Turning 30 - Back home
Mira unpacked her suitcase and shoved her laundry into the washer, before heading to bed. The fast way was the best way to get things done in her opinion. Little did she know, she was going to wake up to something faster and much worse.
*Alarm chiming*
Mira rubs her eyes as she wakes up to get ready for work. Somehow her heart is full of dread, as if something is not right.
*Phone Chimes* 1 New message
Her screen prompt shows a notification. It is from her long distance love interest who has been a little out of touch lately. An early morning text is not a good sign. Trying to push the clouds of fear away, she puts the phone down and hurries to the restroom. Getting a head start on a Monday is important, she cannot let a text banter stop her plans of seizing the day.
.jpg)
Stepping out in her crisp cotton kurta set, Mira does look ready for come what may. With her handbag on her shoulder and phone secured, she steps out only to wobble in her steps as she finally reads the text she was avoiding through her morning.
I do not think it will work out, me here, you there, and the visa appointment months away. Sorry but it is over.
"Wow, did he just end things before even having a proper start?" Mira could not help but think out loud. Boarding a cab she was already halfway to work, cursing the non cordiality of this new moron from whom she had expected some sense of maturity.
Holding her head high, she walked into her workplace, recieving birthday wishes and praise for the success of her recent project she had wrapped just before her break. It was now live, and the campaign was a massive hit. That surely eased the blow and diverted her head from the morning one way communion of a yet to be made alliance being called off. Absurd it seemed, making no sense for it was yet to become a maybe, and still it was already over. "What are men in this world looking for?" she could not help muttering under her breathe as she gave Sushil a broad (F*** Y*U) Smile
This was one of her colleagues, who happened to be a married man that passed no opportunity to walk by her cubicle giving cheesy compliments and making futile attempts at flirting all the time.
Mira rolled her eyes so hard, one could almost say she seemed possesed. She definitely needed some centering force, and decided to call Manik during lunch hour.
Calling Manik, she broke down into a soliloqouay of male bashing and ranting about how freaking effed the dating pool was, expecting Manik to counter her argument with some positive examples. Like he always did with his sainty patience which Mira found exceptional for someone his age. On the contrary, he too joined in forces letting her know how equally if not more, scary the territory is for men as well.
With women, being equally non cordial with their choice of words overlooking basic ettiquettes of society and acting deranged with lack of responsibility when engaging on dating platforms. Mira felt the need to apologise to Manik on behalf of her gender pool for she did not know what kind of behaviour was being doled out by the fairer sex on dating platforms for the men to be breadcrumbed and ghosted badly.
Mira could not help but feel bitter about the people around her announcing their second and third marriages. Wondering if she was unlucky or just a jester in the higher powers theatre called the universe. Manik calmed her down with his philosophical softporn of words about Karma and destiny and how she was better off without this almost maybe of a person leaving. How things could be worse had this Mr. Maybe committed and engaged with her and left her in a much worse condition a few years down the line. Deeply invested and distraught. Somehow,, the thought of avoiding the bigger evil calms people down in their present distress, misery may love company, but it also cherishes a bit of projected Schadenfruede.
Wrapping up her call, she ended with her slogan. "Its okay, big girls don't cry". Something better is on the way. And cheers to my project success anyway. She smiled on her phone, and Manik knew her spirits were lifted.
"Nothing a good makeup and a few shots could not change". Manik suggested with a chuckle to pace her. "Now go and be the giggly puff you always are, moping is for the sad sop that gave up on you before trying."
It has been a couple of months since then, Mira has been through the grilling of filing paperwork, getting the necessary records and ID proof copies along with bank statements. International travel has become quite a headache, gone are the days when you saw rich brats taking a flight abroad and strolling the iconic bridges of London or New York, acting the sad NRIs in pardes after they had a lover's tiff or if "Abba nahi maaney". Things were much different now, and rules are much more stringent.
Walking out the British Consulate, Mira clutched her passport. Her Visa had been approved, and she could travel to London as and when she liked, now she could finally walk the London bridge acting like the depressed NRI missing home for no reason. She chuckled at the thought, If only Mr. Maybe knew. But even if he did, he doesn't deserve a chance for sure. An apology is warranted but not nearly necessary. Afterall, she will be meeting her family, and looking forward to her lil girl, her niece, her love pudding who was now an year old. Her little Falooda as she had decided to call the child out of her new found love for the traditional sweet dessert.
Life had changed a lot for Mira since her 30th birthday, and with all the new experiences, there was little to fuss over.
Comments
Post a Comment