Walking down past lanes.....

Hadn't been long since I visited home. Exactly after a month I was back at my birth place. The moment I exited the flight, Delhi's chilly air pinched my face.

Normally that will tell me, Home Sweet Home. Called up Dad, and he was outside waiting. Off the driver seat, he went to rear seats, "I am not gonna wear a seat belt", he said. Mom was still smiling, I had to tell her...Yeah its me MA !!!..

Driving on Delhi roads is a pleasure. Always made me said, God I missed you roads...So much. Driving my own car, driving on own lanes. It was coming back home.

Spent the day in lethargy, most of it. Had to get the car serviced. When it was time to pick the wagon up, I decided to walk to the workshop as it was mere 1.5 km. Can't remember the count since I walked that much, or walked even a tenth of it. It was getting dark. Close to 7 PM IST, winters.

Suddenly I became a bit more observant than I normally am. Things in dark were apparenly looking clearer. Walked down the staircase of the house and in the small lane I have my flats. Have been living here from past 21 years. Have seen people coming as kids in neighbours, graduating, getting married and having kids. 21 years in that house, in that lane.....It always FELT nostalgic.

Just after 10 steps ( 10 steps away from my house ) I realized I was new here. The guy I used to see running around with a school bag, may be he was 5-6 years old had a mustassh now. He was looking a teenager by his glare at me. I smiled at him, almost saying, you are the same guy I used to caution, "Get off the playground or you will get hurt". May be he dint hear my smile...........He never blinked.

I can't believe she's grown up so much. She was the size of my hand. Goodness Gracious....what a charming lady she is turning into. She would not even recognize me. The young teenager next door has got a motorbike, long hair, ear ring and a Stud look. hmmm.......seems to work out as well. Whoaaa..... even this one didn't blink.

Hmmmmm....interesting. 20 more steps I was out of my lane and could not see my house. Still to get out of the vicinity some 5-6 lanes more were left. I've spent my childhood here, I was murmuring to myself. This used to be our hangout, I spilled my coke there, We won that tight match over there. She was standing right there with her father, she was wearing.......... She looked....................

We raced bicycles in this one, and raced on foot in that one. I was pointing fingers to each and talking to myself. The temple had grown to two more storeys since I last remember. I used to play in the building material when this thing was still a foundation.
One of my cricket friends used to live in that house, what was the name????....uuummmmmmmmm....

The school bus dropped me here and 6 am I used to get here all dressed up to be picked. Mom waited till I waved from the window......

I used to jog in that ground with Divesh, now Flying Lieutinant Divesh Pankaj. I had the road side omlette here with Amar...now Dr. Amardeep Angoorla M.D (US).

Out of the society I moved to the main road. That old uncle still runs that grocery shop, The Letter box is still there, needs a paint. The tree grew longer. Suddenly a car took a sharp turn near to my feet. KIDS...I said.....

Loud music, tinted glasses......zig-zag driving.......... Been there, done that. But it was still not feeling nostalgic.

Street light were on and so was the moon. Day was over. I could still see things clearly. That bump in the road is where I stumbled when a pimp approached me. The conversation started with, "What's the time?", carried on to "what do you do?", built to "What are your INTERESTS?"....and ended with "30 bucks for 15 minutes job, ...she will be good". That is when I stumbled. He was half my height and I was still in first year.

The small house I always liked and admired to have one similar was now a 6 storey building that read "Jhankar Banquet Hall" with lights all over it. The crowd on this road has increased, I was getting louder. Ohh...the petrol pump did actually complete and we have new society too. (still saying aloud ) The School has got another floor, got a paint too. The pool and snooker joint is a restaurant now. The Gym reads Closed. I did think it wouldn't last long. After all people like me used to come here.

Unrealizable, I was almost there at the workshop, I will get my car in while and then I will drive all the way back, same I just covered on foot. I don't know if the feeling would be any different sitting inside a four wheeler.

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Walking those past lanes......... I never felt I was back home.