A Walk Down Memory Lane

The other day I was out with my friend, Asim, for a walk in the neighborhood. With no particular place in mind, we were simply milling around for a while before entering an old park near my home. This park was one of those places where I had spent my childhood. Maybe I was coming here after 7 years or so.

It was an amazing feeling. The park was still kept well but things were falling apart.. The benches, the swings, the slides all reminded of the old days when we as kids use to jump around relentlessly. The grass was still green and the bushes were maintained well. It wasn't exactly a huge park but then, as a kid everything in the world appears so big and daunting. Memories slowly were coming back. The time spent, the friends with whom the games were played, the picnics, the fights. Everything was coming back slowly.

It was after dusk that we were walking and the park was pretty much deserted. Except for a couple of families around nobody was about. It resembled an old forgotten ghost park where everything seems to be old or dusty but gives you the impression that it's still alive. The fountain at the entrance was not working anymore. The canteen where we used to line up to buy the chips and candies was gone. The tiles were coming apart. There was a huge water tower right at the centre of the park. It was still standing tall and strong. It gave a nice pleasant feeling. Reminded of so many things of ages ago. Or rather of what felt like ages. It's strange to think how fast we grew up. Strange because it feels like yesterday but at the same time also feels as if it was another lifetime. This mix-bag feeling usually comes on, when there is a strong physical reminder of a memory. In my case, the park..

It was a good walk. One that made me remember a part of my playing and jumping around days. The park may not bask in it's previous glory but then surely it's there as a nice reminder of events to everyone who have grown up around and with it.