The coffee I miss; the coffee I loved

Its 10:45pm, about the time the coffee shop closes. I and sharad rush with what all change we can accumulate towards 9^th block, chatting and discussing about some random stuffs, completely irrelevant to the next-day exams.  We reach there Just-In-Time, as coffee anna is about to close his shop, before even reaching the shop, sharad yells asking for two cups of cappuccino, one with extra sugar, that day like most other days, we got lucky and got our beloved coffee from Fresh and Honest. Yes honest it was, as it delivered the freshness just as the title promises. The rush of caffeine was just the moral catalyst to build up the tempo for the remaining night, nights that I hated. 

But today, its 10:45pm again, I still have lot of change in my drawer, but no exams, I still have work that will keep me awake the whole night, but no syllabus to finish, I still have friends around me, but no-one to have a complete no-sense talk. I sit back and realise that I really miss those days, days when life was simpler, targets were fixed, coffees kept you awake, and studies were just a one night affair. Seniors used to say that college life is the best; it will last forever in your memories, seemed irrelevant in those days, when the socio-political discussions in hostel rooms would create enough adrenaline rush to go out in the world and make our thoughts understood. I was an average student, not the one with 10 point CGPA, but yes tried to have something good on my resume by doing some technical projects, which seemed to be all-so-important in those days; yes it did help me in getting a good job as well as internship, but I failed to realise at that time that once you get out of college, everything restarts, it gets much lonely. Sharing a cubicle with some middle aged guy doesn’t motivate you to go to office every day, and the salary received at the end of the month doesn’t seem to satisfy you at all, cribbing becomes an inherent part of your character and every second person wants to start his own business or chase the coveted CAT. 

Nevertheless, coming back to our coffee, as it’s the subject of this write up, I as usual getting mixed up with my feelings. The days have changed, the coffee has changed. The current trend being the ever-so-boring café-coffee-day, machines on every office, giving out the same kind of cappuccino, on printed coffee cups, reminding you every day that life has become more monotonous than we actually think, the freshness never seems to come and honesty is something which we have long forgotten. Once a while if you are in Bangalore you go and pay 80 Rs for CCD coffee again, which more than reliving you, reminds that you have become quite a spendthrift and whatever you are drinking will never be worth the amount you have paid for. In between the usual coffee breaks at office and frequent trips to CCD, life moves on with lonely nights to think about your old days, when a 1 Rs hike for the cup of cappuccino would make us struggle for the change and the time when a bread omelette at 2am would taste like heaven. Time changes, people change, yes nothing is constant, but when has this mighty equation of life presented us with constants?

 I suppose, the day is not far when “Anna ek cappuccino with extra sugar” will be replaced by “Excuse me! One espresso, please”. Till then reminisce, for it’s a nice thing to do, and yes do keep an eye on the sugar content of your coffee ,as  its narrating some story...story you don't want to miss....