Clear Vodka
Her small yet heavy head was resting on the edge of a sofa. The pattern of the 3 seater was were boring and it faded with the background. There was a sweet smell of strawberries on it always, Meenal loved it that way. Her face wrinkled and she got wriggled like a worm on the sofa and hugged the quilt more tightly. She just couldn't sleep without a quilt. It was like a shining shield of a warrior heading for a battle. Her eyes opened mildly, enough to see the time. 10 am was just too insanely early for her especially on a Saturday morning. Just as she was to place her phone back on the table it rang.
On the other end was Meenal's sister. Begging her to get up and come home. Her baby was not well and she had the carpenter coming home. The list was endless. Meenal was not listening. The only thing that she understood was that she had to get up and drive down the street about 3 Km or so. She hated this. "Why can't people manage their life by themself? " She asked this with anger and hidden irritation to her family's dependence on her for everything small and big.
She took off the blanket from her and let it lie on the sofa. If was like as if the quilt was pleading her to come back and hug it tight, just like a kid begging for his mother to carry him. Her eye still couldn't open, may be it was the vodka from last night. She loved the way it mixed with orange juice, sacrificing its taste and sting for the sourness and mild sweet of the orange juice. At times she felt that she was the vodka and her sister the orange juice. Drinking may or may not be injurious to health. It is surely injurious to the thought process. Its like a mild storm in the otherwise clear sky.
She washed up as soon as possible. She shoulder length hair was dripping wet. She put on her favourite red Levis T shirt and navy blue shorts. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she saw her reflection on the mirror. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards the dresser. That's when she noticed the calender. It was 19th of May. The birthday of her ex.
That somehow made her mind unrestful and disturbed. He was no longer hers, he was Mr. Anitha. She preferred to call him that way just to remind herself that their 4 year long relationship was no more alive. It didn't hurt much now a days. Time can heal everything. Plus it was the most amicable split up of face of this planet. She had learnt that people don't get married if they were not meant to be. They were not meant to be. For the first time she felt comfortable with that fact.
She gathered all that she needed into her purple bag and left to the parking lot. She loved her green Spark. It was more a friend and less a car. She was wondering why she was happy and light after a whole year. She thought that she could never overcome that loss. She was just smiling, her brain attributed it to the vodka, but she knew that it was maturing and sense that had dawned on to her. After driving for 3 minutes she puled the car to the pavement side and called Mr. Anitha. The wait for him to pick the call was long and tense. What if he doesn't want to talk kept ringing in her head.
"Hello, Meenal!" said a voice that she felt was hers. Instead of tears there was relief. The truth had dawned upon her. We cannot own anyone or anything for that matter. We can be with people and use things for a while. Period of this relationship is uncertain. That is what made it more special. After a pause she said, "Happy birthday...". They spoke general things for a minute or so. She realised that she didn't know what to talk with him after that. She used to talk hours with him a year ago. Time changes everything. They said take care and hung up. It felt good, she didn't know why. After long she had gathered courage to talk something meaningful to him. She was over that loss and pain. The opposite of love is not hate but indifference and she had achieved it.
She continued to drive and reached her sister place. She parked and walked towards the gate. She felt someone hug her leg, it was her niece, Kangana. Meenal lifted her up hugged her tight and kissed her forehead just about the left eyebrow.
On the other end was Meenal's sister. Begging her to get up and come home. Her baby was not well and she had the carpenter coming home. The list was endless. Meenal was not listening. The only thing that she understood was that she had to get up and drive down the street about 3 Km or so. She hated this. "Why can't people manage their life by themself? " She asked this with anger and hidden irritation to her family's dependence on her for everything small and big.
She took off the blanket from her and let it lie on the sofa. If was like as if the quilt was pleading her to come back and hug it tight, just like a kid begging for his mother to carry him. Her eye still couldn't open, may be it was the vodka from last night. She loved the way it mixed with orange juice, sacrificing its taste and sting for the sourness and mild sweet of the orange juice. At times she felt that she was the vodka and her sister the orange juice. Drinking may or may not be injurious to health. It is surely injurious to the thought process. Its like a mild storm in the otherwise clear sky.
She washed up as soon as possible. She shoulder length hair was dripping wet. She put on her favourite red Levis T shirt and navy blue shorts. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she saw her reflection on the mirror. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards the dresser. That's when she noticed the calender. It was 19th of May. The birthday of her ex.
That somehow made her mind unrestful and disturbed. He was no longer hers, he was Mr. Anitha. She preferred to call him that way just to remind herself that their 4 year long relationship was no more alive. It didn't hurt much now a days. Time can heal everything. Plus it was the most amicable split up of face of this planet. She had learnt that people don't get married if they were not meant to be. They were not meant to be. For the first time she felt comfortable with that fact.
She gathered all that she needed into her purple bag and left to the parking lot. She loved her green Spark. It was more a friend and less a car. She was wondering why she was happy and light after a whole year. She thought that she could never overcome that loss. She was just smiling, her brain attributed it to the vodka, but she knew that it was maturing and sense that had dawned on to her. After driving for 3 minutes she puled the car to the pavement side and called Mr. Anitha. The wait for him to pick the call was long and tense. What if he doesn't want to talk kept ringing in her head.
"Hello, Meenal!" said a voice that she felt was hers. Instead of tears there was relief. The truth had dawned upon her. We cannot own anyone or anything for that matter. We can be with people and use things for a while. Period of this relationship is uncertain. That is what made it more special. After a pause she said, "Happy birthday...". They spoke general things for a minute or so. She realised that she didn't know what to talk with him after that. She used to talk hours with him a year ago. Time changes everything. They said take care and hung up. It felt good, she didn't know why. After long she had gathered courage to talk something meaningful to him. She was over that loss and pain. The opposite of love is not hate but indifference and she had achieved it.
She continued to drive and reached her sister place. She parked and walked towards the gate. She felt someone hug her leg, it was her niece, Kangana. Meenal lifted her up hugged her tight and kissed her forehead just about the left eyebrow.
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