Lundi, 24 septembre 2007

As they stepped out from the store, and walked on the road, Neelakanth tripped, lost balance and almost hit the floor, but he managed to regain his poise just in time.

“Fucking shit! Bastards can’t even make proper roads!”, he muttered to Persie.

“It’s not been your day! First you forget your coat and it rains, and now…”

“It can’t be your day, when the first word you utter as you wake up is fuck”

“I feel for you…”, replied Persie after a few moments, feeling like he had to say something to fill the void, which had turned into an awkward pause.

The rain had stopped, but had dampened the weather. The humidity level was very high, it was that time of the evening when the traffic was at its worst, so the combination of the pollution and high humidity level didn’t make it easy for the pedestrians.

“Look at this stain below my shirt! I stink!”, Persie raised his arms to show the circular sweat tarnish that had been formed on his pinkish shirt. “I got to hit the shower before my date!”

“Put that arm down! It really stinks! And it’s not pretty! You got a date tonight? Anjali?”

“Nah, this girl I met during the elocution. You don’t know her.”

“Oh, alright. That’s cool, where are you guys going?” Neelankanth was still dealing with the ‘you are not the one for me’ he had to hear from Sati two months ago. Sometimes, he wished he was like his friend, and got less attached to the people he met. His mind was not involved in the conversation. He kept looking at the people around, and wondered hopelessly, what lives they lead… What was the purpose of their saying ‘Hello’, walk, drive, live? He felt deep pity and warmth for them all, and considered being deeply connected to every one who was on the road at that moment. He then thought about himself, and speculated if he himself had attained what he had wished for his own life. He felt a deep sense of hope and despair at the same time.

“Don’t know. Probably a movie and dinner. Who cares? You know, she’s got this real peculiar habit of getting too close to you when she talks… I mean, it’s like she’s telling me kiss me every time we talk! And sometimes, her breath, really…get a mouth freshener for god’s sake!”

“Ne fais pas le con! I’m sure she’s cool. You’re just a piece of shit!”

“Yeah, well, whatever… you’re going home?”

“Nah, think I’ll go to The Other Side of Darkness, get a beer or something. You got time to join?”

“Nope. Better push up. But I can drop you there if you want?”

“Na, it’s cool, I’d rather walk.”

“Aight, am off. Ciao, Neel.”

“Yeah, later. Don’t treat her like a cunt! Ciao”

Although far, Neelakanth headed for his favorite jazz café walking, while pacing himself gently through his favorite areas of the town. He hummed the tune that had been his favorite at the moment. He liked this road, because it was one of the few areas that had maintained the old town architecture; the people here generally seemed to have more time to smile at strangers, and on the whole, appeared more relaxed. Trees also adorned both sides of the street, and he hoped this would help him change his perspective and incline him into being more motivated to do, do something. To change. To improve.

He entered the bar, and ordered a beer.

The burly dark man from New Orleans, dressed in black tuxedo, a purple shirt and a black tie fingered the saxophone like an eagle soaring the skies, as he played a rendition of an old Charlie Parker piece.

Neel’s spirit soared. He knew this was the one place he felt alive. He felt grateful… He gulped his beer and ordered another one.