I walk amid a sea of people everyday. Pushing, shoving, all the while to be the first. Instead of pushing them by and egging them ahead, have you ever taken a closer look at them? Have you looked into their eyes? Everyone has a story to tell, and it’s all written in their eyes. This is a collection from days when I chose to see their story as it slowly flashed before their eyes
***
I noticed the lady who looked at a new day with dread and fatigue. Her eyes were heavy; eyelids fighting to stay open; black circles threatening to take over. Her age was catching up to her and she could no longer pull off a 9 to 5 day along with increasing family demands. Her kids needed breakfast on the table, tiffin boxes packed and ready to go. Her husband needed a packed lunch, and a smile on her face as he kissed her goodbye. She managed to muster a smile everyday, but her eyes told a different story.
***
While I was getting off the rickshaw one day, a girl with a spring in her step drew my attention with her bright coloured clothes. The heat of the summer sun couldn’t dampen her spirits one bit. Her excitement came out of her eyes. Unlike many who dread it, she looked toward the station with hope. It took me back to my first day in the city – full of hope, excitement and energy. In silence I hoped the city would treat her better. Her ringing phone snapped me out of my reverie. Her conversation confirmed my thoughts – it was the first day of a new job. She talked excitedly of her expectations, and it was clear then – her eyes echoed her feelings, and fluttered as quickly as her heart was beating.
***
Late in the evening one day, as a train passed by, I noticed a man standing in an almost empty compartment in silence. He did not move as the train jerked and left the station; he stood still, hand holding the handle on top, as if clutching on to it for dear life. His almost bloodshot eyes echoed angry words his boss may have had yelled at him that day. From looking at him, you knew the weight of his job was taking a toll on him. His eyes, almost half closed, showed the same signs of weariness.
***
On days when I’m late to work, I’m normally busy tapping away at my phone, trying to get a little bit of work done to make up for my tardiness. On one such day, when the train was blissfully empty, I chose to keep the phone away and let music fill my thoughts instead. An urchin boy suddenly caught my eye. He jumped onto the train just as it was pulling out of the station, stood with one leg on the foot board and the other in the air. One look at him and you knew he was mischievous; so mischievous that his eyes could no longer contain it in them, and allowed it to flow right through his being. The troubles of his life seemed non-existent – his eyes only spoke of pure happiness, as they fluttered in the wind, and glistened as the sunshine bounced of them.
***
Late one evening, the conversation between two young friends caught my attention. They were standing near the exit, clutching the train for support. What was the hot topic? Marriage, arranged marriage actually. One had already started getting proposals – her mother was talking to her friend’s son-in-law’s friend’s parents and all other such complicated connections. Neither of them seemed against the idea, but were they ready for it? While they talked and giggled with a maturity not even close to what’s needed in a marriage, her feelings were more than clear in her eyes. What was most prominent were the rays of innocence that flooded her eyes – she wasn’t ready for marriage, and she was too scared to say it herself.
***
While I was in the rickshaw one day, on my way back from work, a pair of eyes caught my attention. We locked gazes and I almost heard her talk. Through her eyes, she spoke of past loves, personal troubles, professional hurdles and I knew she craved for an escape. After what seemed like several minutes, a horn blared and we lost eye contact. I looked back in her direction in the hope of learning more about her, to help her, but all I saw was a mirror and those familiar eyes staring back.
Even if your words are a lie, your eyes always tell the truth ~Libby Saumur.
Faye Rodrigues is employed full-time, but makes time to put pen to paper in pursuing her passion for writing. Her dream is to travel the world and write about her adventures. Her passion for travel goes beyond merely reaching a destination – it lies in the adventure of getting there. She believes in the motto – “Live like everyday is your last… Love as though no one is watching you… Write like it’s your only means of communication… Travel as though the world is next door.”.