In Vacant or in Pensive Mood

After three years of getting to know each other, we had just started dating. I had graduated and joined an NGO. He still had a year to go. I worked in Adyar. He lived in Tambaram, close to college. I signed off at around 6:00 pm every day. He finished college by noon, went home and worked on his assignments till 4:00 pm. I would take the side exit on to a quiet lane outside my office. He would be waiting there, under the blooming tree, for me. Holding hands, we would walk to the nearest bus stop and sit there until a fairly empty bus arrived. We would then sit next to each other in the bus, and just be... ...till we had to get off and board a share auto, where we'd do the same. Sometimes, we'd take a quick detour; a stopover to grab a coffee or ice-cream. On other days, it was just the simple commute. Reaching the stop closest to where I took my last connecting auto home (phew, yes), we would bid goodbye. A smile, a knowing nod, and a hug that says "I don't want to lea...

The 5:30 am scheduled alarm on my phone went off. Trained by routine, my hand extended out in the direction of the “...” music, picked up the phone and brought it to my face. I squinted open half an eye, just enough of a slit between the lids for me to spot the “Dismiss” icon. Alarm dismissed, I read the date displayed on the home screen; 21/10/15 –my Wednesday morning had officially begun. Throwing my phone aside, I slipped back into a state of semi-consciousness, trying to find the location in my mind where I had left off a dream in progress. My senses soon connected with the dream, in an inevitable motion. In the dream, I watched myself resigning the job I now hold, to go away and live with my grandparents in their home in Kerala. The rude interruption of my second alarm jolts me out of the pleasant green mountains, and teleports me back to my bed. I sit up on my bed, in awe of my dream! I loved the idea of quitting my job and going to live with my grandparents for a while....