THE STORY

 (Wrote this on Aug 08, 2003)

The auditorium was completely occupied and the students filled the atmosphere with their incessant chatter. The first row of seats was arranged for the teaching faculty of the institute and served the same purpose successfully, for very rarely were the esteemed Professors free from their routine to attend such an occasion. The weather outside was awesome and the campus looked beautiful when looked from the windows of the large room. Everyone was busy talking to each other. It wasn't yet time to start the proceedings for today.

 

          There she was, clad in a bright blue dress that appeared to make the azure sky go inferior, sitting beside the window on the extreme left corner of the third row of seats. She seemed to have her mind pre-occupied by some strange incident, which she perhaps liked very much. Apparently, the cool breeze that entered into the room blew a few strings of her hair away from her temple making her process of thinking more pleasant and romantic. There was no doubt, if she wasn't disturbed by her friend sitting next to her, she would have gone deep into contemplation in her own world of dreams, which was her very very own.

 

          'Jodie! Do you happen to know what's the topic for today?'

'No'. Her voice was so filled with emotion that she felt embarrased at the influence of her thoughts on her senses.

'I'll tell you.....It's the very boring 'Human Psychology'....'

'I wonder why the Hell should we be subjected to such horrible stuff...' she spoke, trying to get out of her world of imagination, 'By the way, who's trying to make us sick today with his Outspoken Charisma? Which University is sending this Professor or Doctor or whatever he is?' At last she was successful in her attempt to get back into reality.

'Sounds like you didn't know this...it's neither a Professor nor a Doctor this time around...it's a student from our own college. Maybe the sucker is from another class……I've made sure it's not any of those goddamn losers from our class.'

'Well.....'

'Good Afternoon everybody' their conversation was interrupted by the loud sound through the microphone-speaker that was just rear to their row of seating.

 

The gentleman on the podium was a representative of the students' association of the institute. He announced

          'Ladies and Gentlemen! If you please maintain silence and calm down, may I inform you that today's topic is "Human Psychology and it's effect on (Human) Relationships". This special topic has been awarded the Best Lecture of the Term at the National Conference on Education and Psychology held recently at the National University. We need to be proud of the young author of this paper, who belongs to our own institution.

          'Friends! Please let me introduce our co-student and the award winner Mr. Edward Johnson....'

          The room began to fill with appreciable quanta of applauses.

 

          'I didn't know this was so significant...What do you say Jodie?.....Jodie? What's wrong with you?'

          'Err! Hmmm..nothing. I'm alright.....I mean I'm just fine.' But she wasn't.

         

          She began to fight with her recent memory. Just a few days back, in the lawn of the campus, she was walking alone. Her name was suddenly called right at her back. The voice was familiar but the suddenness surprised her. She turned back to find him dressed in simple garments, wearing a cap on his head.

He started the dialogue.

'Hello! I just wanted to talk a few things with you..would you mind if I?'

'Not at all! Go on.'

'I saw you in my dreams last night.'

'What? Excuse me.' She was obviously bewildered.

'You don't have to ask for excuses. I'll tell you the truth....I feel attracted to you and I believe you have the interest too.'

 'How can you think of that even? We were just friends....'

'No we weren't friends.'

'Then how can you say that I might be interested in you?'

'It's so simple. It's your eyes, which tell me you have something in your mind for me.'

'There's nothing like that.' She almost said impulsively.

'Look...I don't want to trouble you. I'll talk to you after one week. In the meanwhile, you just ask yourself what's the answer and do tell me when I ask for that.'

She was awestruck. But managed to say ' I have the answer right now. Hey! Wait!'

He didn't wait to listen. He was off and away from her field of influence. She felt suddenly sick and couldn't walk properly for sometime and then began her imaginary world of dreams.

 

          That was seven days back. Now, in the auditorium, she thought ' That was the past. But what's up now? Let me see how good he is at his lecture...Maybe I can trouble him this time and have my fun.' She was thinking curiously.

 

          ' Good Afternoon Friends!' the same familiar voice. 'My lecture today, I must admit, is quite boring. I don't think even a 10% of the people here are interested in it. But I can't keep you all entertained..... so let's begin. I want you to be parallelly active with me throughout the lecture so that we can interact continuously and won't lose each other.'

 

          She started to think again.' Last Thursday, this very guy shook my hands and today he's on stage demanding me to clap my hands for him...He's not bad. Not bad at all. May be it's time for a decision.'

 

          'Dear Friend! What do you think is psychology?' He pointed his fingers to a young man in the middle row. The fellow stood up and stated ' Psychology is all that horse-shit related to the brain.' Everybody started to laugh.

'Ha! It was a good one. I have second thoughts about defining it now.'

Again everyone laughed.

 

          'Well Friends! Let me tell you an interesting thing. How many of you are aware that whatever we feel is only because we believe it?

          'The feelings like fear, anger, joy, sorrow, pain etc are all linked with your belief in them. The inspiration, impression, expression, influence, devotion, skepticism...and what not. Everything that you are able to feel is directly related to your fundamental belief in it.

          'If you feel like having fun in bunking your classes, then you will enjoy the fun only when you believe that bunking is fun.'

          Everybody seemed to be interested in the topic. But she was thinking something else...the same incident last week.

          'Friends! One thing is for sure..experience as we say is an outcome of belief that you have in what had been happening since an earlier time. This is not particle physics to explain in terms of x- and y-co-ordinates. This is a continuous flow of quantums of invisible and mysterious energy called belief.'

          All of the audience was deeply set in thought now. She began to show some interest in the topic just now. But she was still aware that this guy was unto something.

          'In the conference, I couldn't explain practically, but for you, I'll show it now.'

          He diligently got down from the podium and started towards the third row of seats. She was suddenly aware that he noticed her and her heart began to pulse at double the usual rate. She closed her eyes and whispered silently 'God! No! Not me!'

          'Yes! You..' almost as if he heard her, he pointed his finger at her and said 'I would like you to be a volunteer for this demonstration.'

'But..No! Why?........................Yes.'

 

          He held her left arm with his right hand and led her through to the dais. She kept wondering what was he about to do. He whispered to her ears slowly 'You remember? You promised to answer me last week? Well it's time.'

It rang a bell in her mind that today was Thursday. She made up her mind that she's not going to fall for his bait. So she began boosting up her courage to face the situation.

 

          'Now, for instance', he said aloud, 'if you let me perform the art of belief..This is Miss.....?' She said aloud her name 'Jodie... Jodie Stone' and in her mind  'as if he didn't know'.

'Huh! Yes, Miss Jodie. And I'm going to use her mind to explain you the significance of belief.' Turming to her and giggling, he spoke carefully,

'Miss Jodie! Have you ever loved someone?'

Everything went so fast that she couldn't stand what's  happening.

'Yes. Well.....No.'

 'Anyway. If you, for a moment, think that you love hmmmm... say me...yes.. imagine that you love me.'

'But I don't..' The auditorium burst into a roar of laughter.

'Yes. I know. But if you now listen carefully, and for a moment close your eyes and forget everything for a while and BELIEVE  that you love me.'

She honestly did what he said.

After a couple of minutes, 'Now, Miss Jodie, say aloud what you believe?'

She said aloud..'I LOVE YOU.'

'O! That's it. That's what I was waiting for... I got my answer..  I'm sorry friends, I cannot continue with the lecture...You have seen what can happen if you believe in what you believe.'

She opened her eyes and a bright smile came on her lips and her face beamed with bliss.

There was a momentary silence and then a great thunder of applauds broke the calmness.

He took her arm into his and started towards the exit.