Sunday, July 21, 2013

Life's little pleasures








I’m dreaming, in my bed. It is a pleasant dream, for it involves many of the pleasant people I’ve met in this short journey of life. Gently, I’m woken up, by soulful music playing from the phone. It’s Enya, singing of “A Day without Rain”. I sit up and look out of the window. It’s sunny, with a few clouds in the distance giving one a playful promise of rain, sometime in the day. A quick shower and other daily tasks, and it’s already a good day. So I get my pen, book and a glass of strong tea with extra sugar. The weather is delicious, sunny with a tinge of the cold from the downpours of yesterday night. The trees and the bushes all around the house are wearing an unabashed shade of green, the kind of green that makes you realize how beautiful your little state is. It is impossible not to write in this weather, and impossible not to write straight from the heart. There is music in the distance, from a temple I’ve always used to go as a child.


Its mid afternoon and my story is almost done. Just as I am about to put the final touches on the tale, the mobile screen lights up.  The name on the screen is a name I’d be glad to see anytime, any day. A text for a tryst in the evening, making a good day near perfect. I smile to myself, because sometimes smiles are not to be held back.


I park the majestic Royal Enfield near the footpath near the beach. It’s another lovely evening at the Calicut beach, and the vivid colors of the sunset make my heart leap with joy. I walk, through the sidewalk adorned with benches and lamp-posts, towards her favourite bench.  She is already there of course, but her face is turned to the other side. She expects me to come from the other side, but what is Love without some little surprises? I’m already feeling jealous of the evening wind, which is playing gleefully with her hair. I walk up and sit by her side. Without turning aside, she breaks into laughter.


The evening has crossed over to dusk, and the stars are already out in the sky. The vendors of groundnuts and sweets still sell their wares, while people continue to throng the beach. It’s going to be a beautiful night as well, I realize quite happily. She is now leaning on my shoulder, having exhausted all her stories. I’m as silent as always. The silent movie actor, as she calls me. I’m content with life, blessed with all the little pleasures that a man can ask for. After all, this is what life is all about. Those little pleasures that we’ve had once, only to be lost in the passage of time and space. Those little pleasures that we’ve always wanted to have, but never granted by the oft cruel wizard called fate.



I smile, thinking this is too good to be real. And then I hear a song in the background.  I look around the beach, but no singer is to be seen around us. Then I realize, the music is familiar, it is “A Day without Rain”. As I look around, everything dissolves into darkness, but I still feel her on my shoulders. But after a fleeting moment, I open my eyes. The song is still playing, ofcourse. The clock on the screen says its thirty minutes past six. I get up from the bed, and turn the alarm off.