ENG 404: Creative Writing
Name: Raihan Rahman
ID: 1830006
Instructor: Dr. Razia Sultana Khan
Date: 13th October 2021
Nostalgia
Even though we were classmates, my first conversation with Nahid was in the second
year of university. As my parents were looking for a private tutor for my younger sister, one
day while I was eating, suddenly without much thinking, I decided to call Nahid because I
heard he does a lot of tuition. He also very easily agreed to be a tutor.
On the day, as he received his first salary after a month of teaching Tonni, I teased
him saying, "You got paid, won’t you give me a treat in the restaurant?” Nahid just smiled a
little. Then he said in a soft voice, “All right. We will go one day!” I couldn’t believe that
after a week he would seriously take me to eat Kacchi-Biryani. Moreover, we were not that
close yet. I said in a slightly embarrassed manner, "I was just joking Nahid!"
The boy did not listen to me. A little embarrassed, I went to eat with him that day. We went
to “Hajir Biriyani”, a famous restaurant in old Dhaka. I was surprised that he brought a rose
for me. “Oh wow, I never knew you can be a romantic person too!", I teased him again.
Nahid just smiled a little in a pale manner and didn't say anything that day.
From then on when he used to receive his salary, it became my habit to go on a lunch
date with him. One day I casually asked him, "Why do you avoid us?" "What do you mean by
I avoid you!", exclaimed Nahid. "I mean, you don’t even hang out with our common friends!
If we call you, just avoid hangouts saying you are busy doing the tuitions”. "Riya, the truth
is…" Nahid paused and said, "Your reality and my reality are different. I can't do most of the
things that you guys do!" I asked, "Why?" In response to that, Nahid told me the story of his
life that day.
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ENG 404: Creative Writing
Name: Raihan Rahman
ID: 1830006
Instructor: Dr. Razia Sultana Khan
Date: 13th October 2021
“My dad has a small shop, but now my mother runs the business because, after a road
accident, my father has been crippled and unable to work for almost seven years.” There were
household expenses, father’s treatment, young brother’s education, and so he needed to earn a
lot of money. Nahid's story hit me like a thunder because I have been raised in comfort and
luxury and never thought life can be so hard for a person of my age. It was a surrealistic
afternoon in month of “Ashar”. Our lunch was over by then, but it was raining outside. The
hustle and bustle of the restaurant, the smell of Biryani-Pulao, and the drizzle of rain outside
all combined to make my afternoon look like a fairy tale. It seemed to me that Nahid was a
character coming out of a storybook. We both sat in silence for a while listening to Nahid's
experiences. Suddenly, I felt the rain start to fall heavily in my heart too. I wondered, “Can I
remove all his sadness by my love!”
One day I told Nahid about my feelings for him. He looked at me in surprise for a
while. Then he said in a calm voice, “Don't be bothered about these feelings Riya; these are
actually temporary emotions of people! You say these things because you don't know the
reality yet!” I replied, “I don't need to know the reality. I need you in my life!”. He said,
“You’re just being emotional! My life and your life are completely different. You were raised
in a completely different society and reality.” I exclaimed, “My social status is better than
yours; how can it be a problem for us!”. “I'm not talking about problems. I'm talking about
compatibility”, he replied. “You can just say you don’t want to love me that's it!”, I replied
bitterly. Nahid said in a low voice, “No. It’s because after a few years you’ll regret it. Then
both of us along with our family will suffer Riya!”, he replied boldly and said, “Let’s not
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ENG 404: Creative Writing
Name: Raihan Rahman
ID: 1830006
Instructor: Dr. Razia Sultana Khan
Date: 13th October 2021
make our life troublesome. I already have a lot of responsibilities.” I replied angrily, “Okay!
You live with your maturity; I am not hanging out with you anymore …”
He did not talk to me as much as used to; there were just formal conversations: how
are you, I'm fine etc. He even started to miss classes too! Tonni informed me, “Nahid Bhaia’s
father is very ill. That's why he took a week off from tuition.” She said to me in a surprised
voice, “I thought you knew about this! Nahid Bhaia’s father had a stroke recently” After
hearing this, I couldn't stay angry at him anymore. I searched for his address here and there
and finally one day I went to Nahid's house. They lived on the edge of the city, which almost
looked like a village. Nahid was a little embarrassed to see me. He probably didn't think I
would go to his house and show up. By that time, he had brought his father home from the
hospital. They lived in a small tin-shed house. Nahid's mother was in the shop, so Nahid
brought me some “Chanachur-Muri”. Before I left, Nahid said in a soft voice, “It's better that
you came to see our condition with your own eyes. Now maybe it’ll be easier for you to make
a decision too.” I noticed tears in his eyes. It was raining that day too. Nahid led me to my car
with an umbrella in hand. I couldn’t see him clearly from the other side of the glass; even our
voices became inaudible. I lowered the glass a little and shouted, “Goodbye Nahid! Take care
and be well!”
I had some contact with Nahid till university, but we never met again after graduation.
I tried calling him, but a robotic voice said, “this number is permanently deactivated. Sorry.”.
Often, in the middle of rain, I go to visit old Dhaka to order some “Kacchi-Biryani”, but I
give it to the street children. I think he would love to see me bringing smiles to these poor
kids.
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