This Day Then

Nervously along with my cousin sister, brother and along with some unknown people we were at this balcony looking across the Powai Lake.

And this effervescent girl is also noticed around. Bright , bespectacled, with a pony-tail bobbing and wearing a bright kurta and jeans/capris.

Before anyone could talk, The Teacher ushered us into what was a makeshift classroom.

It was the house of one of uncles. The hall which had the balcony had durries spread across its length, with the Glass Dining table pushed in the the corner, the chairs laid around the walls.

We were on the third day of the five day Art of Living program being organised at the house of one of the volunteers.

All through the brief exercises of Yoga and discussions, apart from exchanging smirks with my cousins, I could not help notice the presence of the girl.

At the end of the class, there was brief community snack/ dinner organised. It was late evening by the end of the class and amazing wind was ruffling in the balcony. I saw myself move back into the hall from the balcony , with my plate towards this group where this girl had started chatting with my cousins and others froom the program.

While exchanging names and work-places with the girl, I frowned, smiled and surprised myself and everyone around by saying that we have met!!

I narrated, with my cousins( Now giving me looks) and this girl who was working in a TV News Channel then , that we had shared a auto-rickshaw from the station on a rainy day six odd months and back!

I recalled coz she was wearing a similarly bright blue-red-purple kurta along with jean, and had told me where she worked, and I smartly, had nearly walked out when it was my stop without paying the amount shared!

WOW! She too recalled and exclaimed," Hey!! how the hell did I miss YOU out then!!"

We talked on here and there

(Just two weeks before the course, I had this major tiff, with this one-of-the-few-females-I-knew-in-mumbai! and we had stopped talking completely)

The balance two days zipped by mixed with learnings and excitement and we were on the last day.

We exchanged email ids, numbers etc.

What followed was a another strange short relation-ship of my life.

We were the greatest of friends within no time. Meeting everyday, long walks, dinners and reading each others minds.

The other would call, when one would think of talking and we were both equally surprised, not only by the sudden strange connection but even notiiced that "aries" and "saggitarians" make and excellent couple and we were both nine numbered.

4 odd months whizzed passed with our families knowing about each other.

For me it was too strange and too quick, As usual!

She quit her job as she always wanted to be and RJ and was fed-up of her over-political office.

Much faster than slowly, we had little to talk to each other. But if one would be thinking about the other, the other would still call!

The connection was alive, but the attaraction was starting to wear off.

It kept wearing down.

She got her dream job.

Busied herself was a dance course and another one.

We talk now, once in a blue moon.

Today in one year from that day in the balcony!