The car took a sharp turn on DP road right in front of the crossword. The black paint of barriers on footpath, meant to stop people from driving on the footpath, was peeling off in parts almost resembling the map of India. I walked briskly trying to avoid the brown stray dog approaching me, his tail moving rapidly trying hard to seek my attention. I climbed up the stairs. The guard was sitting on the old wooden table. The blue temperature scanner lying there. He seemed least bothered that I was entering the store. His black moustache was ragged like a used-up bottle brush. I went to him offering to get my temperature checked which he did, his “please leave me alone” expression had not changed a bit. I had to find a gift for you for less than 150 Rs which seemed like an impossible task. The smell of new books mixed with crisp early winter air greeted me. The first table had its usual bestsellers and coffee mug. I picked up a red coffee mug which had a combination of round and square shape. Turned it upside down. It had a white tab with red borders right in the middle of which in faded ink was a number Rs 350. I kept it back disappointed wondering who made up this rule of 150 Rs. I was convinced that I could not find anything in this shop. I started meandering around the isles. I was getting lost in the works of Richard Bach, J Khrisnamurthy , Osho and others. The music system was playing an instrumental of a recent Arijit song. The dog had somehow followed me to the store I saw him sitting right across from me. His green eyes looking straight in mine, his tongue vibrating with each rapid breath. His tail which was now resting on the floor was still moving but less rapidly than before. Annoyed I started to walk away briskly moving through multiple isles reaching to a darker corner of the bookstore. Shaking my head thinking to myself that COVID had really affected the way businesses operate. Looking back constantly trying to make sure that the stray dog was not still following me. Suddenly my eyes fell on this black book with a red circle in the middle on the top in white was written MURAKAMI and on the bottom in smaller font “The wind-up bird chronicles”. Haruki Murakami is my current favourite author and I was surprised to find an entire section just for his books. I got lost in browsing through his masterpieces. I suddenly heard the panting of the dog again. I looked around, but he was not there. That’s when I noticed that my shoelaces were untied so I kneeled down to tie my laces. As I looked up I found a small white gem with a black starry sky circle in the middle and on top was written MURAKAMI I quickly turned it around and the price label brought a smile on my lips.
“No matter how far they go, people can never be anyone but themselves.”
