It’s Morning and…

These days, the morning rounds of D Gardens are my breakout into the world outside, to watch from close, life playing out in real. A small window in a day to sustain connections, fragile but welcome though, and build some new. A show with its moments of amusement and introspection, keeping me going. Actors: men – self-indulgent or self-inflicting😊, vendors, cleaning crew from the ward-office, alms-seekers, homeless, plants, trees…in an unchanging scene.

Sharing the few moments that stood out today…nothing to shake even a fallen dried leaf.  Perfectly forgettable at the end of the half-hour! But, at this age and in the morning, anything more dramatic – I can do without. Would take immediate steps – long ones, for sure – to remove myself asap from the scene:-)

**

I have seen him, middle-aged, take brisk rounds around the garden without a pause. Sweating profusely and sometimes panting. A bushy white moustache giving him the look of a benign uncle, with a smile and voice to match! We would exchange ‘hi’s by gestures, no words spoken.

One day, I stopped him in his stride, risking him cannoning into me – he looked a bit heavy. And cautioned him about pushing oneself excessively at his age. Cited incidents of guys collapsing in gyms. Even gave him a tip given by my doc on what is excessive – you’re doing ok until, while on the ‘run’, you can talk steady without losing breath. He thanked me for the genuine concern and the tip. Assuring me he would be mindful of my caution, he continued with his routine.

A few days later, we got familiar enough to exchange a few inane comments. In one of the interactions, he said he has a clinic in the neighborhood. A clinic? Yes, he was a practicing doctor!!

Oh….so, I hold the record for advising a doctor on his well-being??

I still look him in his eyes shamelessly when we cross in our rounds!!!

And, today?

Just as I was starting my first round, I saw him coming away, lugging himself, shoulder dropping. He was signing off, finishing his rounds, it was clear.

‘Tired?’ I offered.

‘No, just exhausted.’

A nuance I’ve not learnt yet? Remains to be checked.

**

Strangely I received a piece of humor today:

“In front of a car in motion, you’re tired. At the back you’re exhausted.”

Is that it?

**

And then, I see this young man coming on in a jog on the track inside the gardens – our rounds are on the outside, less crowded. A young fellow, I could see even from a distance.

What is this? I blink. Something wrong with my eyes – I knew they were not alright, or worse, with my head, so far in the clear?? Facing my way, I could see he wasn’t coming any nearer!

Luckily for me it ended well!!! Saw him slowly go past a shrub behind…or was it ahead? Never seen it here. Yes, he was jogging backwards!!!

End