I stood in front of the large green door. There was a notice which said that the library would be open during the holidays. The sun had already set and just about half an hour of daylight was left. As I stood there, I heard distant voices of kids playing in the playground...
In my minds eye, I saw myself about 15 years ago walking in through those doors happily making a beeline to the library to devour yet another book. I was very thirsty for knowledge. I wanted to know about this wonderful world.
I remember the warm, moist smell of the earth basking in the morning sun... Wet from the thunderstorm the previous evening... The sound of a distant cuckoo... The green trees now flaunting the leaves acquired in the previous month's spring... The ground beside the road would now be almost black with the decaying leaves that the trees had shed, rejuvenating the earth with compost... Millepedes would be happily crawling away like miniature trains and curling up into 'chaklis' when disturbed.
I walked, just barely five feet from the ground, closer to the earth than I am now. I walked free. I walked with wonder. I walked...
Back from my day-dream, I realised the digicam was running out of cells. The greedy thing swallows up alkaline cells like a hungry pig! I decided I will take a snap with the school name made of metal embedded into the walls in one corner. Had to make it quick, dad was waiting at the car... took a few more snaps of the playground. The place all matches were played, scores settled, games of 'sur chend'...
It was time to go...
And I thought nostalgia sounded more like the name of a country...
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