That Rainy Day

It's dark and grey outside. Those little droplets of water running down the windowpane are trying to find their way out. And the gloomy weather outside makes me feel lazy. Seems like it is asking me to take a day off and to admire its beauty. 

As soon as I finished my call, I thought of taking a break. Quickly finished replying to the last pending mails, I headed towards the kitchen to grab a cup of hot coffee. For me, a cup of coffee is the best accompaniment for this perfect cold weather, damp air, and WFH mode.

After keeping the cold milk on the burner to give a good boil, I started going through my phone to see my insta updates. This is the usual me who doesn't miss a moment to grab the phone. You can call me one more phone addict. Engrossed in the phone I heard the noise of window-rattling in the next room. Seems I missed closing it before the downpour.

Taking a quick look at the milk vessel which may still take some more time to boil, I went to the other room. I ran straight towards the window and tried to grab the handle to latch it.

A gust of wind entered the room along with a splash of drizzle on my face. In reflection I left the window, to wipe the water out of my face. Another stream of freezing air rushed into the room and whispered in my ears. Seems it whispered something in my ear... maybe a name. A shiver went down my body making me feel numb. I started shivering. This shivering is different than the ones we get during fever. This shivering reminds me of something old, something cold, something from the past. Some memories were long blurred from my memory/vision.

A decade-back old memory. The memory of me standing at the bus stop along with 10 other people waiting for the bus.

The memory of that rainy day and the drenched me who was not prepared for this untimely rain and was not having an umbrella.

The memory of me trying to get into the office bus quickly as soon as it arrived, while my other bus mates also trying to achieve the same.

The memory of me seeing the known face of that unknown guy, whom I used to see every day on the bus but was not knowing his name.

The memory of that guy who put his head out of the window to show me that he has not missed the bus today.

The memory of him getting off the bus and running towards me with an umbrella and quickly pulling me towards the front gate while I was struggling to enter the bus from the back gate.

The memory of me getting the chill when he had grabbed my hand for the first time.....

All those memories splashed in front of me....like the way the water had splashed on my face just a few minutes back. I looked outside and it's still raining heavily. The bus stop in front of my flat seems stuffed today. I saw a young girl standing there, maybe waiting for her bus. A small smile came out of my face. I closed the window and immediately realized that the pot of milk would have been overflown by now. I quickly went to the kitchen and for god's grace, I was back in time. Swiftly I prepared my coffee and holding it I eagerly went towards my balcony to have a look at the bus stop. 

The girl was missing and so do the others waiting at the bus stop.

With the first sip of my coffee, the memory of that unknown guy came back again into my mind. The guy who used to smile as soon I board the bus but then went missing from the bus after few weeks. The guy whose identity I will never know.

Another chilled breeze hit my face this time. I quickly wrapped both of my palms around my coffee mug to feel its warmth and I smiled back. This time to the coffee.