It was a small wooden table but it held tremendous importance to the 4 people sitting around it.
Every day, they gathered around their hallowed table, steaming cups of coffee or tea in hand, and discussed the
world like there was no tomorrow. The table was their rock, upon which they laid the foundation of their friendship,
around which they talked, fought, joked and occasionally, stood upon to give a rousing dramatic speech or enacted scenes from
their favourite movie.
Today, they were fighting. It was over a silly topic, which movie to go to in the evening.
But still, words were being exchanged and the 4 were at the center of attention. It was after all a small cafeteria, and
there was only so much you could do or say without being noticed.
“I don’t like that actor, his hamming is worse than his stammering….” said Person A.
Tempers flared quickly on hearing this statement, Persons B and C were evidently big fans of the aforementioned actor.
“So what, it’s a superhit movie, isn’t it? We are going and thats it!” said C.
“What do you mean it’s a superhit movie? Have you even taken the trouble of reading the reviews? Two stars!! Why do you want
to spend all your good hard earned money on a two bit movie for a guy who can’t act?” came back A strongly.
“Then why did it become a super hit?” came back B even stronger.
“Because of idiots like you. Do what you want, I am not going to that movie. I can stand outside for three hours if you want….”, A
was now beginning to understand that he was fighting a losing battle.
Bang! Person D had just slammed the table with his huge ham-like fist. Cups of hot coffee went flying all across.
“No one is standing outside for three hours. No one is going for a movie. Guys, its our last day in this city, our last time together…
Is this how you want to end it?” said D, hoping to bring a bit of sentiment into the discussion.
Five minutes of discussion later, all apprehensions of a bad three hours put aside, it was finally decided that no one was going anywhere.
The movie would after all come on TV in a few days. Instead, they voted for a quiet dinner there followed by drinks outside.
“Gather around guys, one last photograph….There are so many memories of us here!” said B.
And so it was that the four gathered around their rock, their one steady thing in the years that went by.
They were software engineers, and for them their coffee table knew so much more about their minds and their lives. They thought that the dripping
coffee looked like the tears that the table had shed for them; for they were leaving, maybe never to return again…
Aigis Nalian 