A Busy Road

The road was flooded with waves of vehicles driving past. A sight that would scare someone just learning to drive. People were struggling to cross this road to reach the shopping mall on the other side of it. All the fun places in and around the city, and most people went to the mall for entertainment. The loud honking of vehicles was hurting my ears. I cringed at the noise.

The really long queue at the bus stop resulted in people at the end of the queue occupying the benches on the footpath. Some passed the time playing games on their smartphones while some scrolled mind-numbingly through social media. The restaurant opposite the mall was crowded and noisy with a busy panipuri stall beside it. The panipuriwala deftly prepared the panipuris, one by one giving them to the crowd around him, who in turn chirped to him that they wanted it 'less meethha' or  'more teekha!' People exiting the mall with their trollies filled with shopping bags were contesting trying to get an auto-rickshaw. Their tired expressions seemed to say, 'I'm never shopping on a weekend again!'

All of a sudden, it started drizzling and soon it turned into a heavy rain. I heard people instantly groaning around me. The crowd hurriedly started opening umbrellas while some pulled out raincoats. Some seemed to have forgotten to bring anything to shield themselves from the rain and used their PU leather bags to protect their heads, getting soaked nonetheless. The heavy rain had added to the pandemonium and only the kids jumping around were happy about it. A mother was heard yelling, 'Beta, bheeg jaoge, chhaate mein aao!' By now the rain had become so heavy that it was blurring one's vision and its pattering, otherwise soothing when you were indoors, was annoying outdoors. One of the things that one hated about citylife... 

People debated about whether to go back to the mall and wait out the rain or to stay outside trying to get an auto. A guy was heard yearning for a hot pakoda while his friend slapped him on the back, offering to buy hot coffee. 'Bro, idhar kidhar pakoda milega tereko!' The group of young adults on their bikes and scooters, were not bothered by the rain at all and were hooting and laughing.

At the bus stop, the buses started being delayed, and the people waiting started complaining aloud to one another. 'Vaise bhi late aati hai, ab aur late!' 'Haa na!' The construction workers at the building nearby were covering it with tarpaulin sheets while stray dogs ran inside. It warmed my heart that the workers let them enter.

The chaotic scene was entertaining to me as a spectator. But where in the scene was I?! I was flying around on an invisible flying carpet. I was invisible too by the way. I smiled from the comfort that comes from being an idle bystander.

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