I am listening to the conversation we are having but words are falling apart. Maybe I am least bothered to participate or maybe the subject doesn’t arouse me just enough to utter a word or maybe I am thinking of uummm…… That’s right! I am thinking (nodding head). It’s the dog from across the street with a cute little bushy tail wagging as he sees me and rubs his head all over my pants showing his love and affection. I run my hand through his fully grown white with a tinge of ochre brown hair. He has sniffed me so much that my mild perfume makes him sneeze. He sneezes twice in-between his whiskers. I smile at that innocent expression. “What do you say, Harshita?” The occurrence of my name brings me back in the conversation. Everyone is looking at me. I am there in the company of 4 handsome well dressed lads and a beautiful lady from office, all around my age, discussing something on which I couldn’t keep my ears grilled. It has been almost 15 seconds my name was called out and I have still said nothing but smiling. Few more moments of silence and they would know. I asked myself, “For God’s sake Harshita, say something, say anything!” Or Hey! I can try the Joey Tribbiani’s ‘always for the rescue’ expression? Shrinking an eye and raising the opposite eyebrow so much that it helps me look like I am in a deep thinking with a gentle head movement to give my thoughts some viscous flow. I finally uttered “Hmm….” Wait! What? Well that’s not even a word. After this fancy build up I had to say just that. How can I be so stupid? At least now I had stopped smiling. I decided not to open my mouth any further and would only listen others talk. I should sometimes concentrate on what people say. Like it won’t harm me! (laughing) All I have to do is stay calm and keep my mind away from wandering. That is simple! I can definitely do that. I can totally overpower inner peace. (Bird chirping on a tree branch which hung near the window) “Will you stop that, I am trying to overpower inner peace. So Shuuu away from here!” me to the bird out loud. The room was soon filled with laughter. With an embarrassment on my face I joined in for some HA HAs the bird accompanied unlike me.
If ever you try to decipher my mind, the script will read out ‘TUK TUK’
