Before We Grew Up

You know how when you’ve been staying in a place long enough you attach certain incidents and memories with certain places…like going to Saket always reminds me of the time when my brother Ray and I went there for the first time, back when we were just eight and twelve, and there was no sign of any fancy-schmancy mall, just a lone and humble cinema complex. We’d been left on our own to explore the city alone for the first time. I remember our dad handing us fifty rupees each. My brother and me, otherwise as quarrelsome as any siblings can be, dutched our money together and bought a pizza. Back then, Mountain Dew (I hadn’t discovered I disliked carbonated drinks yet) was just coming up and in bid to promote their product among the people, was giving out free bottles. Ray and I excitedly stood in queue and got ourselves a bottle each. Till date, the memory of the two of us sitting in some shady corner of the cinema complex, sharing a box of pizza and gulping down Mountain Dew remains one of the most memorable times I’ve spent with him.

Of course after that we both grew up and got busy with our own sets of friends but even today, every time I pass by that place, in my mind I can see two kids, amazed and dazzled by the big city lights, sharing a simple moment of happiness.