ESL Blogs

The Cafe

Retiring from the toiling day’s work I used to go to Café Grand. It is on Abdullah Haroon Road. If you go straight through Zaibunnisa Street in Saddar, you will find Café Grand just opposite to the back entrance of Hotel Metropole. From inside this restaurant is two storey, but second floor is sort of a gallery. The atmosphere of the Grand is one of the attractions for me to count it as the best. There was always been darkness in the café even in the day time. The lightning was so beautifully done that there is always a twilight just as of candles which gives a sensational tranquility.  The waiters move as they are floating on the carpeted floor. You can’t hear the sound of their movement but just the frisking of their uniform. 

The Music played in background was also my favorite.  It feels coming from no where but from everywhere. I feel the traces of tranquilizing effect sweeping in to whole of me. I always experienced an involuntary physical change that led me to note-able alteration in the acuity of tension I was in prior to coming to the café. 

Last week I went to the café and sat on the table I chose on the day I first came to this restaurant. This table is so placed in the corner that I can keep all the tables within my sight. I snap the passing by waiter and ordered my usual drink, coffee with some salty biscuits. I do not like creamy pastries or cakes. 

I threw a cursor look at the occupiers near me. Sipping my coffee and nibbling biscuit, I first look at the table on my right. This table always occupied by a girl. There was always girl, but everyday I saw new face. She was just sitting there, sipping her drink. I felt a sense of uneasiness, disturbed by some inner gloom. Once I had an eye to eye contact, I was shuddered to see the deep unknown gloom, as she was afraid that her innocence beauty was in peril. She was incessantly watching the watch wearing in her beautiful supple writs. 

After few minutes I found a commissionaire standing by her side. He slightly bowed and whispered in her eyes. She abruptly stood and followed him. Before leaving, she once again turned and looked at me. I again felt an electrical shock. It was just a fraction of a moment. Her eyes were gleaming with tears. I felt that they were saying “isn’t there any one who could save me, even you!” 

She turned her face and walked away, staggering like a person is taken to be crucified, head down, shoulders bowed. I felt myself empty from inside, as empty as I was no more. I sat there for few moments trying to gather myself, and then left the café. 

On my way back I felt a deep dejection within me. I was feeling that I was nothing. My condition was of like a person who could save a dying person but did nothing.