Grey skies. Chilly weather. A warm cup of coffee in my hands. I love coffee. A large overcoat over my suit. I walked to the subway station carrying the mundane expression of every day. Nothing seemed different about today. Nothing to trigger even the slightest expression of surprise.
Millions of people were around me. I felt like a speck of dust on a neglected piece of furniture. Each of us had a task to complete, a destination to reach, a deadline to meet, and a target to accomplish. Each had enough to think about all of their waking hours.
The train was right on time and I walked into the nearest car. I had grabbed a copy of the newspaper and spent a few minutes reading what I thought I needed to know, just to feel part of this volatile world. Crime had increased in the south. Gas prices were going up. A company had created another new cool gizmo that they believed would take the world by storm. Funny that they had said the same thing about the previous model as well. It?s amazing how we consider some things so vital, even though we had never heard of them ever before. A popular screen couple had just broken up. Would I remember all this even a week from now? Would anybody, for that matter? I wondered.
I looked around to find any familiar faces. Many did seem so. After all, we had the same schedule every day. I smiled whenever my eyes met anybody?s, and sometimes got a smile back. Some pretended not to recognize me. Even though they saw me every day! They had the same expression of nonchalance. They did the same to everybody. I had no reason to be disappointed.
She was standing a few feet away from me. I was sure I hadn’t ever seen her before. She was petite and prim in appearance. I couldn’t observe her features as there were several passengers between, and I wasn?t the tallest in the crowd. But it seemed that she noticed my intermittent curious glimpse, as I was trying to see more and more of her with every stare.
I had to get off after a few stops and I wish I could had stayed peering at her just a little longer. But I had to get to work. I?m glad I had seen a face that would brighten up the rest of the day for me.
Email, meetings, a quick lunch at the cafeteria, more meetings. It was late before I realized it. I turned off my computer and walked back to the subway station. I picked up a box dinner on the way home. My days of cooking were long over, even though I don’t think I ever got into the thick of it. With the days getting busier cooking at home had become more of an inconvenience. Much as I hated the thought of it, I couldn?t help having gotten into the habit of buying my food, as did most people I knew around me.
Acres of endless coffee fields. Or at least so it seemed to us little toddlers playing about. The local butcher was our friend. No electrical can openers. No processed meat. No gas fumes. Or even strong perfumes. No wireless internet. No gadgets I thought I couldn?t live without. No daily deadlines. Kites and slingshots were our passion. We?d play in the sun and come home dirty. Mummy always made the best pancakes. Relationships were more personal. We?d laugh through our hearts and not through our teeth. So what if we didn?t have a million dollars? We didn?t need it to be happy.
Adolescence came and went. Along came seriousness in life. But it stayed. Career goals had to be set. Sacrifices had to be made. Interests had to be prioritized. Goodbyes had to be said. Tears had to be shed.
Adult life is so much different. Guile and cunning are tricks of the trade. Funny why no one mentioned that to me growing up. People choose their friends based on how useful they would be to them. Everyone wants to be cool. Everyone plans their moves. Life is a big game of chess.
The train of nostalgia continued as I made my way back home. At least coffee is still the same….
Author: Naveen DSouza- USA