Just Another Day

Just another day in the city. Just another day being me. Just another day getting lost and finding myself lost in a place.

It was a cold yet sunny winter afternoon in this city that I have only known for the past two and a half years. Delhi. I was in Cannaught Place to see a friend and as usual she had been late. Now I feel, thank God she was late. For if she had been on time, I would have never lived those thirty minutes like I did that day. Not a lot of time I must say. But indeed, enough.

Being alone does something to me. It makes me feel not only independent, but far more at ease with myself.

As I got off the metro, I knew I had some time to myself before I met her. And I decided to treat myself in that little time. Nothing too extravagant. But just a walk through one of the most crowded and old yet happening places of the city. Low on cash, a perpetual state of a college student, I decided on just strolling around the place. Seeing. Observing. Moving. 

The book stalls, not really stalls but more of encroachments down the passage around the market, had always attracted me. I had met people who'd only read originals and had collections decorating their homes but somehow books had meant more to me for the content they stored than anything else. And I had no shame in saying that I had been a one of the regular customers at such places. They seemed to offer me just what I wanted and hardly ever did I come back disappointed. 

Not just those, as I explored around the place, I discovered a number of such stores. Book stores. They seem more like magical wonderlands opening doors to different worlds. Just that sometime I couldn't afford the ticket!

However, never the less I went on with my little expedition on finding these little nooks that hid in the hustle of the ever blooming brands and shops full of glitter. And amidst them, these little places existed, not struggling to showcase themselves. Because they knew, there would always be some inquisitive explorer, yearning to know something, knowing this is where the answer lies. 

And lost in this little world, I got pulled back to reality with the ringing of my phone. Back to someplace near the metro station, I hugged my best friend, feeling exultant like never before.