Coffee With Stranger

Take Off

"Excuse me, can you tell me when the flight to Mumbai will take off?"

"It's from 8:30 p.m. mam." The gorgeous lady at the counter answered.

"Do you have any preference for a seat?" She requested.

"It will be great if you could give me a window seat," I replied. I always love flying high and looking at the clouds from the aircraft. It feels outstanding like I am surfing on it.

"Here is your boarding pass Miss Isha Kapoor," Lady said.

"Thank you," I replied.

I am from Delhi and now moving to Mumbai. After completing my Masters in Business Administration, as a result of the campus recruitment; I have earned this job in Mumbai.

I have been to Mumbai earlier to attend my friend's marriage, and my dad has some contacts in Mumbai which would make things easy for me to settle in the city.

I have very high hopes from my job and Mumbai. Let's see how the city treats me.

It was still about an hour before I bid goodbye to Delhi. I thought of roaming around to find something for my friend in Mumbai. She knew that I was shifting as I have asked for her help to find me a house on rent.

My phone rang, "Hello dad, yes my check-in is done, and you know what, I have got a window seat" I said with a big smile like I have won a gold medal in Olympic.

"Don't worry I will call you as soon as I reach Mumbai. Bye, love you and will miss you."

I was a bit nervous as I have left my home town for the first time and moved to a completely unknown city. Apart from that, every morning, I have to make a coffee for myself.

Being an only child I was pampered enough in the family. I am going to miss those all.

I was hungry, let's find something to eat. After moving around for about half a kilometre, I saw Starbucks cafe.

My heart filled with excitement as I found my destination. Yes! I am a coffee addict and can drink three to four cups a day.

I love coffee for its aroma and bitterness at the end. What could be the better place for a coffee lover than Starbucks?

I ordered my favourite cappuccino. Dark rich espresso with a thick layer of foam.

"May I know your name, mam?"

The boy at the counter took the cup and asked me with courtesy.

"Isha Kapoor" I replied.

I always like their method of writing a name and some sort of coding on the cup with the marker. It feels unique and privileged. Their coding is like some secret agency's language.

I set on the table waiting for my cappuccino in an exclusive cup. While tapping my fingers on the table I saw a man who gave his pen to that boy for coding on a cup. This act made me curious as to why the hell that man had given his pen for coding?

"Here is your cappuccino Miss Isha" the girl came to me with my coffee.

My excitement in having a favourite cappuccino turned into curiosity due to that man. I was drinking my coffee slowly as I didn't want to finish before him and want to know more about that man.

Was it a kind of some smuggling deal or illegal money transfer or something? What's going on???

I watched him from the back. My eyes were on him like a detective and by now I had thought of all possible things that could be.

That man completed his coffee and started walking. Seeing that, I also stood up and ran to his table where he left his coffee cup. It was empty and there was SIR written on it.