Slip Between The Cup And The Lip, A true Story by Tariq Ahmad Tariq

"There Is Many A Slip Between The Cup and The Lip"

A Story By:Tariq Ahmad Tariq

Behrampora Raffiabad

While driving home from Dr Rafeeq Masoodi's residence, my friend asked me, "Tariq! What does it mean when we say there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. "
I smiled because I knew Hassan Azhar's ways well. 
"I suppose, this proverb is used to emphasize the power of destiny in our lives. We have the capacity to propose, but God, at times, knows well how to dispose", I explained. 
"Today you were victimized", Azhar laughed me silly.

"Please tell what happened", I pleaded.

"First, give me the account what engagements you had today here at Masoodi sir's residence", Azhar asked.

I started recollecting the thread of events. 

I started, "At reaching his residence we saw the grand old man seeing off some dignitaries at the entrance. We kept waiting near the tent gate. He came barely after two minutes. At seeing me he exclaimed, "Tariq, a great gift was given away by the departed soul while leaving for the heavenly abode. My niece Durdana Javid Masoodi topped the jkbose class 12th examination. "
I saw a cute smile playing on the lips of Dr Masoodi. 
The floods of the smiles on the face of the grand old man elated me as i felt myself blessed  that Dr Masoodi was sharing this happy moment with me. He  took me to the tent where we were served food. After the food was served, we saw dignitaries from all corners of the valley  pouring in. Dr Masoodi would, time and again, address me, and give me their introduction. A young man kept in front of him, and Masoodi Sir yelled, "Tariq! Do you know this young man. "
"Yes Sir, I think he is Dr Aabid, who often forgets my name", my answer broke the gathering into smiles. 
"Have I told you about his appointment as Editor Cultural Academy", Dr Masoodi asked. 
Though I had already been told by Masoodi sir about this, yet for the sake of other interested people I answered I knew not. He then told how he made it to the coveted post. 
In the main while, we saw Durdana Javid, the topper of class 12th BOSE Examination entering the tent to have some message ferried for Dr Masoodi. You (Azhar), stole the opportunity to record her views about her grand success in the BOSE examination. Durdana spoke in English with utmost fluency and with an inspiring accent. She thanked  the Almighty Allah, the support of her parents, teachers, and friends. 
After spending two hours in the tent listening to the valuable exchanges of different people with Dr Rafeeq Masoodi we left for home by 4:30 pm with a promise to our patron that we would visit him again in the coming days.

After having told the whole story to Hassan Azhar, I asked him to tell me where I missed to make the contact of my lip with the cup. Azhar did again smile and said the moment when Masoodi sir addressed you saying,  "Tariq! the departed soul gifted us with a delightful news", your unseen friend, Farhaan, came to me whispering in my ear, "Hello Sir, I am Farhan. How are you? "
I greeted him, and in the wink of an eye,  he boarded the car which was waiting him. The opportunity was too precious  to be missed, but was too short to call you to meet Farhan. The irony of the destiny was that You were only two feet away from Farhan, and you still missed his glimpse. "

I smiled myself silly and laughed but it was the laugh of the widow.
I kept murmuring for the whole evening,  "there is many a slip between the cup and the lip".