I had been waiting for this day. The sun had been playing a game of hide-and-seek for the last few days. But the sun shone brightly this morning. I seized the opportunity and got out of bed on time. I woke up, made myself a cup of tea and got ready.
I wore my favourite black pullover, paired it with black jeans to fit the monochrome look and wore my black boots to remain on top of my fashion game. I was ready and looked at my visage in the mirror. The dash of red on my lips added that natural spark. After all, a dash of red had never done anyone any harm.
I was sandwiched between two young women in the metro due to the paucity of space. They were possibly in their 20s, holding their new iPhones in their hands. They used the iPhones as their mirrors and gazed at their faces every minute, trying to improve their “day look”. I smiled.
I was 27, yet the scar under my left eye was still visible. I never used a concealer to hide it because it was a beautiful reminder of who I was. I was beautiful, notwithstanding my flaws and “being beautiful” for me was nothing but “a state of mind”.
After all, I was taught to be the chakor (partridge) who admired the chaand (moon) with its blemishes. After seeing those women, I felt I was ready, yet I still looked the same as before.
The metro stopped at my desired station and I jumped out of the coach. A tsunami of people greeted me at the station. The year (2020) had not changed anything and station x was still the busiest station on the y line.
I patiently waited for my turn to exit the metro and reach my destination, which was a short walk from the station. I was going to the biggest park in the city to seek comfort from the sun. After a short stroll, I reached the entrance of the park, where I found a few seagulls squawking. I had never liked these birds.
I quickly walked past them, hoping to catch a glimpse of my favourite pigeons, who reminded me of home. They were my friends in this city. I walked past the lake and reached the other end of the park, where the pigeons greeted me.
I observed them for a couple of minutes. These pigeons were healthier than the ones back home. They were swift fliers because of their long wings and powerful muscles.
I wanted them to fly back and inform my parents that the sun had chaperoned me throughout my walk today and now I had found my perfect spot in this city. I sat down right there on the verdant green grass beneath the blue skies and immediately started penning a note to my parents. It was the apt moment to do so.