Stranger smiles -3

Despite the pre-puja pandal work and a buzzing market nearby, the lane to the quaint cafe was deserted. That was only till you entered the space. The moment you stepped in, there was a sense of vibrancy, warmth, activity. The people, smell, conversations were part of the decor in this quaint cafe. I wanted to meander and absorb in the ambiance. Small cubicle like rooms had people spread out at leisurely pace. There in one of the rooms she was. Vibrant as ever. Exuding a kind of radiance which only self confidence can. Don't know why, but I felt like just observing her. Just being in her presence felt like being closer to life..and I wanted to tell her that. That's when our eyes locked. A fleeting recognition passed through hers. A playful smile that added an extra twinkle to the eye and a promise of life.  Its not the first time when I felt like a stranger knew what I was thinking, was reading my mind. I moved past the scene. The recognition was warming my heart and at the same time making me uncomfortable. My reflex was to move away. Like all my unusual and yet so usual stranger encounters, the smiling eyes stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Conditioning and everyday life make it so inappropriate to approach a stranger. Maybe, that's what stopped me from making conversation with the lady. Maybe, we could have had a shared a conversation, maybe we had a common interest. The questions will remain unanswered, till I have another chance encounter and I am able to break the barriers of conditioning this time to actually articulate my emotions.