The Summer heat was making life significantly uncomfortable in the city full of high-rise apartment buildings and offices. The cover of green had drastically reduced, if not for the parks around, there would have scarcely been any.
Air conditioners were kept switched on almost around the clock. There were more people entering the profession of servicing air conditioners with more units being installed and requiring service.
One evening while the Sun was literally moving out of the picture. Meher opened the door of her refrigerator and took out a bottle of masala soda. There was a crate of 20 in the refrigerator, which might last a week at most.
Meher and her husband lived in the apartment. They had just managed to complete the payment of the apartment jointly and after twenty years of life in this apartment, they had quite many assets but barely any respectable savings. Their only son had gone to work in the military.
Meher often looked at the framed wall size picture of the ocean which was placed on their drawing room wall and wondered if it was all worth it. Living in this city toiling day and night for a sum which might have been considered great elsewhere but here it was just barely fulfilling the requirements. Her husband was still doing night shifts while she had her day job.
The doorbell rang, Meher opened the door to Mrs Lonia, who lived in the apartment, a floor below. Mrs Lonia handed Meher a box of chocolates as Meher welcomed her inside. Meher knew what this was about.
Meher and Mrs Lonia had been good friends for a long while. Even though Mrs Lonia was much older to Meher, both of them had a good bonding with each other. They went out together, sat or stood to have long conversations. But we all know, these things like the rest one day end as well, and sometimes unknowingly it feels a lot worse than what we think of it.
Mrs Lonia sat on the sofa in the drawing room and Meher took out another bottle of masala soda from the refrigerator and then sat next to Mrs Lonia handing it to her.
“Is it final?” asked Meher
“It has been for a while,” said Mrs Lonia looking at Meher with a certain hint of sadness which was quickly covered up with a smile, “.. it was only us who weren’t ready to accept it”
Mr and Mrs Lonia came to the city from their small town just after marriage. They had little to claim as their possession had a struggling life with a comfortable tomorrow being something almost impossible to think of. However, that tomorrow did come and they built a happy life for themselves.
Mr Lonia retired from his work first after a work extension and then Mrs Lonia. Slowly they realised, with their pension they could live anywhere practically there was no reason to bear the exorbitant expenses of a metropolitan. After much discussions, tears of sadness and that of yearning to be with their family, Mr and Mrs Lonia decided to go back to their humble hometown from where they had begun their story.
“This month?” asked Meher
“The next one..” said Mrs Lonia
Meher stared once more at the picture on the wall
“Visit us at least once or twice a year,” smiled Mrs Lonia
“We will,” Meher smiled back, “If you want you can come back any time”
“I know, I will come unannounced you better be prepared”
Both of them laughed
Meher smiled as she stood looking at the picture, recalling that memory of their last conversation here, and the content of the bottle finished with the last sip.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
One response to “Closing Words”
Nice post🌅🌅
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