Escape!

He was tramping aimlessly on the streets. Just looking at those old, British styled building; looking at passing faces; looking at speeding taxis in tiger skins; enjoying a cold breeze amid a hot, humid day. Like a juvenile, kicking an empty can of coke all the way. Every time Nikhil tried to understand the city and its people, it rendered him as clueless ad he was before.

He saw a junkie sadhu across the street, like the ones who reside by Shiva temple and practice marijuana (otherwise known as ganja). The sadhu had a big blob of hair on his head, uncut, most probably for years. He wore a half torn, dirty, vibrant orange coloured gown. It filled eyes quickly. He was lost in his own world. And that's only natural when you submit yourself to such a lifestyle. Surrender to lord Shiva and ganja. And still, HE looked like a man with no regrets. Soon, Nikhil's observing turned into stared. Sadhu also noticed a guy in a nice suit and shining shoes, staring at him. Their eyes met. Without speaking a single word, they had a conversation of a lifetime.

Nikhil felt uncomfortable, he quickly turned his eyes and started taking big footsteps. Though his heart beat was pumped up considerably, it wasn't fear. It was sheer awkwardness. He felt betrayed. Betrayed by the system. he felt like somebody has pushed him off the edge. It felt like his college degree, high paying job at an i-bank, a beautiful wife, a shining black BMW car and a posh, sea facing bungalow didn't matter any more to him. He had every luxury one could dream of. He was the man, but still he wasn't. Somehow, that lunatic sadhu was happier, wiser. While he was smoking up his life with the ganja, Nikhil was appearing for exams, making graphs in office, doing financial planning, spending time with his loved ones. Moving up in life. And that was the time he realized that it's never going to happen. Just like a mirage. You run for it and every time it looks just a little further. 

We are prisoners. Prisoners of love, expectations, greed, comfort, society. Prisoners of life! Nikhil got wiser that day and he escaped. The question is, when would YOU?

Next part of the story: Running Away!