It was not exactly the most romantic of settings. There was no moon up there, no stars twinkling in happy companionship, no leaves rustling to the music of the breeze. Only files kicking up a dust storm all around. Yet love blossomed.
There were walks through traffic ridden streets where voices were lost in the roar of traffic. They would grab a bite from a snack counter with the friendly owner and did it taste delicious! The sandwich or the samosa or the crisp dosa or a couple of fluffy idlis made their evenings. Then they had to talk. What could they talk about apart from office colleagues, the dour accountant who seemed to have miseries heaped on him, the sour puss receptionist who rarely spoke or smiled, the head clerk perpetually on leave and whose work was unceremoniously dumped on them with the comforting words, “You are on probation and you are expected to deal with the backlog.”
Then there were things as general as the weather, things said and said again in place of things unsaid. All the while thoughts were unscrambling in their heads but they’d wait another day. Another day ... another day. Goodbyes were said to meet again the next day with happy anticipation and a nameless trepidation.
Then they felt they needed to confront their feelings especially when heads turned in the office and friendly banter changed to unkind gossip. One day when they received their pay, they walked into an air conditioned restaurant and he popped the all-important question and she had no words. He gifted her a book as they parted for the day and on the flyleaf, “Leading you to an overwhelming question ...” said it all.
So began their romance and continued for decades amidst the rigmarole of marriage, busy careers, a growing family, extended family and multifarious responsibilities. It all was good humour, good cheer, banter, arguments, plenty of compassion and concern. They found great meaning in being there for each other. They still had time for the sunrise, the champa tree in full bloom, and the invigorating cup of tea sipped in joyful togetherness.
Occasional outstation trips to beautiful places were there, the hills, the sea where the family unwound before getting back to everyday life. Days soon passed and then the evenings with shadows too. The shadows lengthened with nightfall and the long night inevitably fell and he was no longer there. The darkness dissipated slowly and she saw and heard him, all around, in the stillness of the dawn, in the humdrum of the day, in the quiet of the night. She would never be alone.
Email: sudhadevi_nayak@yahoo.com