First Sight

Ding……………………………..Ding…………………………….Ding…………………………………..Ding…….with every strike of the gong, clock tower is telling me that I am late today as its 4 o’clock in the evening and I am still walking down the lane holding umbrella. I have entered Munna’s 5-star cafeteria and acquired my daily table close to the window and ordered my cappuccino and today’s special as usual Munna shouted Gholtu “dada ke ekta kapachino ar Pakodi de” (bring brother a cappuccino and Pakodi). Well as always my cappuccino is converted to Munna’s kapachino. It’s been a long time coffee is my 4 o’clock buddy. Munna serves amazing tea too but it’s not available for me because I dared to ask him that why he has named his tea variant in the name of his cow (ram pyari) that look on his face is still unforgettable since that day I prefer to order coffee. Munna serves five different variant of tea named after his five cows and that’s why his cafeteria is known as Munna’s 5-star Cafeteria.

My regular table is special, for all these year this view from the window with Himalayan peaks in the background still amazes me with every sip of coffee and how can I forget bakery biscuits and toasts. This Himalayan view in this hill station is what I am fond of and everyday at 4 in the evening I come here to enjoy the sunset and Munna’s Kapachino but today’s rain has made it more soothing to watch. Temperature up here started to drop due to rain shower and everyone started to shiver because I was enjoying the view outside the window suddenly Munna shouted “dada jalna bondo koredao” (brother close the window) in the mean time gholtu put the coffee mug and toast on the table and said “dada tumar coffee ar jalna ta thakuk aami korchi” (Enjoy your coffee I will shut the window) and ran to close the window. The moment coffee mug was on the table its aroma refreshes me like every other day that’s the beauty of Munna’s coffee beside inflation quality is still the same after all these year.

Well today is special sell day because whenever there is rain in Kalimpong Munna serves his special “Hemp’s Pakodi” (Bhang wali Pakodi) and that’s the reason for today’s crowd in this cafeteria, everyone was busy chit-chatting and enjoying their special Pakodi with their ram pyari. I was totally lost in my mug and whatever view left from the closed window, unaware of time I finished my coffee and was about to leave suddenly someone entered the cafeteria folding the umbrella and my eyes got stuck before I could got up of the chair she shouted “Gholtu ekta cha ar aajker special” (A ram pyari and hemp’s Pakodi) and within seconds everything in her hand was on the table and she was sitting just in front of me. It’s been years since I felt it; my heart knows that she is the one because you know rare one orders, my heart beat was loud and clear and like every story gholtu was on time interrupting with his shout “Anamika di tumar order”(Anamika di your order) but whole table was a mess with Gholtu’s Anamika Di’s stuff and Gholtu asked “Dada bill”

Inner I was like “uff eto tara huro kiser re, eto bochor por to pichun theke violin ar guitarer music suna jachhe” (After all these years for the first time magical feeling with violin and guitar tune in the background, why so hurry Gholtu)

Gholtu ekta kaaj kor ek cup coffee aar niye aaye (do one thing bring another cup of coffee). She commented who orders coffee in Kalimpong. It’s a long story, I replied. So you are not a newbie then why you are in my regular spot, she asked. My reply astonished her because we both share the same spot but with different timing. It’s my regular spot too and it’s my 4 o’clock buddy, I replied. She said, I think you have to leave now because my time with this table and view is about to start. Ding…….. Ding………….Ding……………Ding………….Ding……………..Ding Oh shit! I was so lost in the view today that I missed 5 o’clock gong, I said. Again Gholtu my savior was on time shouting “Dada apnar coffee” (your coffee). We both knew that someone here now has the reason to stay and we both laughed.

By the way Hi, I am Aditya I introduced myself and with soft tender voice she replied Hi, I am Anamika.