A Long Walk

He started at the south end of MG and decided to take a stroll around. Now this wasn't a quite street lined with lush trees, but the commercial heart or a metropolis, laden with plush showrooms and shops, restaurants and cafes, and what not.

First he crossed the ice cream parlor, their favorite, no her favorite and because of that the place he had come to so many times. He had the menu by heart now, and he laughed at his silly situation, but the sparkle it brought to her eyes, made it all worth. He spotted the owner behind the counter, and gave him a friendly nod, before moving on.

Next in line was the theater. The movies they had watched together, all hours, languages, genres. But more than that he savored the holding of hands, passing of kerchief and teasing about it later.

Now this coffee outlet was one of his favorites. They had been regulars there. And had shared so much over those cups of grounded beans. Talks of love, talks of live, family, work, past, present and future, dreams and dreams come true, and the ones broken too. What was it under the sun that they hadn't shared in these surrounding.

Such he walked on counting places and reliving incidents, which though had been recent, seemed aeons ago. The jeweler's she would always window shop at. The music store, and the petty fights they would have over which CDs to buy. Then this all girls store, where he felt like an alien, and the wink she would give - "C'mon you can look at all cute girls around while I pick some stuff".

The cigarette shop that pissed her off. "Damn, why can't you just give it up?" And all those baseless excuses he would have to think of at the spur of a moment, and so many times he had had to go without one. Today he bought a pack, and lighted a cigarette, but without her nagging, it seemed to have lost half its fun.

And at the end of road was their favorite lounge. Last time they had celebrated their anniversary there. Gosh, all that elaborate planning she had done. The cake, the flowers, music, wine - was there anything missing. With her around, nothing.

But today was different; he loitered around sometimes, wondering whether to go in. Some more puffs, and changed his mind. Turned around and decided to take a walk back.

"For today let this pack keep me company. Next week she will be back , then this will be a nice place to be".