Anu’s heart sank. ‘Vicky, what do you not like here?’

He mumbled many things but what she could gather was he had to do too much writing, could not talk in the class or walk towards friends. He did not like his separate desk and chair. He wanted to sit on a bench with a long table like in his old school. Anu sighed. Does he need to be educated this vigorously? The school coordinator had explained how they had a new method of fast-track teaching. But Vicky was happy in his slow-track school. Sumitra aunty’s school was anything but old fashioned. She had created a very open and friendly environment for learning.

As Anu sipped her coffee sitting in her usual spot at Coffee Day, she looked around. All those waiting for someone had their heads buried in their phones, those with a special someone took selfies, and the ones with ordinary everyday friends intermittently checked their phones. The waitress made coffee while checking her phone, the window-cleaner hanging from a rope listened to music on his phone, the maid mopping the floor was busy chatting with someone. Anu had a wild thought of taking away all their phones and dunking them in the bucket of water the maid had. What would happen? Someone would murder her for sure.

She began thinking about her life. She had to do something. Maybe give her resume to schools in and around that area so that she could work till Vicky’s school ended. Or, work in a library or part-time somewhere. None of the thoughts was appealing. Maybe she should just enjoy her time for a while as Sumitra aunty had suggested. Just when her thoughts began to exhaust her, the phone rang. Pooja. Well, that was a surprise. The girl only messaged at best!

‘Aunty, are you busy? Can I talk to you?’

‘All yours. I am at Coffee Day.’ Anu sipped her coffee.

‘Can you go shopping with me? Like now?’

Anu spilt a little of her coffee. Why would Pooja want to go shopping with her?

‘Hmm … we could. But no shop opens before eleven, Pooja. It is only eight-thirty now!’

‘Oh … didn’t think of that. I want to talk to you too. Can I come to Coffee Day?’

‘I will come back home instead. Let us meet at the coffee shop there.’

‘I thought you don’t want to pay for the coffee there.’

‘I don’t. But that is a good meeting point!’

Anu walked to the cake shop next door and got six blueberry muffins packed. Both Pooja and Pete loved those.