THE STUMBLING FEET IN THE DANCING SHOES

by Ankur R. Gupta

Your breakfast is cold again, and this is the second time I made tea for you, which remains untouched, grumbled Seema

Shyam was standing in a small garden, staring aimlessly at the untrimmed bushes of roses at one corner

Hmmm…did you say something, Seema? He asked vaguely, seeing her sullen face.

Uh nothing, she says, looking at his lost face Is everything okay? she asked in concern as she had been noticing him for the last few months, brooding on something.

Oh, ho, I‘m perfectly fine can’t a man spend some time in peace, he said, with an irked expression

Fine... carry on with your peacetime, but someone is not as lucky as you I’ve chores to finish Seema remarked with a slight sarcasm and went inside the house, wondering why he was getting angry at the drop of a hat these days.

Lucky??? Shyam mumbled, sighing heavily as his wife went away

I don’t know how to spend my day-to-day time, and you call me lucky He laughed drily and slumped back on the garden chair

It’s been almost 12 years since Shyam had retired from his high-profile job. Reeling back in time, he remembers his retirement party. How happy and relaxed he felt

My chunk of life has gone slogging in work

Now, I will just chill out and wander the globe with my lovely wife He heard himself saying to his colleague with champagne in his hand Everyone cheered for him

But as time passed by, his wandering pan saturated, and the monotony of routine life with nothing much to do, began to make a denting impact on Shyam's once vibrant personality Being an introvert, he always struggled to form

strong social connections and had no hobbies or interests outside his professional life Retirement presented him with a void that he didn’t know how to fill.

The void gradually transformed him into a grumpy man Who yearned for a new purpose to look forward in life but was very reluctant to search for one as he felt too old to explore.

Shyam, get ready fast His chain of thoughts was abruptly cut short, by his wife's shrilling voice from the Kitchen

You still have to pack your suitcase. Remember, we have a flight to catch tomorrow to attend your childhood friend Girdhar’s housewarming celebration, at his new farmhouse

Now, hurry and get your hair done, groom yourself, and for God's sake, please pack some good clothes other than a worn-out pair of T-shirts and trousers She grunted with distaste at his choice of clothes

Oh, yeah… I almost forgot… okay, and got up with enthusiasm A feeling Shyam had not experienced for a long time

I think it’s been almost seven years since we met, my dear friend, says Shyam cheerfully, looking at the immaculately dressed person with a stylish cut beard that enhanced his charismatic look

It's eight years, five months, and two days, to be precise, says Girdhar with a broad smile as he moved to hug his childhood buddy

The lines of aging were only physically visible on Girdhar’s face, with a few creases of wrinkles and greys. Otherwise, he still carried the aura of a graceful man with sparkling eyes

He and his wife, Geeta, greeted them with utmost warmth. As they entered the soberly but aesthetically decorated living room, Geetha called out, Guys! Chilled beers to beat the heat of Agra Eh sorry, Geetha, we quit drinking beer a few years back We are a bit cautious with our age, says Shyam… A tea will be great.

Really…. says Girdhar in surprise and looks at Seema, who gave him a wry smile and excused herself in the kitchen to help Geetha get some snacks

Come on, my dear friend, let’s cheers, for old time's sake, insisted Girdhar…nothing wrong with just one small peg

Ump okay, but just one, agreed Shyam, but hesitantly.

Cool! And here comes your favorite savory you relished with beer, commented Girdhar as Geetha and Seema entered with hot bhajis

All four friends sat together to catch up on the lost time. In the entire conversation, Shyam felt that he and Seema had nothing much to share On the other hand, Girdhar and Geetha spoke at length about many things

Talking cheerfully, Girdhar and Geetha spoke about how they are busy following their newfound interests that keep changing with time

Shyam kept listening to them with intrigued expressions, wondering why this fun was missing from his life

Ohh, just recently, we had such a ball of a time learning to dance together, gushed Girdhar in excitement.

What, a dance class at this age? Cribbed, Shyam, out of the habit of bringing age in everything. But you always had flat feet when it came to dancing.

Yes, I did But then I shrugged off that reluctance as Geetha wanted us to do a ball dance on our 50th Marriage anniversary Smiled Girdhar and winked at his loving wife.

Believe me, Shyam, he is still perfectly imperfect when it comes to dancing, laughed Geetha

Yeah… but I’m trying to be better with the passing days to be part of your wish list, he says to his wife. Geetha nodded her head and gave her husband an appreciable look

Seema sighed softly, listening to the loving couple. Oh, how much I miss such a warm-hearted conversation with Shyam She whispered to herself and gazed at her husband, who was oblivious to what she was feeling and was busy grilling Girdhar with more questions.

But isn’t it a bit of a risk? You might end up hurting yourself, questioned Shyam, with a perplexed expression

I’m aware that I am no longer in my 40s. So, always take a cautionary note of the physical limitations we all face in this age, spoke Girdhar A cautionary note quizzed Shyam curiously

Hmmm …… like, to avoid injuries, I opted to learn slow-pace dancing, explained Girdhar, giving an example

Hmm but it’s not so easy to learn at this old age…rather feel ridiculous, reasoned out Shyam, trying to justify his idea of living in familiar comforts. He then spoke at length about how helpless and ineffectual he feels with the changing times, especially the technology

Eh… this digitalization maniac, with everything going online, is making life a mess Ugh! Learning these platforms is such a task Life was so much simpler before, and he kept cribbing non-stop

You know why I stopped stock trading, he cribbed again Because I don’t trust agents to handle my finances, and I’m too old to learn these new apps and technology So, I stopped looking into Stock markets. He grumbled as he tried to justify his reluctance to learn new things.

