Deja-Vu

He loosened his tie as the cab rolled on slowly in the traffic. He threw his head back and shut his eyes. What a week. He had not expected the trip to be this busy and taxing. Every day had drawn on till late, leaving him listless and heavy headed with barely enough energy to crawl back to the hotel.



He had not taken the guys out for drink. He could not head out his favourite pub and play pool. He had not called his old buddies yet. But today, today he had taken the afternoon off. Work was almost over and he was leaving tomorrow. Besides, how could he not? It had been 4 years since ...




He jumped out of the cab at the park and quickly strolled in. It was late in the afternoon and a hot day but the skaters whizzed past him relentlessly. A quick scan around and he slowly smiled as he realized she was late. He bought a sandwich from the vendor and sat down on the bench.




As he slowly looked around again, he could see the signs of change. The fancy outdoor theatre, the new jazz bar, the imposing modern sculpture. It was all too alien and all strangely familiar. The place reminiscent of a time when they dreamed and believed in soulmates. Sometimes, it is astonishing how much of our past lives we can fold and seal away until a fragrance, a picture , a song brings all those memories back in full flood.




This was a first. He would be waiting by now. She paused on her way to look at the glass windows of the ticket booth. The face staring back at her was anxious. She smoothed her hair down and dabbed on some gloss as she entered the park. "I should calm down", she thought for the tenth time. But she had been nervous since the sms earlier that day.


And then just as she spotted him, he turned and looked right at her. She could see the streak of grey had increased but he still looked young. "Ah! Men are so lucky. They always look like boys", she thought. And as their eyes met, the years of exile melted away and she broke into a big smile.




"Her hair is still the same" a voice spoke in his head the instant he saw her. He stood up and walked towards her slowly. And when he saw her smile, it was as if nothing had changed. A small knot deep in his chest
dissolved and he smiled back at her radiantly.




"Hey"


"Hey, how are you?", she said.


There was brief pause as they held each other's gaze.


"You look the same", he said.


"Yeah, same but older".


"Older is wiser", he countered.


And pat came the reply with a sly smile ,"yeah if I had a clump of grey hair I'd like to believe I am wiser too".

And then she saw the sandwich on the bench "Have you eaten?"

It was his turn. "Is that the first thing you can think of to say after four years? "


They laughed and walked towards the row of street food stalls and tables.


"How is everyone at home?"


"Fine"


"Hmmm.. everyone says I'm fine.."


She nodded.





And then they started to talk. About everything. Everything they had held back all this while, everything they were desperate to share but resolved never to. About anger and frustration and hope and hurt and happiness and shame and victories and downfalls. Thoughts they both knew only the other could understand.


And as it grew darker, the voices died.


They got up and walked to the edge of the water. And , maybe for the last time, sat on the hard ground, holding hands, the water lapping at their heels.



_