The "Soma" Life

The pre-monsoon heat was oppressing. Despite the AC on full power, there was uneasiness crawling on the skin. It felt like the sweat was trying to come out, but the oppression prevented it from doing so. The itching on the fingers was palpable now. They seemed shivering but were actually full of anxiety. The traffic was, as usual, at a standstill. Fidgetiness all across the body now. It had been a week since I had the soma last.

Heat, Oppression, Anxiety, Fidgetiness, Itchiness.

I opened the glove box and I took the soma out. And with a pop and gulp, I took it.

Closing my eyes, I waited. The anxious images that swirled around in the light darkness slowly dissolved into a murkiness of different colours which then evened out into uniform threads which spread out like a fluttering flag and then merged into a sea of colours. Beautiful but hazy.

I opened my eyes and looked around all the billboards and the wall paintings that surrounded me.

I focused first on the Hethwani’s “Elitist” project’s ad. It was a simple ad. Green trees in the background, people blurred out to give a sense of personal space to the family of three running in their tracksuits on a curving gravel path. And their smiles - angelic white. And then the sea of colours from somewhere behind my eyes, spurted out and wove the scene in itself. I was there then. The sun was shining bright into my eyes. Shading myself, I felt a cool respite of a breeze blowing across. The circular park was teeming with people. The family in the ad was running along the periphery. They were right infront of me. Smiling as intended. And then the gleeful sound of laughter echoing all around reached my ears. I took the entire view in the 360-degree view and happiness filled me. My body felt relieved.

And then the sea of colours faded out from this scene and shifting my eyes fell onto a wall painting of a kid playing football and preparing to take a shot. And instantly I was transported there. Unfortunately, I was there as the hidden goalkeeper. The sweaty green jersey stuck to my body. But the heart was racing. The kid in the painting had beaten the last defender and was preparing to take a shot. I was standing near the left pole of the goal. The right part was vulnerably exposed. My instincts took over and I took a pre-emptive step towards the right and then right when the kid had struck the ball, I took a plunge further to the right. And as the ball was near the top right corner, I punched it away. I fell with a thud but the racing heart flooded out everything else - enthrallment, the bodies dropping about me trying to hug me, the cheers that deafened the make-up stadium - for the moment. And then everything rushed in. Such ecstasy.

And then the sea of colours faded out from this scene too and shifting my eyes….

After I had surveyed 4 ads, the effect of soma had died down. All those feelings that everyone wishes for in a life, I had experienced in the last few minutes. Despite the oppression, heat and everything, the body had cooled down and I felt relaxed. The traffic continued to be at standstill. I knew I will be reaching the home just in time to take few minutes power nap in my sleeping pod, take a shower and then reach back the office by 9 am (all the physical assets despite the low utilization were essential for the growth story). But God praise the Soma, such a thoughtful invention by the municipal corporation.