Turning Thirty - All aboard
In life sometimes, you reach a destination you want to stop at, but moving forward is life.
Packing up for the day, Mira puts back her belongings into her bag. The last few days, although slow, went past real fast. She has to head out in a few hours to catch her flight. just then she gets a text from her airline.
*Due to unexpected delays, your flight number ****670A has been cancelled*
Mira feels a tingling flair of joy, can she stay a day longer? Is it some kind of a joke? Is it destiny? EEPS!!
"Maaannniiikkkk!!" She yells from where she is crouched over her trolley traveller bag as she struggled to close it.
"What happened?" Manik asks standing in the doorway.
"I got a text that my flight is cancelled."
"You sure? I mean check first, you need to get back home and in time. This could easily be a scam. Call the official numbers and verify."
Why did Manik have to be so sensible and calm? could he not do the little mental dance that I was doing in my head for 5 seconds before I panicked and called his name? Mira sighed.
Calling up she verified the news and arranged for a booking for herself on the evening flight. She had only a few days of leave and needed to go back to work. The kittens in the house were meandering around her feet as she strolled like a pendulum confirming the flight number and ticket details. Mentally she was divided, between wanting to stay back and play freely like a child and needing to go back to work where she was required to be the responsible adult she had become.
She ended the call and saw Manik wrapping up his meetings, sitting crossed legged in the living area, at peace with the minimal human interaction he needed to do in his domain. Mira could not help but feel a little jealous. Boarding her flight, Mira looked around all the anxious faces, most of them had had their flights rescheduled and would be going to Delhi only. Most people her age seemed pissed off with the idea of going back; except for a group of ladies seemingly in their late seventies and a senior couple was relaxed. They were on a mini vacation celebrating their golden jubilee together. Mira could see the glee on their faces and wondered if this is what life is going to be. Working and slogging through the young years, trying to steal a fleeting few moments of rest and joy and hoping to be able to afford the health and freedom to travel when the race ends, and if the race ends gracefully enough. If life is generous enough to permit that sliver of time to truly be and live.
But then another thousands of thoughts rained in on her head, why does one have to live that way? Why not just try to be in the moment everyday. Even if for a little while, for who knows how much time we truly have. The words from one of the eccentric travelers she came across over her trip ringed in her head again, there is always time and never any time. The lady was in her late sixties, a mother of two and a grandmother of three. All her life, she had been a diligent mother, wife, teacher, part time home maker and full time love provider for her family. Taking a break now as an empty nester, she had chosen to just take a bus and travel into the coastal town not so faraway from home for the first time, to do what she called “I wanted to meet myself, as I am. Away from all that I have become “.
Love in itself is a big provision, much bigger than the provision of life expenses I daresay, for live is a commitment, encompassing care and concern and room for growth and what not.
Boarding the taxi to head home Mira's thoughts were interrupted by a phone call.
*Wamicka calling . . . *
Her screen read a familiar name after an aweful long time. It was Wamicka, pokerface Wamicka, her batchmate from law school days. Why was she calling she wondered.
"Hey Mira, belated Happy Birthday girl!" Wamicka sounded cheerful.
It was so peaceful to hear a familiar voice after such a long time. Mira felt a sense of relief. She knew her inbox was filled with GIFs and texts from work acquaintances and team mates wanting to wish her a birthday out of cordial formalities. But getting a call from an old friend, that was special.
"Hey Whammy! How's it been girl. Long time no see. Are you calling to announce your wedding, reaching out after so long?" Mira had no filters when talking to her old friends, she would unintentionally go back to being the loudmouth 20 something she was back in college.
"Just figured it is better to call the dear ones to ensure they stay near the heart" Wamicka replied with a hint of smile in her words. The two caught up with what they were doing and what life was up to exchanging details on latest workplace and work cultures. Somehow they both agreed, some places only had bacteria in the name of culture. A running joke between the nerds. The two got more candid as the conversation went on, there are some people with whom we can be vulnerable, leaving behind our image, titles and prestige and just be human. Those are friends. People in front of whom you leave your heavy robes behind, and just be.
"How is life really?" Mira asked.
"Honest Answer?"Wamicka asked.
"Yes, cause I'm tired girl bawss . .ing! and I am not sure if arranged marriage cuts it. Love is a crazy bird in the dating pool, been on it for a while now" They both nodded in agreement, completing each other's sentences.
"This will be a long discussion, I often wonder why am I even existing on the planet. What is life supposed to be?" Wamicka added.
The taxi ride was coming to an end and the conversation got interrupted.
“Madam kis taraf jana hai? Left k right?” The driver asked to confirm as the map showed to alternate routes.
Maya simple gestured with her hands, which way to go and informed Wamicka of the imminent departure from their conversation as she was about to reach home. Home is where the heart is, but also where dad will be. The horrors of modern day dating were something that her parents definitely needed to be shielded from. It was a role reversal in itself, where the children felt the need to protect parents from certain conversations so as to not take their innocence away.
God only knows Indian parents are not ready to learn about the mirage of situationships and unaccountability the modern day dating world has become of lately. Let them believe the fairytale of cute courtships and love blooming into mushy, nauseatingly cute, love marriages.
Redirecting the course of their conversation Maya entered tge threshhold of her humble abode and gave her dad a little hug as he greeted her with birthday wishes. Wakicka said her pleasantaries and the girls ended the call hoping to meet soon. But, both knew, back in city, with work and life happening, soon will be as uncertain as Delhi monsoon predictions of the MET department.
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