The Confession Box

“Okay bye, see you soon” my friend left as I sat on the still warm stone benches near the lake. While I was checking my phone (as usual) this guy next to me gets a little comfortable and leans back a little more, enjoying the breeze in the hot summer night.

I happen to see him unlock his iPhone using a passcode, Aah, someone like me! I thought to myself.

“Even you don’t use the Touch ID?” He was taken aback a little. Anyone would have; with such random question from a stranger! “Nahi, wo hume thoda safe nahi lagta” he replied! “Okay, same here” and we laughed! And then we talked a little about the phone!

He was carrying a huge backpack and pockets of his burgundy trousers were stuffed.

“Where do you stay?” I asked him,

“In hotel, it’s near only” he said.

“Huh?” “Yes actually I got a job here, tomorrow is my joining” “Congratulations” I said and I realised I was shaking hand with him; the thing I always avoid.

“So, where are you from?”

“Jharkhand. I actually came 4 days early, so just roaming around, I’m just going around in the malls, watching movies. I don’t have any friends here, and relatives stay far away, but you know in Mumbai people don’t have time. Today is the first time I’m talking to someone for so long…..”

“No problem man, it’s okay. Go on”

I didn’t know that he will actually go on…. He kept talking about his office, the first job that he was going to start the next day, his hometown, and how Mumbai/ Delhi people think it’s underdeveloped, that he’s more interested in events & dance rather than engineering, and why he chose Mumbai over other options. “I can join some classes, I want to learn so many things. Our family friend’s relative works with a bollywood choreographer; my father told me to meet him” I could see the sparkle in his eyes as he talked about the new found freedom and new avenues. 

I think these are the people who make Mumbai – the city of dreams; not the ones who say “Mumbai is a city, Bombay is an emotion” 😛

“What do you do?” He stopped and asked me. “Can you see that light? That’s my office” I pointed towards the building across the lake. I told him I work in an ad agency.

“I also love media, events, dance, etc, that’s why actually I chose Mumbai. You have a lot of things to do here. Now I want to find a house with fridge and gas connection. I will cook my food. I have missed my workout and diet” (That moment when I feel embarrassed and ashamed of myself)

I could make out that he was a healthy eater from his biceps and the nerves on forearms. “That’s great. Hope you find a place soon!” I said.

He smiled. “What are your thoughts about marriage? I mean to say when are you planning to get married?”

 WOAH! Whattt? Why would he ask that? Weird. “No I don’t want to get married, what about you?” I asked him

“Actually (oh fuck, again actually) I don’t like long distance relationship, I feel it is not right”

“I agree!” I said.

“Actually I had many girl friends (mind that gap) in my college timing, it was not good”

“What’s wrong in having girl friends?”

“No I think I was not a very good boy in my college days, I was not loyal to them. I feel bad about it, I want to be more serious now.”

“Dude chill, you’re just 23! But I appreciate that you acknowledge and accept all that and share with it a stranger!” I tried to stop him as I was already getting late.

“I don’t mind sharing it, but I like to share things. It makes you feel good. What’s the point suppressing it? That things pains you!”

Hurts – I mentally corrected him!

“That’s true. You’re a nice guy!” I told him. “But why don’t you say all these things to those people?”

“I don’t have that much guts yet, but I will do that some day, if I feel it’s necessary.”

People find it hard to confess to their loved ones, but that doesn’t mean they don’t feel guilty. It’s easy to confess to an unknown person, maybe people feel less judged that way. How correct it is, I don’t know. But I liked the fluidity of this guy, maybe it was him or was it just his age?