Compiling Memories

What’s the oldest things you’re wearing today?

Dev opened the small wooden door of a letter box. His eyes saw through
the lens of the black framed spectacles at what all had arrived. There
were a few old bills and an old magazine. Years after the advent of
the electronic mail system, people don’t approach the letter boxes as
frequently as they used to. But the boxes were still present, holding
the nostalgia of some and a fond hobby of some.

Dev put the letters in his cloth shoulder bag and extended his right
leg to start walking towards the society gate. He was proceeding
towards the neighbourhood market to buy some essentials.

It was a public holiday, so the offices were closed. Dev’s mind was in
a zone of relative ease. As he walked into an open area, the badminton
The court of the society came into view, adorned with brightness from the
Sun. Two boys were busy in a game of badminton. Dev focused upon the
flying shuttlecock, how time flies, there was a time when as a boy he
used to play here. So, many decorated memories remain preserved on the
walls of life.

Dev stopped in front of the society notice board, there was a notice
about Mr Atharv Patel passing away. The notice was a few days old;
Dev’s family and Mr Patel’s family were some of the first families to
shift in society. Dev had last seen Mr Atharv when Dev’s maternal
grandfather passed away, they were good friends.

Dev resumed his walk towards the society gate and at the gate he
exchanged greetings with the security guard before setting out towards
the market. The traffic was relatively less, crossing the road didn’t
require too much of an effort today.

Dev looked at the old trees along the road. ‘How strong of them to
have stood for so long?’ he thought.

Dev was glad his new company allowed him to work from home. He was not
only able to return to his hometown, but was also able to extend his
time with the people close to him. This is where he had grown and he
had acquainted with many people in his life.

The marketplace surrounded a market complex which developed along the
societies and apartments there. It had grown and expanded to its
complete extent; to make anything more out of it, one would probably
have to take down something that is there.

A packet of ten cheese slices, a carton of one litre milk and a packet
of rusk, Dev bought in the grocery store, then he proceeded towards
the electronic shop where he bought two ten watt LED bulbs.

Dev stepped out of the market complex and looked at the fruit seller
who was washing mangoes and placing them to be bought. The sight of
fresh fruit was alluring. Dev couldn’t resist the thought of buying
some mangoes.

Dev stood selecting the mangoes he wanted to buy. He noticed an
elderly man beside him. The elderly man had also come to buy the
fruit. But what made the elderly man noteworthy was that in the man’s
eyes, Dev observed an expression of familiarity on seeing Dev.

Dev returned to selecting mangoes. The elderly man spoke.

“Look at you.. How much you have grown”

Dev focused on the words and turned to look at the elderly man, the
man was smiling. Dev smiled back but no matter how hard he tried he
I just couldn’t remember who the elderly man was.

Dev flipped through some thoughts, ‘Who is he? How does he know me? I
hope he doesn’t find my inability to identify him offending.’

The elderly man began to catch the wind of what was happening in
between Dev’s expression. He began to think he might have made a
mistake in identification.

“You are Bhavesh’s grandson, if I am correct” the old man said, now curious.

“Yes.. I am..” Dev spoke, guilty for having been caught for his lapse
in identification.

The old man had regained his warm smile, “I knew it. That is Bhavesh’s
ring you are wearing. I used to have a jewelry shop here once in this
marketplace. One day Bhavesh came to get that ring made and since then
we had been friends.”

The old man fell silent, the old eyes showed sorrow at the thought of
where it ended and then he spoke again “Well friendships remain, even
if people don’t. You do know, who I am though, right?”

“Yes Mr Pathak I know who your are..” Dev smiled as he moved his
fingers over the ring. Of course, how could he forget Mr Pathak’s
jewelry shop, amongst all the shops he visited with his grandfather,
his little hand holding his grandfather’s hand.