Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla West, 8:00 pm, Sunday

The Phoenix Mall has been my go-to place ever since I moved to Mumbai. I go there at least once a week to work on assignments. It's the only place where I find peace in the chaos. I usually go to Cafe Coffee Day as it is less crowded. One of the workers, named Sushma, recognises me every time I visit and always asks how I am doing. It all started because of a small conversation. I guess it left some impact on her, so it makes her recognise me every time. 

I went to the cafe after two months, not expecting to be remembered, but surprisingly, Sushma welcomed me with a warm smile. We had a small talk. I ordered a Tiramisu Frappe. I sat in the corner where the plug point was. I opened my laptop to write down my observations for the blog writing assignment. 

I noticed two people sitting just in front of me. After shameless eavesdropping, either it was an interview or an extremely formal date. The man seemed like the interviewer. The girl, with a humble smile, was speaking with a lot of confidence. I couldn't help but root for her to get the job if it really was her interview. 

My overpriced coffee and a couple arrived at the same time. The couple sat at a table next to me. They were an older couple, married for more than ten years. The woman was wearing a grey-coloured salwar kameez, and the man was wearing a blue-coloured polo t-shirt. As I sipped my coffee, I patiently waited for something unusual. The woman went and placed the order. I looked over at those two people infront of me. They were smiling and giggling at something. I wish I could have heard what it was. At this point, I was nosier than my paternal aunt. 

Sushma's shift was over. She bid her goodbye. A friend group entered the cafe. They were in their 20s, a few years older than me. They were obnoxiously loud. The older couple beside me eyed them a few times. Meanwhile, the two people who were in front of me shook hands and walked in different directions. It's safe to assume that was an interview. I hope the girl got the job!

The couple next to me hadn't spoken in the past 30 minutes. They were sipping coffee and sitting in silence. It didn't seem like comfortable silence. The woman was getting restless. The man was avoiding eye contact. They seemed unhappy and trapped. Maybe it was a poor observation from my side. Maybe it was just comfortable silence. I used to enjoy silence back home with my best friend, probably because we used to hang out all the time. Now that I am away and we barely get time to talk, I find it overrated. I looked at them. There was no hope for a conversation happening.

The group of friends were now more calm. There were four of them. I checked the time and saw one hour was up. I started packing my laptop. And then I heard the woman say the coffee wasn't as it used to be, the man nodded. They bonded over this little thing. I couldn't help but smile. Indeed, it was a poor observation from my side.