Mumabi's Heart

By Aanvi Malpani

Meera was a young woman who lived in the busy streets of Mumbai, where aspirations and reality mix. Born and raised in a rural town, Meera had high hopes for her future in the city. She awoke in the middle of the metropolis, encircled by buildings that seemed to reach the sky.   The tumultuous commotion of the metropolis consumed Meera's days. She answered many calls from all over the world while working nonstop at a contact centre. But even with her hectic existence, Meera saw loneliness beginning to seep into her soul.  

One evening, while traversing the congested streets of Mumbai on her way home, Meera spotted a tiny bookshop nestled into a corner. She entered intrigued and was welcomed by the cosy smell of old books and the soft murmur of discussion.    An old man with lovely smile and kind eyes stood behind the counter. The bookstore's owner went by the name of Mr. Patel. After starting a chat with him, Meera realised that hours had flown by quickly.

Meera felt a fresh feeling of identity as she said farewell to Mr. Patel and entered the busy street. Day after day, she found herself going back to the bookstore to find comfort in the words of Mr. Patel and the pages of old books.   But one day, tragedy struck. When Meera arrived, the bookstore was closed and had a sign that said, "Closed indefinitely," hanging on the entrance. Brokenhearted, Meera wandered the streets of Bombay in search of Mr. Patel and the bookshop that had come to represent a haven for her.

Meera eventually saw Mr. Patel sitting on a seat in a local park after searching for him for days. He stated that the bookstore had to close owing to financial issues, tears welling up in his eyes. Meera experienced a twinge of sorrow, realising that she had lost not just a bookshop but also a close friend. 

 However, Meera and Mr. Patel came to understand that the actual beauty of the bookstore was not found within its walls but rather in the relationships that were made there as people sat there in the park together, exchanging tales and recollections. And they realised that their friendship would last even in Mumbai's shadows as they watched the sun set over the metropolitan skyline.

By Aanvi Malpani