June 2017
Booth talk
She virtually collapsed right in
front of me burying her face in the seat and murmuring that she would be
leaving while apologizing at the same time.
We used to work for the same
school and have been friends for three decades. We meet every now and then for
festive celebrations or simply to catch up. It was Saturday afternoon. We met
for lunch. We were comfortably seated in the booth enjoying some very exquisite
cuisines.
It was a simple “How are you? Are
you sleeping well” that sent her to tears with face twisted. I was not prepared
for this and couldn’t respond. She was one scene of desperation. I was telling
myself that if she really stood up to leave, I would have to hold her in my
arms. How could I let her leave alone?
I had never seen her like this
until then but that was her true self and state of mind! All along, she had
appeared to be calm and composed though with a touch of melancholy.
She must have been masking! How dumb of me not to have detected!
I know she has been bullied at
work by unfounded vicious gossips but I have no idea she is in such pain. I
thought that her sleeplessness was once in a blue moon but in fact, it has
turned habitual.
She did calm down but her parting
words saddened me. “I better hide myself!”
