Sam and Sandra- A love story gone horribly wrong like countless others. It was the same old thing. They were childhood friends. Sam thought the friendship was love but Sandra didn’t and so on and so forth. However this story ain’t about their ‘aww’ cute friendship. It’s about something bigger than that.
The scenario is a few years after Sam’s marriage. Sam had joined the MBA Bandwagon and had firmly established himself in a financial services entity and had found a wife too. Sandra meanwhile had gone on to become a negotiator with the Indian Government and hence had to put marriage on the back-burner.
It was a cool night and Sam found the idea of a quick beer tempting. He waved his chauffeur off and walked down to the nearest pub, a posh little place that had just opened up at the corner of the street. As the pub loomed large near him, he loosened his tie and with one final sigh of tiredness entered through the front glass panel. Barely had he taken a few paces inside when he stopped, frozen in his place. Directly in front of him was Sandra, sipping a beer, oblivious to the surroundings. Sam felt uneasy. Should he approach her? He didn’t know what to say. “Oh well, what the hell?” with a deep breath and a quick shrug of his shoulders, he reached her in a few confident steps and touched her on the shoulder. “Hello Sandra,” he said softly.
She turned back and gasped. “Sam!” She exclaimed, visibly excited at seeing her old buddy, “OH MY GOD! Long time!”
Sam nodded in agreement. A long time it had surely been. 5 years to be precise. She had lost her radiance; Sam noticed and couldn’t help but feel satisfied about it. Thank GOD that his wife was more beautiful. “Well Sam, how’s Linda?” Linda was Sam’s wife. “She is good.”
They talked on for a while, reminiscing their old days and exchanged some customary pleasantries. After a while they couldn’t find any more to discuss and started playing with their drinks. Suddenly Sandra said “Sam, I have something to tell you”. Sam looked up from his beer. “Yes, go ahead.”
“I was thinking about how you had wanted me to marry you years back and I had refused. It all seemed so silly then! I had wanted to devote myself to my career. However after all these years of loneliness, I feel maybe I was wrong. What do you think Sam?”
Sam was dumbstruck. He didn’t know how to answer the question. Finally he spoke, albeit haltingly, “I think what happened was for the best. I do not think about it now.”
“Yeah you are probably right; I guess” Sandra replied quietly.”Anyways I need to get back to my apartment. It was nice catching up with you.” They shook hands and exchanged an awkward hug. Sandra picked up her coat and walked out the front door while Sam stayed behind to finish his beer. He heard the screeching of tires and wondered how he might have pissed her off. He gulped down the remnants of his can, tipped the waiter and walked out into the street.
He started walking down the road, lost in thoughts. He didn’t notice the police car that had screeched to a halt a few paces from him. It was when he suddenly felt two strong arms on his wrist did he jerk back to the reality. He was terrified. Police??What the hell?
“We have received an anonymous tip that you are in possession of banned narcotics. Sir please show us what you are carrying.”
Narcotics! What are they saying? Sam was lost. He protested, “No sir, you are mistaken! I am no drug dealer. I work in a respectable firm. I just had a beer. I am returning home now.”
He tried to force his way out but the man in uniform held him steadily while another started searching his pockets. ”Here!” he suddenly said, and held out a packet containing a whitish dust. “How do you explain this sir?” as Sam looked at the packet, he felt a wave of fear. He mumbled a protest “This is not mine! I don’t know how it came to be in my pocket!”
The police shoved him into the squad car. Sam started crying. “It’s not mine! It’s not mine!” he wailed. The car sped away into the night.
Sam was lodged into a temporary cell and was given the provision of a lawyer. Sam had given up hope. His whole world had come crashing down. He cursed his fate. Why did he merit such punishment? He barely listened to his lawyer’s words. Suddenly a guard appeared with a tray.
“Sam Donald, a package for you.” The guard put it down on his bench and left. Sam eyed it wearily. He picked it up and tore open the packaging. Inside was a rose and a letter. He opened the letter and started reading it. His eyes became wider with shock as he read through it.
“Dear Sam,
I couldn’t help but envy you for the lovely life you had-lots of money, a good wife and a car too I guess while I went about unemployed. Yes I had been thrown out of my job for failing on more than one occasion. I have huge debts that need to be repaid. So I thought it wasn’t fair that you enjoyed a good life while I rot away to oblivion. I had to give you a taste of my life, you see.
I am a drug addict now and hence always have a vial or two upon me. Remember that hug? Yeah that is when I put it in your pocket without you realizing it. I then hopped onto my stolen car and went to the nearest booth and alerted the police. That’s how you got caught. However never mind. I have a guy who is willing to testify for a thousand dollars that he saw a street thug put the packet in your pocket.
With love,
Sandra.”
Sam looked up at his lawyer, dumfounded. Sandra! How could she do this to her. He let the lawyer read the letter. He read it, folded it and said “We must get this guy to testify for us. We can go after her later” Sam nodded.
The rest is pretty boring. The guy testified for the thousand dollars and Sam walked free, all charges dropped against him. But he could never forgive Sandra. He was surprised to see he felt only a profound sadness and no vengeance towards her. He had surely loved her a lot after all.
Ten days after this incident, an envelope arrived at a shadowy house on the far corner of the street. The postman knocked at the door. It was opened by a woman, pale but expectant. She tore open the envelope. Inside it was a letter.
“Dear Sandra,
Thank you for what you did. We had bet on women being powerless compared to men. And I have won. Please also find inside a token of my appreciation.
With love,
Linda.”
Sandra shook the envelope and out came into her hands a cheque for 20,000 dollars.
p.s. Sandra had come to know about Sam’s impending visit to the bar from Linda who Sam had called and informed about his plan to visit the pub.
