Last Day of the cafe

The hot beverage is poured into the cup and the steam gracefully moving towards your nose and giving the best aromatic sensation of the morning. I have seen this all through my life; every morning when Maa and Paa would sip either tea or coffee pouring it firmly on the saucer. Though I am not a big fan of tea and coffee, I have seen the emotion that is attached to these national beverages of India. They define these beverages as an integral part of their lives. Morning, evening: Two cups with some biscuits or cookies and that's how their life goes on with them. Matka wali chai, Malai wali chai, masala chai, elaichi adrak wali chai - I hear these words of chai every day; and then comes a group of people who shower all their love for coffee. Cold coffee, hot coffee, black coffee, cappuccino, latte and what not; these people love to grab a mug and enjoy their time. 

I know so much about this relation of people and the hot beverages because I am one of those lucky persons who serve them every day in my cafe. As you drive through MG road in Pune, Just near to the SGS  mall, you can spot a cafe door- lively, decorated and dazzling with lights. The letters at the entrance will read "The Life Cafe - For those who love this life".I started the cafe 15 years back with people coming in for some tea and maska pav. With maska pav and chai still in demand, cappuccino and black coffee have become the new favorites of the college students. Morning for the old people returning from the park, afternoon for the secret couples at the corner, evening for the college-going students sitting and relaxing and nights sometimes for dates and sometimes for families. After which, I used to return home with smile and satisfaction.

Sometimes, life gives you no choice except to move ahead. So, today is the last day of the cafe as I am moving out of this city. But, I can see the same old customers smiling at me from their tables and ordering their delicacies. They don't know that tomorrow this life cafe will not be there and I am not going to tell them, because I want them to leave this place happily today with the same old smile while they pay at the cash counter. I have seen so much of emotions and happiness here, I have also seen tears and sadness flowing by. Actually, I have seen life moving around here. 

From tomorrow, I will miss these people moreover, I will miss these lives and emotions. I will not get to see these old bunch of crazy happy people talking about cricket matches and politics. Their fights and bets on matches, their deep talks on the potholes in the city and their retirement plans. Sometimes they include me in their never-to-happen trips and decide the budget plan also.
It was for them that I had to place a TV in the cafe so that they can shout and scream during matches.

I will not be able to witness that love at the corner seat where one will be impressing others for those small pity mistakes. I have seen my cafe get decorated on valentine's day for some surprises and that looked so cute and lovable to my eyes. Can you see Ajay, sitting with Naina there? They got married 10 months back, and I have seen there love story blossom on that particular table over the years. Naina's tears on small fights and Ajay coming late every time; I have seen them all. 

Those cranky, crazy college talks; I will miss them too. As the clock would strike 4 in the evening, the rush would increase with tables getting filled up. Frustrated students on boring college lectures and shouting on getting fewer marks. The topic would then go into depth how bad id our education system. After getting relaxed, they would start vacating the chairs with smiles, love and laughter.

But, I will miss nights the most. The family time with parents coming with kids and spending some good time with the music playing in the background. Khan Sahib comes with her granddaughter on every Sundays. The tiny one would be carrying her own toys and Khan Sahib would make her sit at the top of the delivery desk. From the day she was born, I have seen her going to school and then stopping here and taking chocolates from me. These kids would light up my cafe every day and I used to be the happiest soul seeing all this in front of me. 

And do you know, what is common in all of them? Just look at all the tables; the cup and saucer with their tea, the coffee mugs, the biscuits and cookies. The aroma is still there as I get up to move.
People have left smiling with the same content and satisfaction as always and I ..... I am just shutting down the cafe and putting this letter at the gate. 

"For tomorrow will be a new morning, with a new person or a new cafe lighting this place. But, I move down the lane with all these emotions and happiness making my pockets heavy."