That Friend!

Chilly wind blew all morning. With it accompanied the slight drizzle of rain. “Today would be a gloomy day”, he thought. Maybe, that’s why he clutched his quilt tight. Naturally, the light should have reflected the daily busy street. But, a thick blanket covered the whole sky. Nonetheless, he got up trying hard to be half-awake. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat down.

It was already past the good morning, and it really seemed a gloomy day ahead. He sat down with a friend but only a single cup on the table. For the past few days, it’s been chilly and dim. The chilliness worked its way up into everybody slowly. But, he firmly decided to resist it. He made a decision to only keep with him the good and happy memories.

She liked to try new places and he liked to eat. Combo! So, they would try new places. Weekdays or weekends or weather was never an obstacle. Like everybody, they also had their favorites. And they would meet up there after a tiresome day or just to spend some time, or just because they got hungry. Many o times, they would keep on ordering just to see who could eat more. Or maybe they didn’t want to leave that cozy spot. But the aftermath would be such that they couldn’t eat till the next morning. Dreadful, yet hilarious!

One fine sunny day, he took a stroll down the streets and alleyways of the city on his motorbike, and he found this place on the outskirts of the city that served really good coffee (He still does that sometimes on weekends when the streets and roads are not so crowded). They would cruise down the highway in the afternoon witnessing the crowd and traffic of the city being left behind. A fine young lad would always lay down the table and chairs for them. They would sit outside the café talking and sharing cakes, until the sky would shed its color from clear blue to reddish orange and until the last rays of light shone upon their face. He always found the sight of the last rays of daylight tracing her face from her lips to her eyes mesmerizingly beautiful to watch. Maybe, that’s why he smiled more during the last couple of minutes. Beautiful, yet a memory!

The streets inside the city is always hustling and filled with monochromatic faces. But, walking down these streets on a weekend lets you see places that are not quite apparent on normal days. Likely, they roamed deep inside the streets and alleyways when they came across a beautiful spot which would have been subconsciously overlooked any other days. It had been a simple mart which had a resting area just outside it. What made it interesting was that it was quiet and open, a perfect place to rest after walking around the city. As if God himself had presented them this moment, she had somehow bought some popcorns on the way (caramel, she had said). He bought them chilled liquor from the mart. What a treat it was sitting there, resting, a soothing breeze blowing, quiet, ambience that was hard to find any other day and place. He watched her taking in the breeze and living the moment. She glowed as she gave that heavenly smile. She looked genuinely happy. His heart fluttered and he smiled. It was their spot. It was their moment. It was their secret! Genuine, yet a secret!

But then, as people say, ‘Life happened.’ Here, people have different names as to which suits them; life, circumstances, end, beginning, et cetera. On the other hand, he gives it a subtle name ‘Friend’. And maybe, every person has this friend who checks up on them every once in a while. Maybe, it just so happened that his friend came to check up on him today. Is this friend good or bad? Should he offer him a cup of coffee or shut him away? 

I guess, no matter the person, maybe we all just want somebody to blame.