As the night was turning to its late hours. The number of vehicles and people on the roads faded. Omesh made his way home on his scooter.
He had left office earlier than his office time that day. One of his childhood friends, Akhil had returned to the city.
Unable to secure a good job Akhil had shifted to another city to look for opportunities, but he was back now with another job that offered remote working.
Omesh was looking forward to meet Akhil after five years. Flooded with old memories and emotions he went ahead with it. On his way back those elements of happiness had been pushed down by some percentage.
There are always some expected changes when we meet people after a long time. But sometimes some changes could be a bit difficult to digest for some.
Akhil who had struggled with his career before had settled in quite well. Much more than what Omesh had expected, to say clearly, he was in a far better position than Omesh. Initially there was self-doubt and guilt on Omesh’s part about where he could have done more, how was there a gap this big.
It was followed by the feeling of being left out, Omesh began to think of the unnecessary differences in lifestyle, behaviour, was he eligible to remain a friend anymore. Things cooled down after a few days as they mostly do with time and people settle down with a form of understanding.
There is a general attraction to people with similar forms of struggles, but a certain discomfort in glaring differences, as is the nature of many and more so nowadays in a world more visible than before.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
One response to “Some Differences”
This is a quietly honest and thoughtful piece that captures an emotion many people experience but rarely admit so openly. The strength of the writing lies in its restraint—you don’t dramatize Omesh’s feelings, you let them unfold naturally, just as such realizations do in real life.
The subtle shift from anticipation to discomfort is handled with care and realism. Omesh’s self-doubt, comparison, and momentary sense of displacement feel deeply human and relatable, especially in a time when differences in success and lifestyle are so visible. I especially appreciate how the story doesn’t judge either character; it simply observes the emotional terrain between them.
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