An Encounter In A Taxi

She sat, smiling, in the black and yellow bombay taxi, and looked at her phone, trying to open facebook and then closing it up the very next second. The taxi pierced through the road, with the Marine Drive by its side,the cool winds from the sea soothed her face, her hairs flew all around, and she seemed to like it. The lights from the lampposts played hide and seek through the windows, falling on her closed eyes,eyes that were beautifully lined with Kohl. She kept her eyes closed, the horn awaking the sleepy buildings.

*A moment back*

They waved at a taxi and it stopped.

"Thank you for lightening up my mood!", she said, I really needed it today. "I hope you have a good rest-of-the-night, Mr. Philosopher", she smiled

"Thank you too for listening to my philosophy, Miss too-tired", he smiled and they had this fleeting eye connection for a second.

The cab had arrived, and as she was getting on it, she went ahead and hugged him.

"I am really sorry but I didn't ask you your name", said he.

"Oh yes, even I should have had asked", she smiled and looked at him, the winds at Marine Drive played a ruckus with her hairs, which went helter-skelter.

"It is Tounushree", she said, trying to adjust her hairs behind her ears with one hand, whilst keeping the smile, which seemed a bit sheepish, intact.

"Hello Tounushree, This is Hiten.Hiten Patranabish. Nice to meet you", he said, his face flushing instantly as his eyes met hers.

He opened the taxi's door as she went in and closed it. The engine gave a raging start and the sound dissipated slowly and the earlier calm returned. He looked on and on as the cab pierced through the road adjoining the marine drive.

*A few moments back*

"Doesn't Marine Drive look Lovely at night? You can literally listen to the waves, the uproar, but their sound has such a calming effect on you. It soothes you, I am feeling so much calm. And so much at peace with myself", she said.

"Yes, it does. You know, I sit here very often, listening to the waves. We are just a spec of dust in front of these waves and the seas and the mountains. We are just an organism trying to rise from a frozen pond. We are just insignificant in the broad spectrum of things. In front of the cosmos, we are nothing. And we keep fighting for power, for authority, for control. I mean, we can learn so much from nature. To be humble and kind, it teaches us so many things", he said and she nodded while looking at the Marine Drive, teeming with quite a few people, even though it is 2 am in the night. The cool breeze seemed to lay a blanket of comfort over their tired souls, comforting it from the daily hustle and bustle of work, of life, of responsibilities, it was a balm, a layer of cooling balm for all of them!

They sat there silently, observing and immersing themselves in the cool breeze and the systematic vibrations of the waves hitting the shores, sending, sometimes a flurry of water droplets on them. They seemed to enjoy the silence, oblivious of the surroundings, of the world, as the fluttering winds played on with their hair.

She looked at her watch and then looked at him. "Let's go, it is pretty late, what do you say?"

"Yes, Sure, let's. So, Uber or the Bombay taxi?"

"The Bombay taxi", she laughs, heartily.

*A few more moments back*

"It seems you had a rough day", said the figure sitting beside her in the ola pool car.

"Yes, it was. It gets tougher and tougher as we move up the ladder, right?" she replied and looked at him.

He thinks for a second, and replies, "Yes probably, but you must not get so much addicted to the prospect of climbing up the ladder that you lose focus on the present, lose focus on living life now, at this very moment, some small moments of joy that could, probably brighten up your day!"

"I see", she said, "but your focus should always be on the future, you got to have ambitions".

"I am not telling you to let go of your ambitions, that stays, and anyways you are working towards it, but sometimes you can take a cheat diet sort of a thing, and just forget about everything and feel the moment. That helps a lot".

"Tell me Mr. Philosopher, what small thing made you happy today?"

"It was a goat", he said.

"What? a Goat? Really?" she was laughing already.

"Yes, a goat, cooked goat, mixed with ample rice and ending up in my plate as Mutton Biryani. That made my day today. It was super tasty".

"Of course, why not!" she replied, mocking him.

"Come, why do we not sit for a while at Marine Drive. It would lighten you up", he says.

She thinks for a while and replies, "Okay, Let's".

*The Start To This Story*

"Yes Mother, I got a bit late today. This proposal got rejected twice by the client and I am super sad and angry now. I will head back home as soon as the cab arrives, mother. You must sleep now. Did you take your medicines? Yes. I will drop a message once I reach home. Please sleep. It is 1 am in the night. Yes, I had dinner and I am not telling a lie here. Goodnight and will call you tomorrow, please take your medicines. The cab is here! Bye!"

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