Green Nostalgia

I wandered from one road to another. My class had just ended and as I had another in two hours. I did not want to go home, knowing I would collapse once I saw my bed and would then feel too lazy to make my way back to class.

The heat was getting unbearable and I decided to sit down by Dhanmondi Lake, the leaves of the majestic lakeside trees would provide me with some shade. I sat down under a tree, looking at the green water of the lake. It looked like a giant piece of green fabric. A few people passed by, casting me indifferent glances. I kept looking at the green water, the leaves of the trees shielding me from the scorching heat.

Someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw a smiling, middle-aged man. I recognised him at once. He was the manager of a lakeside cafe that I once used to visit with my friends. He sat down beside me.

‘’How are you?’’ he asked.

‘’I am alright. How are you?’’ I replied.

‘’I have been really busy,’’ he said. ‘’I was taking a walk by the lake and then I saw you sitting here. It has been a while since you last visited our cafe.’’

My mind went back to those lovely afternoons I had once spent in his cafe with the people who taught me how beautiful life really was. We were all in acting class together. My closest friends there were Koushik, Akash, Ishita and Payel. I had always been an introvert, but these people encouraged me to express myself, and let my voice be heard.

We had organised and staged several plays together. We used to rehearse at the club headquarters in Dhanmondi every Friday. And after the rehearsals, we would visit the lakeside café and talk about the rehearsals, excited about staging the plays. Those were some of the best days of my life, but then we had to part ways. As they were all older than me, they left for university¬¬. Koushik, Ishita and Payel went abroad, while Akash moved to a different city.  

I looked at the manager of the cafe. ‘’Well,’’ I tried smiling, ‘’They have all left, and going to the cafe would bring back all those memories. It would be too painful for me as I don’t have them by my side today.’’

  ‘’Don’t you communicate with them?’’ he asked.

   ‘’Well, life moves on. We are connected on Facebook, but people drift apart, you know’’ said I.

‘’But you should reconnect, I saw how close you were to them,’’ the man said.

I looked at the water again. I had walked by the lake with them so many times. All those things _ the walks by the lake, hours spent at that cafe, the amazing afternoons we spent rehearsing plays _ had happened just two years ago, but it already felt like an eternity. For me, the lakeside had become closely connected to those memories.  

‘’You are right,’’ I told the manager. ‘’I must communicate with them. I am going to call each of them tonight.’’

‘’I am glad you realise that,’’ he smiled.  ‘’What is the point of running away from happy memories, from the people who matter to us? We should always cherish them.’’

 I nodded with a smile. ‘’Let’s have a walk,’’ I said.

 ‘’All right,’’ he nodded.

 We walked by the lake, looking at the green water from time to time. Someday, I knew, the five of us would be reunited and we would arrange more plays, relax by the lake, talk and laugh all afternoon over cups of tea. Until that day, the lake would wait for us.

Photo: Internet

 

Green Nostalgia

I wandered from one road to another. My class had just ended and as I had another in two hours. I did not want to go home, knowing I would collapse once I saw my bed and would then feel too lazy to make my way back to class. The heat was getting unbearable and I decided to sit down by Dhanmondi Lake, the leaves of the majestic lakeside trees would provide me with some shade. I sat down under a tree, looking at the green water of the lake. It looked like a giant piece of green fabric. A few people passed by, casting me indifferent glances. I kept looking at the green water, the leaves of the trees shielding me from the scorching heat. Someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw a smiling, middle-aged man. I recognised him at once. He was the manager of a lakeside cafe that I once used to visit with my friends. He sat down beside me. How are you? he asked. I am alright. How are you? I replied. I have been really busy, he said. I was taking a walk by the lake and then I saw you sitting here. It has been a while since you last visited our cafe. My mind went back to those lovely afternoons I had once spent in his cafe with the people who taught me how beautiful life really was. We were all in acting class together. My closest friends there were Koushik, Akash, Ishita and Payel. I had always been an introvert, but these people encouraged me to express myself, and let my voice be heard. We had organised and staged several plays together. We used to rehearse at the club headquarters in Dhanmondi every Friday. And after the rehearsals, we would visit the lakeside caf and talk about the rehearsals, excited about staging the plays. Those were some of the best days of my life, but then we had to part ways. As they were all older than me, they left for university. Koushik, Ishita and Payel went abroad, while Akash moved to a different city. I looked at the manager of the cafe. Well, I tried smiling, They have all left, and going to the cafe would bring back all those memories. It would be too painful for me as I dont have them by my side today. Dont you communicate with them? he asked. Well, life moves on. We are connected on Facebook, but people drift apart, you know said I. But you should reconnect, I saw how close you were to them, the man said. I looked at the water again. I had walked by the lake with them so many times. All those things _ the walks by the lake, hours spent at that cafe, the amazing afternoons we spent rehearsing plays _ had happened just two years ago, but it already felt like an eternity. For me, the lakeside had become closely connected to those memories. You are right, I told the manager. I must communicate with them. I am going to call each of them tonight. I am glad you realise that, he smiled. What is the point of running away from happy memories, from the people who matter to us? We should always cherish them. I nodded with a smile. Lets have a walk, I said. All right, he nodded. We walked by the lake, looking at the green water from time to time. Someday, I knew, the five of us would be reunited and we would arrange more plays, relax by the lake, talk and laugh all afternoon over cups of tea. Until that day, the lake would wait for us. Photo: Internet