Marine Drive On a Friday Evening

For the poets
The lovers
The ones who want to forget the office deadlines
The two school friends - now adults with jobs
Who meet here every Friday 
The families with little kids:
(because Dad came back early from work today)

Others of course are indoors - 
In local trains
In offices working late
In restaurants waiting for their date

In Tutions studying for exams
In coaching classes to get into IIT
in houses preparing dinner- 
some their own, some for others

In temples, mosques and Gurudwaras,
In Shivaji park, playing cricket while it’s still dry
In their rooms binge watching a new Netflix show

All of them knowing, that the sea is there
The city is there
Moving along swiftly

In its myriad forms, colours, problems… 
and everything in between
.
.
.
I pause to look at my watch
Time to go,
I turn to my right. 
Kaali peeli waiting, how convenient.

‘Boss, Prabhadevi chaloge’
I’m greeted with a nod

I get in- 
Wheels roll ahead..
back from the sea to the cacophony of Mumbai roads.