It was a busy Thursday evening. The marketplace was moderately crowded, with people coming out to buy things they needed and things they wished to have, while for some living around it was simply the route of their evening walks or other tasks.
The roads weren’t that wide, barely enough for two cars to pass each other at once, but back when this area developed, I don’t think anyone thought one day it would be this crowded.
Hritika has been visiting this marketplace ever since her childhood, holding the hands of her grandparents. She no longer lived in the area around but she came here time and again to unite with the familiar feeling which floated in the air here and also to meet her childhood friend Manya. Manya was the only one whom Hritika had contact with in the area.
Manya and Hritika were part of a larger group of friends, who thought they all would never fall apart but here after all the years only two remain.
“The work pressure has reduced I presume,” said Manya as she sipped her coffee
“Not really,” Hritika said, glancing out the glass door of the café, “is that Varsha’s father?”
Manya tried to see but she missed him, “Could be. He came back from abroad to live his retirement life here.”
“Did Varsha come by?” asked Hritika
“I don’t know. Haven’t been in contact with her”
Hritika nodded and then she recalled something and looked at Manya, “in the previous week you said you had something to say to me when we met next.”
“Maybe some other day,” said Manya
“Why? What is it? Who knows when I will get time to be back again”
“I am getting married,” said Manya
“That’s great. Is he from here?”
“No, another state”
“When is the marriage?”
“January next year”
Both the friends became silent deciding how to touch upon the fact that things would cease would start to cease to exist as it is after a few months.
“It would have happened one way or the other. I mean at some point you would get married too,” said Manya
“That is a possibility, but I will not be leaving this state, I am too much attached to the memories here,” said Hritika looking outside again, so much had changed and so much will change and there is nothing to stop that little fact.
“Let’s make the most of this time we have,” said Hritika smiling and passing on the smile to Manya as well.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Most from the time
Early Morning Memories 