Footsteps, Raindrops, Heartbeat

It had been raining all morning and people were crowding the food court. She had left early for lunch in order to catch a good spot by the window that overlooked the street. She sat there sipping her chicken noodle soup, reading a book. As the hustle of the people increased gradually it provided and interesting contrast to her private little world at the table.

Footsteps began to come alive in a certain rhythm around her. Step, step, step… Before she knew it, the letters on the book became blurry as she focused on the sounds of the footsteps. She began timing her sips to provide her own creative drumming to their rhythm. Step, step, sip, step, step, sip, step, step…

Unaware that she was mildly chuckling while she did this, a gentleman asked if he could use the seat in front of her. Her shoulders shrugged automatically in affirmation.

Thankfully he didn’t force her into any small talk and left her alone.

Raindrops danced on the glass roof providing additional effect to the music that was now playing in her mind. Drop, step, sip, sip, drop, drop, step, sip…

Before she knew it, her heart was beating a bit louder than usual adding its own input to the Jazz. The whole atmosphere was coming together like a homogenous whole. It was as if each rhythm was working in synchrony with the other. Does the sound of the raindrops automatically make people walk a certain way, or make the heart beat a certain way? She wondered.

The music had now become colourful and was now blooming like flowers. Footsteps, raindrops and heartbeat were the instruments and she was the conductor. Step, drop, beat, drop, beat, step, step, drop, beat, beat, beat, drop, step, step, drop step… beat, beat, beat, beat….. beat… beat… Her heart was now racing witnessing this terrific phenomenon. The experience was indescribable.

Now sipping, now listening, now absorbing, she had created this unique, personal, intimate feeling that no one can ever share with her. And yet it was a part of everyone around her.

Her eyes began to tear up as she experienced the beautiful unity in her surroundings, when the gentleman in front asked, “So, are we taking the 5:30 train home honey?”