Long day at work, the rush hour Mumbai traffic and now the dangling sign board indicated LIFT- OUT OF ORDER. ''This place can be killing at times'', he mumbled climbing stairs to his flat on the ninth floor. The door wasn't locked as usual; he marched in dog tired and threw aside his briefcase. A distant humming from kitchen and a distinct aroma, made all his weariness disappear. Marital bliss…
‘Meat balls…’ he said to himself grinning as he walked soft steps to the kitchen so as not to let her know he was home, and with a clear design to startle her and have a good laugh about it.
“So….” he said loudly grabbing her “How many teeth did you kill today…?”
Startled at first, she pulled herself away. “There’s a lot more to dentistry than killing teeth, Mister”, she said twitching her tiny nose, pretending to be offended.
“And… how many more do you intend to murder tonight with the meat balls?” he asked coaxingly.
“Say….hmm… a couple more, if you let me” she chuckled getting closer.
The shrill whistle of the pressure cooker… he felt a twinge in his palm.
He shut out the alarm clock that woke him up. 6:30 am… He opened his palm - the diamond ring that he’d bought for her, dug deep in the soft flesh making an impression, more gorgeous than the ring itself; just like the dream he had – more beautiful than the reality itself. He lay in the bed thinking, thinking about nothingness in his life; she’d moved far away, an unfathomable distance and they’d never be together. He knew this.
He picked the ring and placed it safely in the drawer. He looked at the clock again… 6:50 am. He pulled aside the curtains and readied himself for another day. ‘A few more hours to while away with worldliness’, he thought looking at the sun.
The hours were just not the measure of time for him. He waited all day...the day that separated them from being together…in dreams.
