30X30: Everyday Runaways

Mumbai is a city with few gardens. Perhaps in your large city of dreams, there are many gardens- immense, obese and beautiful. But, in our city, we have so few. Or, so I think. And, then too, almost none of us make the time to go to a garden. And, a garden in daylight...almost never. Perhaps, gardens are in our memories like picnics from school, so long ago. Perhaps, they are in our mornings, like the early morning walks we made it to. And, maybe in our evenings, the healthier evenings, the evenings well spent.

But, gardens in daylight are like time stolen. Time stolen from schedules that shouldn't give, and time stolen from families that don't give. There are couples- young, full of lust. They are hungry, for each other. And, some of them are shy. There are even couples that meet surrounded by groups of giggling girlfriends. Four girls watch on one girl with her lover.

And, then there are young boys, studying. In little nooks, under trees..they are sitting with ruled sheets of paper, scrawled handwriting and cheap paperbacks. Some are lost in thought. And, some are up to no good. Loafers lurk in corners; they make me almost afraid. Groups of girls sneak out of college and gossip. They watch me curious. I am a stranger, in a garden with familiar lurkers. I am a stranger, in a garden with familiar thieves. Thieves of time. Thieves of daylight drudgery. Like, everyday runaways.


[30X30 is a series of 30 unrelated posts in 30 days by Gayatri Makhijani and Anuj Gosalia. One post everyday, for the next 30 days. Follow the string here ]