As I entered a
friend’s apartment campus, the other day, so did a girl from another end of the gate. She
carried an unavoidable pleasantness with her. We walked almost together till we
reached the ground floor. I pressed the elevator button while she waited. In
between we shared a faint smile. The kind strangers share when their eyes
suddenly meet. When the elevator arrived
I let her enter first. She thanked me with a warm smile. It made my
heart feel younger by a life. Only the two of us were inside as the elevator
door closed. She pressed the eleventh floor button and glanced at me
expectantly. I leaned forward and pressed the same button
hinting I too was going to the same floor. Could she be one of my friend’s friend he
mentioned was coming? My phone buzzed with a Whatsapp message.
‘Where are you?’
It was my friend. While replying him I heard the girl speak on her phone.
“Almost there.”
Finally the elevator door opened.
I let her exit first. The warm smile appeared again but also accompanying it
was a certain twinkle in her eyes. She went and stood in front of my friend’s
flat. I rejoiced in my mind. I stood behind her and pressed the calling bell. She
turned to me but before I could read her face she got a call.
“Standing right
outside.” She said.
A second later
my friend opened the door. And then another door opened to the right. The girl looked
surprised. It was obvious she had goofed up the flat number. As she disappeared
inside the other flat without caring to turn back even once I realized one should
always be aware of the fact that even if two people get to the same ‘floor’ together doesn't mean they are heading towards the same ‘flat’.
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