Morning walk Vignettes - Made a new friend.

 Morning walk Vignettes - Made a new friend.

Those who regularly go on a morning walk on a fixed route and more or less around the same time, say between 5:45 AM to 7:15 AM, will invariably see some people regularly. Some walking ahead or behind you. Some coming from opposite sides, passing you like ships that pass in the night.

At such times face recognition feature of your hard disk kicks in and you start recognising them as kindred souls liking their morning walk. Before BC era, without masks, you could see their expressions. Some neutral, some with a bit of smile as if remembering good things. There were some who were mostly with dour expression or a scowl as if they were carrying a chip on their shoulder.

After a while, I start a small wave, a smile and wish them a "good morning".  First two type of people almost always respond. At times they take the lead and start wishing first. The third type seldom.

I call those who respond as my "morning walk friends". I do not know anything about them. No name, no address, no occupation, no family details. Nothing at all. A big Zero. Yet they are my "morning walk friends" because I miss them if I do not see them for a day or two. Next meeting, without stopping, while crossing, I ask them not "seen you". They also give a vague response like were out or just say yes and walk on. Rarely a morning walk friend will stop and exchange name. Rarer still personal details.

In the recent past, We have been seeing a young man taking a puppy along on these walks. As is normal with a lot of young men these days he sported a nicely trimmed beard. Even though none of our business, Priti and I commented on him or his puppy as he was a kindred soul, a morning walker.

Nowadays due to diminished hearing, I tend to talk loudly. So, Priti constantly keeps telling me ' कुमार हळू बोल ' (kumar, speak softly). If I am excited while telling, a rebuke is added ' ​कुमार हळू बोल​​,  ​किती जोरात ​बोलतो' (kumar, speak softly. How loudly you talk). One morning, I saw the young man clean-shaven! 

Spontaneously I exclaimed, "अग राणी  त्या मुलानी दाढ़ी ​केली" (Oh! my Queen, that boy has shaved). There was instant rebuke ' ​कुमार हळू बोल​​, ​किती जोरात ​बोलतो' 

After leaving Priti at home I proceeded for my extended walk. Saw the same fellow near Hingna T point. He also noticed me and as I neared asked me "काका तुम्ही काय मन्हाला होता "(Uncle what had you said). I told him that I was telling her that you have shaved. He removed his mask, revealing a clean shaved smiling face and said yes he had indeed shaved. I told him that he looked handsome and added, even with a trimmed beard also he looked handsome. He laughed. We waved at each other and continued with our walk. 

That was three days back. 

Every day after that whenever we cross, he removes his mask, reveals a clean-shaven visage with a huge grin and loudly says " Good Morning Kaka". I reciprocate the greeting and we continue going our ways.

I feel HAPPY - for having made a new friend.