happened!

About two weeks ago, I had lost my wonderful Xperia to the crafty hands of a
thief. And here I was, standing in the light draizzle at twilight, holding my
Xperia in my trembling hands.

For a couple of moments, my mind went blank as I simply stared at the phone
encased in the leather cover. I slowly removed the phone from the case and
all the questions started flooding my brain. Finally managing to sort them
out, I asked the guy,
'K-kahan se mila?'

And the man told me the incredible story of some guy, apparently an unknown
colloegue of mine, who took my unattended phone from my desk with all the
good intentions of returning it back to me the next day. But for some
reasons, he couldn't come to office itself. And today, he was leaving the
company. So he gave the phone to this fellow standing in front of me and
told him to give it to me.

Now, as I think back, I can say that this story was phony without a doubt.
Just looking at guy's face as he narrrated this fictional account, I should
have realised that.

But I wasn't looking at his face. I was still staring at my phone, turning
it around this way and that. And I wasn't even listening to him properly. My
brain was too busy checking out the phone and determining that it really was
my very own Xperia.

Just then a piece of paper fell out of the leather cover. I picked it up and
unfolded it. Inside was written a small note.
'Aapne jo FIR ki hai, wo wapis le lijiye please'
A mobile number followed.

I asked the man a few more questions without really following the answers
and then thanked him and let him go. I too continued on my way to the bus
bay.

But now it felt I was walking in a dream!  I held my precious Xperia in my
hand gingerly as though it were a delicate ice crystal that would soon melt
away. A wondrous smile spread on my face. My step was light and springy.
As I sat in my bus, I felt like shouting out to the fellow passengers with
delight,
'Hallelujah! It's a miracle, folks!'


EPILOGUE:

My Xperia was returned without a scratch but the memory card was missing and
there were signs of it having been used by the thief.

The mobile number written in the note turned out to belong to a member of
the Pune Crime Branch, who informed me that the thief was from the
housekeeping staff in our office.

-- Pune, July 8, 2011

Do You Believe in Miracles - Part III

It had been more than two weeks since my unfortunate incident. Filing FIRs and contacting people claiming to track my stolen Xperia X10 Mini Pro were already things of the past. Having lost almost all hopes of holding my beautiful phone again, I had tried drowning my grief in the deluge of work.

It was my hope that time will remain true to its fame and will leave me with
only a vague memory of the brief moments I spent in the glory of my Xperia.

It was one such evening when I was walking back to the bus bay after swiping
out 9.15 hours of my day to the service of my company. Minding my own
business, lost in my own distracted thoughts, contemplating on all matters
under the sun except my Xperia, I had almost reached the bus bay.

Suddenly, a voice broke through my hazy thoughts.
'Madam!'

Now the voice could have been addressing anybody in the milling crowd around
me. But it is an interesting instinct in people to answer to a general
address. And so I looked back to see the origin of the voice.

And I saw a man.

It was clear that he was a staff member. I looked at him questioningly. He
said,
'Madam, aapka phone.'

And just like that, out of the utter blue, I suddenly found my precious
Xperia in my hands!

--Pune, July 8, 2011

Do You Believe in Miracles? (Part II)

Do you know how it feels when you lose your phone?

It feels as though you are marooned on a lost island in the middle of an ocean. No way to talk to people. Out of touch with civilization. Away from technological conveniences.

It feels as though you have been apparated to an unknown land all of a sudden. One moment you are talking to family and friends, and suddenly you are so far from them. The distances become real and every kilometer makes its presence felt.

It feels as though you are stuck in traffic. The frustration of wanting to do something, but being unable to. The urge to do something with your hands while waiting but having nothing for it.

It feels like when you forgot your wallet at home. You have to depend on others’ phones to make important calls.

It feels as though you are marooned on a lost island in the middle of an ocean.

Do you know what it is to lose your Android smartphone?

You have gotten used to the 24 hour internet access. The regular FB updates. Being online and available all the time. The dozen apps to pass the time when there’s nothing to do.

It feels like suddenly pulling the brakes down hard while speeding down the expressway.

Without the phone, you are feeling the strongest emotions of loss, sorrow, anger and frustration. A genuine moment for a FB status update. But you can’t do that.

You want to look something up urgently. You want to check your mail. But you can’t do that.

You need to talk to somebody and think of catching them online at that time. But you can’t do that.

You are at a new place and not sure of where to go. You want to use the navigation tool to direct you. But you can’t do that.

It feels like suddenly pulling the brakes down hard while speeding down the expressway.

Do you know how it feels to lose a birthday gift from home?

It feels as though your guts are being wrenched out. It feels like when you accidentally stepped on your favorite toy. Sad, guilty, angry at yourself. You want to blame somebody and beat that person up. But that somebody is none other than you. Your insides writhe as strong sentiments rage under your chest. Your mind is in turmoil.

It feels like when you accidentally stepped on your favorite toy.

Add all these up together and you will know how it feels to lose your Xperia Andriod smartphone gifted to you by your parents and sister.

Do You Believe in Miracles? (Part III)

-- Pune, June 5, 2011

Do You Believe in Miracles? (Part I)

A tragedy had befallen me! A calamity so grave that it undermined the misfortunes any ten people in the world might face in their lifetimes! A mishap that plunged me into the dark shadows where voices are silenced and words don’t travel far!

My phone was stolen!

And it was not just a phone… It was Sony Xperia X10 Mini Pro! My first Android smartphone with a smooth touch feature, qwerty keypad and an awesome 5MP camera.

And it was not just any Xperia… It was a birthday gift from home! A beautiful amazing cool phone!

 It was not just a phone… It was Sony Xperia X10 Mini Pro!

This was the phone that was stolen right from my office desk. My office desk! From my cubicle left empty when I was working late, my Xperia was gone! Gone, vanished, disappeared, lost, STOLEN!

Whoever first talked about Monday blues must have been through the same!!

-- Pune, June 3, 2011