124. Spaces

Though I call myself a people’s person, I have been a loner all my life and I have somewhat loved this space that I have created in my life. I can just be with myself and be myself in the most crowdest of places. There are moments when I had been lost but not lonely. I had walked into a roomful of people I may have never seen before but somehow, this has never troubled my inner self.

Way back in 2007, when Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar invited me for a book launch programme at Greater Kailash, New Delhi, I was in the lark, more so because after I reached the destination, a book cafe, I felt like a lonely Assamese in ‘phoren’ land (which was true anyway!) There were fair, dark, podgy, fit, tall, short, black-haired, white-haired, with pig and pony-tails, balding, bald men, in formal or informal ensembles, with beautiful, lithe, almost to a perfect T women in red, black, white, long, short, flowing, ‘slitty’, buttoned or zipped up, off-shouldered, one-shouldered, high-collared, collarless dresses, in tow. I felt I was the only one fully covered in a black midi skirt, a brown tee and a scarf around my neck. By the time I reached the seating area which had a bar to the left of the entrance on the second floor of the book cafe, there were already a few couples with their drinks half down. Everyone just turned to glance at me for once, gave an alien look and went back to their conversation.  I ambled up to the bar and picked a fresh lime for myself and went out to the terrace for some fresh air. I stayed there for quite some time in my own thoughts, relishing every moment.

Finally, when Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar arrived to launch Jug Suraiya and Ajit Ninan’s book, Like That Only, the seating area of the bar was filled with people I had seen for the first time, except for Suhel Seth, who I recognised instantly, for his shock of white hair to match his impeccable white suit. The launch was a fun-filled, informal one with Mr. Aiyar cracking off-the-cuff jokes much to glee of the ladies, while the men controlled themselves from passing snide remarks. And I as usual had an insipid smile and observed everyone, while sipping my fresh lime on the rocks! And the best part of the story is, though my chances of meeting these people again are one out of hundred, they would never know that I had woven a wonderful Page 3 story around them, in my space, in my thoughts!