Aria. Aria. Aria? Why dont u tell me what your thinking right now huh sweety?!

Aria looks at me through those beautiful piercing-green blue eyes of hers, her look right now conveying more than what her words have been been expressing for the past one week.

Day 8. As Dr. Natalie Polish sits in her office in anticipation of her already late patient, a million thoughts run through her mind, flashes of how she came across Aria by total accident and how she turned out to be the most intriguing patient she had yet. Half past 10, no sign of Aria yet. Ms. Fey her receptionist buzzes that the next patient is ready, Dr. Natalie asks her to hold on in hope that Aria could still show up. 11:00 A.M. Time to see the next one already. Note to self: Im not giving up on her, not yet atleast

Day 5. I Know u dont want to be here but.. Oh Yeah? If u understand, why u shackling me here huh? Aria cuts her half way. Look Im just here to do my time ok, so why

dont u do yourself a favor and just go back to whatever it is you shrinky people do. Aria u came to me, remember? Im just doing my job Yeah that was like by total accident, out of curiosity sakes. I mean who sets up their physiatrists practice right in the middle of this tiny village. Dont u get it no one cares about your stupid practice and the good it can do them. They care more about their cows and how much dung they produce. About whether their rice and wheat is getting enough sunlight. I even hear that your patients ask you questions like my cow has not been mooing in the right tone, what to do? Im your only human patient amnt I? Thats why your so bound onto my case..

Day 2

Tell me why u approached me Aria Aria looks at Natalie with that arrogant 18 year old Oh my GodNot-again-look. Do we have to go over this all over again? Yes

Ok miss Harvard Why dont you tell me why you decided to become a shrink, was it the easy way to get that Dr title before your name without going through 5 years of medical school n slogging it out to get Daddys approval? Natalie lays back against her seat and looks deeply into Arias eyes and says Yeah, Something like that. Now whose the shrink huh to have me all figured out like that. Aria smirks good one. No its the truth actually, my fathers acceptance is something I always longed for and I thought if I could become a dr n save lives in whatever way whether it was through an open heart surgery or by helping people by just being there for them n letting them open up their hearts to a complete stranger just to relieve themselves of the burden theyve been carrying, my dad would se the clearer picture n finally accept me as his own. That everytime he looks at me I would feel a sense of belonging, like his very own blood is flowing through me n Im a part of him. Sorry Im wandering. Now ur turn Aria, time to open up Aria looks at her n then looks away lifting her bag, yeah my turn to leave n slams the door behind her.

Natalie looks at her framed certificate the mark of pride n failed shame when she hears an angry click at the door only to find Aria standing furious, Oh by the way I did not congratulate you for your fine story-telling skills,did they teach you that in your great school,Im sure youve done them proud. Natalie gets up to explain herself only to have the door slammed at her face again, only this time harder.

Day 7

Still no sign of Aria, Im beginning to worry, I dont know the first thing about her and where or what she could be doing except that shes a girl who needs someone like me-not a phyciatrist but someone whos been in her shoes and can help her to see life from a different, better angle and that life is not full of crap like she thinks. Instead I went all shrinky on her, shes right Im never going to do any good and reach out to the people if I keep expecting them to come to me behind these closed doors, time to open these doors and go out. Natalie

Day 1:

Dr. Natalie Polish, a Psychiatry graduate from Harvard, graduated at the top of her class and was offered many fellowships to do her practice among some of the most brilliant minds from around the world but she graciously turned down every single one of them only to set up her practice in the most unlikely of places-her birth place-India. She strongly believed that every person has a unique mind of his own n this is something you cannot learn unless its discovered n she considered her roots to be the ideal place to start. India a land to many a diverse culture is a beautiful land and what makes it so are its warm-hearted (but narrow-minded) people and Natalie sincerely believed that all they need is the motivation in the right direction and who better than an Indian-American such as her to strike a cord with them. Natalie was able to find a decent place at an almost decent price in a somewhat modern area, now she had to get her hoarding done to let the world know that Natalie Polish is all ready to change the world beginning with the minds of the people.

Natalie wearing a loose and extremely comfortable yellow with green polka dots salwar complete with a green dupatta (a shawl)

draped over her shoulders went hunting lane by lane in search of anything that said printing, hoarding, sign boards, but in vain. She finally reached the beach and sat down, yanked the slippers off her feet, dipped them in the saline richness of the water and cooled her parched throat by drinking the cool sweet waters of the coconut when a young, beautiful girl in her early teens with long black hair and beautiful green-blue piercing eyes approaches Natalie and says Your sitting in my spot It took sometime for Natalie to realize what was happening and looking at a visibly furious young girl all that she could blurt out was excuse me? Your sitting at my spot, thats my spot and Im telling you for your own good that you better get up before I could do serious damage to that fragile All right, all right, you can have your place back, Jesus Christ! That calmed down the girl right away, like pouring water on fire. Natalie moved ten steps away from her old spot, back to the position she was, of calming herself down and getting ready to go through the next leg of her hoarding-hunting when again the young girl approaches Natalie, only this time with an apologetic look on her face and extends her hand saying Hi! Im Aria

Natalie looks at her in bewilderment not knowing If this was one of her tricks to slam-dunk her face into the sand and the bury her there but nevertheless she extends her hand slowly Natalie Listen, Im really sorry about the way I acted earlier about my spot and everything, just having a crappy day at work, whats your excuse This time Aria surprised her on a whole new level, the word work stuck in her head like magnet, did she miss judge her age, was she one of those girls who got roped into doing something for the wrong people, her mind drifted and all she said was Excuse me? again. Aria looks at Natalie with an amused look, Im sorry, maybe you dont know English, oh wait a min your not deaf are you and she moves her hands and fingers in weird directions making all sorts of symbols and actions in the air. Natalie stars laughing loudly No Im not deaf and I do know English, Sorry I just drifted there for a second, you dont have to apologize, I get the whole yelling-cause-your-boss yelled at you cycle, trust me. So. I got to go, It was nice meeting you Aria, maybe well meet again now that I know your spot on the beach. And by the way my excuse is I love the sunset.

Natalie picks up her slippers and walks barefoot across the beach with a smile on her face not knowing why.

That was one month back, and sitting at her office, reliving that episode in her life Natalie smiles in nostalgic remembrance.

Day 17: You know, the sun doesnt set for another good five hours. Which brings me back to my question of why youre here? Again Startled by the voice coming below her, Natalie finds Aria sprawled across the beach at her usual spot with her eyes closed and mouth open to talk yet again And please dont blurt out your usual line of excuse me?, Im starting to wonder whether you know anything beyond that. I should be asking you that question actually Natalie says with amusement I always find you on the beach so much so that you even have a spot on it, what? Are you some sort of watchman for the beach? Dont you have school or something? And then she speaketh or should I say questioneth. A LOT. Aria her voice underlined with heavy sarcasm. Maybe, whats in it for you?

Hey! You started it remember with your no excuse me line etc etc I was just curious, I mean this is not the first time Im finding you here at odd times like these, so, just wondering. Anyway I have to go, some of us have work to do. Natalie turns around leaving behind Aria shouting in the background something about she having a real job. Natalie walks back with huge smile on her face looking forward to her next meeting and what surprises Aria could spring upon her, knowing that in a weird way she made her first friend here in India.

Day 30: Its been two months as of today and still I feel like I havent even started making a change, a difference to the community. I knew it wouldnt start off huge but a little dent and that would suffice. Prof. Harbinger was right it is really hard to