THE FORTY WINKS STORY…

Fifth. That was the fifth cup of espresso I was having. Never before was I so dependent on espresso for relieving my rampant thoughts! Fifth? I never had so much espresso in my entire life in one take. That too within interval of 15 minutes! It soothed me. Really. The strong and hot effect made my head clear of all the thoughts and soothed the churning effects I was having in my stomach from the past one-hour.

I was waiting. Waiting since the past hour. The jukebox was luckily playing some really delightful songs. End of Stairway to heaven start of Hotel California.

On my left was this couple canoodling from what seemed like ages!! Holding hands, staring at each other the same way I was to my seat in front of me, but I was sans emotions. An elderly woman was on my right. There was this peculiarity about her that I noticed. There were freckles on her skin but instead of marring her beauty they made her beautiful! Otherwise the café was empty apart from the workers. I asked for a sixth cup. The attendant eyed me as if eyeing a drug addict who was going on asking for another sniff!! What is it to do with him? He’s here only for doing his work. He went towards the café counter and placed the order. Even the man there saw me as if there was some zombie sitting in front of him and asking him to grant his blood so that I could drink his blood. No I want coffee!!!

He came in. Eyes. It was his eyes I saw first. There was something in them. Something I was desperate to know and he was desperate to tell. My brother? I never saw him like this!

“It’s raining pretty bad outside” he said.
“Oh, I didn’t notice actually. Now tell me. I have been waiting here for one hour.”
“Six? You had six espressos?”
“That’s unimportant. Talk.”
“I did it again”
“What?”
“Stop the time”
“No one can stop time. No one. So just don’t kid. Tell me what’s wrong?”
“I can and I did. I really did. It’s impossible to believe but its true.”
“Ok. If you have called me here to tell me this crap I am leaving. Is this some kind of sick joke you wanna play?”
“I am serious. Damn serious. You will have to believe me. Please. Its only you who can help me.”
“What help do you want from me? I can’t do anything for this. Really.”
“See only you know about this. And I can’t possibly tell anyone.”
“So what do you want from me?”
“Nothing just get me rid of this power.”
“How?”
“By taking it.”
“You sound like some prophet. This is all nincompoop and I am believing you.”
“Coz you have to. It does contain some truth.”
“Go on.”
“See, either you take it or help me destroy it.”
“Ok. I won’t take it but I can help destroy it. Tell me how”
“Just stop dreaming.”
“Huh?”
“Pinch yourself you are dreaming. Just stop it.”
“No I am not. I am not dreaming.”
“I am telling you. I stopped time when you were dreaming and I entered your dream. This is why the dream isn’t ending. Now I have released time. All you have to do is break the dream. When you break your dream, you will return to the place where you were sleeping and I will be a free bird.”
“But why the hell did you have to enter my dream?”
“I don’t have an answer for that.””Ok can I pinch myself now? By the way where am I when I am seeing this dream?”
“Dunno.”
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I pinch myself and wake up to find myself in Barista. And how? Sleepy eyed. It takes time for me to remember why I was here. Oh yes my brother. I am here to meet him. I see in front of me are five espressos. Huh???? How did I manage to SLEEP after having espressos?
He enters.
“Hey look at your eyes. Have you been sleeping all the while??”
“Didn’t you tell me you had powers of stopping the time? You had entered my dream.”
“Jeez!! U have gone nuts. What are you talking about? I am here to discuss my project on time management with you dear!!”
“Time management? Same thing.”
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