A cup of coffee with a known stranger!

I love guessing about what my readers would be thinking about my article while reading the title. So, let me take that opportunity to give some wild guesses. :-D You might be thinking how the stranger can be a known one. It could be the stranger whom someone met twice or thrice and met one more time. Let’s check how successful you were in assuming...

While writing this article I was trying to understand what exactly "stranger" means. How would be the experience if you are forced to sit and talk with a stranger without going away? Pathetic indeed!

This was my first strange experience about having coffee with a stranger (by heart) even though known to each other. All I could say in the later part of the meeting was, "Wow! We're speaking with each other like strangers!"

The story begins this way; I accidentally met a person who was very much known to me. The conversation we had was very simple for just a minute i.e. “Hello...” He replied “Hello” and then asked, “Are you going home?” I replied, “Not yet. I will be going home after sometime.” He went for a coffee, and I went the other direction with one of my colleague, as I was helping him with something.

This small conversation made me recall how we used to have nice time going for a short evening walk, discussing about our life styles, education, jobs, etc. So, I decided that I will join him for a cup of coffee. He was very close to my heart (of course one of the persons in my life). Like every human being I also missed people and that was my mistake for this time. It is not important who that person was, but the situation that made me feel sorry for him as well as disappointed about me - feeling my life as a disgraceful one.

Now the funny situation begins which made me feel almost cry while facing it. Back to story: I entered the Cafe, and got a cup of coffee. He already made himself comfortable on the chair which was in the centre of Cafe. I joined him with a cup of coffee. Usually, I ask if anyone was joining him for coffee, so that I can kick myself out of there. This time I didn’t, as I had decided to have a small conversation. I can tell you that we only had a conversation of “rapid fire” which had set of 5 questions and answers. I don’t think we had more than that. But there is a difference which seemed interesting while recalling. There was a delay of minimum 30 seconds for each answer to come out. It seemed as if I was talking with him by cell phone and there is coverage issues in the cellular network and receiving the responses delayed, but it was not any cellular calling, as we were sitting together. What can you think of that? The person whom you are talking to is not at all interested in this conversation, but the same person was smiling when I approached after getting my coffee. Lovely fake Smile!!!

Now the interesting part is that each question was asked after every 2 minutes like some computer Quiz game... The questions were the simplest ones possible: How’s life? How’s everyone at home? Etc. You might be wondering what we were doing in each and every 2 minutes. We were just having a sip of coffee, as if it was a gigantic cup filled with coffee, and trying to finish the coffee quickly. After every sip we never looked at each other, instead we were staring the TV screen watching the movie “Minority Report.” Is this how you behave with friends? Can I ever call such person a friend? Even strangers look into your eyes while speaking...

It gave me the feeling that I was sitting all alone, and made me feel that I was disturbing an honourable personality from his busy schedule and trying to have a conversation. I felt sorry for making him lose his cheerfulness which used to be shining on his face always. I can feel that this meeting was something he could not avoid and his heart was not able to ignore me, at the same time he never used to approach me any time in his life, because I was never there in his priority list. Yes, Ladies and gentlemen, whomsoever you meet each of them have their own priority list. No worries! I am also learning, and I do carry one, but I believe in transparency and never do the fake business.

I have few of such people in my life, but yes I am happy they are concerned about me indirectly, they respond sometime in their life when I send messages. So, I decided never to call them a “Friend.” Instead, they can by my well-wisher who is with me to celebrate my success and smile with my smile, even though not always. That’s one kind of Celebrity life which I am in love with now... It makes me feel that I am a Celebrity. Whether you laugh on me about this or feel jealous of this thought of mine that’s just your decision. I will be thanking for both. The above discussed is just one of such instances happened in my life.

I present my hearty gratitude to that known stranger in my life, because of whom I have become stronger from heart, learned not to expect from anyone much.