As she stood looking over the bridge in Mumbai, there was this deep sense of anxiety running through her head, her eyes were brimming with tears. She had left her home with a little bit of money, all that she had had, and come to Mumbai in search of a job with Anuj. Standing today at the bridge she wasn't sure she had done the right thing, had only this premonition that something big was to happen today. Anuj had been her friend, lover and everything, they had been together for 5 years and had decided on taking this step. He had convinced her to come to Mumbai with her, leaving her family behind, a family that in any case paid no heed to her well being, the two of them had taken the train from Subzi Mandi Railway Station and come to Bandra Terminus via the Paschim Express. He had just gone to get them tea, while she stared over the bridge, it was late afternoon and the cloud cover shrouded the Sun.
Mumbai was the film city in India, and a city known to make dreams come true and yet it was known to be notorious, had an underworld belly and known to be exacting to migrants in such of lucre. It was a fast moving metropolis and the people here were uncaring in their nature, having seen it all, from the politicians who brandished caste overtones to the actors who held lavish parties where drugs and alcohol were the overpowering stimulants. Migrants from all over the country landed in this financial capital looking for jobs and shelter, food and water, looking for rags to riches stories. She woke up from her reverie to look around for Anuj and he was no where to be found, she looked left and right, he wasn't there, the tea shop at the beginning of the bridge was empty, maybe he went a little further down, she thought. He will be back, she mused and continued to let her thoughts run.
She turned around and saw an old man staring at her, he was unkempt and dirty, he was boldly staring at her, she quickly turned around cutting the eye contact. Her hair stood on nerve ends, what did this guy want from her and where was Anuj ? It had been 1/2 hour since he had been gone to get tea, she was worried now. She had given all her money and jewellery to him for safekeeping before she had got off the train at Mumbai, the old man was still staring at her as if he wanted to wolf her down. She quickly decided to walk to the tea shop, and made brisk progress towards it some meters away. She asked the Chaiwallah whether he had seen Anuj, he shook his head in a no, the other men at the stall also shook their head in negative. She was frantic, she quickly describe him to them, they still said the same thing. She turned around wanting, almost wishing he would appear from nowhere. Her long hair was already damp with sweat and her brow was knotted up. She stared at the far side hoping to see Anuj, he wasn't there either, what was she going to do, she had no money, it was all with him ......... Where was heeeeeeeee ????
There is no guarantee that this life will have a happy ending.
Mumbai was the film city in India, and a city known to make dreams come true and yet it was known to be notorious, had an underworld belly and known to be exacting to migrants in such of lucre. It was a fast moving metropolis and the people here were uncaring in their nature, having seen it all, from the politicians who brandished caste overtones to the actors who held lavish parties where drugs and alcohol were the overpowering stimulants. Migrants from all over the country landed in this financial capital looking for jobs and shelter, food and water, looking for rags to riches stories. She woke up from her reverie to look around for Anuj and he was no where to be found, she looked left and right, he wasn't there, the tea shop at the beginning of the bridge was empty, maybe he went a little further down, she thought. He will be back, she mused and continued to let her thoughts run.
She turned around and saw an old man staring at her, he was unkempt and dirty, he was boldly staring at her, she quickly turned around cutting the eye contact. Her hair stood on nerve ends, what did this guy want from her and where was Anuj ? It had been 1/2 hour since he had been gone to get tea, she was worried now. She had given all her money and jewellery to him for safekeeping before she had got off the train at Mumbai, the old man was still staring at her as if he wanted to wolf her down. She quickly decided to walk to the tea shop, and made brisk progress towards it some meters away. She asked the Chaiwallah whether he had seen Anuj, he shook his head in a no, the other men at the stall also shook their head in negative. She was frantic, she quickly describe him to them, they still said the same thing. She turned around wanting, almost wishing he would appear from nowhere. Her long hair was already damp with sweat and her brow was knotted up. She stared at the far side hoping to see Anuj, he wasn't there either, what was she going to do, she had no money, it was all with him ......... Where was heeeeeeeee ????
There is no guarantee that this life will have a happy ending.
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