The late evening invited people out from their work, back to their homes and the roads became busy.
Medha let the peak of this time pass away in a coffee shop. She sat at the same place every day, if possible, from there she could see the world outside, awaiting the moment which made her feel it was time to move.
She was known at the coffee shop and hence she was allowed to come and sit there without having anything. She was addicted to this quietness under the mellow white light of the shop.
One day as she was engrossed in this quietness, Medha heard someone walking up to her. A woman, older than Medha, a bit more tired and bothered, maybe having difficulty with a hard schedule at work.
“Can I sit with you?” said the woman, “I don’t want to be alone right now”
“Please sit,” said Medha with worrying thoughts crossing her mind
The woman sat down and kept her cup of coffee on the table. Her expression gave a hint of struggle with thoughts in her mind.
“My name is Medha,” said Medha
“I am Tiya,” said the woman and then she realised she should have spoken something first, “I am sorry, I am not feeling myself today”
“It’s all right.”
“It’s work, things are a bit overwhelming”
“Things can sometimes feel that way” said Medha
“Things were better at my previous job, but then I got a job here, bigger firm, better pay, the allure of a better life. But the work here is..,” Tiya did not complete the sentence
“It’s all right, things are going to be better,” said Medha from experience, “you will go back again tomorrow after a good sleep at night and things will feel much better”
“I don’t have the job anymore.. ,” said Tiya
“Did you quit?”
“I tried explaining to my manager, why I couldn’t stay late and work, with my mother not being well and she is not well quite often, but it’s not like I was asking for leaves, just wanted to go home on time”
“You got fired for it?” asked Medha beginning to feel sorry for her
“I tried my best explaining it to him. He wouldn’t listen, he never listens, but I tried right till the very end,” said the Tiya with visible tears
“Tiya… what happened? Why are out of your job?” asked Medha, feeling that there was something else to the story
Tiya wiped her tears, then looked at Medha, “Thank you for listening, it meant a lot”
Tiya got up and walked out the shop and even though she wanted to, Medha did not stop her.
It was in the news later that night, about what had occurred.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
One response to “Late in the Evening”
What a quietly powerful and deeply affecting piece.
The writing moves with the same calm, mellow rhythm as the coffee shop itself—soft, gentle, but carrying an undercurrent of something far heavier. The interaction between Medha and Tiya is crafted with such tenderness: two strangers meeting for a brief moment, one holding space and the other trying not to fall apart.
The story’s emotional shift is handled with remarkable subtlety. You feel the weight of Tiya’s exhaustion, her attempt to keep herself together, and the heartbreaking restraint in her final words. And when the ending arrives—unspoken, but devastating—it lingers long after reading.
LikeLiked by 2 people