The Roadside Meeting!

I was lost in my thoughts as I once again failed to create a distraction for myself. I needed to forget that incident, the Roadside Meeting.

Now it was the incident that happened the other day. I was lost in the events of that day. It had been two days and I still couldn't find any way to distract myself from the happenings of that unwanted meeting. Why? Why couldn't it had been a normal day where I would do my daily chores and return back. But no it had to happen to me. They say and now I believe that they rightly say "first love gives you a hard time to forget".

Yes, I am talking about the other day. It was a regular day since morning and then I started off for my noon routine;shopping plus gossiping session with my fellow ladies. It was a part of our everyday lives to come out with our purses in hand and assemble at the street side vegetable mart and buy our groceries. It gave us a break from our regularities and also contributed in a little information about the happenings in other people's lives. It's kinda my guilty pleasure since it's also a source of entertainment.

Everything was happening as usual, we were busy chattering and arguing over the vegetable prices with the vendors. It was then when all this started.

We were all respectively occupied when I heard his voice. Yes, the same voice. I couldn't forget it even after 14 years. Oh!how could I. Afterall he was the first man I ever loved. I was instantly filled with mixed feelings of shock, nervousness and even excitement of sorts. I couldn't believe it but I knew it was him. The tomato in my hand fell down and paid the price for my reactions.

He was standing near me, I couldn't believe it but yes and asking for directions to reach some nearby address. My mates being hospitable instantly left their jobs and started reaching for him. Here, I froze. I couldn't move but still I bent and picked up the unfortunate tomato who became the martyr for my emotions. I felt bad for it. Once up I turned a little bit and glanced over from the corner of my eye to have a look at him. It was him, I became extra sure. The same man for whom I fell years ago.

Hadn't changed a bit. Just the soft and sweet voice had gained maturity, the clean shaven chin was replaced by a beard but what I hated the most was the change in hair; he had short and neatly combed hair instead of the messy ones. Yes, it was him after all these years and yet somehow I remembered every tiny detail.

I kept the smashed tomato back and continued with my staring schedule. My fellas were each giving him the directions by mentioning some not so iconic landmarks. He listened patiently as he did ages ago. I could feel a vibe in his presence and for why I couldn't tell. I had known him or better to say survived with him for 6 years and yet after so much time I saw him or rather stared at him.

I didn't know how but somehow in this direction mess his eyes met mine and we shared an eyelock. I had never imagined that something like this would happen to me someday. It usually happens in the movies and I sensed that the only elements missing were a strong wind and some soft music.

We retained the eyelock for some microseconds and then the act of averting his gaze brought me back to reality. I waited and wondered whether he recognised me or not. He instantly delivered a collective thankyou and marched by uttering a 'got it'. He sat back in his car and left while impoding a dust cloud on us. He recognised me. Or maybe he didn't.

We started to end the therapy, pick our belongings and return back to our respective homes. While anyone barely talked about this and stuck to discussing vegetable price, I knew my mind was preoccupied by thoughts, his thoughts. Since then it has been quite some time, I have a happy life now and no regrets but still this unwanted roadside meeting raised alot of questions in my mind.

I don't know now what my mind wants but it has taken me back to glimpses of my past. The Roadside Meeting brought upon me a gush of forgotten feelings of the long lost time. Even he might have been wondering as to how this long lost chapter from his life came infront of him without a knock.

He is all the same except that his formally suited attire made me believe he was in corporate business and also made me miss the messy painter I fell for. I got to reminiscing how I also transformed from a dancer to a fully clad homemaker which as of now is out of box topic.

It's amazing, I guess.I don't know how but this unwanted meet took me back to the memoirs and also to the confusion of whether he recognised me or not. It got me thinking and that too how. I was lost and trying to come back. But you know impressions last and ask me how!