In pursuit of ....

He woke up to the screeching sound, as the nose wheel of the aircraft touched the ground. From the tiny windows of the plane he looked outside. The airport stared at him. The same old forlorn look. Ah airports, he thought, the melting point of so many emotions, emotions of meeting, emotions of parting and yet it never matters to the airport.  It never reciprocates, may be it doesn’t even understand the feelings. Have you ever been deeply in love with someone for whom you are just one of those many suitors? Have you seen the irreverence in her eyes when you pour your heart out to her? It doesn’t matter to her, it doesn’t matter to the airport either.   Both are indifferent, the world doesn’t affect them, emotions don’t touch them. Sometimes he wonders, why he can’t be like an airport. Stoic and equanimous. 

As he got out of the aircraft and moved towards the shuttle, it seemed someone whispered in his ear. He looked back. Nah, no one was there. It was only a gust of fresh breeze that touched his cheeks and went past.  Faceless yet familiar. Playing hide and seek. The whispering was almost hushed.  He looked towards the sky. The sun was making one last sincere attempt to shine before bidding a goodbye kiss to the night. And the sky was splashed with divine colors as day and night marched towards each other. He had seen this before, ages back, standing on his terrace, in his corner where dreams everyday clashed with reality at the stroke of twilight. And in those days dreams won every day, every single day. Reality was a naïve, distant competitor. As he got down the shuttle he watched the gardener watering the airport garden. The fragrance of the water drenched soil was so invigorating. He tried remembering when the last time he had this feeling. But then, why are these feelings coming back today. As he looked around he saw the airport signboard. Ah then, it was the familiarity of home town, a place where he had left a piece of his heart. He had gone out in pursuit of success, he had come back in search of happiness.

The sudden turbulence in the plane and the subsequent announcement of the air hostess to tighten the seat belt woke him up. The screen in front showed the aircraft flying at 600 miles per hour and his destination New York , four hours away . He sat up and drank a bit of water. Ah a dream it was. Today the table has turned a full circle and reality became the winner. Dream has become a naïve, distant competitor. Home then is far away, far far away.