LIFE AND LIES #39 | The Grey Sky

Lurking in the distance

On the other side

Of the office windows

The grey sky

And the advancing clouds

Brought forth a fervour

Never seen before

In a colleague of mine

Ctrl + S

Windows + L

Then he rushed me

Down the elevator

And we were at the tea stall

Next to the Exit Gate

No words were required

His mere presence was enough

The shopkeeper held out

Without any prompt

A cigarette in his hand

Raindrops fell

Few and harmless

The wind grew stronger though

But my colleague didn't worry

To light the cigarette

He brought forth his Zippo

Whose burning flame

No wind could tame

But before he could savour

The first intake

The cigarette fell to the ground

A flash of lightning

A moment not lost

He picked it up

And took a drag

Noticing the dirty look I gave

He smiled and said,

Unhealthy, huh?

Fair enough,

I smiled back.

And he let out another puff of smoke

Matching the grey of the sky.

***

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Life and Lies of M R Maiti

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