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I Found Love A Few Buildings Away, In Mumbai's Bustling City!
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*For representational purpose only.
It was meant to be, so she found her way to me. This is how simple our story is.
A friend back from college reconnected out of the blue, and we hit it off right away. It was wonderful to feel nostalgic and relive old experiences. It is a friendship that has stood the test of time and distance. A real ‘bromance’, if you know what I mean. We met, and work happened.
However, what was more interesting was the fact that he was Cupid in my life. One of the days, over a few beers, a conversation about love, life, and everything in between was sparked.
"I have someone in mind who I think you will hit it off with," he casually mentioned. "Why don’t you meet her? She stays in the town itself.” I did detect the worry undertone of the whole South Mumbai snooty.
Invariably, it happens in south Mumbai versus the rest of Mumbai. I don’t know why (I do). Mumbai is a world in itself, comprising several smaller but equally relevant worlds. Some you want to go to, while others you want to avoid. Some are nearby, while others are rather far away—about the same length of time it would take to fly to a nearby country!
He introduced me to K. It was an instantaneous connection, like fish to water. We both sort of realised immediately the effortless connection and fondness we both experienced.
We decided to meet after a few phone conversations. A classic cliché for coffee. The moment I picked her up, I felt a vibe. In fact, we've often talked about how we both felt palpable electricity between us, as if a magical portal sprang up, whisking us to a place where there are only two of us!
The best part was that it was effortless with K. As she and I grew comfortable with each other, we saw numerous shades of each other's personalities. I fell in love with all her shades, lighter ones and darker ones alike.
The hallmark of any relationship is trust and acceptance. I’m glad I found in her someone with whom I have that. The meetings went on and on, and the infatuation grew into love. The irony is that, amidst the vastness of Mumbai, K happens to live just a few buildings away from me!
A stone throws distance. It’s another nugget that I’m sure will never get old. I went far and wide, traversing the vastness of this maximum city, only to find someone who was literally an errand away.
Life is full of such little surprises. I mean, hey, it beats travelling and fighting traffic, heat, potholes, and god knows what else. It can’t be more comfortable than that. All my life choices have been from a position of seeking comfort and convenience. I am glad my K fits it too.
After several heartbreaks, I was glad and truly grateful for her. Certain emotions I felt were truly remarkable. I felt she was someone I wanted to keep hanging with, and I relished the lingering sensations of her presence.
She also had her own roller coaster of a personal and professional journey. Upon hearing and sharing with each other, I realised that she is a fighter. She faced many daunting challenges in her life, but they didn’t let the warrior spirit in her dim. On the contrary, it stoked it even more.
Apart from that, what is uncanny are the many similarities we have. We both have similar styles of compulsiveness when it comes to certain areas of our lives. In fact, our journeys are also alike. We both shifted from the field of finance to the service industry. I am now a voice artist, and she is a fantastic pilates and barre instructor. We often joke, “You came to fix my back and my life!"
Like gravity drawing you in, we were being drawn towards one another. We expressed our feelings amidst lots of joy, laughter, and love, and in no time, we became one.
On a side note, I can’t thank my friend enough, and his best came when he was hammered and tipsy. So I tell him, let’s keep getting drunk.
