Rajnigandha over Kaffee
Rajnigandha over Kaffee
I smiled at the pretty florist girl on the pavement ..picked up a Rajnigandha bunch for myself from her..inhaled in the breathtaking fragrance..smiled for no particular reason at myself.. And walked on..was in a posh locality Of Bengaluru and suddenly the name "The Kaffee cafe " flashed before me.. Tempted by the prospect of a aroma filled cup of filter coffee..I almost sleep walked into the cafe ..I was welcomed by the whiff of filter coffee mixed with dal vada aromas ..a deep breath and I relaxed... The place was a wonderful hybrid of contemporary and the traditional.. There was an air of old world charm and simplicity around..With glistening tiny coffee glasses in katoris to cool the coffee down..along with the traditionally attired staff..the place was just perfect to relax with a nice book.. Quite and laid back.. It reminded me of the Calcutta coffee houses.. Though the animated political discussions over Tagore and politics seem to be missing.. But the place had its own charm..
Ordered my Kaffee with masala vada and settled down with my book in a corner..after few mins I felt someone watching me .. Looked up to see the elderly gentleman on my next table smiling warmly at me:. Giving a hurried smile back I turned back to the book and then in few mins heard a "may I?"..looked up to see the gentleman joining me with his cup of coffee.. "Sure"I mumbled trying to hide my dissapointment in loosing my rare moments of " me time".. But there was something so infectious in his gentle warm smile that I couldn't help warming up almost instantly.. Feeling guilty at my " not so warm initial reaction".. The gentleman was a retired govt officer.. Bureaucrat.. Kannada by origin.. Been in Delhi postings for a long period.. Now kids all abroad.. Lives with his ailing wife in Bengaluru.. Then he asked about me.. I told formal details about me.. He then looked up at me " u know why u drew my attn ?.. Because u seem to enjoy the aroma of coffee and ur book a lot.. The other thing I noticed about u..u seem to love Rajnigandha..u almost looked so pleased with urself to gift the bunch to urself .. I saw u on the road few mins back,,,there was a satisfied glee on ur face.. U reminded me suddenly of a girl I knew long back.. She also loved to read books over filter coffee and use to gift herself rajnigandhas randomly..".. I looked up expectantly.. He smiled and said " that girl is no more.. I lost her.. Her spirit is gone.. But her body is still with me".. His eyes became sad.,Noticing my confused look .. He continued " that girl happens to be my wife .. My soulmate.. The reason for all happy things in my life.. But now my girl seems to have forgotten even me.. " he added sadly " she is suffering with Alzhiemers and what is left now is just she in body.. Her soul and spirit has all left me..".. I didn't know what to add.. Looking down at my cup blankly and then he added brightly " u know what ! one thing still remains with her.. And that's her love for Rajnigandhas...everyday I pick up Rajnigandhas for her and I get a fleeting glimpse of that sweet smile again which I used to die for.."..looked at my watch .. It was time to make a move.. Rush back to my hotel before it gets too late for dinner. .. Got up to leave and almost instinctively handed over the bunch of Rajnigandhas to him " for your girl".. I said.. He smiled .. Took out two tiny bunches from it .. Handed them back to me saying " thanks for recreating my girl for me ".. And we moved off in opposite directions each clasping a bunch of Rajnigandha in our hands.. . One to catch a business dinner and other with twinkling eyes moving eagerly in anticipation to meet his girl and her breathtaking smile once again...
I smiled at the pretty florist girl on the pavement ..picked up a Rajnigandha bunch for myself from her..inhaled in the breathtaking fragrance..smiled for no particular reason at myself.. And walked on..was in a posh locality Of Bengaluru and suddenly the name "The Kaffee cafe " flashed before me.. Tempted by the prospect of a aroma filled cup of filter coffee..I almost sleep walked into the cafe ..I was welcomed by the whiff of filter coffee mixed with dal vada aromas ..a deep breath and I relaxed... The place was a wonderful hybrid of contemporary and the traditional.. There was an air of old world charm and simplicity around..With glistening tiny coffee glasses in katoris to cool the coffee down..along with the traditionally attired staff..the place was just perfect to relax with a nice book.. Quite and laid back.. It reminded me of the Calcutta coffee houses.. Though the animated political discussions over Tagore and politics seem to be missing.. But the place had its own charm..
Ordered my Kaffee with masala vada and settled down with my book in a corner..after few mins I felt someone watching me .. Looked up to see the elderly gentleman on my next table smiling warmly at me:. Giving a hurried smile back I turned back to the book and then in few mins heard a "may I?"..looked up to see the gentleman joining me with his cup of coffee.. "Sure"I mumbled trying to hide my dissapointment in loosing my rare moments of " me time".. But there was something so infectious in his gentle warm smile that I couldn't help warming up almost instantly.. Feeling guilty at my " not so warm initial reaction".. The gentleman was a retired govt officer.. Bureaucrat.. Kannada by origin.. Been in Delhi postings for a long period.. Now kids all abroad.. Lives with his ailing wife in Bengaluru.. Then he asked about me.. I told formal details about me.. He then looked up at me " u know why u drew my attn ?.. Because u seem to enjoy the aroma of coffee and ur book a lot.. The other thing I noticed about u..u seem to love Rajnigandha..u almost looked so pleased with urself to gift the bunch to urself .. I saw u on the road few mins back,,,there was a satisfied glee on ur face.. U reminded me suddenly of a girl I knew long back.. She also loved to read books over filter coffee and use to gift herself rajnigandhas randomly..".. I looked up expectantly.. He smiled and said " that girl is no more.. I lost her.. Her spirit is gone.. But her body is still with me".. His eyes became sad.,Noticing my confused look .. He continued " that girl happens to be my wife .. My soulmate.. The reason for all happy things in my life.. But now my girl seems to have forgotten even me.. " he added sadly " she is suffering with Alzhiemers and what is left now is just she in body.. Her soul and spirit has all left me..".. I didn't know what to add.. Looking down at my cup blankly and then he added brightly " u know what ! one thing still remains with her.. And that's her love for Rajnigandhas...everyday I pick up Rajnigandhas for her and I get a fleeting glimpse of that sweet smile again which I used to die for.."..looked at my watch .. It was time to make a move.. Rush back to my hotel before it gets too late for dinner. .. Got up to leave and almost instinctively handed over the bunch of Rajnigandhas to him " for your girl".. I said.. He smiled .. Took out two tiny bunches from it .. Handed them back to me saying " thanks for recreating my girl for me ".. And we moved off in opposite directions each clasping a bunch of Rajnigandha in our hands.. . One to catch a business dinner and other with twinkling eyes moving eagerly in anticipation to meet his girl and her breathtaking smile once again...
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