AI generated photo

I sent the message on my phone & waited patiently for it to get delivered. But alas, it just did not happen. I refreshed my phone & waited for some more time. Nothing, absolutely nothing.

“Maybe I should just turn it off & then turn it on after some time. That will make it work.” I thought to myself. I do not know what, but it made me restless. While the phone was switched off, I turned on my Smart TV & selected Amazon Prime Video. Maybe binge-watching for some time could make me feel better. It did not work! I switched to Netflix, but no luck there, too! I switched my phone on. The message still lay there, undelivered. I hopped from one app to another but failed every single time. With the ticking of the clock, my anxiety grew, too!

“What was even happening? Did I make a mistake in reaching this place for my freelance travel gig? Atul had warned me, but do I ever listen to him? Hell…no. ” I wanted to connect with Atul & my parents desperately.

It had just been a few hours here in this quaint little town & I have been going through all this misadventure. I peeped into my smartphone & opened the WhatsApp app to see if my messages had been delivered. Irritated with the glitch, I tried calling him. It just did not ring! I tried calling home, but nothing happened again. My heart sank. I tried reaching the landline in my room & dialed the reception. No luck there yet. A droplet of sweat trickled down my forehead. I looked at the watch. It was five minutes past noon. I opened the door of my room & ran down the staircase, straight to the receptionist.

“Excuse me. I am unable to operate my phone here. The TV is not working. Even the landline is not working. None of the apps was functioning. What is the matter?” I asked hurriedly.

“Ma’am. Sorry for the inconvenience. But I thought you would be aware of it. No technology will work for the next three months here & that is the specialty of this town. We go off-grid starting today, exactly at noon! The satellites can’t trace us! All the roads ,railway & flight too do not function for a quarter. This happens in every few years. “

My jaw dropped.”Whaaat? What are you even saying? I had a fight with my close pal & I just booked the ticket to this place without thinking much. But how can this vital information not be given to the people coming here? What am I going to do now! I am not even carrying that much cash.” I was almost having a heart attack.

” Ma’am, please calm down. Travellers, though few, come here to experience this. Somehow, this is still a mystery for all of us. But thankfully, you have been booked with us. We will take care of everything for the time you stay here & while you leave after three months, you can reimburse the amount. The breakup of the bill is here. You can have a look. ” She replied calmly.

Without having a word to say. I took the bill in my hands & glanced through it. Surprisingly, it all seemed reasonable. And what choice does one have when you find yourself in the middle of the storm? You hold onto even that one piece of straw floating near you. The bill was the straw & I held onto it tightly.

” Ok. ” I could just say these words. Atul’s face danced in front of my eyes. We had a terrible fight, but at this moment, I wanted to run to him, hug him tight & get lost in his embrace. But my message was still lying there, letting me know how far I was from him. I cursed my temper. I act in haste all the time, & it is Atul, who has been handling me & my impatience so well all these years. But this is something insane. Off-grid! What is even that?

I went into the dining hall & sat down in the empty hall. A young boy brought a plate full of pancakes & honey. I was already hungry from all the uneasy adventures that I had been experiencing, so I quickly dug in. The food tasted better. No notifications, no distraction. I was just present, there with my food. It was new but refreshing. Pushing all my worries aside, I decided to take this opportunity in stride & see where it goes.

*************************************

The city was calm. People were not only hospitable but generous too. It felt slow but hospitable. My mornings started with the golden hues of the sunrise. The lush green environs & the beautiful landscape added to the beauty of this little town. I felt the wind, I could hear the birds chirp, and I felt present. There were no blue screens of the gadgets, but I had the magnificent green view to get lost in. And interestingly, I had made friends in the last couple of days. Yes, making friends in your adulthood is the scariest thing, but I had made it. In my hotel, I found travelers with the same fate. Some came prepared & some were like me, risky travelers with just a backpack & a zeal to feel the adrenaline rush. My mind would wander from Atul to my angry boss’s face to the worried faces of my parents from time to time, but I was helpless.

Somehow, I had started enjoying this distraction-free life. It made me pause and connect with myself. People enjoyed each moment. No one was “busy” & yet all tasks got done! Have we made these gadgets so important in our lives that simple human touch feels exquisite? People smiled at each other and hugged their loved ones. There was an evening ritual every day, where almost the whole town assembled & had fun with games, dancing, singing folk songs & merry making. Young men & women held hands & cheered on each other. The old ones sat alongside & grooved in too. The city came alive. There was so much happiness all around. No social media, no hate mongering & no pretense! It was all raw, true & filled with passion & above all life ! It was all kind of growing on me slowly.

**************************************************

Almost a month had passed since I had arrived here. Cut off from the whole world, I had as if become someone else. But today seemed different. The receptionist had announced that I had a letter. I ran down the stairs & grabbed my letter with happiness. It was from Atul!

“We do get letters, Maa’m! Our only way of communication in these times.” The receptionist addresses my unsaid query with a smile.

“Why did I never think of letters ?” I thought to myself as I opened the letter & saw his handwriting for the first time. No emojis, no memes, just beautiful words where he had poured his heart out! And my absence had made an impact. He had PROPOSED in the letter itself & could not wait to hear back from me. I could not believe what I was reading. I could have never known this soft side of him, had these gadgets not failed!

With happy tears in my eyes, I grabbed my pen & started writing a letter too!

Love,

Chinmayee

This post is a part of BlogchatterBlogHop