" Broken Silence "

Too many americans give a voluntary-hearty-smile but never a voluntary-hearty-talk with me. Often, I think of what and how would the gap between us bridged. The hesitation of how would they receive makes me dumb even when I get a chance to break the " Silence ". Heard a lot from my friends saying americans mingle too soon when you take the brave step of opening the chat. Sometimes I convinced myself to give a try but " Silence " between us wins. Promisingly thinking of a day they asking me help would make myself win over my " Silence ". But, never thought of a year's back lucky draw won amount sponsored by Sidelines to the Office of International Affair's Coffee Hour would bring the opportunity.

While was sitting in the corner of a library came to me a Shreveport girl asking - " Do you know how to make copies over the Xerox machine ? ". It was the moment where my " Silence " was dumb enough than my strong desire to talk. I neither made use of that facility nor at least went into that room but took the advantage of helping her though being helpless. But once heard from a friend of self servicing xerox facility available in the campus provided Cajun Cash available in your account. Momentarily wished several times of the left over lucky-draw-won- spent-amount should be sufficient enough to help her and her friend. Luckily, "Silence" didn't had the last laugh this time.

It should be at least a 15 minute chat of self introduction, education-system in comparison with my country, India, future plans etc.,. Americans speaking to me by themselves is joyous enough at the moment causing pay less attention to what they actually spoke of. They paid owed amount but at the end came a sentence which left me startled. The Shreveport girl asked with her hands wide open - " Give me a hug ". How could an ardent willingness just to speak with an american feel if ended with such strange, warm feeling isn't that I could put into words. But I strongly believe, the Shreveport girl left-over impression would make myself to open conversation to leave me as a "Winner" over my "Silence" when met an american next time.