But in reality, it was the fear of making mistakesand its repercussionsthat fueled his age-limitation excuses

Girdhar kept listening silently, feeling disappointed with the changes he was witnessing in his friend’s attitude

Why has he become so chicken-hearted? he muttered in an inaudible voice.

Gazing further at Shyam's pot belly and oldfashioned clothes, he sighed heavily I wonder what had happened to my friend, who used to go the extra mile to try new things and took good care of his appearance and health, he thought.

But now Shyam seems averse to everything

Don’t suppress your desires so tightly, my friend, says Girdhar, noticing his joyous face

Yeah…nodded Shyam. Come now, let’s have some beer, and then we can go for a long walk to burn down these calories, he stated happily

Aha great, clapped little Shanty in delight as Girdhar tactfully swirled the Kite high in the sky like a ship goes up and down on the crest of waves with a sailcloth.

Yahoo… there it goes, shouted Girdhar as he entangled his kite with the neighbor’s and, in one shot, bought it down The duo gave each other a big hi-fi and jumped joyously

Ohh, ho, Girdhar, here you’re jumping around like a child, and I have been looking for you everywhere, says Shyam, who huffed while climbing the staircases of the terrace

Shyam, my dear friend…Oh, my caretaker son just dragged me here Why don’t you also join us for Kite flying?

No thanks, he grumbled. My vision is not so agile, nor are my energies.

Oh, come on, at least try, insisted Girdhar persistently and handed over the Kite to him

Shyam, very reluctantly started to fly the Kite and grumbled when it fumbled down twice and almost gave up

Come on, try it again, coaxed Girdhar in an encouraging voice.

Okay, says Shyam in a listless tone

But as the Kite began to soar up, his stumbling feet started to dance with excitement.

Oh, God, I don’t know when was the last time, I laughed so much, gushed Shyam with child-like excitement after they concluded their flying session

Why did you think of investing in a farmhouse at this point? Asked Shyam while walking with Girdhar, the next day

Hmmm…it was my wife’s long-lost dream to live in a farmhouse, and I did it for her.

But was it a wise decision to invest so heavily?

My dear friend, I had calculated all my numbers well and had secured my finances This investment does not deter my future...

…. At this point in life, where I am…. all that matters is, doing things that make me feel fulfilled and happy

Yes, perhaps you’re right, sighed Shyam. I lost precious years of my life after retirement in the indecisiveness of finding new purposes because I was reluctant to face the risks and fears attached to it So, I guise my perplexities under the veil of aging.

Hmmm days spent with you and Geetha here gave me a chance to introspect myself I feel that my life is similar to a Kite

While aware of the limitation of being tied up in the threads of aging, I can still swirl it up in a direction I wish to

Girdhar smiled as he could now see, glimpses of old Shyam, whom he knew years back.

He patted affectionately at his shoulder and said, my dear friend, it is never too late

On his return from Agra, Shyam coaxed his wife to start her cookery classes on YouTube, which she always aspired to He hired a digital marketing team to assist her

He also delved into the world of digital Stock market trading. He knew he always had a keen eye for spotting good investment opportunities So, he decides to take a leap of faith in himself and explore the possibilities of digital trading

He started by attending local workshops and carefully writing instructions step-by-step, in his diary Perhaps the only meaningful skill he retained from his active job days

His days were spent practicing all these steps by diligently looking into his handwritten instruction notebook and talking to a few people actively involved in digital trading

Finally, a few months later, one day, he made his first digital trading action in the stock market. He bought his first share through a mobile app

Ghosh! I did it He clapped loudly as he saw the successful transaction blinking on his screen. He felt like he had won a battle.

This is just the beginning, he murmured, making a promise to himself

Months passed by, and sitting in his immaculately done garden, Shyam was engrossed in carefully analyzing his Stock portfolio in the Mobile. Seema was busy reading a newspaper while sipping her tea. Their eyes sparkled brightly, highlighting the radiance on their faces

Suddenly, she reads aloud a headline in the newspaper.

In the village of Andhra Pradesh, a 90-year-old woman successfully passed her 12th examination

Shyam smiles at her and speaks. Add to this headline that trying and learning does not have any Age Tag attached

Perhaps quoting his experience learned, the hard way that not trying is the first step towards failure.

Correct, smiled Seema, enjoying the long-lost companionship of her husband

These days, Shyam has developed another new interest in committing himself to growing various Bonsai in their garden And, for that, he has joined online gardening classes

Life has become so much simpler with digitalization, gushed Shyam happily

Ankur R Gupta - Ankur R Gupta is a multifaceted individual with a passion for storytelling and a deep understanding of human psychology

As an author, writer, and cybercrime intervention officer, her articles and stories delve into the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and the pursuit of personal well-being

Through her captivating narratives, she invites readers to embark on a journey of introspection and self-discovery

In addition to her writing pursuits, Ankur is an avid traveler. She is particularly drawn to historical and adventurous destinations, where she immerses herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and histories These experiences serve as a wellspring of inspiration for her work, adding depth and authenticity to her stories and articles.

@ankurrastogigupta

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