I woke up just to realise that I had fallen asleep on my bed.

It was supposed to be just a short break…
lying on my back after coming home from work at 4 pm.

Now it was 6.

So I decided to go out for a small ride around the town.

I picked up my keys and my mobile…
only to find that the battery was dead.

So I left it on charge, took a 50 rupees note from my purse…
and went out.

The ride was rough.

The roads were bad.

The air was hot.

Not the kind of weather where you would enjoy a cup of tea.

Something felt missing too…
but couldn’t quite name it.

On my way back, I saw a bhel puri stall.

For those who don’t know, bhel puri is a simple street snack—
a mix of puffed rice, sev, onions, chutneys… all tossed together.

I took a parcel and went to my building.

Parked my scooter…
and went up to the terrace.

The air was a little cooler there.

So I sat down and started eating.

And I started thinking…

Almost nothing had gone well.

I overslept.
My phone died.
The ride was unpleasant.

And above all, even this bhel puri tasted awful.

But strangely though…

I felt light.

I felt good.

A kind of freedom…

But from what?

Then it hit me.

The phone!

It had been a long time since I had been out without it.
Even for a short while like this.

And that small separation… strangely felt good.

I was reminded of a time when I didn’t have a phone.

A time when life was all about flying kites
and playing hide and seek.

Back then… nothing else mattered.

Sitting on the terrace today,
and eating something that didn’t taste even good…

I realised how much had changed.

And how, somehow,
life had to play a small trick
just to separate me from my phone.

And still…

I felt good.

Even without a cup of tea!