Ashok had been the security guard of Misty Meadows for years.
He had watched people arrive with suitcases, boxes, and eyes full of curiosity and hope.
He had watched people leave for work every morning, and return home in the evenings, sometimes cheerful, a lot of times tired.
He had watched the children hurry off to school with heavy satchels on their backs, chattering excitedly.
He had watched friendships blossom, and strangers turn into familiar faces.
And over the years, he had formed his opinions about them.
For instance, he felt that Mrs Desai was a rather stern and subdued woman. She rarely spoke, kept to herself, and there was a permanent scowl on her face.
It took a keen eye for him to notice how she lingered a little longer near the playground while the children played, or when Tom Uncle held his storytelling sessions.
There was this young couple, Akash and Amritha. They had arrived with bright smiles and high energy. He had assumed theirs was a rather uncomplicated life, until he began noticing them spending late evenings at the bench, staring at their laptop screens with furrowed brows.
There was Radha, a relatively recent entrant into Misty Meadows who seemed almost possessed by running. It did not take Ashok long to realise that she was chasing a dream. He did his bit to help her by keeping the gate wide open every morning so that she would not have to slow down.
Ashok was good friends with Raghu, the grocer. He would often be found taking his breaks at the shop, chatting away with him.
Then there was the ever-enthusiastic Tom Uncle, who seemed to have a story for every occasion. And his loyal dog, Boo, who followed him along wherever he went.
There was also Surekha didi, who took care of everyone except herself. She was always hurrying from one house to another, like a woman on a mission.
Ashok had watched all of them long enough to realise that first impressions were often misleading.
The quiet ones had their own stories.
The cheerful ones had difficult days.
The determined ones had faced failure.
Ashok did not know every story. He had simply been around long enough to notice the little things about the people of Misty Meadows.
One evening, a family arrived at the gate with a car full of belongings.
They looked around curiously, taking in the greenery, the houses, the cobblestoned path, and the massive banyan tree.
Ashok studied them for a moment.
“First time here?” he asked with a smile.
They nodded.
He opened the gate and watched them drive into Misty Meadows, wondering what their story was, what the residents would make of them, and what they, in turn, would make of the people of Misty Meadows.
Ashok returned to his chair, going into deep thought.
You could go past someone every single day and still know very little about them.
Sometimes, all it took was a little patience, a little less judgement, and a willingness to look beyond what meets the eye.
More stories from the little community:
People of Misty Meadows #1: The Woman with the Book
People of Misty Meadows #2: The Young Couple with the Laptop
People of Misty Meadows #3: The Girl with the Red Bicycle
People of Misty Meadows #4: The Cheerful Uncle and His Bag of Stories
People of Misty Meadows #5: The Woman with the Running Shoes
People of Misty Meadows #6: The Dog Who Belonged To Everyone
People of Misty Meadows #7: The Didi Everyone Counted On
People of Misty Meadows #8: The Man Behind the Grocery Counter
Before you go…
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The Soulful Nib
