There was a man who lived in a house perpendicular to our lane for 15 long years - we saw a transition from noisy parties to quiet domesticity , we saw a girlfriend morph into a wife and stay that way for the last 13 years , we saw parents , we heard of a father dying and we saw a beautiful mother , crippled and with an attendant , visit once ; we saw flocks of bright , lovely sisters in law descend for short visits ; we saw the man graduate from a Honda bike to a car ; the man didnt change much physically although , his wife spread out a little ,like butter going soft...we saw them everyday twice,thrice,to and from office ; sometimes at Bikash da's shop, often at Loba da's shop and on various forays into the neighbourhood from the house .., standing on the verandah , smoking , standing with a pint in his hand on a summer evening ..we couldnt help watching the 2 of them since their verandah was bang opposite ...................but never in all these 15 years did we exchange a word with him or his wife ...
.................until yesterday.......................
when the middle seat on my flight last evening , said hello and then exchanged pleasantries ....and one came to know what he did for a living,why he was in another city,what his wife did , where he stayed in the other city and so on and so forth ...........................
...... I always make a made dash from planes esp if they are late evening ones so as not to miss my luggage in the first round ( I have a not so childhood trauma attached to luggage and carousels )... come to think of it I didnt say 'bye .
Anyway , its nice to think that at last I spoke to this guy .BRG is peeved because even gregarious SHE with the many questions couldnt ever get to talk to him.Small victories .
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