But!

For a fine moment or two, I thought that I was the earliest one to raise till that quill broke that. Soon there were several others and even crows. Busted, I moved on but congratulated myself for getting up that early. "A good start takes you half the distance! ", I said to myself but doubted whether I would complete the rest. Immediately, memories of the past came flooding where there were many half baked attempts that include driving two wheelers, cars, reading Ayn Rand books [apart from Fountain Head ] and others too. I shrugged off and started briskly.

Yes. After a long gap, I have started my morning walk again. First I felt a bit of numbness in the thighs and thought that they are yet to wake up. As I walked along, I realized that I was just plain lazy and pushed myself up. Wow! A gentle breeze and a vacant street with soothing sun to start, feels so heavenly, you know? But just a turn to the bigger street showed me a lot of people in various ages going forward and back. I was so surprised and relieved seeing many who are much more in size than me. I crossed the main road and moved to the park. A good patch of greenery awaited me and I was so awed by just the leaves of different trees and smaller plants. While some waved gently, dancing and laughing like little children when gifted, the thicker ones let the breeze past them, while being dipped in mirth yet unmoved. I took along the cement path and walked briskly as that was my first round. But within a short distance I had to sidestep and move past the 'slow ' walkers.

I just recollected the odd but lovely scenes that I liked - mostly vacant buses speeding past, the half eaten yellow corn which lied in the dustbin, yet claimed more importance but, because of the lovely colour contrast between it and the new green dustbin, the odd old left slipper of a child, lying in the middle of the road, the lazy black dog and the tall buildings on both sides of the road I took, but one of those caught me by surprise, hence etched in my mind. It was an old building alright, but with tinted glass in the front part which reflected the baby sun and a transformation had just been complete. It looked like an orange flame, at first and a lovely silk cloth waving gently.

As I thought of all these and moved along, I suddenly felt that I had been walking for a long time. "Less sweat because of climate dear. But I bet that you walked enough today! ", a part of me patted. But when I took the phone out, I saw to my chagrin that only fifteen minutes had elapsed. I carried myself for a further few rounds at a sedate pace but stopped when my legs cried and sat on a bench. The next moment, I took my phone and read the headlines. I stretched a bit after a few minutes and went back. By then, there was a lot of change. There was a good amount of traffic in the main road with buses filled up, many two wheelers were plying, and a general lack of patience showed everywhere, including that within myself. The city was awake fully then and there were a cop but he was standing idle for a while.

I felt euphoric a bit for completing my first target, but realized that there is a long way to go. I then bought a couple of biscuits in loose, and ate one. Seeing that black dog, I moved closer keeping the biscuit in its full view. But it was not interested at all and just turned aside. I wondered what made even such animals to have this lack of belief towards us and pitied myself and us in general. But then that question hit me like a bullet.

Why are you always adding a 'but'?

But!