AK.

This city feels different. Of course it is different. Nothing compares to my Mumbai. But this felt different in a good way, I felt familiar. Like — I already know everyone here. 

These were my thoughts when I landed in Ahmedabad two months ago.

The traveler inside me always found something special in this city, and now I finally got an opportunity to live in it, feel it, explore it. I was excited but also nervous if I will be able to do it by myself. I have never lived alone before.

So, when an opportunity to work as a Food Product Developer in a Food Laboratory came here in Ahmedabad, I did not think twice before taking it .Of course, I did need my dad’s help to get a flat on rent, but that’s it. I do not have that great salary package, but I think I will manage and figure it out by myself. Isn’t this the right time for it? To figure out what will and what won’t work?

The journey so far has not been so easy, but I managed. I do not have many friends here, but 1 thing I have discovered is that I am not afraid to be alone, I can very perfectly be by myself and not feel lonely. In fact I loved it, it gave me more time to organize things in my head and eventually in my life, I could plan and organise stuff, which I did not realise I always wanted to do.

One afternoon, when having lunch at the office building canteen, which is obviously full and loud and chaotic, I manage to find an empty table and begin eating, when I get a call from my mom. We have a ritual of talking on the phone when we eat, at least one of the 2 meals. And she was telling me about going to some place in the evening with dad to visit some relatives house. We were just discussing roads, traffic and the time it will take. Typical Mumbai travelling talks. Dad was suggesting to take S.V Road and mom was talking about some other route and they were discussing it and I was putting in my casual pointers too when I noticed someone asking me if they could sit on the table where I was seated. I just nodded and gave my approval.

Opposite me, came and sat a serious but good looking guy, the one who wears glasses and rocks the look. Lean yet fit, tall and well groomed. Sophisticated and elegant looking. He looked like one of those guys who are very organised and sorted and do not spend a day without planning it to the last minute, and if someone disrupts their schedule, they might not get angry at you or burst out, but their discomfort would be aptly visible. He looked visibly uncomfortable with the surroundings and felt like he would start sorting everything around and make a seating arrangement timetable for everyone if he would get the time and opportunity for it.

When my call ended after a while, I looked up and saw relief of some sort on his face. He asked me, “You are from Mumbai?I did not mean to overhear, but you talked about SV Road and Link Road in your conversation.”.

“Yes, I was talking to my Mom”, I said. “ You are from Mumbai too?”

A short smile appeared on his face which indicated familiarity or maybe recognition of someone familiar in a land of unknown faces. “ Yes. I work in this building only. Fifth Floor.” When he realised, he gave out his work place address to an unknown person, his smile faded away and he suddenly focused back onto his food.

“My name is Aneri, I work here too. Second floor.” I stretched my hand out and said. I don’t know what compelled me to say my name and where I work in this massive building to a stranger who just lived in my city. Just like millions of other people. Maybe it was the honest look on his face and the look of regret I registered on his face when he realised he said too much to someone unknown.

A hint of his familiar smile came back. “Kabir.” He said holding my hand in a quick handshake. Very quick.

We went back to eating silently. Just that the awkwardness of 2 strangers having a meal together had vanished. After eating, I sat there for a while, talking to my sister, a little more silently than before. I was not scared of him or was feeling unsafe, I was just trying to not make him uncomfortable with our sisters jibber-jabber.

As soon as he was done eating, he said a polite, “ Bye. It was nice meeting you!” and left. I too nodded with a smile. This was our first meeting.