An "Animated" Evening

Friday, October 2, 2009

Posted by Radhika

A narrow path encircled the green patch which was dark enough to leave no trace of a shadow. Beside that was a mud pitch with swings and see-saws. The kids flocked the green pitch to play football, shouting and signalling to one another. Couples enthralled the well-spread benches - some talking animatedly, some reprimanding the other, while some just enjoying each other's presence - and of course, not a single inch of a bench left unoccupied for those flaunting the "single" tag!

The sounds began to drown when I started listening to 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls. My body flushed with energy, my face sweating as I heard every beat of the music. Those few moments I loved being alone -without my cellphone, without my laptop, and surrounded by strangers. It felt like a painting whose strokes were consiously imagined by the artist and deliberately ironed out without a crease.

A sudden flash! The yellow halogen streams flooded the park and swept the calm off everyone's feet! The romantic melody changed to interrupted screeches. The 'girlfriends' quickly disappeared like rodents from Taliban (they covered their faces with dupattas only enough to reveal their fearful eyes) into their dens while the disoriented 'boyfriends' stared helplessly as they apologised silently to those in the vicinity. A wide grin smeared the faces of the footballers as tables turned with their "opponents." The serene picture changed to a caricature with explicit expressions defined on each face.

Phew! My evening walk finally ended with the thought in my mind - "How many calories did I burn today?"