My Road To Take

She should have felt joy and excitement instead what she felt was guilt and loathing each time she looked at that road that was always there but never taken. They would incessantly argue about the need to travel and experience solitude as against the comfort of a nourishing home. They would always disagree. For her people were everything, all kinds of people. Meeting new people and forging new friendships gave her energy, kept her abreast with the world but he always preferred the comfort of the known, the luxury of trust, the ease of fewer friends. "One of us has to be practical in this relationship... it is simply not safe to leave everything you know and love simply because you want a new experience" he said "new experiences need not mean abandoning the old sweetheart. I belong here, nothing changes that... but I want to be able to discover what else I can be" she argued. "Why is it never enough? Why is satisfaction with what is here and now never a possibility with you?" He wondered. "I don't know... maybe because I'm inspired by evolution itself" she said. "You don't need my permission... you are free to do as you please" he said and slammed the door behind him. "It's not about permission goddamnit...it's about understanding what matters to me" she yelled. They didn't talk much for a week after the last argument.

She had just returned from work that evening and so had he  "I am starved... what's for dinner?" He enquired "Same as lunch... I'm just back..." she remarked. "Could you make something new? Just for a change in the palate?" He asked. She looked at him, mustered a half smile and said..."Sure!"

And then suddenly the irony dawned upon him. He rushed to the kitchen and hugged her from behind, put his chin on her shoulder and with the gentlest possible tone said... "I am sorry . I understand. Go ahead take that road"