lunch at spaghetti kitchen

I love winter afternoons-in Emily Dickinson's words 'there's a certain slant of light' which teases you and invites you .On just such a seductive january afternoon i step into Spaghetti Kitchen with my lunch companion. The restaurant is on the first floor of the main Sundar Nagar market. It is early afternoon and we are the first customers .The first impression is of polished wood, white linen ,sunlight streaming through big glass windows-definitely pleasant .We are shown to a table near the windows and we settle down.

 My companion is on the phone and so I manage a quick look over. Again , definitely pleasant. The effect is of casual elegance ( always the most difficult to get right).The phone call is over and we get down to placing our order.A spaghetti (but ofcourse ) and pizza ordered we get down to the serious business of catching up (euphism for gossiping). My companion says something and it makes me laugh. The tone is set .The food comes.The pizza is amazingly well made .The crust is thin and the toppings marvellously well put together.The spaghetti (my first reaction is; omg, is that all) is al dente. We dissect our lives,and some other interconnected lives too. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirrors (yes, mirrored walls) . I look as if I am thoroughly enjoying myself. I look affectionately across the table. Some sixteen odd years separate us but nothing else comes in between .There are no pretences, or pretensions ,or cloying closeness or affectations. She is wise beyond her years ,very humane, incredibly well spoken, an architect who has 'arrived'.I ask her advise on a small matter ( my non existent career).It is readily (and with great candour) given . We signal for the cheque .By this time the restaurant has filled up .

The service was great (unobtrusive) and we are thanked thrice on our way out. We step out into an afternoon that is still sunny. The farewells are quick . She turns left . I go right.Why can't everything in life be just as uncomplicated?