The Whole Truth

I am your conscience
I am heavy with guilt
Because I know your truth

How messed up you are
Behind those perfect pictures;
How sad behind that smile;
How lonely in that crowd;
And how weak behind
The display of all that strength.

But there are no ‘likes’ for a swollen face,
A broken arm or a bruised neck
So, hide your wounds
And smile for the world.
Caption it with fake inspiration.

And even though you feel empty inside-
Pretend that
You are constantly living
A rich, full life.

Only I know your whole truth.

My memories about Café Coffee Day (CCD)

The cafe culture was still novel in India. One of my undergrad batch mates worked as a barista at Café Coffee Day and I was so proud of him that he earned his own pocket money.

I used the second floor in Sector 18 Noida to study for my final exams because my hostel didn’t have air conditioning during the hot summer months. I would sit with a Devil’s Own and sip through calories that didn’t seem to stick to my body. Now, I will die just by looking at the amount of sugar in it.

Someone from Get Gorgeous Season 2 photographed me while I was out with a hostel wingie. They asked me to go to an audition in Delhi. That is another story how it went. But that led me to shoot a portfolio and one of the shots was my Orkut profile picture for years.

I also kissed my then boyfriend on a dare there. I still remember the jaw of the guy sitting next to us drop to the floor. Oh, to be young and stupid!

By the time I got a job, I think the location had already closed down for some reason.

Of all the places I have visited in the world, I don’t think I have created so many memories of so many different flavors at one place, except at that particular CCD (and Caffe Frascati at Downtown San Jose). It will always be special.

Though some of my friends liked the more ‘happening’ Barista, I liked the comparatively quieter CCD and its jukebox which had Annie’s Song btw. What more could you possibly want to chill ? Grateful to have had that space back then during my early adulthood.

*
The founder allegedly committed suicide link