Reluctantly I stepped into Pune. Lost, lonely, friendless and jobless. I remember the days when I clung on to Oliver and wondering what fate had in store for me. I was unwilling to get attached. It is four years into Pune now. It is time to leave. And here I am reluctant to leave. Pune has grown on me. I really do not want to go back to Coimbatore. But, I have no excuses to stay back.Sanjay is married and Shradha will finish her B.Arch.
I wish Pune had the same craze for French which Coimbatore has. I love teaching French and Coimbatore is my Niche. I hate the familiarity of Coimbatore. Everyone who is someone is known to everyone. I love the anonymity a big town offers. It's great that even in such a big town, we always manage to bump into someone we know. It's even wonderful to know that Rickshawallas know you and take you back home without having to tell them where you stay.( It must be 1. The silly grin on my face. 2. My dependency on them, or 3. My broken Hindi. )
Pune is the place I learnt to be patient. Pune taught me that more flies could be killed by honey than with vinegar. I smile more and frown less. I learnt to do things on my own. I have become Self Sufficient. In all my life, I never thought I would love another place more than my Coimbatore. I will sorely miss Pune and I will clutch at straws to be back at the slightest opportunity.
I love my friends, neighbors (who are as good as family members) relatives, colleagues and students in Pune. Most of the people I met here have been amazing and I can say there were just a handful of obnoxious ones and they are not worth thinking about.
The countdown has begun and I will leave with a heavy heart, taking with me precious memories that will never die.
