30th was Eerie ! 31st Better !! 2025 will be much better !!

 30th was Eerie ! 31st better ! 2025 will be much better !

Dinesh K Kapila (CGM (Retd). NABARD)

On 30th December evening I stepped out of the house. The day had been very cold. A cold wind blew in from the hills, the sun was determined not to be seen and the ground was still wet from the recent rains. During the day I had stepped out for a short stroll, hardly any kids were to be seen in the neighbourhood parks. Strange as it was the holiday season and kids just love to be out of the houses, the mom’s would have issued diktats to stay in. Well, I stepped out on the 30th evening and found myself on a deserted road. It’s quite a long stretch and not a soul to be seen. Slightly foggy, the roads and houses seemed lightly draped in a gentle wispy layer, as a car went past with fogged up windows. I was all geared up including wearing my Himachali cap. I normally prefer my beret but this year I realised even after gifting away a few I had a sizeable number of such caps. Plus berets tend to ruffle up what is left of the hair on my rapidly balding head. My last posting being as in charge HP, caps came my way at functions. I even have a couple of caps with a sort of bobbing Pom Pom’s on them, I dare not wear them if the daughter or grand daughter are around. Coming back to the walk, I started on my usual circuit, weaving my way through the roads intersecting my sector, four roads intersect three roads. Keep walking along the roads and over an hour plus, you meet the daily quota of steps. As you walk the various neighbourhood parks provide a soothing greenery.

The houses were silent. The roads empty. Not a soul to be seen or heard. Yes, I did hear one young lady talking on her mobile on a rooftop and one young lady sitting in her car and talking. What was interesting were the gestures as the speaker was obviously on !. or was it hands free. Even the stray dogs were curled up, silent. Now I found delivery boys whizzing past. No residents on the roads. No servants walking dogs on the roads. No children exercising or playing in the parks. However i did count atleast twelve delivery boys whizzing around on motorcycles and scooters. Obviously food from outside had caught on but the houses were silent. Drawn curtains. Doors shut. In some cases it was apparent gates were locked. Rather early. One car was not starting and it was so fogged up the smartish lady driver was making it worse by using her hands to clear the windscreen. I told her to simply use the air conditioner. I gor a nod as thanks. On my third round I found four youngsters sitting under a canopy in a neighbourhood park and trying to light up an aluminium foil, one sharp shout, they vamoosed. I was wondering if I should sing that old song’ where have all the residents gone, long time I have not seen’, it was all so silent and eerily quiet, not even the leaves of trees rustled, and then the black dog of a corner house chased me and made me walk more than I required.

The 31St December evening walk was much better. A relief, so to say. There was a bonfire in one house. People talking away. Maybe dancing. Laughter and happy voices. Songs were heard from a couple of houses. Elegantly dressed people popped in and out of houses. A couple of people went by walking smartly. The ladies walking their dogs were seen. One resident sat in his car listening to songs and nodding away. And there was a certain cheerfulness in the air. It was still bitterly cold. But there was a certain vigour, a vibe, about the locality. The odd car went by super fast and near the tavern three young girls thought they were hep by smoking and blowing rings. In one park stray dogs had been fed and were yawning. A young couple sat in a park, under a canopy, whispering sweet nothings. And the snarling black dog of the corner house was locked in and I could walk past peacefully. A much better walk. An enjoyable walk.

As I walked this thought popped in. Three days, one to come. Two days gone. One off day had been succeeded by a good one. That is how the First January would be, a better day. And 2025 would be a better year. And here’s hoping for a more cultured society, a society aware about the finer aspects of life, better driving on the roads and more happiness to one and all. Have a great 2025 everyone. More harmony. Smile. Work smarter. Have more empathy. Meet up your neighbours more often. Peace and Love. To all. Have a great positive life. Realistically aware but certainly positive and optimistic.

Some ask why the walk. The answer is what I could only think of below.

The Evening Walk

(Sing to I wonder should I stay by Engelbert Humperdinck).

I wonder should I walk or stay in bed

The evenings going to be only colder alright

But then came the thought of doctors

Cholesterol uric acid healthy heart and the like

I decided to jump out of bed

Dress up snugly and head out

The cold air was crisp and got into my head

I just got on with the walking

Cold and cold air were just in the mind

Just a lost thought somewhere

A daily long walk is the compulsion everyday.

——//———— (written on 31st Dec 2024 evening).