Catching Up On The Lost Days

By Author: Kumar Ram
Total Articles: 40
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I believe everyone has a friend who would give you the worst possible advice each and every time. Vishnu is one such friend of mine whose advice always got me in trouble during our school days. I can very well blame his advice for my singlehood during those teen years. After school, he went to Vellore for his B-tech while I stayed at Delhi only. We did not get to meet each other at all in the following ten years or so. It was in December Vishnu called me and said that he is coming back to Delhi for a week and asked me to meet him. Since we both were earning professionals now, we decided to meet somewhere nice and fancy. I knew one such place, Brioche Dorée, a French cafe bakery in CP.

After I told him about the French pastry shop, he said, “Oh! Dude, I would love to munch on some authentic French cuisine. I hope they are good and as authentic as you say.”

‘They are. Do you know Brioche is actually the name of French bread? Even their name speaks of their authenticity.’- I replied and we both laughed about it.

Finally, we fixed a Saturday ...
... for a bromance at Brioche Dorée. After cutting the call, till Saturday came, all I did was reminisce about those lost days and the blurred memories. The mechanical routine of my life didn’t bother me for a while.

On Saturday, I reached half an early than we had planned as this was a French pastry shop near me. I ordered myself my usual, an Apple Puff pastry and a Masala ice tea. This is a really beautiful French pastry shop. Those who have been here will tell you how well the warm shades of yellow, green, and grey feel to the eyes. As I sipped on my tea I began wondering if the harsh world changed the ways of that carefree moron that Vishnu used to be. He was perhaps the only one I was able share all my anxieties with and clearly express myself.

At 2.30 pm, Vishnu was finally there wearing a maroon colored khaadi kurta, a pair of black jeans, and a pair of Relaxo chappals. I stood up and went for a casual handshake but the moron pulled me towards and gave me a hearty hug. It comforted me to the degrees I had not experienced in a long while.

“Dude, I like the music here, it’s mellow. I see you began eating without me. Is the food here that good to resist?” He said as he sat on his chair.

‘It’s my favorite bakery cafe in CP. I spend quite some time here.’ I replied as he began turning the pages of the menu. He ordered himself a Vanilla tea and a blueberry muffin. The service is always quick and your order served in minutes. It was only after he finished munching on his muffin he began to talk. After a series a series of exchanges I got to know that he was still unmarried at the age of 32, and his Mum makes a case out of it every time he visits Delhi. I told him that I did not marry anyone as well. A little carried away by my emotions, and I don’t know why, I told him that I feel suicidal at times, and regretted it ASAP.

‘I just want to tell someone. Get it off my head. Well, whatever...’ I babbled and began to get up from my chair, anxious and ready to leave.

He may have realized my state, that all I needed was to be able to share. He took my hand, pulled me back to my chair, and said ‘Will you ever let yourself relax and live a little? Talk with me. I just ordered a Rainbow Rumble cake. ’

I sat back down, and we spent hours chattering about my anxieties with job. After that day this French bakery cafe in CP with Vishnu, I am indeed more relaxed. I quit my job and started working as a freelancer. This was perhaps the only time Vishnu gave me a good advice. Vishnu and I met one more time at Brioche Dorée only before he went back to Bangalore.