The Lone Sentinel

Amidst the concrete jungle,

 I stand Bathed by the lights that turn night into day

 I welcome you with a wave And  wish you goodbye too 

Hoping that we may meet again

On a warm sultry night in Bangalore, I was at the Bangalore Airport to see off a family member. The clock had ticked well past midnight, yet it hardly seemed so. The sounds and lights all around had turned night into day.

 I was strolling around at a leisurely pace, waiting for the green signal to head home. It was taking time. It was understandable in a busy airport like Bangalore these days. After many a stroll, when my knees beckoned me to rest, I sat down at one of the coffee shops to kill time. 

Ordering a lemon iced tea to beat the thirst and the heat, I sat down to kill time. I watched the world around me as my limbs rested. Passengers seemed to arrive and depart just like the sea waves 

There was no relaxed pace at all. It was like rush hour traffic. People were walking by, oblivious to their surroundings. There was a slight breeze that happened to go by suddenly. Taken by surprise, I turned around to face the wind. It was at that moment I happened to notice the green patch. It was a very soothing sight. The traveller’s tree in the centre was swaying slightly due to the wind. It was as if the tree was waving to the passengers. The tree seemed to welcome the passengers coming in or waving goodbye.

 I went back to my past when my maternal grandmother would stand at the doorway, welcoming us when we went to meet her during our holidays. She would wave goodbye from the same spot when we had to return (when the holidays got over). The moment was magical. 

I had forgotten my iced tea by now. My grandma’s face was in front of me. The essence of my relationship with her hit me now. After all these years, I truly missed her. 

The phone rang after a long period of silence. It was an all-clear signal. My work at the airport was over.