Fifty Years-Part 1

Two honeymooners were sitting on the deck of a cruise ship, talking. The woman said " You know, I've been observing that lovely old couple for a while now. Every day, the husband makes it a point to get his wife up to the deck, and they sit at that table, gazing into each others eyes. It gives me hope that simple, old fashioned romance is not lost in the world."
The man said" I completely agree. Let's just hope that our marriage lasts as long and is as blissful as theirs is." The lady said " The man takes such tender care of his wife, its wonderful to see. Though, I sometimes think I see this indescribably sad look in his eyes. Let us go talk to them".

So, they both went over to the old couple, and sat next to them. They introduced themselves, and the couple responded in a friendly and charming way. Their names were Susan and Michael Kane. The lady said " Forgive me, but we have been watching the two of you every day, and we can't help but notice the obvious love and devotion that you share. I think it is absolutely beautiful." The old man said "You see, we have been married fifty years now, and it feels like just yesterday that we met." He smiled, as though at a secret joke. The lady asked " Was it love at first sight?" Michael laughed, and said " Quite the contrary, actually. We were fierce rivals, and hated each other for a long time". The lady stared disbelievingly. Michael laughed heartily, and said " Perhaps, when I tell you the whole story, you may believe it."

Susan and Michael were, quite simply, two of the brightest scholars their university had ever seen.

They were both students of English literature and classics, both came with full scholarships, and both reliably assured by their professors that they would be the top students of their year.

They quite simply, could not stand the sight of each other.

Within a year of their joining, they both were far ahead of their peers, while remaining neck and neck with each other. Surprisingly, instead of bringing them closer, this pushed them further apart, to such an extent that, by the end of the first year, they could not bear the sight of each other. In their tutor's presence, they would debate heatedly for hours, on more and more obscure points on literature. They would debate on the relative significance of Renaissance poets, the presence of satire in Shakespeare's works, never satisfied until they stripped the entire topic bare. Their tutor, in the end, would simply assume the role of referee. As he said " These two manage to teach each other most of the time, anyway."

Even though Susan and Michael were in separate colleges, their rivalry was ever present. Each would try the utmost to best the other. One time, Susan would come out better, with six Alphas to William's five, and another time William would do better, with eight Alphas to Susan's six. Their peers stopped trying to even come close, let alone compete with the two. It seemed to both of them that no student existed in the University but the two of them.

In their final year, there was a last project to be submitted. The winner would get a scholarship for a doctorate position. This was open to all post graduate students of English Literature throughout the university. The subject was "Post-1945 Modern Drama". The project duration was two months.
Both Susan and William realized that this would be the only time that they would be tested against each other in closed competition.

Vacations came and went, and were unheeded by both. They began their research, and worked hours that bordered on the vulgar. They stripped apart absurdist French theatre, welfare theatre in Britain, and method theatre from America. They hardly ever slept, each imagining the other was beavering away still. For these two months, the outside world simply did not exist; all that mattered was the prize essay.

They handed in their ten thousand word essay together, exchanging nothing more than a contemptuous look. 

A day or two later, Michael was taking a run in the park, when he saw his rival, sitting on a bench, reading. He paused, considering whether to ignore her and walk by, or stop for yet another exchange of insults. His face reddened at the anticipation of her cutting reaction at seeing him.

However, on closer inspection, he saw that she wasn't reading at all, but crying quietly. He went up to her, and asked her what the matter was. She replied briefly " My mother died this morning."

Michael didn't know what to say. So, very wisely, he didn't say a word. Instead, he just put an arm around her, and held on. This gesture helped her more than any meaningless words could. They both, at that moment realised that they didn't hate each other any longer. An undeniable bond, which most would call friendship had been formed.