OS: THOUGHTS

Thoughts are like a swimming pool.

Dev raced his way through his regular laps in the club's Olympic sized pool full of cool clear water. This was routine. A way to keep fit and functioning. A cool way to start the day.

Of course, the luxury of being able to enter into an elite club, had given him a sense of accomplishment. Years of poverty and finally escaping from its jaws...Dev could remember vividly the day he had seen his classmate Ravi, shell out his membership card and enter joyfully for a dip on the way back from school. Ravi had invited him in too...but the way the watchman had glared at his dilapidated slippers had glued Dev's feet there. Outside the gate. He had smiled and declined politely.

Of course, now that watchman was long gone..probably dead or aging somewhere. The darwaan at the gate had nothing but salaams for him whenever his car pulled up, dappling richly in the morning light.

As the smell of chlorine filled his nostrils Dev opened his eyes underwater, holding his breath for a while marvelling at the haunting greenish hue of the water and the way it made him feel disconnected from everything. Like being back in the womb, as some people described it.

After a few peaceful laps, his waterproof watch told Dev it was time to leave. He would breakfast at home and then to work. Anyway after 7.30, it was ladies' time. Men were allotted only 5.30-7.00 AM.

Mr. Bedi, wearing sneakers, shorts and a green golf tee, and smelling strongly of aftershave bounced jovially towards him. His hand outstretched and a smile plastered on his face. He was one of Dev's business associates from 2 or 3 years back. His wife, wearing highest of heels and something which was meant to be a cover up over her swimsuit, padded along behind him. The effect was of a huge beach ball rolling alongside another beach ball slightly smaller in diameter.

A few words of greetings were exchanged and a few pleasantries. And then he was on his way, when something arrested him. A beautiful woman. Scratch that. Dev had a lot of beautiful women fluttering around. This woman usually did not flutter around...she bustled busily saving the world and his mother from nutritional problems. But she did not wear a swimsuit then.

Dev watched the rather too perfect and proper Doctor Bose suddenly turn into a mermaid, pulling off a perfect dive off one of the boards. Mr. Bedi seemed to have noticed too, before his wife slapped him on his arm.

A little lap done, she paused for breath..looked around, swiping wet hair from her eyes and saw him and kept staring. A warm smile broke out on Dev's face, and he raised an arm in greeting.

She mirrored him.

Both were surprised to know that they swam in the same club and had never run into each other before. Both liked seeing each other there, free of their normal trappings.

Perhaps if they ran into each other again, they might strike up a conversation next time.

These thoughts swam around their headspace. Thoughts are like a swimming pool.

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My first OS on this forum, hope everyone likes it.😊