Smile Like You Mean It!

The tree branches swiftly taps on the windows of my room, the wind rattles through my face, and the heat of the not-so-blistering sun is glaring down the balcony, trying to convey a message. All this and the sound sleep is crushed with the screeching voice of my brother, “Sidhuuu.” After the third call, I coil my legs and batter the quilted blanket down to the floor, I then realize it is time to roll up the blanket and shove it somewhere in the almirah, but it is too late. Or, I am just too lazy to do it myself.

This is the start of the morning. The morning that promises high hopes and expectation, and, at the end of the day, nothing works out as planned. That’s life: Never plan.

However, the best part of waking up early morning is when the cold breeze wafts through my face, and there are no kids scampering down the road. I uncoil my muscles while rubbing my eyes and squinting up at the Bhagwan photos, I pray, with hands folded loosely. I pray to the God to dust out the sins hiding beneath us, bring in happiness, add the lacking productivity and most importantly, fill the void by keeping us in peace.

Right then, the muffled stillness is broken, yet again—not just by the news blaring from the television, but from the cawing of crows and chirping of birds whose breed I am unfamiliar with. “Its time,” says mom. What she wants to convey is that it is the time to get ready and head to the college.

And about 30 minutes remaining for the classes to begin, I am dashing around from one corner to the other, with various thoughts milling around in my head—none of them are of any importance. After all things done, I look myself in the mirror, I smile, a bit too much and carry the same smile through the gate, on to the rutted road and to the college. Why? I love to smile. It makes me happy. Makes everyone happy. And most importantly, girls dig guys with good smile.

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