She felt annoyed as she heard the landline phone ringing continuously. Rima got up and said, “How many times have I told you to call me on my mobile phone?”
How far do you have to walk to attend to it? Dany laughed and taunted her.
"And tell me what you were doing? You said you’d start going for a walk from today, didn't you?."
“Sorry, no, I couldn’t make it, but I promise I will go tomorrow.“
Dany knew he interrupted her. She must be checking her timelines on different social media sites. “I told you to stay away from the screen. It will harm your eyes and your mind.”
Rima said, “How would I spend my day then?” She saw a new notification appear on her phone. Her hands automatically picked up the phone. Her old colleague, Natasha, had just posted a group photo on Instagram.
Her group from the office that went trekking in Paris tagged her, “Missing you dear”. A childhood friend had also put a photo on the WhatsApp group of old friends.
She thought, “The entire world is having fun, except for me. I am the only one sitting like crazy in the house.”
She had a good job in Mumbai. It wasn’t much, but not that bad either. At least she could have gone on an outing with friends. Look at how happy everyone is looking. “I updated my status every day. But now, I can’t share even a photo with friends.” She was feeling jealous. She felt nothing was working for her in the world.
Until three months ago, Rima was working as an editor for a popular magazine in Mumbai, but now she had stopped working on that project. She was an excellent writer and very creative but had lost her touch after she came to this new place.
When Dany was to come on a project in this place for a year, he told her, “It’s a beautiful place and only a matter of one year. Come with me if you want to, otherwise, both of us will take turns visiting each other.”
“As you wish, I’m with you.“
Rima saw this as an opportunity. She thought that if she got a break from the job, she would put everything on the pages that had been hiding inside her for years. It had been four months since Dany and Rina came here.
Dany and Rima were watching TV when Dany asked her, “Tell me, what did you do today? Apart from the comments on social media”
“I am developing a plot.”
“Where, by writing in a diary? “
“No, in my mind.”
"Then it will never come out of your mind." Dany chuckled.
Rima asked, “Listen, can’t you get a few days off? Ever since I came here, I have felt like a prisoner in this house.“
“Do you want to go out? There are some picturesque and peaceful hill stations around here.”
Today, Dany came from the office and said, “There is some great good news for you.”
Rima was eager to know.
You were talking about going on a vacation for a few days, so I have planned everything. They have approved my leave.
“Where are we going?”
“Trust me, it will surprise you, but I can say that this trip will be the best and most memorable trip of your life.”
Rima inquired, “Are we going somewhere within India or somewhere else?”
“It’s a surprise trip,” he said with a meaningful smile.
Rima was very excited about the trip. Wow, I will have fun now. I have bought so many new dresses but have not yet worn a single one. I think it’s time for me to take lots of selfies and post them all on different social media sites.
Both were moving towards the destination by car. The road was exquisite. The undulating mountain path was full of natural beauty. Small springs were flowing, and tall trees were trying to touch the sky.
They had left the city far behind. The mobile and internet signals gradually started decreasing, and finally disappeared after a point.
Rima was upset. “Hey, there is no signal“
“This is a remote area, so this must be a signal problem, but the place is exquisite, isn’t it?” Dany had a triumphant smile, but Rima’s face fell. Both of them reached the guest house arguing over the same thing. Getting off the taxi, Rima looked around.
She was happy being in such a beautiful, peaceful, and clean place, but what disturbed her was that there were no signals on her phone.
They both checked in at the guest house. Rima was delighted to see the room. She could see the entire valley from her window. The cool, fragrant air was touching her body. A long line of deodar trees mesmerized her. She took a deep breath and filled her lungs with fresh air.
“Wow, this place is really beautiful, but there should be a mobile tower here.”
Both of them felt tired from traveling, so they sat and had their lunch. After lunch, Dany held Rima’s hand and made her sit on the bed. He said, “Now I have an important thing to say to you. Listen carefully. “
She looked at him curiously. Rima was a little nervous.
I brought you to this place for a special reason. For the last four months, I have been watching that you have forgotten the purpose for which you left your job, but you’re busy with unnecessary things. You just keep scrolling through your phone. Is that your goal in life? You have imprisoned yourself in the virtual world of social media, and it has become very important for you to get out of it.
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I knew that there was no mobile network here. That’s why I brought you here. You will live here for a few days, all by yourself, so you can think about what you’re doing with your life. Rima was stunned listening to Dany. What she was hearing was beyond her imagination. Dany brought her here for this, so far away from home!
Rima, you are a very good writer, but earlier in Mumbai, you kept avoiding writing under the guise of being busy, and despite having plenty of time here, you are not doing anything. How many times did you open your notepad to make one-liner notes for these stories? How many times have you touched your diary, which is full of unfinished projects?
Saying this, Dany handed over her notepad and diary in her hands. “God sends all of us into the world by giving us some quality, so that we can express that quality and make this world beautiful. We become happy and satisfied only when we do our job. You will stay alone for the next seven days and think about your career, starting afresh.
And yes, I will not be here with you. He handed her the notepad.
Rima panicked when she heard this, saying, “What are you saying? How will I live alone? “
Look, I’m not going anywhere. I will be around you, but not with you. This guest house belongs to the father of a colleague of mine. You will not face any problems here. I am sure that when I meet you after seven days, I will meet a different Rima.
“Dany, please stop.” Depressed, Rima took Dany’s hand while leaving. Dany said, “Trust me dear, this solitude is very important for you.”
There will be no interference from the real world or the virtual world. In this solitude, you just have to be with yourself, talk to yourself, “How are you doing, Rima?” What kind of life is going on and what did you want to do? What did you do?”
“Could you give some meaning to life, or are you wasting your time on your phone?”
She decided in her mind that she would “do this.” Not for herself, but she would definitely do it for Dany.
She opened the diary and sat down to write.
She felt like the fairy who had become the prisoner of a screen. Now she felt rescued by her prince. Dany had broken the magic of the screen and brought her back to life.
Now she knew why Dany said that this trip would be worth remembering.
“Tomorrow it will be a new dawn in my life.”