Kaisi Paheli Zindagani

With the heavy brocade of the curtains drawn against the rest of the world, my friend Rabs turns on the fairy lights in her room, so that i may observe them in absolute rapture. I am enveloped by a disorienting feeling. Its still light out but inside the room time seems to exist on a different plane of existence. And both of us holed up in there as if afraid to venture out to the real world, seem to enjoy it.

It registers briefly when the treacherous electricity decides to vanish in a characteristic  manner. The government likes to call it ‘loadshedding’. The room is illuminated by the soft glow of the gas heater and rabs is loudly listening to a video

Pal mein hasaaye or pal mein rolaye yeh kahaani

Kaisi paheli, kaisei paheli hai zindagani

I am lounging near the foot of the bed, lost in something so unimportant that I cant even recall it now. Suddenly she glances up and chortles "wow, quite a mood we have going on here. “

Both of us continue lying  in wait for the call to let us know the car is here so that we can go get domino's.

A few minutes tick by. I draw back the ornate curtains to let in the light and I'm not ready for what greets me.

The sun is in the last throes of bidding us adieu. The sky is a delicate pink.

And for a minute

the world is still.

As i unconsciously press against the rails to peer at the vanishing stillness i think with a tinge of sadness. This is it  I thought. This is one of the good moments. To the background of an inexperienced singer singing

thaama, han roka isko kisne? Ye toh behta paani 

 I tried to cling more closely to the moment, sinking my fingers into it and drawing it closer to myself. 

kaisi paheli, han yeh kaisi paheli Zindagani.

Rabs observes that i truly am like a cat in that moment, and  i laugh. She comically imitates my wide eyed wonder, and perhaps unknown to her, a bit of rising anxiety, as i press against the window.

A bubbling feeling within me makes me realize that perhaps the time has come to let go.

"Should we leave?" I ask. A question with two meanings.

"I think we should" rabs replied, turning away from the window.