Parks in large congested Indian cities perform one of the noblest humanitarian services by providing comparatively safe and cozy corners for young couples, married or single, to spend precious private moments. But, of course, there are several types of parks: some are smaller with thick undergrowth all around and patches of thick grass interspersed with narrow gravel paths and stone benches at convenient corners; some other medium-sized but similar parks have additional facilities for children to play, including toy gyms; some larger parks have cemented sidewalks rounding out the greenish ground in the middle, the sidewalk is obviously intended for walkers; and some even larger parks with almost authentic football and cricket pitches in the middle with concrete paving running the length of the square and concrete benches stretched beyond the paving towards the surrounding walls. The latest variety is a multi-use park: for morning and evening walkers, football and cricket matches and, of course, lovebirds. Our story is about such a park.

The park presents an interesting sight from late afternoon to night. I’m not talking about the mornings, because the mornings are mostly serene with genuine walkers making their scheduled rounds, the occasional soccer game, and hardly any couples, except for a few groups of young people sitting on benches or loitering on the sidewalk and bothering passers-by. serious walkers. , often drinking tea and smoking. I will also mention this fact later on why people have to go into clean and green parks to smoke or drink tea.

Afternoons and nights are very special. There will be at least three separate football and cricket matches that will play out lively across the playground, braving summer sun or downpours; some benches beyond the sidewalk would serve as pavilions for the parties and the others would be occupied mainly by young people made up of boys and girls; On some benches one or two ladies sat reserving the remaining space, perhaps waiting for their boyfriends; as we mentioned above, some mixed groups would slow down the pavement blocking genuine walkers; I see many other young people lighting a cigarette in an outdoor store and then regally entering the park to savor it, I don’t understand why; most young people would be maskless with social distancing disabled for everyone involved thanks to their unholy grouping; and the most surprising aspect is the fact that the vast majority of serious walkers would be seniors and senior citizens, barring a few younger exceptions. Well, this last fact speaks volumes for the health problems that have hit the younger population of India or the world with a vengeance in recent years.

That night I finished my rounds, rested in a secluded corner and as I was walking out the front door I noticed a rickshaw pull up near the door and a good looking, shapely young woman getting out. She paid the fee and immediately started talking on her cell phone as she headed for the door. I was curious: this means that lovebirds come from far away to this place, most likely for a memorable date. To confirm the same, I went back into the park and observed her from a distance. I found it quite rude to spy on a lady, but I took in the general gender-neutral ‘observance of human characters’ ethos, as indeed I had been doing there. The crux of being a writer, you know!

Now, she is talking excitedly on her cell phone, walking slowly down the sidewalk. After several minutes of talking, she abruptly puts her phone back in her bag and looks around her aimlessly for a few moments, perhaps unable to decide what to do. She assumed that her boyfriend would be unduly late for the date and the angry girl had two ideas: go home angry or not waste her evening waiting for a supposedly uncertain period of time.

Finally, he seemed to have found his resolve. She began to walk, keeping a genuine space, along the sidewalk. I watched with more interest now if this really was going to be a serious night drive. He went through the first round and didn’t stop, he continued through the second round and didn’t slow down. I smirked. Well, by design, by accident, or by sheer no-show, the young woman really did indulge in a serious exercise that would hopefully inspire her to do it regularly or at least occasionally as long as her boyfriend kept showing up late. When I finally made my way out, the young lady was completing her fifth round and taking her cell phone out to check the time.