When You Say Nothing At All

This is probably one of the most popular songs by Ronan Keating, also the soundtrack of Notting Hill- an equal favorite of the masses. This song also happens to be the bane of my existence in engineering. As I’ve said before, we were a group of six three guys and three gals who hung out together. The three chaps were adept at dropping a song like it was no big deal at all. At the drop of a hat they’d break into song- that was all right as long as I had some company being the audience but inevitably when they struck up “Its amazing…” the entire troupe would join in the serenade and I would be left gaping in the sidelines. It didn’t helped that I’d watched Notting hill a million times but I couldn’t for the love of God, learn this song or even its lyrics. It was only when the chorus of “when you say nothing at all” began that I would realize it’s the same song I was struck dumb by yesterday. I thought things couldn’t get much worse and it did-

They started singing bits one by one…

One person would start off and the next in line would pick it up- unfortunately I wasn’t capable of carrying a tune in a bucket and therefore was excused but it used to burn me when the rest of my college used to stop and some even used to join in. Their voices used to mingle with the dulcet tones of my bosom friends and there I was left all alone feeling the pangs of agony as the song that promised that “the smile on your face lets me know that you need me”- even though I used to grin n bear I doubt my college buddies ever got wind of how much it used to hurt when they sang this..”There’s a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me”- True enough I’d never felt more alone in a group where I thought I fit perfectly.. “The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me wherever I fall”- I fell into the greatest depths of despair with pangs shooting through me at my inability to join my circle of friends in something they did so well and yet I was not a part.. I used to vanish round about this time and so I never did hear the last line “when you say nothing at all” I never said anything and I doubt if even now they recall this chapter in their cluttered lives.

Years later- three to be precise- I had a laptop and finally learnt the song, but by then twas too late- my friends had flown and learnt many other songs… I was left singing alone.. even now I cannot hear the song without feeling some aversion although I have learnt to love its lyrics as much as my friends did…

But maybe someday we guys would once again sit in the pathway of my engineering college and someone would suggest something to do.. and they would all break into song, only this time I would be ready with my part…”Cause you say it best when you say nothing at all….”