I Remember You, Stranger

By Unnati Naik

I remember you, stranger.

The other day when everything was going wrong one after the other,

I was a baby, being scolded by my mother,

And, you were in the same lift, while I was in a drift of sorrow;

"It is okay", you said, while you handed me back, my bottle that I had dropped somewhere, "It'll be fine tomorrow"

I believed you, stranger

I remember you, stranger;

you gave me a lift on your shoulders in the floods

in which I would have drowned otherwise

life was a confusing page that day,

but you were a saviour,

so empathetic, so kind

I remember you, stranger;

you gave me your pen at the airport that day,

I was in a hurry but, you were organized

I was struggling with a form

you spelled it out for me,

so calm, so wise!

I admire you, stranger;

I remember you,

giving me a hand, cause I couldn't handle the pushing;

Giving me a firm grip,

so that I wouldn't fall off the train,

As if a lifetime passed by learning together

I'm grateful, stranger.

I remember you, in that lonely hospital seat;

You let me rest my head on your shoulders for some fleeting moments

maybe you felt relatable?

But you were sensible and sensitive indeed,

I don't know if I deserved you, stranger.

I remember you,

smiling at me from afar,

as we crossed paths on that early morning run,

you were the extraordinary factor to my routine;

You gave me hope, calming my pessimistic mind,

You were my rockstar!

I was in awe, stranger

And I miss you, stranger;

every passing day I spend locked in the four walls of my house,

I feel you,

you want to step out too, maybe

Or maybe you are out there, saving me from the virus,

Or from the worldly battles

I'm so speechless, stranger

Maybe we'll meet in our thoughts, where we dream of being free together;

My thoughts will be my imagination but you'll really be a stranger;

I'll remember you, stranger

(written during the covid-19)

By Unnati Naik