Amogh and Ojh got jolted and alerted at the same time from the kick that the car got. Before either could open the car’s door, the car was subjected to another nasty kick. On getting out of the car, they saw a young man, in early twenties, his eyes tightly closed, kicking the car ferociously, may be, even vengefully. Ojh was about to yell at the young man, but Amogh signaled him to not to. As Amogh approached the man, he could see tears on his cheeks. Placing the pillow from the car on his leg, Amogh positioned himself so that the next kick fell on the pillow attached to his leg. Realising he had hit something different, the man opened his eyes.

“Ouhhh, it hurts! But you kicking my car hurts even more because I love my car!” Amogh was smiling, though in pain.

Bemused by Amogh’s words, the man was taken aback. Though he appeared to be in anger, he seemed to have kept anger in control, as he countered, “Oh, is this your car? Sorry, I mistook it for another person’s car…”

“Hey, still, why were you kicking the car, be it of anyone?” Ojh joined in with a loud enquiry. Looking at the man, Ojh got yet another pleasant surprise of the day. “Hey, it’s you, Shardul! How have you been, my friend!”

“Oh, great! You know each other!” Amogh too joined in the spree of surprises.

Moving towards the man and putting his hand around his shoulders, Ojh continued, “Yes! Shardul and I used to stay in the same building when we were kids…that was, say, around ten years back. Playing gully cricket together made us best friends for life!” Ojh’s warm tone now turned into one of concern. “Shardul, what’s the matter dear! You look furious! The Shardul I know is far from a person who kicks at cars…why are you hitting at Amogh Sir’s car?”

Shardul seemed to calm down a bit, in presence of his new company. His facial muscles seemed to be relaxing, and his anger, fading.

“I am glad to see you, Ojh. Seeing an old friend might be the best thing to happen to me today. It’s a long story. But to answer to your why, it’s this: I hit the car because I mistook it for the car of the professor who didn’t even hand me his coaching class’ brochure just because he had heard from someone of my inability to pay the fee in advance. And I feel cheated that the rascal ousted me under the influence of a lobby that is hellbent to make me fail.” He had raised his pitch with every passing word. He now looked down, may be out of disappointment, then started speaking slowly. “And that girl, at the centre of all this negativity! These people are isolating me everywhere! I no longer like that girl; she doesn’t care whatever happens to me. All these crooks are lobbying to harass me!” As if he was unfinished, he started stomping the ground. “I hate all the things that belong to such people. Despite a great GRE score, I am not going to make it. All because of such crooks.”

“Hey, brother, it’s ok, then keep kicking me!” Amogh continued calmly, though sounding alarmed. “Here, tell me where you need me to stand. But before the next kick, let me tell you that you seem drowned in the deepest form of emotion called love, and if you are now expressing opposite of love, it is not always hatred! There is equator in between the two poles; there is equilibrium!”

“You lousy physics professor…all this is not professor’s joke. Please!” That last word might have made him a bit mindful; controlling the arrogance, and getting a bit away from the car, he added, “Ok. I don’t hurt strangers…sorry. Ojh, who is this person!”

Amogh saw the waiter coming towards them. To change the subject, Amogh called the waiter. To the angry man who had spared Amogh and his car from getting kicked further, Amogh asked, “Brother, what would you like to have? Myself, Amogh and our brother here, Ojh, will have another round of coffee. By the way, congratulations on the GRE front!”

Places differ, situations differ; but a man who creates amiable environment through his behaviour can navigate any environment to calmness, through his simple words. Shardul was getting calm, and was now staring at Amogh and Ojh in a friendly way. He even went further and hugged Ojh tightly, gratitude oozing out in abundance. Then he shook hands firmly with Amogh.

“I am Shardul. Yeah, thanks, I need a cup of coffee too. Apologies for all the trouble, Amogh Sir. Hope I didn’t hurt your leg.” Shardul, the tall, handsome 21-year-old young man said.

Amogh was grinning. “Yeah, Shardul, it’s okay. No, my leg is fine, the pillow saved it! And I may sound professor-ish, but hey, I am not lousy!” The three had a momentary laugh.

“It’s okay, Shardul, I too went through a similar trouble earlier in the day.” Ojh suddenly felt to add his bit to the calmness. Turning towards Amogh, he chuckled, “Only that I didn’t feel like kicking the board members. Instead, I walked away…”

Amogh nodded smilingly and continued. “Shardul, you said you don’t hurt strangers, but you are hurting yourself!” Shardul looked blank. “Let me elaborate. By indulging into negative acts originating out of anger and hate, you are hurting your own feelings, your own mental health! And since we don’t realise this, we are strangers to ourselves!”

Shardul gazed at Amogh as if he had heard something profound. Seeing that he had Shardul’s full attention, Amogh went on. “If you don’t feel good about something, it doesn’t mean you should feel bad about it. Similarly, if you don’t love something, should not mean that you hate it! Opposite of good is just not good; opposite of love is just no love. It need not be that opposite of good is bad and opposite of love is hate. Realising this gives us the strength to overcome our troubles.”

Shardul kept nodding his head, acknowledging the wisdom he was receiving. “Hey, all this is really good knowledge; but if such negative, deliberate influence continues around me, I need to fight back. So, professor, how do I fight back?”

Ojh felt a sense of déjà vu. “You don’t really fight back. You actually overcome yourself and construct your dream. By learning the art of peace!” he said, and glanced at Amogh, as a pupil looking respectfully towards the teacher.

“Art of peace?! What is art of peace!”

“Get into the car, to know more!” Amogh gently pulled Shardul by his shoulder, as if signaling a start to their journey towards ‘art of peace’!